Four days out

Back into the air....

One week back from Alice Springs and I was on my way again! This time across to Bali.
This may sound crazy but I have a perfectly legitimate excuse for a 4 day jaunt to Indonesia, I simply couldn't afford Not to go! Why?
Well the thing is that years of self abuse have caused me to have not so good teeth. Yes teeth... And what's this got to do with the tropical paradise Island of Bali? (OK it's not such the paradise it used to be but hell, once Bali gets under your skin you just can't shake the place!)
At home I can't afford to see a private dentist so I tend to go to the public dental clinic when I have a problem with my teeth. I get pretty good treatment there by student dentists but they cannot do major work.
I had a broken molar which needed a crown ($1,500 - $2,000 AUD) the only option I thought I could afford was to have it pulled at the clinic, leaving me with nothing to chomp with on my right side. I had to find another option I could afford. This brought me to option C... Indonesia!

Palloma Hotel

To cut a long story short, I found some very cheap tickets, booked them and flew over last Sunday night. I arrived in the new Ngura Rai airport at 2am (It's fricking huge!), got to my hotel in pretty good time (low season 2am is the best time to travel!) and headed off to Denpasar with a local friend in the morning, after a few hours sleep.

With only 4 days in Bali I was quite dubious that I would succeed in having my tooth repaired. Rocked up to a couple of reputable dentist surgeries without an appointment and amazingly got myself booked for the treatment I needed within my 4 day timeframe!

The job was done in two visits with a root canal and molds taken of my teeth on the first day and the prosthetic attached two days later! Amazing!

I can't believe it! Just a couple of weeks ago I was worried that I'll have no teeth and now I'm planning my next 'holiday' to Bali with a perfectly legitimate reason for going! Who'd have thought bad tooth care could have lead to this!

Melasti 2015

 Back in 1996 I sold all my stuff, (including the caravan I intended to live in when I got back) and set out to travel the world. I spent a month in Bali and Lombok and had a plan for returning there to live after I'd done traveling. Somehow life caught up with me and I only made it back as far as Darwin, got married and the rest is history. On this trip I felt so at home, that part of me was re-awakened. I know I can't go back to those old plans but I'm thinking a few trips for dental work might satisfy my hankering for dining in warungs and the scent of clove cigarets.