Day 81 - What's hard about bicycle touring? - Unfinished Business

July 20, 2023

Day 81 - What's hard about bicycle touring?

Last time I was in Ubud, 35 years ago, there were few cars and far fewer motocycles. The World had 3 billion fewer people, co2 concentrations were 70 ppm below today's and smart phones were years away. They were terrific times.

I had decided to have another day in Ubud so that I could wander with a camera and make some photos - you know, full-format, shutter speeds, f-stops, ISO, viewfinder. I was out in the early light spotting stuff, none of which I can show here, because the images are RAW and large.

But, what I can tell you is that Ubud thrives on the wellness industry. I'm never sure what happens in a wellness centre or a spa, so don't ask me about "organic spas" - something to do with carbon? Compost, perhaps?

I was back soon after 9 feeling somewhat hollow. Now look at this breakfast that came with my room.

Unfortunately, I received not-so-good news: the guesthouse is fully booked so I must move. I left my things and went for a walk and eventually found something. It's not a patch on last night's. I wheeled my bike 0.11 km and it's counting!

I discovered last night, when I went to renew my visa online, that I could not do it. Of course, it requires a code and the code went to my phone that's somewhere in Timor Leste. I contacted Cora who tried and failed from home. The internet is full of people suffering this misery - visa about to expire, simple online renewal, payment fails, system jams. By day's end that was me. I had at least got an Indonesian phone number that I linked to a card. I've sent an email to the help at imigrasi. I doubt I'll hear back. Life was so much easier ...................I can beat hills, heat, wind, humidity, no accommodation, and, it seems, even garbage, noise, smoking and the ferry service of Homo floresiensis. But I fear phones, passwords, codes and the like. Guess, I'm not leaving Ubud anytime soon. Here are some photos.

Washing my gear here will prevent a sore arse!

Can the "Brilliance Centre" deal with phone stress?

There's so much help on this noticeboard. I might return and find help in renewing a visa.

I went out to the buffet again (I may as well prepare for cycling) and, on returning, discovered that Cora had succeeded with a visa. This was after I devised a plan to try in the morning and, if unsuccessful, get an airticket. How can this system exist?

Tomorrow, 1500 m of climbing - a dead easy day.

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Graham SmithWell done Cora on the visa process.

If that hadn’t worked, is there an office, consulate or border post in Denpasar which could physically issue a visa? Surely there must be numerous other tourists who lose access to phones and accounts.

When I was taking groups to Java, we’d fly from Sydney via Denpasar airport where the passport control & customs stuff was done fairly efficiently, then we’d catch a domestic flight to Jakarta.
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9 months ago

Ian WallisTo Graham SmithGraham, Sure, there is but it's the tourist's responsibility to have a visa. The reason for not going to an immigration office is that they take your passport for a few days. It's simpler to fly out and fly back in. But, there's no excuse for them not getting the website working - test, test and test again, in different places, different browsers, different internet speeds. Ian
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9 months ago

Jackie Laycockglad you got your visa sorted Ian, Keep travelling safely
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9 months ago