Sunrise in Bali - Across the Pond Trilogy (Book 1) (4 page)

He
stepped back, smiled, and turned away, wandering off to find a new
vantage point to take a picture. Jenny starred after him. “Perfect,”
she thought.

It
was still only 7 am when Jenny cast her gaze over the rest of the
group. Andy and Eno were nowhere to be seen, Miley was still
recovering from the climb while seemingly enchanted by the morning
light, and Andrew, Mark, and Sarah were taking it in turns to
photograph the other two with the mountains and rising sun as a
backdrop. No-one seemed to have noticed her and Henry, who was now
crouching about 30 meters away on a rocky outcrop with his camera.
She wanted to walk over to him and talk, but refused to break the
moment.

Instead,
she turned towards a small cabin-like building behind the platform,
where Andy, Eno, and Wayan were gathered. They each sat with coffee
in hand, purchased from a small kitchen in the corner, looking over a
map of the region. Andy seemed to be giving Eno some re-assurance
that the rest of the days climb wasn't quite so taxing. He looked up
at Jenny and asked her what she thought. “It was...amazing,” she
said, lost in a daydream.

“
Excellent,
that's what everyone says,” although Jenny suspected her experience
had been slightly different. “Righto, I reckon it's time to get
cracking. Jen, honey, would you go and get the other guys to come in
here for a quick briefing?”

Jenny
wandered back outside and gestured to the group to come into the
cabin. By this point, Henry had joined the others for their group
photo session, although he seemed to prefer it behind the camera. He
took one more snap before they all turned to rejoin the rest of the
group. Andy then explained that there were two options: to go
straight down the other side of the mountain from the platform, or to
continue up to the top and take a look around the crater first. What
Jenny hadn't quite realized was that Mt Batur was actually a dormant
volcano, not a mountain.

As
expected, the latter got a general round of approval from most, while
Eno and Miley took up the former option. Andy was to lead those two
straight down for an early lunch, while Wayan would chaperone the
rest up and around the crater. With a quick goodbye, the groups
parted, all now one layer lighter given the warm morning sun.

For
the next couple of hours the younger, “varsity team”, as Sarah
joked, explored their way to the summit of the volcano, navigating a
somewhat treacherous path around the crater as they went. With an
almost sheer edge on one side, a single misstep could have proved
fatal, something not lost on Mark who was having a bit of trouble
with the grip of his shoes.

After
a few near misses, the group came across a small hut at the top of
mountain, inhabited by an elderly woman and what appeared to be her
daughter. They seemed to be up there selling souvenirs, such as
postcards, but Jenny wondered how they could possibly make any money
doing so, given the dearth of tourists she had seen. “Perhaps it's
busier later in the day,” she thought.

Following
a brief water stop and photo session, the group began their stretch
down the mountain. After a quick word with Wayan, Henry bounded off
to the front and started making quick progress, hopping over rocks,
and dancing his was down the track like a mountain goat.

“
Yeah,
he loves to be at the front,” Mark pointed out, upon seeing Jenny's
quizzical look. It appeared Wayan had given him the go ahead to
stretch his legs, and he didn't look to want to waste it. “See's
himself as a bit of an 'action man' I guess,” continued Mark, “not
one for plodding along.”

As
Henry gracefully took the lead, the rest followed suit, albeit at a
more sedate pace. One loose rock could easily result in a broken
ankle, so the rest of the group were a little more circumspect in
their descent. Soon, Henry was almost out of sight, several hundred
meters below and approaching a wooded section of the trail.

By
the time the others reached the woods, Henry had found a lovely
vantage point looking down towards the valley below through a clasp
of trees. He sat on a rock, book in one hand, pencil in the other. It
looked as through he was drawing a quick sketch. He looked up to see
the rest of the group approaching and quickly shut the book, turning
towards them all with a glowing smile. He seemed to be so much more
open and relaxed than when Jenny first met him.

