The first day

We spent the first half day wandering from Indomaret to Indomaret in a vain attempt to find an e-toll card. The airport area isn’t much chop for real life. We did find a hotel with a lovely cafe and an ATM (to pay for the motorbikes), so we were happy about that. Refinanced and recaffeinated, we went back to the hotel for a snooze and to wait for the motorcycle company.

The appropriately named Benny from the motorcycle company arrived at midday with two slightly beat-up motorcycles, a Honda Lexi 125 and a Yamaha something or other (which we instantly christened WTF because we couldn’t remember its name). But they worked fine. Everyone online tried to get us to go for the more expensive Vario 155, but the 125s suit our purpose. Maybe if we were riding two up, we’d go for the more powerful bike. But then, anyone who knows Dalma knows she’s too much or a control freak for that to happen. Anyway, bigger bikes don’t seem to exist here. If you’re only going to do 60 and go along tiny roads, you don’t need anything bigger. I mean, look at what Ed March from C90 Adventures does on a smaller, marginally shittier bike. Billie, my 411cc Himalayan would be going up and down gears to stay at the right speed. I don’t dare to think of what it’d be like riding Veronica, the 750cc Shadow.

And so we set off into a maelstrom of motorcycles and exhaust fumes. Denpasar by motorbike is a baptism by fire, but one we were determined to survive. We got separated once (Thank goodness for Cardo). Eventually, we pulled over to organise ourselves. There were a few spanners in the works. We spent ten minutes trying to open WTF (David’s bike) before some bloke pulled over and pointed out that you needed to press a button as well as turn a key. Dalma had to do her favourite manoeuvre, the U-turn on an unfamiliar bike. (We’re experienced motorcyclists, you know!) We put the beeline (navigation system) on WTF and took off. In the wrong direction, but that was soon remedied.

Eventually, we got on the right road and headed along the coast. Roadworks cut the traffic down to a single lane at one stage (you can imagine how that went). And there were motorcycles everywhere. Trucks and cars and buses too. It was pretty hectic but fun. (For me!) We saw a bloke riding a motorcycle with one hand and carrying a kite in the other. We saw lots of people riding without helmets and wearing thongs (flip-flops). We saw strange vehicles with two, three, or four wheels. What we didn’t see was anyone else wearing any sort of motorcycle gear. But hey, they get to their destinations. Presumably.

We got off the freeway at Sukawati and headed down a range of small roads fringed with villages and rice fields. It was gorgeous.

Eventually, this gave way to the hippy touristic offerings of Ubud, and a return of crazy traffic. Beeline (of course) led us straight to the door of our hotel, and we collapsed gratefully into the aircon. I actually really enjoyed it, despite the crazy ride. Dalma I think found it a bit more confronting but also seemed to enjoy it. At least she says she did. One thing she can’t now deny is that she’s a fully-fledged motorcycle girl.

We’ll stay a couple of days in Ubud for post-mayhem pampering. See you then.