Day 57, Water and Fire, Ulu Watu, Bali, Indonesia

When elements combine

Ripping along the Bali roads weaving in and out of traffic on a hired motorcycle was totally awesome. I rode out to Ulu Watu, approximately an hour south of Kuta Beach to check out the local sites, being huge waves and a Kecak dance. Surviving the roads got the blood pumping, but seeing huge ten foot waves pushed it a little further. I was well impressed by the surfers who manage to ride these beasts of waves, considering I struggle on the mellow stuff back in Kuta.

Then once the sun began to set I went up to the local temple which looks out from over a cliff edge to the sun setting over the Indian Ocean. Here I watched the local dance called Kecak, which is basically a lot of guys chanting this trance inducing 'cak, cak, cak...'. Then around them performers dress up in ridiculous costumes tell the story of some lovers and a white monkey or something. This ends in a big fire demonstration which seemed rather dangerous, especially when they started kicking the fire towards the crowd, but there were no injuries. This can all be seen on the film 'Baraka' which I saw a few years ago and have since wanted to see this live, and now I have...

Day 20, Bus on Fire, Between KL and Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

Burning, Burning, Burning!

Don't go on Express Kurnia Bistari bus company. There is another bus company that goes from KL to Cameron Highlands, is slightly more expensive, but on the other the buses don't catch on fire. You then won't be stranded in the middle of nowhere and won't have to wait two hours in the burning (literary sun-burning) sun for another replacement bus.