Back in Bali after excursions to Lombok and Java. Two weeks left so decided to see a bit more of the island. Hired a car. From the airport conveniently, and unexpectedly. Enquired at the car hire counter. Expected an unacceptably high rate, and got one. Jill balked (way out of our price range!). Immediately (as we’ve come to expect in Indonesia!) the rep said he’s got a ‘mate’ who can help. So have a jeep for 2 weeks, GBP8 a day. Great! First stop, shopping mall for a road map. Didn’t find one but almost lost the kids. Us in M&S (Jill looking for a suitably sized shirt!), kids popped next door to the Disney store. Went to find them but couldn’t. Searched some of the other stores and looked in the public areas. Nothing. Jill had finished M&S’ing, and joined in. Still nothing. Notified security. No sign. 10-15 minutes must’ve passed and still nothing. Jill’s mind immediately went to the news article she’d read earlier regarding a paedophile ring in Bali. Serious panic began. Eventually kids ambled out of Disney store, oblivious. They’d been in the back corner on the Lego table. Uh! Mapless, we all made it to Ubud: culture, countryside, rice paddies and hills. And heat. Stifling! Afternoons a write-off. Pool a necessity. Stayed in traditional water garden-style hotel. Felt like living in the grounds of a temple. Amazingly picturesque. Not so good for avoiding mossies though. A highlight was the monkey forest. Monkeys roam free, and come up to you and on to you. Leala got freaked when one jumped her. We’d just read warnings to remain calm, stay still and drop any food if approached. Soon Leala was running to us, crying and screaming holding a banana after one hungry monkey wanted her food. Later I too was accosted. Casually sitting watching, one climbed my back and grabbed the wallet from my shirt pocket. Leala managed to grab it’s tail before it scrambled a tree and it dropped the wallet. Well done Leala.