Day 7: Pura Tanah Lot Temple and Ubud

5:30am Tanalah Temple
We found this little warung with some su-weet paintings of this temple on the sea yesterday. We soon found out it was a place called Pura Tanalah. Since Chris was taking off back to Ipswich today, we scheduled a car to take us there and back at 6am ... ugh, so early. So we finished packing, checked out of Arena, picked up Lyndzy, and headed to the temple. It was a 45 minute drive north with very little traffic on the streets. When we first arrived, it was very commercialized with the Warungs lining the streets - though none were open yet. We reached the temple, walked out to the beach and looked at one of the coolest temples I have seen. It sits out in the sea about 50 yards away from the cliffs. During high tide there is no way to get to the temple or come back from the temple - it sits in the sea. We showed up as the tide was coming in, but we could still walk across the sand and through some waves to reach it. I did not make the trek because of my annoying open wounds, but Chris did. Will post pictures and probably visit it again when I return to Bali on my way home. 



9:30am Breakfast
We returned to the hotel but since we checked out, had no access to the room and AC (insert sad face). It's the hottest day I've experienced in Bali to date. Grabbed the all you can eat breakfast with the Three + Chris and then headed off to Excelsio for Internet access and a large Cookies & Cream coffee drink. Posted yesterday's blog and then trekked it back to the hotel for pickup. Man it's hot and humid today, I mentioned that already, right?

1pm: Bus to Ubud
Said my farewells to the Three & Chris, and boarded a small van they call "transport". Of course they call anything transport from "taksi" to moped to van. Met a man named Everett Busbee on the ride in & we decided to share a room. Nice guy, older, maybe 48 or 49 (Insert 60's here), whose been traveling for sometime. I ask him to share a place which he is more than obliged too. 

2:30pm Hotel Search
As soon as we exit the bus, people are talking to us about renting rooms from them. We follow one guy back to his place, which was forever away, and once there the quoted price changed. So we declined and decided it was best if I searched for lodging and if Busbee watched our bags. I must of walked into 40 establishments, down alleys, down driveways, behind shops, all to ask rates and look at rooms. 1 1/2 hours later, we end up with a decent place for 100,000 each. It's not as nice as the Arena in Kuta, but the Graha Ubud is fair enough.  We will be sharing a place for 3 nights and then I'll head back to Kuta.

6pm: The Rains
We decided to grab some grub down this alley at a uber cheap place. I think my meal came in at 15,000Rp = $1.50 usd. Busbee on the otherhand is an eater and he ordered about 65,000Rp of food consisting of 4 different plates and a beer. As he was finishing up I could see the lightening dancing across the sky and tried to hurry our waiter with the bill - don't try it, it never works. By the time we paid, it's was back to cats and dogs falling from the sky. A short jaunt and we returned to our hotel, we were both walking adverts for umbrellas and ponchos. We walk in our room to realize there are 2 leaks. Now we could deal with this like responsible people, but who are we kidding ... rest prevails and off to slumber it shall be.

Side note: Got to share a bit about my faith and perspective on life, he did the same. We definitely have varying opinions, but both agree about love and respect ... I think!  Nite nite from the iPhone blogger.