plan. execute. fail. compromise.
|
Day 8 - 07/03/2015
Start - Paul and Zoe's house at Adelaide Finish - Coco Warung Hostel, Kuta Distance Travelled - 3,765km (plane) Words by - Johnny Bang |
|
Not having bikes sucks. But I’ll get to that later - let’s start at the start. We left Adelaide this morning riding a wave of help from strangers. Thanks again to Tim from Yamaha World for helping to crate and store the bikes for freight, and Paul and Zoe for letting three smelly bikers they didn’t know have free reign of their house and workshop all the weekend.
At this point I should I should explain our rule on freight - We ride every km we can, and only resort to freight if it is needed. Then, if we use freight, it must be for the shortest distance reasonably possible.
As Darwin to Dili fell through, Denpasar was the next closest port.
I say this because the kilometres travelled today feel hollow and without achievement - but it was our only option on the table at this stage.
After some complications at the airport check-in (try explaining that your return airfare is actually a boat to Malaysia that you haven’t organised yet) we had to run and slipped past the final gate as it was closing.
Culture shock in Bali was amplified by the fact that we don’t really have a way to charge our devices without the 12v on our bikes, and we didn’t have the foresight to arrange working travel cards or money. After a team meeting (read beer) at the airport we converted the little AUD we had and jumped in taxi in search of the cheapest hostel we could find.
After living off the bikes thus far I think we had all become somewhat dependant on them, and I at least fell that some of my identity is sitting in a crate back in Adelaide. As I type this from my cheap hostel room looking at sunburnt red tourists reading their kindles by the pool; I yearn to be back on my bike and back in the real world. In some ways it feels like we shouldn’t be here - this is a place for holidays and tourists - not epic motorbike missions. I can’t wait to leave.
In other news I have been drinking a lot of Bali tap water and eating meat from vendors on the street to see if I can induce 'Bali belly' (the theory being I would rather to deal with it in a hostel now then on my bike in the jungle in a week).
By my estimate we have 3-4 days to burn until the bikes arrive, so the plan for tomorrow is pretty simple - get out of Kuta and procure some boards.
At this point I should I should explain our rule on freight - We ride every km we can, and only resort to freight if it is needed. Then, if we use freight, it must be for the shortest distance reasonably possible.
As Darwin to Dili fell through, Denpasar was the next closest port.
I say this because the kilometres travelled today feel hollow and without achievement - but it was our only option on the table at this stage.
After some complications at the airport check-in (try explaining that your return airfare is actually a boat to Malaysia that you haven’t organised yet) we had to run and slipped past the final gate as it was closing.
Culture shock in Bali was amplified by the fact that we don’t really have a way to charge our devices without the 12v on our bikes, and we didn’t have the foresight to arrange working travel cards or money. After a team meeting (read beer) at the airport we converted the little AUD we had and jumped in taxi in search of the cheapest hostel we could find.
After living off the bikes thus far I think we had all become somewhat dependant on them, and I at least fell that some of my identity is sitting in a crate back in Adelaide. As I type this from my cheap hostel room looking at sunburnt red tourists reading their kindles by the pool; I yearn to be back on my bike and back in the real world. In some ways it feels like we shouldn’t be here - this is a place for holidays and tourists - not epic motorbike missions. I can’t wait to leave.
In other news I have been drinking a lot of Bali tap water and eating meat from vendors on the street to see if I can induce 'Bali belly' (the theory being I would rather to deal with it in a hostel now then on my bike in the jungle in a week).
By my estimate we have 3-4 days to burn until the bikes arrive, so the plan for tomorrow is pretty simple - get out of Kuta and procure some boards.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|