I have another cold. I think in each place I've visited on this trip I have caught one. Fortunately, I have cold medicine I bought in Barcelona. I took some last night to stop the endless drip from my nose so I could get some sleep.
I left 200,000 rupiah on my pillow today for Little Made. He seemed satisfied. I've avoided him most of today. Big Made is ignoring me. I guess he can't think of any way to get money out of me. I've learned that when he approaches me it is because he has a scheme. He's a slime. He should not be running a hotel, or whatever it is he is doing. I guess he doesn't realize that happy guests come back and tell their friends. People who feel like they are walking ATMs are less likely to recommend a place. I actually want to check out Artini 3, which is closer to The Pond and Ubud Wellness Spa. It seems like it might be an even better location (they have a spa too), and there will be no Big Made there! I get the feeling that he is the cousin that everyone tries to help but can't be helped. I'm waiting to see how he will try to get more money out of me when I leave on Saturday or when I return my motorbike.
Today I decided to go for a ride on my moto. The Great Dane told me that if I went further up the road that goes past the rice fields where people appear like magic to sell you things you don't want, you'll eventually come to a road that will take you to fantastic views of a volcano and lake. It sounded like a destination.
What I forgot to account for were the sun and bugs. I should have put sunscreen on my forearms and nose (which are now burnt) and worn my sunglasses to keep bugs out of my eyes.
But anyway, it was an interesting trip. Once I passed the rice fields where there were no people selling things (but I knew if I had stopped they would have appeared), the road narrowed and started an uphill climb. I could feel the temperature getting cooler as I went higher.
I wasn't sure how far I had to go, but the Great Dane told me the road would end and I would have to go right or left. He also told me police would pull me over and ask for money.
So as I headed forward, a guy dressed in black pants and a black jacket rode by in the other direction. He said, "Hello? Where are you going?" I thought he was a police officer. I said, "I don't know. Just exploring."
He pulled something out of his pocket, that I thought was some kind of badge or something. I never got to see it. Instead he told me he had a shop up ahead and just opened today, so wouldn't I visit it and help him?
I told him I wanted to see the mountain and he told me, "you just go straight, and then left, right, right". The Great Dane had told me you go to the end of the road and turn right.
Anyway, I figured I could use a bottle of water, so I agreed to follow this guy to his shop.
It turned out to be quite an elaborate fruit stand with all kinds of wonderful fruits. But I didn't want to buy fruit because I don't have a refrigerator and if I leave them in my room, I'll attract critters I don't want.
He opened a passion fruit and had me try it, then he offered me some mandarin orange. I told him no thank you. I just wanted water. He kept trying to get me to go inside, but I told him I just wanted water. I picked up a Pocari Sweat and he told me it was 7,000 rupiah, which is kind of expensive, but is what I've paid in Ubud. I gave him 20,000 rupiah and waited for my change. He then opened a rambutan (which he called a lychee) and had me taste it. He kept insisting - don't you want bananas? Passion fruit? Finally, I could see my change was not coming, so I told him to give me a few mandarin oranges, I also got a few rambutan and a few mangosteens. I asked him if that was okay, and he said yes.
Then he told me he was from the mountain. He pulled out a map and went into this spiel on what I would see if I went with him. The map had dates showing when the lava flows started. I was wearing flip flops and did not want to be trekking through hot lava in flip flops so I assured him when I come back with my friends, I will look for him. Fortunately, I know how to start my motorbike now, and I just hopped on and left, thanking him for the information.
His information was actually helpful. He told me how to go to avoid the police. The left, right, left, took me to the same place the Dane's right would have, but I didn't have to pay a fine for just being a foreigner on a motorbike in corrupt police territory.
He also told me not to pay for ceremonies on the street. He said, "in a temple okay, but not on the street". I didn't know what he meant, until I passed some women by the side of the street who tried to flag me down so they could do a ceremony with the little offerings to the gods. I just ignored them.
I continued up through alpine forests and finally came to a main road where a huge volcano came into view. I said, "wow" out loud as women on the side of the road started yelling "hello, hello!!!" - they of course, had something to sell.
I found myself in a whole other world. I was in the mountains now and I even saw a person wearing a down coat (!) which I thought was a bit too much, but I imagined it got pretty cool at night. There was a lot of activity. Markets, kids getting out of school (kids always seem to be getting out of school), little mini buses, etc., and there was a lot of traffic. I proceeded on for a while but didn't seem to be getting any closer to the volcano and didn't see any lake. I finally decided I'd had enough and turned around and returned to Ubud.
My nose feels really red and swollen from the cold and now even worse from the sunburn. I had a little adventure today which turned out to be kind of a dud, but still it was fun to get out and see a little more of Bali.
I do have to say the one thing I will miss about Bali are the beautiful smiles. I see them everywhere. People smile so easily here and they seem pretty happy and relaxed. Well, that is, except for Big Made, who seems kind of tense and doesn't have a very nice smile.
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