Bali: Not Just a (Aussie) Surfer's Paradise

I arrived into Bali later at night due to a one hour delay at Singapore. During the flight, I met a fellow traveller sitting in the same row as me who had purchased a similar around the word ticket and was travelling to the same cities as me (over a longer time frame). Not only that, we discovered we were born in the same hospital, he grew up in the same town where my brother now lives and also has a brother in the same downtown neighbourhood where my youngest brother lives. Similarly, he was recording his journeys through video logs on a Facebook site.

Connecting through Singapore, and after inviting my new found travel friend to the Plaza Prenium lounge, we went on the hunt for the lounge and ended up exploring most of Terminal 1 as a result. Similar to Hong Kong, the airport has a high standard of shopping (a high end mall with planes in the parking lot) and such services as a swimming pool, a Zen like garden and prayer rooms (at the crossroads of Muslim, Hindu and Christian religions).

After another comfortable Singapore Airlines flight and basically two full meals in me already since breakfast, I arrived into Bali in the heat of the late evening and was immediately thrown to the wolves as I entered in to the frenzy that's known as the Bali arrivals lounge.  I was warned about arriving into Bali and "swimming with the taxi sharks". Sure enough, there they were in their blue shirts.  After negotiating an agreeable rate at the desk (200,000 Rp, approximately C$20), I set out on my half hour ride through the dark to Nusa Dua (" two islands"). 

After an easy check in at the Bali Tropic Resort and Spa and my bags taken to my room, I sought out the only hotel bar open at that time where I had my first Indonesian beer, Bin Tang lager.

The next day as I walked to the restaurant for breakfast, I had a full view of the architecture, beach and layout of the hotel grounds. A spectacular and exotic place.  The breakfast that included an omelet, croissant, a banana danish (?), banana pancake and raisin pancakes,  pineapple,  tea lasted me until dinner time.  Despite asking for tea, coffee was brought to me twice and as such I had an ample amount of cups surrounding me at my table.

After trying to connect to the CBC streamed --- game (your tax dollars at work) unsuccessfully,  it was time to walk around to know my surroundings for the next four days. 

I began walking south on Nusa Dua Beach along a strip of very nice looking hotels with beautifully manicured lawns and palm trees until I reached Water blow, a peninsula of vuggy rock formations that looked very Mordor- like while the waves relentlessly and infrequently pounded the lifeless and hole ridden shore (like the inside of an aggressively toasted English muffin). Along the way I was approached by the many massage ladies you hear about all charging double what they will eventually settle for. After many hours of flying on the last few days and a half marathon just before I left, 100,000 Rp (C$10) for an hour seemed like a good option. From Whistleblow, I began my walk back and felt a second massage was also a good idea.

Back at the hotel, I was on a mission for the pool and immediately made friends with the bartender Andy at the swim up bar during the afternoon. Like me he collects currencies from around the world as discovered when I told him I flew him in from Hong Kong and he was looking for some HK$ to add to his collection.

As darkness rolled in (around 6pm), I went to one of the three restaurants overlooking the Beach (with trees overhead...never do this). As per usual, the odd piece of fruit or something dangling is inevitably knocked from the tree to land on your table by a curious squirrel or some other foraging creature. After dinner,  and not much going on except the soothing sounds of the waves on the shore and after an unrestful sleep the night before, I had an early night of listening to an audio book and watching Bloomberg TV. 

The next morning I had an ample breakfast by the Beach again this time discovering papaya jam and croissants pair well (what a mind blower!).  Afterwards I made use of my two-for-one card the hotel gave me for a massage at the hotel spa (600,000 Rp, C$60), a much different experience than on the beach. As per the two-for-one, I booked one for the next morning too.

Feeling limber (and the need to work off these filling breakfasts) I went for a run this time north along the beach trail for 6km where I noted a happy hour at Warung Bamboo, three for the price of two and a pizzas on special.

After the run and a shower, I went across the street to Pepito's, a franchised convenience store where the nearest bank machine was located. As I entered the amount I wanted, somehow the daily maximum of 2.5 million Rp (C$250) was spat out at me.  As I prefer as much on my credit card as possible versus cash, this was not good. So, I was officially on a sending spree (and it goes far in Bali). 

I ventured back to Warung Bamboo, a relaxing beach bar part of the accompanying hotel with bright coloured bean bag chairs, large wicker chairs and lots of bamboo decor (shocking). Not a very busy spot (maybe the European and Asian tourists aren't into drinks overlooking a paradise Beach sand, blue skies and sun with cheap drinks and snacks) but it was my paradise for an afternoon.

After being at the hotel and its surroundings for over a day now, I felt it was time to venture out. Andy, the pool bartender recommended Pedang Pedang as an afternoon destination. With nothing more than curiosity and restlessness, I sought out a cab, negotiated a rate and enjoyed the company of Kresta as my driver for the next couple of days.

Kresta, a Balinese gentleman in his late 50s, hair darker than mine ever was, was a wealth of information on general Bali information, populations, number of rooms in each luxury hotel (his nephew worked at one of them), tides, recent highway constructions, airport renovations,  places to see, random facts, daily life a Balinese family, etc. He told me holds a 24 hr shift and sleeps when he can (which he did as I was later touring around Sanur and Ulawatu).

