Traffic and rice fields in Tabanan Bali

Usually the best part of my trips is the middle, where I am cruising slowly through beautiful scenery and interacting with locals. The worst parts are the beginning and end, where I’m trying to get out of, and back into the city areas. Today was no different, except that it took longer to escape the trucks and buses. I’d almost forget what a lung full of diesel felt like.

The road to Tabanan, and on to Java is the busiest in Bali and is never pleasant. I’ve developed a system for breathing when I am in a polluted area. If a truck coming the other way has just let out a cloud of diesel, I will take my last big inhalation just as he gets to me. I will then slowly exhale immediately for 20 seconds, not allowing the noxious fumes to penetrate my nose and lungs. I’ve tried just holding my breath, but the wind pushes the stuff up my nose.

When the smokers are in front of me, I sometime just pull over for 2-3 minutes and let them get out of sight, hoping for new traffic with cleaner exhausts. Reaching the sharp right hand turn off at Antosari, I could breathe easier. The route immediately took me though lovely rice fields, paradise! Getting from Seminyak to Antosari takes about an hour, at least the way I go.