Monkey Attack

So I'm minding my own business checking out the temple in Uluwatu in Bali. Uluwatu is one of the best surfer beaches in the world - the water and cliffs are sublime. I heard the temple was worth seeing so I checked it out with some friends for sunset. I had both cameras strapped around me and began to click away. Like usual, I had to re-load my Mamiya so I popped a squat and attempted to load some color film. Fifteen seconds later I noticed I had company - a little monkey hanging near me - intrigued by my equipment. I got up quickly and loaded the film while standing up (sweating out of my mind btw). I began to walk down a dark set of stairs through the trees - I wasn't quite sure where any of my friends were, until I saw Jenny towards the end of the spooky concrete staircase. Suddenly, the largest monkey I have EVER scene started coming my way from below. I knew immediately that he was planning an attack. I had already visited the monkey forest in Ubud twice and dealt with a little one approaching our towels at the beach to sniff around, but this was totally different. This grandpa (or big daddy) was after me. His body language said he was coming to get me or something I was holding. Like most girls I began to scream, 'Somebody help me!'. Jenny just froze while I latched tightly onto both cameras.

He started to crawl up my leg and grab my sarong and skirt. I screamed at him and he screamed right back with his fiercely sharp fangs. It was the scariest thing I've witnessed in such a short period of time. For a moment I thought he was going to plunge his teeth into my bare leg. I pulled my cameras up with one hand while he stole my fan right out of my other. My fan is my savior in the tropics so at first I was sad about the gift my friend had given me, but then I realized how lucky I was not to contract rabies or lose one of my cameras. I learned later that some of the tour guides team up with the monkeys, training them to steal things like cameras from tourists! Why I never!! ;)