December 04, 2005
Yesterday we rode 10km down the road to the hot springs. We went thinking we will check it out and if it doesn’t look like fun then we will move to some other place. We were both feeling rather “put out” by several experiences from the evening before and that morning and neither one of us thought we would find so much better 10km away but we did. It all started when we topped the hill at Penelokan where the men of the village wanting to find us accommodation for a commission. It was all rather frustrating in that they were so in your face and really put the pressure on. We finally agreed to look a place this gentleman wanted us to see so we dropped down off the top into the volcano crater to take a look at the accommodations. The ride down was very steep and it is unlikely that Jodi or I could have ridden up it with fully loaded panniers. The place was ok so we agreed to stay the night. Well they guy who showed us the place must have notified his friends that we were there because they all sat outside wanting to sell us art, and take us tramping up Mt. Batur. So every time we emerged through the doors of our room two or three guys would approach us. The next morning the father of the person who showed us the place we were staying approached us at breakfast wanting to sell us transport up the hill. After that Jodi and I realized we needed to disappear into the landscape or accept the offer of transport and get the heck out of there. We decided to travel the 10km to the hot springs and if it wasn’t much then we would find a bus or truck to haul us back up to Penelokan. We loaded up our bikes and tried to leave as quietly as possible and pedaled the short distance to discover the hot springs pool was very nice so we decided to find some accommodation. During our search we happened upon a very helpful woman who showed us to three different places, negotiated the deal and offered to arrange our transport up the hill the next day. We ended up in a home stay for $5 per night including breakfast. We unloaded our bikes and walked across the street to the pools and spent the next 6 hours lounging about in the hot pools, drinking fresh fruit juices and having a very relaxing time. My cold had taken a turn for the worse and had become a sinus and bronchial infection (the joys of my genetics) so sitting in the hot pools felt really good. Jodi would occasionally look at me and ask “what do you want to do today” and I would respond, “I am doing it”.
Jodi had agreed to a massage with the woman who had helped us and we had both thought she would just come and get Jodi when she was ready but we later discovered it was supposed to be at 2:00PM and it was now about 3:30. When Jodi went to our room to get something, the woman approached Jodi and asked, “where have you been? I have been waiting since two and it is now to late for me to do it and get home to my family.” Jodi felt terrible and asked how she could make it up to the woman and she said “buy one of my bracelets”, Jodi agreed and came to me at the pool needing some money. When I heard the story I also felt badly and told her to buy as many bracelets that $7.50 would get (it was all I had in my pocket at the time). She ended up with three but the woman added one other and told Jodi that she had arranged our transportation with the man who operated the guesthouse. It was a huge relief to know that it was all handled and we would not need to haggle with all the men.
Late in the day it began raining so we returned to the guesthouse. I was doing some adjustments on the bicycles when the little boy of the family operating the guesthouse decided he wanted to help. He just stood there watching me doing my thing, the whole time singing songs in Balinese and drawing pictures for Jodi and I. His parents kept telling him to leave us alone and he would leave for 15 or 20 seconds and return singing again. Later I told his dad that he was a very good boy and he wasn’t bothering us.
Later in the evening the little boys uncle arrived to finalize a price and a time for our transport up the hill in the morning. He said he did not feel right about taking us just to Peneloken because there was still more hill beyond so he offered to take us 25km further so we could coast down the other side. Since I felt like crap and did not feel like doing any more hard riding than I had to I agreed that his idea sounded good. I asked how much and was very surprised whe he said “$7.” I asked “each?” and he replied, “total”. His price had taken me by surprise because the other guy had wanted $20 to take us to Penelokan which was only about 5 km away. I agreed to his price and he stayed through the evening talking with Jodi and I about Balinese culture and the family structure. He also explained that the most recent bombing had all but shut down the tourist industry and most of these people have not sold anything in 2 weeks.
The next morning the woman of the house cooked us banana pancakes and the uncle arrived at 8:00am to transport us. We loaded our things into his truck and the little boys mom after some whining agreed that he could go with his uncle and us. The four of us crammed into the cab and made the journey to the top.