For
the rest of the climb down, the group stayed together. Henry had
seemingly satisfied his urges, and was now happy to meander down with
the others. He walked at the back with Jenny, talking to her about
the sunrise and the climb, the natural beauty of the area and how
different it was from back home in England. He was poetic and
eloquent in his speech, but spoke nothing of their kiss.

After
about 45 minutes they found Andy, Eno, and Miley enjoying a well
earned lunch in a cafe at the foot of the mountain. The others joined
in, hungrily filling their bodies, before moving off to a beautiful
spa with an outside jacuzzi and beautifully crafted curved swimming
pool. They relaxed and played in the water, gazing up towards the
peak they had just defeated, and the now powerfully yellow sun they
had seen wake from its slumber.

Henry
and Jenny played in the pool, teasing each other and seeing who could
swim furthest underwater. The touch of Henry's skin, warm and smooth,
and his chiseled body, crafted from stone, made Jenny feel a little
light headed. It was a beautiful blur to her, and any thoughts of
Trent were now far removed from her mind.

Most
of the afternoon was spent driving to their next destination. The van
that had taken them to the mountain in the early morning re-appeared
at the spa at about 2 pm, and everyone jumped in, Jenny and Henry
stepping into the back together. The drive was going to take about 3
hours, according to Andy, so he advised people to get some kip if
they could. Jenny sat against Henry, feeling his strong arms pressed
against her own as the van whirled into life. Soon, she felt the warm
rhythm of sleep pulse through her body and, with heavy eyes, quickly
dozed off.

When
she awoke her head was nestled on Henry's left shoulder, and she
noticed that a light blanket had been laid over her body. “You were
shivering a bit under the air-con,” Henry spoke. “How was your
sleep, I think we're nearly there...”

“
Great,”
she replied, her eyes smiling. She lifted her head and looked out of
the window. The landscape had changed remarkably since they started
the drive. Gone were the bristling jungles, expansive lakes, and
mountainous peaks. Instead, they were cruising along a lovely coastal
road, with beautiful white sandy beaches along the shore, fishing
boats out on the water, and palm trees and other exotic flora lining
the tracks.

With
everyone beat from the days activities, there was little in the way
of socializing that night. Having pulled into a simple hotel, the
group found themselves quickly dispersing following a mellow dinner.
As they all retreated to their rooms, Henry pulled Jenny to one side.
“I had a great day,” he told her quietly, before kissing her on
the cheek. “Goodnight, I'll see you in the morning.”

That
night, he once more invaded her dreams.

The
following two days were more water-based than the last. Upon awaking
the next morning, the group embarked on a trip to Menjangan Island, a
small island off the north-east coast of Bali. Here they enjoyed some
world class snorkeling on a rare and largely untouched reef,
exploring the stunning beauty of the marine life beneath the waves.
Henry seemed completely at ease in the light blue waters, duck diving
deep to the reef bed and not returning for some time. His enthusiasm
for wildlife become immediately apparent, spending most of the day
talking with local guides and learning about the aquatic life and
conservation projects in the region. Jenny watched on from the shore
mostly, seeing him excitedly submerge time and again, often joined by
Mark and Andrew.

The
next day was another very early start for some. Andy had found that
dolphin watching was a potential activity at that time of year for
early risers, so presented this option to the group. Eno, a little
grumpy over the last couple of days, said he'd rather sleep in, while
Miley didn't seem to enjoy going out on the water too much. Jenny and
the rest of the group were far more receptive to the idea, getting up
at 6.30 am to take a boat trip out onto the waters. For a couple of
hours they whizzed over the waves in a rickety wooden propeller boat,
but caught no sign or glimpse of any dolphins. Henry seemed the most
disappointed of everyone, but he didn't complain.

