Bali by Honda

Alright... time to finish the Bali story before birthday events come to pass and I can't remember anything within the drunken haze that will be the next 3-5 months.

  After being shuttled along the path of conformity, we finally followed through with our motorbike idea!  50,000 rupees (5$) to rent a bike for 24 hours.   It was so exhilarating to have the freedom to go and stop and speed and honk and see literally everything.  The next few days were spent zooming all over the island.  We went to the south beach of Sanur, and attempted to brave the hustle of busy Kuta and Nusa Dua (the party towns of Bali).  It took us 4 hours to travel from Ubud, over the majestic volcano and to the Northern beaches.  We saw the real, untouched Bali where swarms of monkeys hang out and farm workers pile on the backs of tiny trucks, and where everyone seems to exist in perfect harmony with their surroundings (cliche but true).  

We spent one of the top rated nights of my life at the Jazz bar.  Where a local Balinese band played Latin music (my favorite) and a few wild Australians danced the salsa.  I thought to myself; dammit, I live in California and don’t know how to salsa. Thus spawned my resolution to take dancing classes this year.  Besides the point. 

Note:  Never try to be audacious by ordering palm wine… you will be disappointed… and hammered simultaneously.  And yes it is possible if only in the case of palm wine.  Rice wine on the other hand… not half bad. 

The Road to Bali (or the crossing of half the world’s ocean and the entire continent of Asia to Bali) was without a doubt as incredible as I could have hoped.  But the adventures have just begun. 

Now life has settled down to pretty much the ordinary… as ordinary as life can be in the beautiful Santa Barbara area.  I love my friends, miss my family, hope to live every day to the fullest and blah blah blah more optimistic crap.  Really I'm just incredibly stoked to turn 21, meet new people, go new places and strengthen my existing relationships.