Once at the top we loaded our bikes, said our farewells and coasted 40km to Singaraja. On the ride down it was interesting to feel the difference between the temperature on the mountain compared to that at the coast. I also had some problems with clearing my ears as we changed altitude due to my sinus and lung problems.
Once in Singaraja we found a Doctor so I could get some Antibiotics. He was very young and had been the doctor for one of the western hotels but had started his own practice. He gave me some Cipro, eardrops and decongestants. I did not have to fill out any paper work, go to any pharmacies, show my insurance card or anything else that western doctors make us do. I asked, “how much do I owe you?” and he said “$30,000rp ($3.00 USD).” I could not believe it, even the doctors are inexpensive in Indonesia. I then downed some drugs, mounted my bike and continued riding to Lovina Beach.
We found a really nice beach bungalow with a swimming pool and air conditioning for $17.50 a night. We then went further into Lovina to find an internet café to check our email and update the blog.
Jodi had agreed to a massage with the woman who had helped us and we had both thought she would just come and get Jodi when she was ready but we later discovered it was supposed to be at 2:00PM and it was now about 3:30. When Jodi went to our room to get something, the woman approached Jodi and asked, “where have you been? I have been waiting since two and it is now to late for me to do it and get home to my family.” Jodi felt terrible and asked how she could make it up to the woman and she said “buy one of my bracelets”, Jodi agreed and came to me at the pool needing some money. When I heard the story I also felt badly and told her to buy as many bracelets that $7.50 would get (it was all I had in my pocket at the time). She ended up with three but the woman added one other and told Jodi that she had arranged our transportation with the man who operated the guesthouse. It was a huge relief to know that it was all handled and we would not need to haggle with all the men.
Late in the day it began raining so we returned to the guesthouse. I was doing some adjustments on the bicycles when the little boy of the family operating the guesthouse decided he wanted to help. He just stood there watching me doing my thing, the whole time singing songs in Balinese and drawing pictures for Jodi and I. His parents kept telling him to leave us alone and he would leave for 15 or 20 seconds and return singing again. Later I told his dad that he was a very good boy and he wasn’t bothering us.
Later in the evening the little boys uncle arrived to finalize a price and a time for our transport up the hill in the morning. He said he did not feel right about taking us just to Peneloken because there was still more hill beyond so he offered to take us 25km further so we could coast down the other side. Since I felt like crap and did not feel like doing any more hard riding than I had to I agreed that his idea sounded good. I asked how much and was very surprised whe he said “$7.” I asked “each?” and he replied, “total”. His price had taken me by surprise because the other guy had wanted $20 to take us to Penelokan which was only about 5 km away. I agreed to his price and he stayed through the evening talking with Jodi and I about Balinese culture and the family structure. He also explained that the most recent bombing had all but shut down the tourist industry and most of these people have not sold anything in 2 weeks.
The next morning the woman of the house cooked us banana pancakes and the uncle arrived at 8:00am to transport us. We loaded our things into his truck and the little boys mom after some whining agreed that he could go with his uncle and us. The four of us crammed into the cab and made the journey to the top.
Once at the top we loaded our bikes, said our farewells and coasted 40km to Singaraja. On the ride down it was interesting to feel the difference between the temperature on the mountain compared to that at the coast. I also had some problems with clearing my ears as we changed altitude due to my sinus and lung problems.
Once in Singaraja we found a Doctor so I could get some Antibiotics. He was very young and had been the doctor for one of the western hotels but had started his own practice. He gave me some Cipro, eardrops and decongestants. I did not have to fill out any paper work, go to any pharmacies, show my insurance card or anything else that western doctors make us do. I asked, “how much do I owe you?” and he said “$30,000rp ($3.00 USD).” I could not believe it, even the doctors are inexpensive in Indonesia. I then downed some drugs, mounted my bike and continued riding to Lovina Beach.
We found a really nice beach bungalow with a swimming pool and air conditioning for $17.50 a night. We then went further into Lovina to find an internet café to check our email and update the blog.
posted by Kirk & Jodi Roberts at 10:20 PM
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