After
lunch the group once again embarked inland, visiting the picturesque
mountain town of Bedugul. Here they explored the beautiful botanical
gardens of the region and the crater lakes of Tamblingan, Buyan, and
Bratan, before continuing their journey back to Ubud where they had
started. When they arrived it was late afternoon, and the group were
to get an additional two travelers for the next portion of the trip
across the neighboring island of Lombok. Jenny seemed surprisingly
put off by this idea: she had become really comfortable with the
group, and didn't want anything interrupting the fleeting time she'd
have with Henry.

After
settling back into their original hotel rooms, the group gathered for
dinner in a nearby restaurant. Jenny strolled in with Sarah and
noticed that the group had swelled. Henry was sat on the far end of
the table, flanked by Mark and Andrew, and sitting opposite the two
new members of the party. One, another young Englishman called Todd,
looked to have sparked up an immediate rapport with Henry and Mark,
chatting away exuberantly about what was going on 'back home'. It
appeared he had just flown in from London, and was beginning his own
adventure across the South Pacific. The other, a young girl called
Emily, was sitting there quietly, admiring Henry. She was an
Australian, very pretty and slim, and looked to be about Jenny's own
age. She sat back and stroked her long blond hair, her blue eyes
locked onto Henry as he casually conversed with Mark and Todd. He
didn't seem to notice her, but Jenny felt an immediate pang of
jealousy with the way she was looking at him.

When
they got to the table, Andy stood up and introduced the two new
cohorts. Todd had a much rougher accent than Mark and Henry, and
seemed to be a local London lad, but very polite nonetheless. Emily
seemed less interested in meeting Jenny and Sarah, only giving them a
passing greeting gesture before settling back down to look at Henry
and continue what seemed to be a mild conversation with Andrew.

As
dinner progressed, the idea of a night out suddenly came to the fore.
Their morning ferry to Lombok wasn't until 10 am, giving them the
chance to enjoy a bit of fun before settling into the second portion
of the tour. Kuta, as Mark and Henry said, was great for clubbing,
something that Andy nodded his approval to. “Guys, just remember
though, we're getting that ferry at 10 tomorrow...if you're not
there, you're not there, and we carry on without you.” Andy was all
for them having some fun, but made it clear that the tour could not
be rescheduled if something happened.

After
a bit of deliberation, most of the group agreed that a night out was
a good idea. It would take them about an hour to get to Kuta in the
taxi, but as Mark pointed out, “we can drink on the way, don't
worry!” Todd and Emily, fresh to the tour, both seemed well up for
it while, true to form, Eno and Miley decided it wasn't for them. “I
think this is one for the youngsters,” noted Eno, accurately.

At
about 8 pm they were on their way. They'd managed to source a few
small bottles of vodka from a local shop and had brought along some
plastic cups for the journey. Mixing the vodka with some local fruit
juice, Mark and Henry were starting to take charge, inducing as much
drinking as they could from the other participants. It was a side to
Henry that Jenny hadn't seen yet, perhaps the side that saw him
through his university years.

After
an hour of drinking and laughing, the group pulled into Kuta. It was
far removed from the tranquility of Ubud, with streets lined with
bars and shops, a beachfront full of performers and restaurants, and
proper paved streets filled with cars and rushing mopeds. Everywhere
there were groups of young men and women, draped in vests and shorts,
perusing the many stalls along the roads or seeking their next party.

“
Bounty
please my friend,” called Mark from the back of the taxi.
Apparently, it was the most popular club in Bali, and an absolute
mecca for drinking and dancing. Jenny had only had a single drink,
and so wasn't exactly feeling the night like the others seemed to be.
Todd appeared to be the most lively, while Emily, sat next to Andrew
on the middle row of seats, was continually looking around at Henry
on the back seat, laughing at just about anything he said.

Jenny
turned back around, sitting at the front alongside Sarah and the taxi
driver. She felt a little deflated, like her concerns about the new
people disrupting the group were being confirmed. “Perk up Jen!”
Sarah broke her from her thoughts. “You seem a bit
distant....what's wrong?”

“
Oh,
nothing, I think I'm just tired from the last few days. It's weird
being here after all those beautiful places we've seen.”