9th June - Ubud (Wednesday)

I still feel shaky and nervous this morning, ripped off, anxious, and knowing that I will see him today because he sits in the same street I must walk down to get to the market.

I've decided to get pampered today. I found a professional salon near where the place I'm staying, which, for AUD$40, I can get a head/shoulder/back massage (no legs - yay), hair mask, manicure, pedicure, body scrub and facial. Not a bad deal I reckon. It will take about 3 hours and hopefully bring back some confidence.

It's 7:30am, I thought I would head to the markets early. I'm looking for clothes and some comfortable sandals.

As I walked past reception, they offered me breakfast, after confirming that it's part of my price, I ordered a pancake and went back to my room as they serve to your outdoor setting. And here I wait :)

While waiting for breakfast, I studied the receipt they gave me from the restaurant last night. The prices were:
Large Agua (water) - 5,000
Large Beer - 17,000
Gado-Gado (my vegetarian meal - vegies with satay sauce) - 22,000
Tropical Sasur - 23,000
Banana Fritter - 5,000
Balinese Pancake - 6,000
Comes to 78,000 + 10% govt tax = 85,800

I can't help it, but seeing the price of his beer made me think even less of him. I hope I don't run into him today.

Oh man. This breakfast is delicious. This pancake has a banana mixed in and honey - much better than the one I had last night, more simple. The one last night was mixed with coconut and palm sugar, this one was just right, with a splash of honey. They also gave me a plate full of fruit drizzled with honey too - mmmm.

Ok, now to face the day...

Walked to the market. Wasn't very impressed. It looked the same as Denpasar - sarongs and fruit. I bought some incense: a huge packet for 15,000R (found out later that they are about 2,500-5,000 in mini-markets), I'm hoping it will make my bungalow smell nicer, but I might be pushing my luck as it's got a pretty lethal stale smell.

I went to Verona Spa and got an "Experience Package".
- Massage (Javanese Luler - 1.45 hr)
- Body Scrub (turmeric, sandalwood)
- Facial
- Bath with Rose Petals
- Hair Creme Mask
- Pedicure
- Manicure
I was there most of the day, and it only cost 260,000
And oh my GOD, that place was awesome. SO professional, I felt completely relaxed and secure. (Agus could learn a thing or two!) I did see him twice briefly during the day, but kept walking and kept the conversation brief, non-question answers "yes, no" etc.
He has SMSd me a few times since, but my phone was out of credit.

I spent the rest of the afternoon and the night, walking in the opposite direction of the markets (therefore opp. direction of Agus), looking for a phone place to recharge my SIM card and some decent shoes as my feet are covered in extremely sore blisters from their "fashion sandals and thongs". It's been "bandaid-city" down there since day 2 :(

I had boiled rice with soy sauce for lunch, only 2500R

I found some slip-on shoes, which were cheap and slightly better than the ones I was wearing, so I bought them for 25,000R (they tried for 68,000 but they wouldn't be worth $5 back in Australia, let alone in Bali).

Later, after I had replaced my SIM Card (100,000) and bought a new phone battery (only 40,000), I found a fixed-price shoe shop. Lots of comfy's... I was drooling. Bought some sandals for 62,500R, but good quality, and "bliss" from the moment I put them on.

It was dark by the time I started heading back to my bungalow. I had covered a lot of ground and would've considered a taksi back if it wasn't for my wonderful new sandals :)

I heard some chanting, it was the Kechak and Fire Dance. It started at 7, but I don't think I missed much, so I went in for 50,000R. It went for about an hour I reckon, and was a good experience, though the audience's heads were in the way of any good photographs. It would've been better to go with a friend.

Nick called while I was trying on some shoes, told him I would go to Kuta before he leaves (he only has a week left). I might go tomorrow. That way, I can get away from this place for a while, back to the "security" of some friendly faces, in particular, Nick.
I went out for dinner with my new Bahasa Indonesia tutor "Wayan". My first lesson is tomorrow at 7:30am (!) and costs 50,000 per lesson.

I went back to the hotel and had an early night :)