Smokin' in Indo

Stop whatever you're doing right now and open a new browser window. Go to Orbitz.com and book yourself a flight to Bali immediately. Everything else can wait, you need to be here right now!!!

Imagine: White sand beaches, turquoise water, bijillions of fishes, many of them delicious. The rooms are cheap, the delicious food is cheap, the drinks are cheap. There are no cars here, only bicycles and pony-drawn carriages. Locals are friendly, tourists from all over the world are friendly and most are under 35. No cops. And kitties everywhere!!!

I am definitely in love with Gili T in a big big way, and not just because it's an 8 year olds' dream with all the kittens and ponies everywhere. Just the vibe of this place is incredible!!! I keep thinking about that movie The Beach and wonder, "fuck Leo! Spare yourself the drama, you coulda just found paradise here bro!!"

However, there are some drawbacks to this island paradise. It is very very warm and humid, and I spend most of my time being sticky. This is unfortunate as there is no fresh water on this island; yes, even the shower and tap water is extremely saline. I am also covered in bug bites, the skeeters are apparently in love with my maple-syrop blood. Another big drawback is Ryan has an explosive ass, and hasn't been in the best shape for the past 24 hours. He's a bit of a sucky baby when he doesn't feel well but is coming around a bit today and hopes to be in fighting form tomorrow.

I am so so so glad we're here now as planned and didn't just log all our time in Kuta straight away. Kuta is the big party scene in Bali and is chock-full of dickheads in Bintang singlets spewing all over the streets. Lots of cars and garbage and stray dogs and titty girls... was just talking to some folks who went surfing in Kuta and said they came out of the ocean covered in shreds of plastic bags.

Most shocking thing so far about Gili T, besides the sweltering heat of course, is the complete lack of police presence and party party atmosphere and lack of theft. It's the most incredible example of the honour system I've ever seen in my life!! Posters everywhere advertising "bloody-ripper" fungus products and people asking in the streets if you'd like to partake in this and that... but all the tourists are so well behaved!!!

The island operates on a 1-night-on-1-night-off system, with bumping parties every other night. On our first party night it was pissing (warm) rain and it was like a scene out of a Britney Spears video: dozens of wasted youngins drunk off their asses and writhing and wet in the streets. It was beautiful. :-)

So, I'm going to get out there and enjoy more of it... but just wanted to let you know how important it is that you get here as soon as possible before the rest of the world finds out how rad this place is. ;-)