Bali

Well it's been an exciting day. The flight to Bali was uneventful, like most flights go. Upon arrival, you go to a counter to pay for the visa ($25). Then you go and get the actual visa, no problems. Go to pick up my backpack (checked luggage), and there is a horde of guys in uniform around the pile with my backpack in it. I identify mine, one of the guys grabs it and another grabs my carry-on backpack from my shoulder. Literally takes it from me. Go to customs, he glances at my card, asks if I have anything to declare, I say no and get nodded through. Or I think mostly my two uninvited porters with my bags get nodded through. We go for a short walk, up to a counter where they change money. I have no money to change, so then they ask for a tip. $20 later I'm free to go, find a bank machine and take out 500 000 rupee, which I think is around $50. A very insistent gentleman eventually convinces me to let him drive me to the place I want to go, which I decide is the dive school since it was well recommended. Traffic is INSANE. On a two lane highway, you have 2 lanes of cars plus a lane of 2-3 scooters or small motorcycles side by side, plus scooters and motorcycles constantly cutting in between the cars everywhere. I don't know how people drive, but eventually we get to my destination. I'm mildly terrified most of the way, having realized that I'm not actually in an official taxi and have no idea where I'm going. But the lady at the dive shop gives me directions to some accomodation. Also I'm signed up to take my open water course. 4 days, $450 US (some things are not in the local currency). I start on Sunday, with a full day of classroom theory. Monday will be in the pool, Tuesday and Wednesday will be real dives, 2 each day. Wooohoooo...
So the approx. $50 I took out got me to Sanur (about 15 km, 100 000 rupee, pretty cheap for a cab), a room for a night ($150 000 rupee), a power plug adapter for the laptop (125 000), dinner (75 000), some water and I think that's it. Somehow I'm missing about 50 000 rupee or about $5 in there somewhere, not sure where it went.
Still need WiFi access so this is not getting posted until that happens.

The feeling coming into the country and especially the cab ride was interesting. I've never felt so out of my element, terrifying and exciting at the same time. First time I felt that things might happen which I might not be able to manage. But it's passing already, I imagine in a week or so I will be as comfortable here as anywhere. :)

The place is nothing like Australia which is all very English and similar to Canada.
Certainly a lot more informal and very different. The supermarket has a security checkpoint to screen people and vehicles coming in, but I'm not too confident in the level of effort put in by the staff. If you catch someones eye walking down the street, they will try to sell you something immediately. If you buy something, they have other things they would love to sell you as well, "at a good price".
That's it for first impressions - see how tomorrow goes. :)