After our brief visit to Bali last year I was looking forward to this years stay. Ash and I even checked into the same Hotel as last year. The luxurious, relaxing place we remembered had turned into a dirty cockroach infested, overpriced dive! The atmosphere and clientèle had changed somewhat as well. We expected to head out and find relaxed, stylish bars populated with sophisticated traveller types. Instead, the rowdy bars were playing cheesy music and filled with teenage Australians. The lads topless or sporting Bintang wife-beaters, the girls with short skirts and bikinis. All of them wasted. It was a bit of a shock to the system so we just ordered some San Miguels, sat back and observed. On the way home we saw countless sunburnt party animals, couples heading home with their beer goggles firmly on, and even one cling film covered arm sporting a massive drunken tattoo. The first night we merely dipped or toe in the water. Soon enough we’d be cannon bombing into the deep end!

It turned out we weren’t the only ex-volunteers on the Island. The next day Louis, Tara and Lucy (with new tattoo) arrived in Kuta, met us for breakfast, and joined us at our new hotel. We had a sweet activity filled afternoon, including surfing, frisbee, and football on a sun drenched Kuta beach. The afternoon even saw Tara pierce my ear! I didn’t go for a stud, black ball circle or ring, or anything remotely cool. I went Island style and am now the proud owner of a pearl earring.

Later Louis tuned our guitars so we could jam by the pool, where we were joined by our new thong and cowboy boot wearing Brazilian designer mate, and drunk Scandinavians who were responsible for us going to Bounty. The place that was bombed in 2002. Hordes of young Aussies were not worried about getting lashed in there, and nor were we! Elizabeth joined us, but Sadly Tara had to depart. Thankfully we convinced Louis, whose flight was was in the early hours of the morning, to stay for a few polite beverages. After a steak dinner we succeeded in getting him druuuuunk!

Did we keep up with the teenage booze monkeys? We led the pack! Carrying around neat bottles of Arak, dancing in the bird cage, wearing bounty headbands and what ever else the Arak had wiped from my memory. I don’t know if Louis made his flight, but his room was empty.

The remainder of our stay consisted of sunbathing, surfing and a little shopping. I only ventured out of Kuta twice. One evening we visited Seminyak, where we discovered the joys of hot chocolate Arak, iced lemon tea Arak, and cafe latte with… Arak! The second trip was a morning venture to Sanur. Every evening we had a sunset surf, but due to clouds never really saw a good one. This gave Lucy and I the motivation to go to Sanur, stay up all night, and have a lovely mushroom breakfast while watching sunrise.

The next day Lucy was the final and rather melancholy departure from the group. This left Ash and I with little to do but get some surf in before heading to Australia. At the time of departure we were lacking any visas or plan, but were carrying our sweet new guitars, wearing new hats and hoodies. Priorities firmly in order.

Bye bye Asia.