MOTORCYCLE DIARY IN BALI. PART II

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DAY 5. UBUD AND VOLCANO AND LAKE BATUR. 80 KM

Today's goal is to reach the northeastern part to visit the largest lake in Bali, the Danu Batur. After meeting a small group of Spaniards at breakfast, we set off, and our first stop is the Gunung Kawi, a site of carved stones of up to 8 meters, with a kind of citadel carved in stone certainly interesting. We decided to buy some sarong, because in each temple it is necessary, and in the end the rent will be more expensive. Halfway we approach the Tirta Empul baths, where many devotees carry out their prayers under some water jet sacred, and surrounded by fish of up to two spans! After putting a little water on our head, by way of baptism, we follow the path to the viewpoint of the lake and the Batur volcano. The consequences of the last major eruption in the 60s are still observed in the arid parts of the hillside. A good shower falls on us, so we eat along the way.

With the sun back, we return to Ubud, crossing kilometers and kilometers of craft shops and exhibitions. At the last traffic light before our hotel we were stopped by a policeman to ask for an international license ... we already knew that we would have to take advantage of a cop, so we were well prepared ... or so we thought, we forgot the license at the hotel! Luckily he trusted us and let us continue (free).

DAY 6. UBUD - SANUR. 176 KM.

We knew it was going to be a hard day, touring the entire east coast of Bali would take our time. But before leaving for the coast we have a must-stop, the Pura Besaki temple, the mother of all temples raised on the slope of the Agung volcano, the highest in Bali with 3,142 meters. "Ok, it is the most important temple, but so much for this amount of people?", We ask ... It turns out that these days coincide with the most important celebrations of the year, so as one of them tells me, we are fortunate. Well yes and no: fortunate because we can be part of their traditions, literally, and bad luck because it is impossible to visit the temple being so crowded. The same man invites me to share the prayers, brings me a basket with flowers and incense and teaches me the ritual:

Sitting cross-legged in front, and the sarong covering them.
The hands are joined at the forehead and three prayers are made: the first and the second after passing a handful of flowers through the smoke of the incense and putting them on the ears and between the fingers. The third with nothing. In each prayer you think of the goddess, and the aspects of your life that you want to help you.
I put my hands together in a bowl and pour holy water, which I drink three times.
Finally, from a plate with rice in holy water, I take a few grains that I stick between my eyebrows, and the rest I eat. END

On the way down we go around the Agung volcano, omnipresent on our left all the way to the sacred baths of Tirta Ganga, which remind us a little of the Alhambra gardens. Practically at the easternmost tip we take the coast road towards Sanur. A few hours have passed and there is still a long journey, so we only make one more stop, to see the hundreds of bats venerated in the temple of Goa Lawah. At 5 o'clock we are in Sanur, and the body asks us for a good dip in the sea ... how to resist?

DAY 7. SANUR - KUTA. 76 KM

We will not be more than necessary in Sanur, too much luxury for us. We take the backpack and on the way to Kuta, we approach the hotel to leave it and go with less weight, and again to the road. This time it will be a little softer, we only have one temple to visit, the Uluwatu, in the southernmost outgoing of the island. We are powerfully struck by sinister figures that we have seen throughout these seven days of crossing, remind me of the monsters in Goya's black paintings! I take a photo on the cliff of the temple and back towards Kuta, but first a little swim in the sea, on Dreamland beach. Lety warned me, be careful here that it is difficult to swim ... and so much! I was not in a more dangerous sea ever! With considerable waves, a lot of current, slopes that suddenly leave you floating, and rocks in the background impossible to see ... Worse is for Lety, who not even wanting to have been able to enter the water after letting her take one foot, the blow that took It was to have ripped off his finger! Look, a good excuse to rest the next two days ... WITHOUT MOTORCYCLE!

USEFUL INFO ROUTE BY BALI BY MOTORCYCLE

Day 5: Tickets: Gunung Kawi: 15,000 IRP. Tirta Empul: 15,000 IRP. Mirador Batur: official 15,000 IRP, but they let us go through 10,000 IRP both for not carrying change.
Day 6: Tickets: Besaki: 10,000 IRP (eye asking 15,000 IRP, but on the ticket puts 10,000 IRP). Tirta Ganga: 10,000 IRP. Goa Lawah: 6,000 IRP. Accommodation: Mery Homestay: 110,000 IRP.
Day 7: Tickets: Uluwatu: 20,000 IRP. Dreamland: 5,000 IRP.

General: The motorcycle rental in Kuta was updated for 40,000 IRP, plus 10,000 IRP insurance. The liter of gasoline goes to 4,500 IRP at the gas station and 5,000 IRP in the street bottles. In each site of interest it is normal to pay parking for about 2,000 IRP. The times we wanted to pay with large bills they left us for free, because they had no change. In total they were 727 KM, for which we spent 69,000 IRP on gasoline (9,500 IRP at 100)