Surfing, spider bites, monkeys and Mario karts.

After our hellish bus journey we arrived in good old Kuta, the sespit of Indonesia. En route to Poppies, we met Rob randomly which worked out well. It was a nightmare finding accomo but we all branched out and with the help of some locals scooter we managed. That night we all had food at mcdonalds then the rest headed out. I was whipped so hit the hay relativley early.
The next day we lay by the pool for a while. Jarod stayed in Kuta as it was the 4th of July and we all wanted to celebrate. Some suggested watching independance day but due to our lack of dvd player we decided to use American lingo as a substitute, that lasted all of ten mins. In the afternoon James and I had a surf. Probably our best surf in Indonesia I would think. The waves were big enough to keep beginners out of the water but not to big to make the paddle out too taxing. James and I both caught some nice waves. The problem with Kuta beach breaks is the same problem with all sand bottom breaks. One they are busy, two it is unpredictable where the line up is and three they close out really quick. However the good thing about Kuta beach like most beaches is on a medium/big day because the waves breaks so fast it walls up really quickly and gives you a split second in the barrel even if you dont make it out again. For a novice surfer like myself even the feeling of seeing the wave break on top of you is enough even if I dont make it out again.
We both caught some nice ones but I was particularly stoked with one wave. Although we were both outside the line up a larger set came through and no one was near it so it gave me full right of way. I paddled, dropped in, it was pretty steep and was going left so I opted for the old crouch and hold where u stay low pull the rail towards you and lean into the wave. Usually I mess it up but this time it worked pretty well. The wave walled up as usuall and started to break over me although I didnt wipe out as usuall. Tore along the front for a while untill the wave started to break in front of me and I pulled out.
Its always hard to judge a wave but I would say this is probably the closest I have been to a barrell and like James or any surfer says, once you've had a good one its very hard to stop. I am fully aware of this as many occasions I do the 200 mile round trip to Portrush, surf terribly although catch one gem and am suckered into going another time. It truley is the sport of addicts.
Anyhow that night we all went out to celebrate the 4th of July. After surfing all day I was stociously tired and struggled to put on a brave face ut as it was Robbs last night and the 4th of July I tried, even when we ended up taking our shirts of as it was stupidly hot.I left early at arouns 2.30 although the others stayed till like 5 or something daft.
The next few days we spent surfing Kuta beach. The next day James and I were having our usuall sunset surf when the unthinkable happened, worse than any shark attack imaginable! A spider bite! Not a black widow, not a huntsman , worse! A Spider Murphy ,6 ft 8 South African gun. The worst type of bite! James had come of a wave and was paddling in. I had just caught one and was heading towards him and when he ducked the collision happened. I at first thought I was a least a metre from him but then he showed me his knee which was sliced open so you could see the fatty tissue. It probably needed stiches and no doubt any local tiger sharks would taste the blood, but in fairness James manned up and we carried on surfing. Fortunatley with the help of Jarodds paper stichets and iodine we got it sorted.
We had some great surfs ove the last few days but unfortunatley the waves died down and we were left with nothing much else to do, enter lonley planet guide for Bali and Lombok!
We decided to drive to Ubud, the cultural centre of Bali. We hired a jeep/car for 125000 ruppiah and I was assigned to drive. I actually vounteered. I know how bad the roads are here and if we were to drive on them I felt slighty more at ease having control. Anyway we headed on our way. Storming out of Poppies onto into the hustle of Kuta.
For anyone who hasnt yet drove in Bali, it literally is like Mario Kart, or maybe even more like wacky races. Anyone 23or over will remember wacky races. I think it was on Nickelodeon but basically ten or so characters would race using different methods to get ahead of their opponents although no matter what thet would do they would always be caught again. Sitting at the traffic lights leaving Kuta with around 30 mo peds around me with one or two cars and lorries in no particular lane it really felt like wacky races!
Anyway despite some sketchy directions we made it to Ubud. We had lunch adjacent to the paddy fields which was nice then went to a european backery which was actually v good but quite expensive. The monkey forest itself was impressive. It was actually set around ancient ruins and thus with the monkeys running around it was actually not disimilar to the part in the jungle book where the monkey sings 'im the king of the swingers'. So of course we sang it as we walked. Entering the forest one could purchase bananas to feed the monkeys. Some jackass american who obviously was an expert in this field told me how much better it was to feed the monkeys. One of my pet hates is when people who really have no interest in wildlife etc, go to a wildlife park become totally enthrawlled and begin to act like Steve Irwin. I have watched a million docu' about monkeys but it was enough to simply walk through and watch. It annoyed me that japanese tourists held out cigarretts to the monkeys and that for all intents and purposes the monkeys were not wild at all but due to the flocks of tourist and poor controll of them the nature and beuty of the forest had been spoiled. Realizing that the monkeys were tame the did play with us a little and one even jumped on Kim's head which was fun but although it was exciting I still feel it had been turned into a zoo.
We drove back stopping at surf outlets on the way, we were going to go to uluwatu but it got dark to soon. Now we are back in Kuta for our last day. I guess its gonna be a beach day along with buying souveneers and sorting our flights, my favourite sort of day...not! Here goes!