Getting to Kuta on the ferry

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0XXzjuhkDw&sns=em

Yes! There was a live band. Also, the only lifeboat I could locate.

Let's deal with Danny first.

He picks me up from Lembar and is all smiles and bonhomie. He apologizes to me profusely for letting me down last time, but what with he accident and everything there was nothing he could do. To make up for it he is giving me this pick-up for free. Great, instead of forking out $40, it has cost me $4 on the ferry and free ride to Kuta. We chat on the way to Kuta and he tells me all about the accident. They (he and his driver) were taking some guests from Senggigi  to somewhere but they had stopped for some drinks. The driver had drunk too many araks and Danny had said that he couldn't drive and had taken the keys from him. The driver became very angry and fighty and Danny had given in and given him the keys back. One person was killed in the accident and two others put in hospital with serious injuries. Danny escaped unscathed by opening up the window at the crucial time and leaping free. [I know! Amazeballs].

We have some more general chat but the stage has been set.

We arrive in Kuta and he waits while I book into a hotel. I come back out and say I'm all booked, but I feel a bit guilty not paying him anything so I say, "Look Danny are you sure I can't give you any money?" Danny, "Yeah, can you give me a million, I have to go to the hospital tonight and buy some medicine for my friend who was hurt. I'm coming back here tomorrow and I'll pay you back." I said no, and there was a bit of back and forth as he asked for lower and lower amounts. In the end I gave him $15, so I wasn't out of pocket and also didn't have to feel guilty.

Disappointing though. Am I expecting too much?

Now let's deal with Kuta. WTF government!

You've done the same thing with Kuta that you did to Padangbai all those years ago. Knocking down all the beach warungs and stalls is not a move forward. It rips a major part of the charm out of the community, not to mention the local economy and makes it that much harder for those least able to recover.

Apparently there was much resentment and even some protests. All to no avail. It's empty scrubland now with a few goats wandering on it.