Travel and Day 1

I was so fortunate that a colleague and her husband happened to be flying to the same place on the same day. Not only did I get to enjoy their VIP airport transportation service (see traffic in Istanbul in previous posting) but Moira saved my bacon by giving (a) knowing there was a visa fee to be paid in cash at Immigration in US dollars and (b) loaning me the requisite $25 US. This prevented a situation upon arrival which would have made me unhappy (see crankiness in previous posting).

In case your geography is imperfect, Bali is nowhere near Istanbul. Door to door, this trip took over 19 hours, 13 of which were spent in the air. The rest was ground transportation, layover, security and immigration. But here I am at last. A charming driver from the Yoga Barn picked me up and brought me to my hotel - about an hour and a quarter's trip.

Gorgeous statue just outside the airport

Hindu goddess of holding your breath for a long time.

My hotel is a small, family-run affair, and myk room is very basic, but it's clean and there's a tub. I don't have a bath in Istanbul, so this is a special treat. I didn't sleep on the plane, despite half a Stillnox. It's quite hot and humid, but despite the languorous atmosphere, my goal is to stay awake until 8. I must not nap. No yoga, though. I'm so tired that I'm a littly woozy, and falling down would be a bad thing (see Background).

Shrine in my hotel's garden

Enormous fruit, maybe Jackfruit or Durian. 

I had dinner at the Dirty Duck, a beautiful restaurant that back onto a rice paddy. This gorgeous floating floral arrangement greeted me at the door.

Their specialty is crispy duck, so I had that. The sauces are, from left to right, lemongrass, lime and chili, a mild Sambal, and Oh-my-God-These-People-are-Trying-to-Kill-Me chili mixture.

The view from the Dirty Duck

The fuscia flora is not a flower - try saying that fast ten times - but the leaves of a plant.

Now it is after 8, so I can go back to my hotel and sleep.