my last night in bali and of course in kuta was ridiculous.  i started off by arriving in kuta slightly carsick with the two dutch kids and 3 english kids.  we promptly lost each other in the madhouse of poppie's gang 1&2 but reconnected some hours later at the previously agreed-upon hotel. 

after some much-needed food and swimming in the hotel pool, it was off to the liquor store with a canadian man that we had met poolside.  (backpackers and travelers just seem to glom on to each other in really fun ways.)  he told nilou and i about some party at a surf shop and asked us to join him before meeting up with the others at some rancid club.  natch, we agreed.

so we hustled off down the streets on the back of their motorbikes to a building that was a restaurant-turned-surf shop-turned bar (kinda) with a tattoo parlor upstairs.  nilou, myself, jj, and his friend mosh arrived to the sight of a grip of tattooed indonesians and one busty aussie smoking, drinking, tattooing, playing video games, and jamming to sumatran love songs mixed with american favorites on a guitar and bongos.

i had the best time.  i sat there watching the whole scene unfold and thought to myself, "this is the kind of experience i have been looking for in bali."  by that i mean i was wanting to find some balinese people and talk, like really talk with them. 

naturally i was thinking about getting a new tattoo because, well, it was super convenient.  decided against it after seeing what a heavy hand the tattooer had.  F that.

after some drinks the 4 of us ambled down the street to the night food market down some unseen alley.  probably the most authentic and adventurous food i have eaten.  loved it.  wish i had figured it out sooner.  isnt it always true that you figure your shit out just before its time to leave on a new adventure?  the fresh mango juice that i spiked was also uncommonly good. 

after some more partying back at the shop, we made our way to the clubs to see our friends and meet up with some more of the locals' friends.  spent the rest of the night dancing, singing american rock and roll with an awesome band, lying on the beach, skinny dipping in the hotel pool at 4am, and finally getting into bed around 5am. 

true to form i woke up at 730am, and couldnt go back to sleep because i was so excited to come home.  instead, i opted for a motorbike ride and hike through mud up to my ankles out to jimbaran point with the canadian at 9.  hours later we finally got back to the hotel, covered in mud from literally head to toe, hungover, and attracting gawking stares from the hotel staff and our friends.  im surprised we both came back with shoes intact.  no matter.  i managed to roust the hungover comrades enough so that they could check out and sit with us in the hotel restaurant and alternately puke and generally destroy the bathroom there.  photos to come.  truly hilarious.

now im running on about 2 hours of sleep and standing at a computer station in taipei waiting for my 10-hour flight back to LA where ill arrive at about the same time and on the same date as today.  i know, its weird.

so, so glad that i was able to relax enough to truly enjoy myself and very happy that i spent my last week with the people i did.  they are amazeballs, but it is nice to be back in a country that values orderly processession and efficiency.  bali was for me a lesson in patience, futility, culture, and finding my own ability to slow down... all under the cover of lotus-scented incense.

ah!  i must away to my plane.  have fun, be safe, and ill see you all very soon.