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TRAVEL
Around
the World in 12 Issues
8. THIEVING MONKEY
 February
2003 - Bali & Thailand
Hello.
After finishing the Australia and New Zealand Supplement
and Tramp News last month, we treated ourselves to seeing
something of Bali. Dragging ourselves away from the coast,
for the first time since Rotorua in New Zealand, we headed
inland to Ubud, the cultural centre of Bali. Highlights
included forest monkeys and Balinese dancing, including
some vigorous firewalking, performed by a religious group
that included our homestay owner.
My
camera, as usual, quit on me during the dancing, only
to work again seconds after the performance ended but
plenty of cheeky monkeys were caught in megapixels; including
a tiny one that chose to attack anything four times its
size while its mother held on to its tail. It reminded
us a little of our favourite pub back home (leave it Dave
- he ain't worth it).
 Dee
managed to pick up quite the impressive collection of
bruises in Bali. After falling down a drain, covered by
rainwater from one of the daily downpours, she fell off
a bicycle and was fortunate not to go over a cliff. A
monkey ran off with her bag too.
We
reluctantly said goodbye to Bali and all the Weyann's,
Madi's Joman's and Kutut's (the four names everyone on
the Island, male or female, is given) and flew to the
Asian mainland, to Bangkok.
Chinese
New Year wasn't the best time to arrive and after getting
knocked back by several hostels, and assisting a drunk
Spanish robbery victim, we decided to drink to well past
dawn with a French Canadian and a Swede. Similar nights
followed including a pool party without a pool.
 It's
too early to say if we like Thailand as we haven't left
Bangkok yet. The Khao San Road is good for vibrant boozy
fun, the river is a great way to travel and the Wats impress.
However the "land of the smiles" seems in reality
a triumph of good press relations, we're living in a cupboard
and we've encountered as many con men and theft victims
in one week than in the past eight months.
We'll
have plenty of time to make up our minds as we'll be in
and out of Thailand several times before we fly home.
We were due to visit Cambodia but because of uncertainty
over the border situation we've decided to postpone that
for a couple of months. Instead, we're off to some islands
today for a bit of sun and fresh air before heading to
Malaysia and Sumatra.
>>
Next >> 9. Islands
1.
First Issue / 2.
Inca Trial / 3.
Lake Titicaca / 4.
The Border / 5.
Leaving LA
6. Flush
& Queue / 7.
Christmas Dinner & Bombs in Bali / 8.
Thieving Monkey
9.
Islands / 10.
Cheesecake & Whiskey / 11.
Another New Year
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