Day 145: Bali

I got an early start to my day, rented a moped, and began to explore this side of the island; Bali is much larger than I imagined. My plan is to head west and see some volcanoes. Instead of relying on cheap, notoriously unreliable, public transportation, or hiring a driver, I have set off to find a place where I can rent a 4x4 vehicle and drive myself for the next week or so through the backroads of this wild country.

After an afternoon of stopping in countless auto repair shops, following locals on their mopeds to car rental places, and stopping at the sight of any large 4x4 to see if they knew of a place to rent one like theirs, I gave up. 

(Repair Shop)

Most of the places would rent me the vehicle but I either had to have a driver or I couldn't leave the island. Knowing this, I bought a map and sat down and planned out what I wanted to see. I know that I will spending the night in remote places, so I wanted to make sure I had every stop down, the time it would take to get there and phone numbers of the hostels in the area so I could give them a call if I get stranded. I tried to get advice from the lady who ran the hostel, but it seemed as though she didn't even know she was on Bali?! She didn't even know where the closest bus station was and incorrectly named all of the famous volcanoes in Indonesia. Can I trust the advice of someone who runs a backpacking hostel that can't even tell me how fat the airport is away from the hostel?

After an afternoon of planning, I scooted over to the beach, grabbed a beer and some noodles, sat back, and watched the waves roll in. The beach was surprisingly not packed at all. How relaxing! 

After an hour or so on the beach, I explored the area before heading back to the hostel. Taking the advice of a friend, "expect for the best, plan for the worst," I repacked my bag and finalized my plans for beginning of my trip tomorrow.