 Chonki's travel crate | It is 10 pm on Thursday 18th in Bali and we are waiting at the front of the hotel with stubbies of Heinekin. The convoy of 2 vehicles comes in from the clogged traffic on Jalan Legian - a car with Indah and her assistants, and a small truck with the wooden crate Pet Carriers International had provided for the journey. The box labels said "Live Dog" and "My name is Chonki, if my water is low please add some". In the box is an alert, but nervous Chonki - he had been in that cage for about 18 hours - around 6 hours before the delayed flight took off, 6 hours on the flight, and another 6 hour from touch down till be got him. |
| After farewelling Indah and her entourage the hotel staff took him by trolley to our room and we got him out and took a stroll around the large gardens and he checked out every tree. Then because we had not eaten while we were waiting, we took him to a small Japanese restaurant nearby where he sat under the table just like dogs at restaurants in France. We took their set menu with tuna as the main dish - so I sneaked a few bits to Chonki - he seemed hungry. |  Chonki in Sydney in December |
 Chonki on the tiles | In the morning we took him for a short walk on Jalan Legian which was wet from overnight rain, then after an early breakfast we packed the car for our trip to Lovina. We stopped several times for breaks, and because he was so white and fluffy (Hendra had already shampooed him) he became a centre for attention. At a small street shop in Singaraja where we were getting drinks, school children were goind home in groups. When he was on the ground they kept their distance but were fascinated. When I picked him up suddenly dozens of hands were reaching out to pat him. |
In Lovina we have a rented house in Kaliasem that is in a village neighbourhood. We went for an early morning walk and created a ripple of pandemonium as the many local dogs barked - but mostly kept their distance. Again we found the locals were interested, often fascinated, but generally kept their distance too. I can see we will become "those people with the small white dog". When we take him out he sometimes seems to be getting fairly hot, but in the house, which has ceramic tiles, he sprawls out on the tiles to cool down - and seems quite comfortable. |  Chonki under the table |