Change of plans v.2 & new phone number

Well I have broken down, the guy who couldn't wait to be without a cell phone has gotten one again. It's only when I am on the other side of the world when I begin to appreciate how important communication is with family and friends. (again thank you all for comments, by the way email me when you can as I cannot respond to comments) Of course it's also nice to have a phone to catch up with my Norwegian friends for dinner here.

So here's the number: 011-62-81933-010834*

*some phones want you to replace the 011 with "+"

I should be able to text message from this number and everyone is welcome to call, despite the fact that it will cost you about $1.50/minute. (free to accept calls).

PS to the parents, this is a second number as the first didn't allow text messages with US.

As for the mo-ped diaries - they'll be a bit different. Got a credit card stolen so I will be sleeping nights in Kuta and mo-peding out during the day while I await the replacement. Then I got a bit of "Bali Belly" and was stuck in my room with a fever for 2 days. Bali is amazing, beautiful, and hot. Yet it is overrun with tourists, and it is exhausting to deal with the never ending push of the locals to cheat you blind. They have no problem whatsoever asking a price 30 x the actual price. And, as a foreigner it is a challenge to know the difference. I really have to wonder about the effect of tourism on their culture. I am also curious about how they reconcile being a good person (which I believe nearly everyone really is) and basically stealing from someone else? Is it left over disdain from Colonialism? Is it an effect of not traveling and not understanding why these crazy, rich, white people come here to throw away there money? Or just greed? I also have to wonder if we do the same to foreingers in the US? Whatever it is, my mission before I leave is to penetrate this segregation between local and westerner and learn something about Balinese people and culture. Only time will tell if I am successful. Peace out from Bali- Trey