Memo to Australian Airlines: It occurred to me, as I sat in one of your 200 tonne pieces of metal that there may be a time more suitable than while your Captain is attempting a controlled plummet to reveal that the capital of Lombok is Praya.
Well, I'm in Bali; not in Ubud as planned, but in Kuta. I managed to leave my brain visa card at home, and Kuta is closer to the Jimbaran Fed Ex office than Ubud. Little did I know at the time that I made the decision to stay in Kuta that Ubud is closer to the Ubud Fed Ex office.
Ngurah Rai Airport is actually pretty in parts - it's amazing what a Balinese roof can do (although I suspect that even a Balinese roof wouldn't suffice for Kingsford Smith Airport). I wandered round the airport for a couple of minutes before I decided that although I was cheap enough to take a bemo, I was lazy and hot enough (31°C today) to take a taxi.
'Twas somewhat worrying that the door lock on my side was broken... or removed. 'Twas somewhat more worrying that the driver had central locking -- and used it. 'Twas a flashback to many a horror movie when the driver said "I'll just take a shortcut" - and did. It was a great trip, though; through twisty back roads roads with rows of old houses, overgrown trees, open-fronted shops, and chaotic motorbike traffic - truly lovely.
Kuta is less so, unfortunately. It has few tourists, empty shops, and hordes of spruikers. My hotel is a (literal) stone's throw away from the Bali Bombings memorial. I'm not sure that it was particularly nice before the bombings, but there's a definite grim ugliness about the place now.
Anyway - Ubud tomorrow.
