We packed our bags again to leave Probolinggo and Java for the island of Bali. This time we splashed out on executive seats on the train (couldn't face the train gestapo again!) and all went to plan with a shorter train journey of about 4 hrs to get to Banuwangi to catch the ferry over to Bali (Gilimanuk).
Off the train and a short walk to the ferry port lugging the rucksacks - the road meant we had to carry them on our backs instead of using our trolley (they are just about bearable for a short distance!). The ferry tickets were dirt cheap at around 76p for both of us! 13,000 Indonesian Rupiah. The ferry was basic with vehicles on the lower deck and seating for passengers above/top deck so we settled down on the plastic seats with our luggage for the 45 min crossing. We got to the other side, no fuss just straight through and just across the road to the bus station.
Well by this time it was about 5pm (as Bali is 1 hr ahead of Java) and we were to find out that the public buses don't run after 3pm! Only 1 bus to Denpasar which we didn't want so we hung around getting hassled by taxi guys asking 150,000R/£9 to take us to the north of the island. We did our best to hold out hoping for a bus to appear but it was getting darker and we had to leave so we negotiated a taxi to drive us to Pemuteran. It was a decent car (no wonder with what they charge!) and a helpful driver that helped with our rucksacks. The roads were smooth tarmac (not like Nepal!) and we could now relax as the driver drove the straight main road in the pitch black night. God our stomachs were rumbling as we hadn't eaten properly since breakfast (at 7.30am!). We got to Pemuteran and down a small tarmac less back road to Bagus Homestay which would be home for the next 6 nights.
We were too stingy to splash out on first class/exec and this journey was horrific. Being squeezed in like sardines with no room to move a muscle, let alone have any personal space. To top it off the train hit a person, people were getting off and taking pictures, it really was horrid. Then 20 minutes later we're off again, like nothing happened, with the locals passing round pictures and laughing. I guess that's how much life is regarded in some places, crazy.
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