We drove out a half hour to Pedang Pedang where he told me descriptions of what it was like. As we arrived I noticed the onslaught of cheap hotels and Aussie surfers equipped with jimmied up racks on the sides of their rental motor bikes to transport their surf boards.  As we arrived, Kresta explained the walk down to the beach through a narrow walkway via the rock. I was free to take my time and check out the surroundings (a concept new to me for cab drivers). As he dropped me off at the busy intersection, he motioned he would wait for me "up at the top" where the parking lot was, and drove off.  So, I followed the other tourists and headed down the steps and the narrow tunnel to an almost other dimension that opened up to  beach and surfer culture!

A narrower Beach than I was expecting, this was surfer 's mecca. How did I not know about this place in my younger years and during my infrequent surfing career (ok, lessons) spanning four countries.  While I was not equipped to take a dip in the water, I marvelled at the stress free, good times environment and then made the return trek up the narrow and steep stairway. I continued up to the parking lot where I found Kresta at the local coffee shop/restaurant/bar drinking a pint sized glass of tea. He motioned me to sit and urged me to buy two beers if I was going to have one, and keep one for the road. I'm starting to like Kresta at this point.

With an unexpectedly short period of time at Pedang Pedang, we continued to Uluwatu known for the temple on the cliff and the famous sunset.  With the same arrangement, he dropped me off and would meet me in the parking lot sometime later. I paid my ticket and had to don the appropriate purple skirt attire in order to enter(complete with my Maple Leafs blue t-shirt). Other than my brother's wedding in a kilt and visiting the blue mosque in Istanbul, this was the third time in my life I have worn something not pants-like or shorts-like. The walk through was impressive with very distinct architecture and stunning views overlooking the cliffs, dotted with the presence of a couple of monkeys.  An amphi-theatre is set higher up in order to view the pre-sunset show and the sunset itself. Perched just ahead of the amphi-theatre I snapped some memorable sunset photos and could hear the music above from the amphitheatre. I ducked out early ahead of the crowds as the actual sun setting was impacted by clouds on the horizon.  On the way out, the presence of monkeys increased dramatically and basically were perceived as a brooding bunch seeking items for dinner. This was apparent as tourists leaving were more aware of their distance than when the monkeys' numbers were vastly less on the way in. Regardless, I exited alive. 

As a couple of hours had passed I now had to seek Kresta.  As I walked though the parking lot, I spotted the grey-blue taxi with the doors open as Kresta was catching a few winks in the back seat. With Pedang Pedang and Ulawatu crossed off the list, and now dark, we headed back to the hotel and went for dinner at the same hotel  restaurant.  After going though a question period of what "Sate" was, I ordered the  chicken "satay" .  Along with dinner was a duo of guitar player/singer and a cajon/percussionist cranking out some great acoustic dinner versions of popular tunes. After a full day I went back to my room and followed up on the North Korean missile launch and China's one belt one road  initiative. Funny on the same weekend. A confidence?

Now in a routine, the next day was "the usual" - Bali breakfast by the beach, massage at the hotel spa (second half of two-for-one), beers at the swim up bar.  All before lunch. In taking to Andy I asked where else I should view and he began speaking of Sanur. As I was trying to meet a friend from Vancouver who was staying north of me, I thought it would be good to at least be in the area.

As Kresta gave me his business card, I had the hotel desk contact him. For a similar $300,000 he would take me to Sanur for the afternoon. 
Sanur.  Upon arrival in Sanur, Kresta felt it was important to see the top two hotels in Bali. So he drive me through security, dropped me off to wander around while he waited in the parking lot. Both were extremely lavish with amazing Beach fronts and Indonesian yet modern decor.
Definitely sights to see even if not staying there.

As lunch o'clock was approaching, Kresta drove me around Danau Tamblingan,  the main strip.  I requested a stop at Baby Monkeys - an eclectic Caribbean style restaurant with reggae music and serving of course Balinese food. After enjoying a grilled chicken with a Balinese spicy, yet sweet, tomato sauce and a pitcher's mound of rice, I began wandering the main street of Danau Tamblingan with its mix of high end restaurants, not so high end restaurants, gelatos, wood carvings, phallic shaped wood bottle openers, clothing, beauticians and grocery stores.  Because I had the overwithdrawn cash to spend I was aggressively buying gelatos, drinks, etc along the way. Although neither the heat nor humidity on their own were overbearing, combined, they forced me to take refuge in one of the franchised grocery stores to eventually buy some water.

I met Kresta at the scheduled time (around 430pm) outlside of Baby Monkeys and took another informative drive back to the hotel, as we headed into darkness.  When I came back ot the hotel, I had to take a dip in the pool after such a humid day.  

On the last day I woke up,  I headed immediately to the restaurant to enjoy one last Bali breakfast before one last scheduled massage (I had "millions" of Rp to spend).  A quick shower, a check out and Kresta was already waiting for me and sadly headed to the airport.

Not just a surfers paradise, Bali is safe, friendly,  inexpensive, tropical, cultural and adventurous. Walking around various parts of Bali, including the airport, and definitely your hotel, it will randomly smell like a spa with the aroma of incense burning. Lombok is supposed to be the up and coming spot.  It is best to see Bali before that day arrives.

Next up...Singapore.