Joining Rob and Nick at Stadium Cafe in Kuta Bali

Rob and Nick are still in Kuta and are free men again after their wives flew back to Sydney.

Rob invited me to watch the ‘State Of Origin’ rugby football game at Stadium Cafe and told me it was a ‘real football game’.

I arrived after a workout at Ade Rai’s gym in Legian sweating and feeling the testostrone building by the minute. Watching grown thugs…I mean men, try to kill each other…I mean compete at the highest level, was too hard to resist.

Stadium has 2 huge projector screens that make it possible for a large crowd to sit back and enjoy the sporting action.

Rob was already seated at a front table and I suggested that we move backward as the table was equidistant between the screens. I didn’t fancy the slanted / split personality type of viewing.

Nick showed up after a while and we got into the pregame show. The guys told me how a player can only play (if selected ) for the state that he played his first pro game for. The 2 states, New South Wales and Queensland play a ‘best of 3 series’. It would of been ‘best of 7′ like the NBA but after 7 games of rugby each team would have about 3 players who could walk.

The game lasts 80 minutes and is divided into 2 halves. Rob and Nick were wating to see where most of the crowd was from before they started cheering (typical Sydney fans eh?) and fortunately for them the majority were supporting NSW. Watching rugby league I realized there’s just no place in the game for someone built like me, I mean these guys all look huge and very solid.

Rob and I ordered draft Bintangs while Nick, who works for a beer company but doesn’t like beer ( is he Australian or Irish?) sipped a Coke. I secretly think Nick was trying to stay sober in case the chance of sharing conversation with any ladies came up but anyway.

The game was close and NSW won in overtime 9-8. One thing about watching sports where I don’t have a team is I am in a good mood whatever the result.

For dinner we decided to move onto Mykonos in Seminyak in respect of Nick’s Greek heritage. Mykonos has several outlets in Bali and one in Jakarta. It serves decent Greek food in a no frills environment. I ordered a snapper, veg and potatoes for 25,000rp which was very good! Our entire bill which included drinks, pita bread,and 2 main courses for Nick was 155,000rp.

Nick was telling us that his father in law is the incarnation of the character in ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding.’ According to him every word has a Greek root, all cuisine comes from Greek food and the human race started in Greece. “A few African’s might dissagree with you on that mate.” I said. “Science leans towards the notion that humans developed in Africa.” “They might say that but they’re not Greek and they don’t know the truth.” he said. Aha, I can see how this form of logic can create all kinds of truths.

Rob and Nick took a boat trip to Nusa Lembongan on this trip and said the water was crystal clear to 20-30 feet. Highly recommended.

The guys are here for a few more days and headed to Waterbom park in Kuta Thursday.