This was our second visit to Bali, and we mostly covered different ground. It was a shock, in many ways, after Yogya -- I missed the normalcy and the low prices -- but there were many good things.

Here are some of my superlatives:

Most memorable meals in Ubud -- Casa Luna, which is famous of course; the Cafe Angsa on Hanuman Street, where you overlook a rice-field, and your meal is enlived by watching marauding flocks of scarecrow-resistant birds; and the Dirty Duck Diner, where the crispy duck is so crispy you can even eat the small bones.

Most memorable meal elsewhere -- the feast cooked by Intrepid's friends in Lovina. We sat in their little yard, surrounded by shrines and all the other household paraphernalia, and had the most delicious spread of sate, fritters, vegetables, and tempeh.

Best desserts -- Cafe Angsa again (pisang goreng from heaven, and a delicious pudding with black rice, sweetened coconut milk, and sliced bananas), but also Senang Hati, a foundation that looks after disabled people, and rounds off its nice lunch with a great dessert made of a kind of thin rice flour gruel mixed with coconut pieces and palm sugar syrup.

Weirdest thing to happen to me -- a monkey stealing my glasses at Sangeh Temple... (They were, by a devious route, returned to me -- but very wonky.)

Most enjoyable cultural experience -- the paintings and beautiful environment at ARMA. The Blanco Museum is good, too, but his obsession is a little wearing after a while...

Biggest achievement -- climbing Mount Batur -- OK, I stopped at the lower lip of the crater, but even so...

Best drink -- the cup of tea in the hut at the top of Mount Batur...

Biggest exceeding of expectations -- snorkelling off Menjangan Island. There is an extraordinarily impressive coral drop-off just a few metres from the beach, and it is just amazing to swim over it, and observe the huge variety of fish that feed off it.

Most decadent bit of pampering -- a big bathtub, complete with copious hot water, and breakfast in bed at Strawberry Hill...