Amed, day 1

Welcome to Bali, the host location of this blog for the next couple weeks! First impressions? It's hot. You have to forgive me, I've only just woken up following a midnight arrival after a 30 hour door-to-door journey so my poetic skills aren't quite what they could be. So hot is all I have for you right now.

The whole adventure began with the following cab-ride conversation:
Driver: so where you going?
Res: Bali.
Driver: Berlin?
Res: no. Bali.
Driver: where is that, Thailand?
Res: indonesia.
Driver (sounding horrified): indonesia?
Res: yes.
Driver: is that a nice place to go?
Res: yes.
Driver: really?
Res: really.
Driver: and how long does it take to get there?
Res: about 20 hours (I rounded down)
Driver: oh no. That's too far.

He had no idea.... A few hours later, after a significant delay, we were flying to Doha when we hit some serious turbulence. So serious, in fact, that the whole plane started screaming. Yes, including me. After the initial scream, I may have been overheard begging God to not let me die this way, next to some stranger who would probably refuse to hold my hand on the way down. Which is when it occurred to me (after the plane righted itself and it became clear I was not dying after all) that I am a very selfish person. Because I actually wished for someone I loved to be sitting next to me just so I wouldn't be alone. They say the truth comes out of mouthes of babes, and people who think their plane is crashing over northern Irak. Shame on me.

But never mind. Here I am, many hours later, after a few more flights and three customs and immigration queues, after 3 hours of driving on snaking, potholed roads (good thing I was warned and packed those car sickness pills) after a comatosed sleep under a mosquito net. Here I am. Overlooking the ocean with a cup of tea. Desperate for more sleep but very happy to be here.

Happy beginning of April to me.