Bali

February 20, 2011 – February 24, 2011

When we mention Bali to friends, they immediately think of the book/movie “Eat Pray Love,” or, “…that damn book…” as the Balinese have been known to call it, thanks to the sudden influx of female tourists; no doubt in search of the something missing in their lives.  I’m here to say firsthand that while Bali does have beauty and culture to share, the Indonesian island is slightly glamorized (at least in the film) from its true self.  The people are friendly and smiling, for the most part, but I wouldn’t exactly call most of the streets of Bali picturesque.  It’s a little dirty, the taxis honk every time they pass (as if you didn’t want to wave for a cab if you wanted one), and the beaches leave something to be desired.   That said, Bali has much to offer from delectable cuisine to sweeping landscapes, devout practice of religion and beautiful handicrafts.  Some wish to call this place home, while others (like myself) enjoy having the experience of being a visitor (and more importantly, sampling the food… I’ve been craving some of the Indonesian dishes I had since I left!).

February 20 – BKK to Bali

• Our day began earlier than I would have liked, rising to the alarm at 3:30 am.  We took the 4:00 am shuttle to the airport, and unexpectedly came upon rows of long check in lines.  Thankfully, we had a little time to spare, and spent the rest of our THB on two coffees and a donut before boarding our Air Asia flight to Bali.
• As I’ve said before, Air Asia isn’t the best in the land, but the seats are moderately comfortable and we didn’t have all that many options when looking for good fares from back home, so it would do just fine.  Unfortunately, on the 4 hour flight there were no beverages included, let alone snacks.  I won’t recommend this airline unless there aren’t any other cost effective options.
• The Denpasar airport was unexpectedly old, musty smelling and highly disorganized.  It took a while to figure out exactly what we had to do in order to get out through customs properly, involving getting some forms, purchasing a visa ($25 each) and waiting.  We wound up arranging pickup from our hotel through their preferred shuttle guy prior to flying, so he was waiting for us once we made it out of the airport (after struggling to get away from a few aggressive drivers determined to give us a ride).  There was a little discrepancy with the driver regarding the agreed upon price, but we wound up settling that in our favor.
• Our hotel, the Paneeda View, located in Sanur,  was overall satisfactory but there were a few things we anticipated but were disappointed not to have.  For instance, we booked a “beach bungalow,” only to find that there were in fact NO bungalows on the beach.  We had thought the sand would be right outside our door, and we would be steps to the water.  Instead, the hotel’s restaurant held that position, and all the bungalows were set back a couple hundred feet from there.  Also, the luxurious accommodations we had anticipated were a bit lackluster…after all, this was our “splurge.”  After a little pouting, we decided to make do and enjoy it for what it was and just appreciate being in Bali.
• After unpacking, we went to the restaurant for some lunch, cashing in our complimentary welcome drink coupons (which were really just some fruit juice concoctions, but very tasty) and dined on cashew chicken and honey herb chicken with veggies.  Both were surprisingly wonderful, great portions, albeit overpriced by Balinese, but we were very satisfied, as were our bellies.
• A short nap later, we went out in search of a laundry facility to wash some of our clothes.   We then went to Circle K (Bali’s convenience counterpart to Thailand’s 7-11) for a few snacks and drinks, and then went for a nice walk along the beach by our hotel.
• That evening, we dined at Coriander, a lovely little restaurant just across the main road from our hotel.  Like many restaurants, it offered a nice mix of local and international cuisine.  Each diner was presented with a “shot” of juice and mixed nuts to munch on prior to entrees being served.  We ordered two watermelon juices, which we added sprite to for a little extra refreshment, and then dined on Pork and Mandarin Orange Salad and Cap Cay.  The salad had an unexpected spice to it which, after overcoming those first few bites, was very satisfying.  The Cap Cay (pronounced “chop chai”) is a lightly stir fried mixture of chicken and veggies (similar to chop suey).  Both were very tasty and flavorful.  Dessert was in the cards, and we opted for coco-banana fritters, which were essentially bananas coated in shredded coconut and fried, served with vanilla ice cream, drizzled with a caramel and cream sauce.  It was delicious and a perfect end to a wonderful meal.
• A nice little perk we discovered was that many restaurants in the area offered free wi-fi to diners.  For us, that worked out well, as we could check email and correspond with family back home while we waited for our food.  Since our hotel did not have free internet, we took advantage of the restaurant wi-fi whenever possible.

February 21 – Sanur, Bali

• It was a leisurely day for us.  We began by waking up around 9, then ventured to the hotel restaurant for breakfast (score!  included in the rate).  Okay, so it wasn’t the best thing ever, but it was free and we were filled: fruit, toast/croissant, eggs (though we skipped these), sausage (decided I would skip this the next time), fruit juice and coffee.
• We walked down the beach and barely made it 1/4 mile before we had to stop for a dip.  The current was actually very strong and I only stood in up to my ankles, while Michael was a little braver and went all the way in.
• To cool down in a calmer setting, we went back to the hotel and parked our towels on some chairs before taking a nice dip in the pool.  We laid out, rested, and did nothing for a bit.  So great!
• For lunch, we went down the road to You and Me Cafe.  In short – SO GOOD!  I had the Kate Sayur, which is basically a mixed vegetable curry, but was so flavorful and yet mild, unlike anything I’d had before.  Michael had fried pork which was sweet and sour, served with rice.  The server was extremely friendly and sweet, asking questions about where we were from and our trip.  I would highly recommend this place.
• We picked up our laundry, browsed a few stores, then went back to the pool to catch up where we left off.
• For dinner, we wanted to try a Japanese place we’d seen earlier in the day.  It was a pretty nice atmosphere, until the fan started making an annoying squeaking noise.  Oh well.  we had 2 types of sushi rolls and 2 orders of skewers (chicken and beef), and then finished with a strawberry sundae.  So far, our least favorite food on Bali but still pretty tasty.
• We walked around some before heading back to our  hotel and planning out the next day’s adventures.  We had booked a private car earlier in the day to take us around the island, and were excited to plan it out.
• Overall, a relaxing and much needed day of nothingness, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

