last day in Asia

Yes, it's true, I finally leave Asia today after 4 and a half months of bumming around it. I have to say it has been a lot of fun, but for the last week, which has been spent in Bali, I have really been looking forward to Australia. This is particularly good since I wasn't that fussed about it whenever I actually booked my flights, but now I can't wait. I'm meeting my mum, which will be so much fun, but I'm also looking forward to general shininess and hot water and price tags. The numbers on the price tags mightn't be so much fun though.

Bali, however, has turned out to be beautiful. I have been on an organised trip with Intrepid, which was okay. I mean, it was good in that I didn't have to make any decisions or make any friends, per se, since that was all arranged for me. The timing of that was great, because after having Ori and Kate just leave me only a day or two before, I would have been particularly inept at it. However, I didn't feel that we did all that much. Or maybe it was everything that we did was at an obscene hour of the morning - climbing a volcano to watch the sun come up, and therefore starting at 3.30am, or getting up at 5.30 to check out the dolphins playing in the sunrise. I guess, if you start that early, then the day finishes pretty quick to. The volcano climb was fabulous - climbing under the southern stars to a beautiful sunrise, and then getting to run down black volcanic sand was an absolute highlight. Wandering amongst the rice paddies and acquiring a crowd of twenty children following us was also fun - I felt like the pied piper of Hamlin. I also did the best snorkelling I have ever done, at the most beautiful drop-off. Barracudas were spotted, but no sharks. There were thousands of fish, and the sea was the most incredible blue I have ever seen. It was amazing. Plus, it also gave me further proof that I am no longer a whitey - every other person there got sunburnt, and I just went a little more tan. Ha! My Irish skin-tone has finally been beaten. For it all to fade again with the Australia and NewZ spring. Grr.

I have my own "place" in Ubud. Its this coffee shop called Kafe, and everything is organic and macro-biotic. They also run yoga classes. I can see my dad rolling his eyes at me. Furthermore, the profits are invested in education for Balinese kids, so you can drink your honey lassie with a clear conscience. Its great. I'm going to hang there reading today until its time for my ride to the airport and my overnight flight to a whole new country. I'm excited.