So why Bali?   Honestly, it was the scenes of the Kecak Dance so beautifully filmed in the movie Baraka and the stunning rice terraces, that caught my imagination.   The discovery of the Bali Forum on the Internet gave me a wealth of information and before I knew it I was planning this trip.   Fortunately my friend Barbara had always wanted to go, so we went and it was fabulous.  My first independent trip but not the last.   We found the Balinese are used to and welcoming of visitors, transportation and accommodation are plentiful and cheap and it must be one of the safest and most unthreatening of places still left on earth. The people are delightful, hospitable, gracious and have a lovely gentle sense of humour. We particularly enjoyed our exchanges with the boys and young men touting on the streets of Ubud for the chance to drive you somewhere. "Transport Madame? " "No, not today, thank you" "Tomorrow Madam" "No not tomorrow, thank you." "Yesterday?" followed by gales of laughter. Another day the conversation went: "Transport Madame? "No thank you" "Motorbike madam" "No, too old for motorbike" " I have car" "No thank you, don't need a car today" " Helicopter?" more gales of laughter.