Day 1.5 Arrival in Denpasar

After watching a movie on the plane I turned my attention to the meal which magically arrived before me.  I can't help but think of eating airplane food as an art form - folding, stacking and tactically placing every disused item so as to take up as little space as possible.  I then did the unthinkable and managed to fall asleep.
  I woke up having visa documents waved in my face, so just having emerged from my slumber this is what I was dealing with.

                            

It is so easy to travel nowadays, that is with the exception of the rigmarole which takes place with documents, gates and desks at the airport.  As we were walking from the plane, I suddenly had a flashback to the first time I arrived here a few years ago.  As the airport is so small, you very quickly find yourself waiting for your luggage at the carousel.  It is precisely at this point that if you turn around there will be a host of new faces dressed neatly in uniforms, white shirts, black ties and a little badge that says 'PORTER'.  These so called porters (I prefer the term con artists but lets settle in the middle and call them entrepreneurs) will grab your bag or suitcase and next you will be running after them because all your possessions are being carried away by a total stranger.  They seem to be working in conjunction with the custom officers because if the porter has your bag, there will be no check.  You will conveniently catch up with them at a money exchange where they will encourage you to change your money into Indonesian Rupiah and then give them a tip.

 

So just to make this clear, we have arrived in Bali after a 5 hour bus journey and an 8 hour flight and it is now 1.37am.  Some little porter/motherfucker has grabbed our suitcases and taken off for the nearest money exchange and after carrying my suitcase (which weighs 12kg by the way and has wheels) has the audacity to demand a handsome tip.  It is at this point that I remember that I have Korean won and a lot of 1000's which are worth about 50p or 90 cents US.  So as I open my wallet, the eyes of these porters light up and suddenly the crisp blue notes are snatched by their dirty little fingers and thankfully they turn their attention to the next unsuspecting tourists. 
  Finally you exit the airport where you are hit by the dank, warm blanket of S.East Asian humidity.  Then you are likely to have your first opportunity to practice your bartering skills which will be paramount if you want to survive in Indonesia without spending a small fortune or avoid getting ripped off on a daily basis.  So after a 15 minute conversation with the taxi driver about why we're not paying 200,000 IDR he decides that 120,00 still gives him enough profit margin and we are finally on the way to the hotel.
WELCOME TO BALI!!!