Bali

Well Bali is not too shabby at all! In fact it may just be paradise.

Yep, we made it here through the fury of the cyclone, it was a bit hairy for a second there as our plane was flung sideways and bounced around a bit - there was a sort of nervous laugh that reverberated through the cabin as the plane lurched but we made it and it is just lovely here! In fact my first and only complaint so far is the tiny computer I'm trying to use and my poor fat, beer addled fingers can't work the tiny keys.

Like true geeks we enrolled in surf camp for our first week here. As a direct result of this I am now a broken patchwork person, with a reef wound on my foot, red raw ribs and hip bones, and bright red backs of my legs - a true Brit abroad! But the people are just lovely and the waves are worth all the pain I am now feeling. I surfed waves I'd never normally have the guts to thanks to a lovely local dude with extreme patience. Yep, I reckon we could become true surf camp geeks!

Brett has quickly made a reputation for himself as the crazy man with the book as he keeps grabbing the locals to practice his Indonesian. Me, I just about remember the basics of hello and thanks you, and fruit - I don't know why but fruit somehow sticks! So as long as all I need to do is order a fruit salad I am now fluent in Indonesian.

Going to give up on the tiny keyboard and wander in search of food, and maybe another beer (I have also learnt Bintang, which is the name of the local beer but means Star). There's so much more to say about this beautiful place but that can wait for another day.