29 November 1985. Kuta, Bali, Indonesia

Our first day on the road after arriving from Darwin. Five backpackers all met on the plane – with Wayan at our losmen.

The mid-afternoon thunderstorm of pre-monsoonal Darwin was building as I walked across the Tarmac to the Garuda DC9 aircraft. It was fine to the west where we were heading. Inside the aircraft there were unnerving rusty streaks around the windows as if the plane had been ditched in the ocean. Taxied out & left at 2.20pm. I had a window seat, the guy next to me, Anton, was going to Bali for a month. Took a few photos of Darwin as we left – a fine view. Great cloud formations. Cruised at 31,000ft, 800kph, 2 and a quarter hours flight time to Bali, arriving at pretty much the same time as we left. 

Saw small islands way below. Coming down to Bali was exciting. As we got closer you could see villages, thatched huts, roads, motorbikes – just fabulous. A good landing, bussed to the terminal, queued for ages at immigration, stamped my passport. Picked up my 10kg pack and with Anton we negotiated the taxi drivers and stepped outside. Had to queue for money at the bank – changed $US 50 for 1,117 rupiah to the dollar.

Met up with Ian (who I met in the Darwin GPO that morning) and a French guy, Alain, and an American girl, Evi. We caught a bemo to Bemo Corner, Kuta. Then all five of us wandered, slightly out of it, down the road soaking up all the sights and sounds. Getting hounded by hawkers for bemos, bikes, food, postcards, sunglasses etc. Eventually we succumbed to 2 Balinese ‘selling’ their losmen. Went in, checked a room, bargained down to 2000R for the night – less than $2. Pretty surroundings, rooms face a garden courtyard. Anton & I in 1 room. A toilet flushed by a bucket from the bath. Sat down, sorted my gear and my mind.

Went for a walk and reached Kuta beach, impressive storm clouds, quite dark. Hawkers for massages and blow pipes. Threw a frisbee. Met up with the others and we found Aleangs. I had a honey yogurt (yum), a small Indonesian beer (not bad) & a meal of noodles and vegetables. All for 2,550. It gets dark about 5.30. Probably at 8pm I came back to sleep – very tired. Plenty of mozzies kept me awake as did the thunder & lightning.