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So here we go again.... in a few days I will be leaving Bali, and will be heading off to Sydney (for probably quite a long time!). Anyway so what follows is all my tales from Bali! I don't know how long this one is going to be, I'm just going to try and tell you everything as usual!
So I have been in Bali for 19 DAYS!!!! - Which is a very long time for somewhere like Bali! But it has been a really good experience - and really worth persevering with the first 5 or 6 days! They were quite hard for me!! But it was all worth staying for my intended time!!
So I landed into Denpasar, Bali on the evening of Sunday 23rd April! Was greeted by a very big queue of people at the Visa on Arrival desk! Then was further greeted at passport control and anything to declare section - luckily not! So then I go over to the nearest ATM to get some local currency (as I didn't have any at all). For any of you that don't know the Indonesian currency is Rupiah (Rp.)! It’s about 15000 rupiah to the GBP. So when I get to the ATM and discover the lowest amount available is 200,000 I was really reluctant to draw it out! (It's just the whole '00000s' thing) after a few days you kind of get used to it. I just use the idea 50000 is 3 GBP and 150,000 is 10 GBP.
So now I have got my bags, some money, safely made it through customs etc., I am greeted and so are many other arrivals with loads of taxi drivers - "you want transport? You want transport?", "where are you going? Where are you going?” I just walk past ignoring them :-| and continue to look for some kind of official taxi rank, and I am joined by other westerners and non-local tourists! We discover that the people asking us are the people we will have to use! So I approach one driver, and get a lift, he quotes me 60000! I think my god - how much is that .... Trying to number crunch ASAP - I say "50000", and it's a deal! I then realise its 3 pounds. This is pretty good considering it takes about 15-20mins to drive to my accommodation!
Checking - in! Arrive at the Wina Hotel, check in pretty smoothly, and get shown to my room! Unpack a bit, and some how was very weak and went to bed!
The next day a wake up just in time for breakfast (9.45)! I venture down to the restaurant and eat some of the Indonesian style breakfast - mainly stir fried rice! The hotel appeared really quiet and the few people that were around were holiday makers and not English! After brekkie I venture out of the hotel and do the usual - explore the area for the first time!
As I walk out of the hotel and the lane/driveway (the hotel was 5 minutes behind the beach - became quite annoying to walk this whenever you left and went back to the hotel). I get on the main promenade and.... "Hey, hey, do you want transport?" "Hey, hey, Mr do you want transport?" "Hey, hey, where are you going? Do you want transport?" "Transport? Transport?”
I soon discover that there are fewer tourists than taxi drivers and motorbike riders. So I keep walking no thanks, no thanks, I'm just walking! By this time its midday and I am sweating as usual! I find an internet cafe, and spend half an hour or so there! Then wander back down the main street and get myself a sandwich in a local style cafe! I am greeted throughout eating my sandwich by little kids and adults too; selling sunglasses - no thanks, no thanks - became my phrase over the next few days!!!
I then continued my exploration walk, and was just looking around when I accidentally kicked a mini shrine that they put outside houses, shops, in cars etc. they burn incense on these and they see this as a way of making contact with the gods! I was so overly apologetic, and the Balinese lady just said, it's ok and smiled! I so thought oh my god, what I have done!!! I soon realized a few days into my time in Bali, that people kicked and knocked them all the time!
So after some exploring in the high temps, I eventually make my way back to the hotel! Chilled out there for an hour, and decide to venture over to a local bar/night club spot - recommended in my guide book! But first I eat chicken and veg curry in a restaurant that was the first to cater for tourists when Bali started to emerge as a tourist destination. Was very reasonable and tasty! So I hop in a taxi and 5 mins later I arrive in Seminyak - just at the top of the resort of where I was staying! Bearing in mind it was a Monday night, I wander past a few bars with not many people in! Then suddenly get invited into a bar that has only been open for a week "Quinn" - Kadek one of the PR's invites me to sit down and does the whole PR thing very well! We chat about the usual introductory things! Then two English guys arrive in the bar, I wander over and ended up hanging out with them for the night! Mark teaches English in Jakarta, Andy was over for a holiday, they are both from Manchester! Then there Indonesian friend arrives and we do the whole sharing of our life stories! The bar didn't really get that much busier after that, so we headed over to the night club across the road - "Kudos" it's very quiet and I am promised it is busier at the end of the wk and the wknd. We stay until around 2.30am ish! The guys are hitching a free lift tomorrow to Ubud - the art capital of Bali, and ask if I would like to join them! I take up the offer, and we agree to meet at midday in the middle of Kuta - the main resort area we were all staying.
