Day two at Ubud was quite fantastic! I left early in the morning on my rented motorbike to Besakih. Besakih houses the biggest Balinese Hindu Temple. It was pretty crowded with swarms of devotees and their families. All clad in the formal Sarongs. I had to park my motorbike at about 5 Kms from the temple as it was insanely trafficky!
Looks like there is a tourist entrance fee of IDR 10,000. As I neared the temple precints, I was asked to rent a Sarong to cover my long trousers. Rented it for another IDR 10,000. I had no clue on what the occasion was. But then then temple with the backdrop of Mt. Agung was mystical. Mt. Agung used to be an active Volcano.
Later, I drove off in the direction of Kintamani. En route, I could get stunning view of Mt. Batur and the Lake. It was a breathtaking view. Nature at its best! The weather was absolutely pleasant. At Penelokan, a road branches of to Mt. Batur and the Lake. You can see from a distance a landfill of volcanic ash during the last eruption. I drove pretty much to the lower heights and restrained from hiking alone. Although it is safe out here, it would be better to trek with a company. I was literally riding on the hike trail until i decided it was not motorable any further (to get to this point, you should have travelled at least 5 to 6 Kms from the branch off point at Penelokan).
On my return, I took the direction of Bangli which eventually lead me to Gianyar and then Ubud. I could never be so happy! It was a day of pure fun and I had driven about 130 Kms and more importantly had a great view of the central and eastern part of the Beautiful island of Bali.
Babi Guling seems to be the Nasi Goreng for the Balinese people. It is quite popular out here and you can get caramelized Pork across this Island. I have always been a fan of Malaysian and Thai cuisine and it would take me some time to get used to Balinese. The Penang part adds so much flavour to Malay and Thai cuisine.
Petrol is darn cheap out here. It costs about US 45 cents or about INR 20. Water costs about INR 12 per liter. No wonder the air on road is polluted. Tomorrow, I might head out in a more relaxed way.
Alright, time to get some dinner.
P.S: Bisa Bicara Bahasa Inggris? means Do you speak English?