The little lady & I got to Ubung terminal at 455am.Got in early by telling the locals that I didn't need their help.Made our way to the Manis bus rank to be informed that the next bus leaves at 530am.Took a stroll past the warungs & asked a chick the price of a small water.'5,000rp'.
'No thanks,I'd rather stay dry'.
Well we departed at 515am but from previous experience knew we would probably stop once outside the gate so the crew could drum up some more business.Sure enough my guess was correct.One in a row in Bali! Great start to the day.
Soon we were on our way chugging along with the conductor yelling out out to prospective passengers some those were walking in the opposite direction.mmm.All was cruisy to Tabanan terminal,which took about the usual hour.Time for a smoke & we took off.
Don't know what the driver had at the stop but he certainly changed his driving style.Thought ephedrine was outlawed.Flat out was the order of the day.If anyone wanted to get on or off the screeching brakes stopped the bus on the road.Bad luck to the traffic following.Heard a clunk up front & thought of a previous experience years ago near GitGit when a steering rod snapped & it was straight ahead at the next corner.Tried to think how to cushion the little lady if we were finally destined to learn what is at the bottom of the ravines.Seeing smashed guardrails from earlier prangs didn't help matters.
Each trip on this road the Manis bus stops at Belimbing where the conductor takes a bungkus of offerings to a Mangku opposite the small market where he gets sprinkled with water,takes 3 slurps,takes a small portion of rice to press on his forehead,returns & chucks of remaining rice at the bus windscreen before the journey continues.
Quite pleasant really.Not this time.Bloke riding shotgun disposed of what appeared to be newsletters at the local government post & the clutch was dropped.
In Busungbiu revhead tried to round up a truck only to be obviously cheesed off by a typhoid trolly selling tucker on the road foiling his chance.Had another go only this time succeeded at the expense of a cholera cart which had to race into the local market to avoid getting his bakso bruised.
A couple of females around early 20s with very well fitted jeans made their way to the front of the vehicle & struck up a conversation with
the person who thought he could drive.Immediately it was as if someone had taken a couple cogs out of the gearbox.Things were comfortable & one could enjoy the scenery.Sadly the better sights were behind us.I chuckled,pussy power.Some people will never change.
The good samaritans performed marvellously all the way to Seririt where we ended up going towards the west.The bus crew were looking for more thrillseekers.No takers,must have heard they were in town.Headed back the right way towards Singaraja.
Fuel stop & the 2 girls ended their voyage.Warlock waved his wand.
I had wanted to see the new villas I'd heard have been built up north
but had to be on the lookout for the unexpected on the road.This bloke had turned suicidal again.He was on a par with the craziest bus drivers I've seen in Indonesia having spent quite considerable time via bus.
Wasn't long until we were out of our misery,getting out of the perspex windowed,square wheeled biscuit box in the middle of Kalibukbuk.No lottery agency to gain a ticket after that episode.
'Are you wondering what awaits us here my little darling?'
'Hotel with pool,capek,hurry up,'
'Not staying at the same place as last time.Thieves.'