So Monday morning/afternoon, we arrive in Ubud at 1pm and have lunch in this really nice cafe that has great views of rice/padi fields. We then did a tour of Ubud. It isn't a massive town or city, but a nice cultural urban dwelling that was experienced by me in nice temperatures - suitable for walking and getting a tan. We ventured into the monkey forest after looking at the local art work and shops. Just before we left I had an incident with a baby monkey in the monkey forest there, I had put my bottle of water in my pocket, and had it there for the half hour we were in the forest. But just as we were leaving, I was suddenly pounced on by a not so cute baby monkey who tried and tried to get my bottle of water; I pushed it out of my pocket frantically. Everyone in the forest was laughing at me!!! After that we soon left! Ubud didn't really have that much to offer so the guys did a bit of shopping! We then got our ride home! That night I didn't really do much I checked my emails etc on the net and went to a local restaurant for dinner.
On Wednesday and Thursday I was practically lazy! I think I recall just sunbathing and eating and walking around and checking emails etc.!
Friday I looked around some shops, sunbathed, ate and went out on Friday night!
Saturday I went out again and then met some Balinese people that I became friends with for the rest of the time I was in Bali! I went to a big night club called Double Six 66 with them and stayed out until 7am!
On Sunday we were all very hung over and went to the beach, did some shopping and watched some TV. In Bali there are about 10 motorbikes for every car or van. The guys I met up with all have their own motorbikes! They used to drive me around on the back everywhere, so I could save money! It's amazing how many people ride on the back of the motorbikes! When I first arrived I was a bit reluctant about it! But then I had to give it a go! I was a bit edgy at first, but got used to it towards the end, when the guys would break I would hold on to the back of the bars! - They used to take the mick out of me! They were howling when I did my first few rides - especially when I put a crash helmet on!
Monday I did some organising and decided to book some excursions, because Bali is so quiet, there were no group tours available - as there was a lack of tourists to fill the necessary spaces required for group tours. So I booked a driver who would take me on a couple of tours around the Island. I also booked a submarine and dolphin watching excursion.
On Tuesday I moved to a cheaper hotel - Mastapa. I had booked six nights in Hotel Wina before I left the UK. This new hotel worked out at about 9GBP per night.
On Wednesday I went on the submarine tour at Amuk bay. It was on the Odyssey submarine one of two in the whole world! There were scuba divers outside swimming with and feeding the fish. We had lunch there too!
Thursday was a really early start was picked up at 6.30am! I know I should be used to early hotel shift starts, but I hadn't been up this early for a little while - probably since the intrepid tour! We ventured over to Nusa Dua in the mini-bus. There were only four of us on the whole trip! Me and three Japanese girls (as per photos on site). We were out in the sea for approx 1 hour! It was v. cool! We did see lots of wild dolphins swimming really close, and diving through the water! My photos don't show this because they were too quick! So we decided enough with the cameras, and just enjoy the views with our own eyes! The trip was over by late morning, and I spent the rest of time sunbathing again! I went out on the night with local people I had met!
I really can't remember what I did on Friday! (Really need to start keeping that day by day journal!) (Kat - you were so right!)
On Saturday I went on a North Bali tour, visiting Mengwi Royal Temple, Bedugul mountain resort, Gitgit waterfall, Lovina beach and Banjar holy hot spring! On Saturday night we ventured out to double six again, and stayed until 6am!
Sunday, we were hung-over again and went for some lunch! Linda bought some DVDs and we went to her friends’ house - Mumi's house! Which was so cool! We intended to do other things but ended just watching DVDs. The Lion, Witch and Wardrobe and Final Destination III!
Monday was another excursion day for me! Kintamini Volcano Tour! I saw - Batubulan for Barong and Kris dance, Silversmith at Celuk, Mas wood carving centre, Bedeulu elephant cave, holy spring temple of Tirta Empul at Tampaksiring and Kintamani! On Monday Heri, Rinaldi, Linda and me cooked a meal at Linda's house! Again watched a few DVDs, we were going to venture out, but we never did! Shocking!!!
On Tuesday we went shopping in search for a cheap cheap white shirt, tie, black shoes and maybe some jeans, oh and black trousers! The white shirt, trousers, black shoes and tie were for interviews in Sydney! I was only successful with the white shirt and tie! On Tuesday night we went for a few quiet drinks, as this was my second last night!
On Wednesday we went to Waterboom! A water park located in Kuta! Rinaldi's friend has a friend who works there and got us a discount! We stayed there all day, and I made the best efforts to get my tan maxed out! After the water boom we went to Kuta beach to watch the sunset! Tonight was my last night - so we had a little party at a few bars and at Kudos!!??
On Thursday I made the most of the sun and sunbathed again! I checked out of the hotel at 6pm. We went for something to eat and I said my goodbyes!!
Wow! That's crazy just isn't like the emails I used to send while on the intrepid trip! Bali all seems so long ago, I had difficulty remembering that (above). If I remember anything worthwhile in the meantime I will add it to my website!
Anyway in so many (a few) words that was my time in Bali! So when I get another chance I will update you all on Sydney!
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