February 22 - Tour of Bali

• We started with breakfast at the hotel, then met our driver in the lobby at 10:00 am.   We confirmed with him that a credit card would be acceptable payment later in the day, he said, “Yes,” (though later, this came to be a bit of an issue), for a full day, 10 hours, for a total of $45.
• We mentioned the places we wanted to visit, but he suggested stopping off at a few handicraft shops along the way.  The first specialized in batik fabric, a unique way of using layers of wax and several dyes to create intricately designed materials.  The next, a jewelry making shop, using gold and stones from the area.  While it was nice to see the Balinese people creating such beautiful works, the downside was that we were expected to purchase something at each stop.  In fact, when we refused to buy anything at the jewelry shop, the owner was clearly upset and complained to our driver… oh well.  Just because we’re American doesn’t mean we’ve got boatloads of cash to spend, though they didn’t seem to understand that.  When the driver suggested another place to stop, we quickly let him know we’d seen enough of the “handicrafts” and just wanted to go to our destination… the hot springs in the valley of Mt. Batur (a volcano!).
• Okay, so, these hot springs aren’t exactly what we were expecting.  We had envisioned a natural looking spring, maybe a large pond, with rocks, and steamy water.  Instead, we were surprised when we pulled up to a resort and spa…. and the cost was 300,000 Rp/each; had we known perhaps we’d have changed our minds before getting there.  Apparently, the hot springs had been redirected into a manmade basin, two in fact, resembling hot tubs on either side of a large pool.  Granted, the facility was very nice, and it had lovely views of Mt. Batur and the lake, but not exactly the natural hot spring experience we thought it might be.  The water that poured into the “springs” was naturally hot, so that was neat.  We relaxed there for about an hour before hopping back into the van and setting off for some lunch.
• Again, our driver was kind to suggest this Indian place, high up a mountain, with a view of the lake and Mt. Batur.  We nodded, but secretly knew what we were getting ourselves into – an Indian buffet (ugh, buffet – we wanted to be polite, even though the driver and the places he continued to stop were clearly in cahoots.  Regardless, the view was pretty nice and while the Indian wasn’t the best, it was overpriced, but we ate, enjoying the misty mountain views and throngs of Japanese visitors doing the same.
• Next stop, Ubud.  I had heard marvelous things of the rice terraces and wanted to see them for myself.  This, perhaps, was my favorite sight in all of Bali; the perfectly crafted terraces, lush, fertile and green.  After a picture break, we went to the Palace, which was closed for an event, but we walked the perimeter and explored a nearby market.
• Finally, we drove to the temple on the West side of Bali, extending out onto the water; Tanah Lot.  I’d been warned that many-a-tourist enjoyed coming here, especially toward sunset hours, and I could see why.  The waves crashing below the temple, the glorious peachy colors in the sky, and ancient stone structure are in a way, magical.  Plus, there was a fresh water spring where many come to receive a blessing and sample some “holy water.”  Michael and I both joined in the tradition, giving a small donation to the monks, then tasting the fresh water (which is kind of neat, since this is in a small cave right on a the shore where the salt water comes up), then receiving a flower and rice on our foreheads (the flower= character, the rice=life/growth).  It was a neat experience.
• We drove around Kuta on our way back to our hotel.  Once we arrived and offered our credit card, the driver claimed that only cash was accepted… and so, Michael had to go out in search of an ATM to pay the guy.  We were rightfully unhappy about the sudden change, especially since we had previously confirmed credit was fine, but we paid him and he went off on his merry way.
• For dinner, we walked slightly South to a little place and enjoyed veggie curry and cashew chicken.  Exhausted from a long day of touring, we barely made it to the bed before crashing.

February 23 – Sanur, Bali

• After breakfast, we went out for a little shopping.  We found a great teak sign that we had engraved with our last name, to display in the front of our house.  We also picked up a bronze fish sculpture and a few other gifts for family.  The day was warm and humid, and we made our way to the pool to cool off.
• For lunch, we checked out the Retro Cafe.  I munched on a garden salad with vinaigrette dressing, a little bruschetta, and Michael had some Hawaiian toast and fries.  It was a light and satisfying midday meal.
• Being our last full day on the trip, we wanted to end it with some spa time.  We had been searching for the best prices for several days now, and decided on the Lotus Room.  For a 4 hour package including a 1hr. foot massage, 1hr. Balinese massage, facial and hair cream bath, we would shell out 500,000 Rp. for the two of us (just over $55).  The treatments were relaxing and unique (i.e. the massage involved a bit of slapping with cupped hands, to improve circulation).  I mean, you can’t beat the price and for 4 hours!  Had we done it over again, I think we might have skipped the facial and hair cream and just doubled up on foot and body massages… in all, a great value.
• For our last supper, we went to Cinnamon, and feasted on a platter sampling of 5 local dishes, sweet chili chicken and watermelon smoothies.  Midway through our meal, young Balinese dancers began an impromptu show of traditional dance and music.  A treat!

February 24 – leaving Bali

• We had the usual breakfast, then went out to pick up the name plate we had ordered be carved the day before.  We walked around for a while before having to check out of the hotel.  Since we didn’t have to leave for the airport until noon, we went to Coriander for a light lunch (the spot where we went for dinner our first night there) of spring rolls, a BLT and Viennese coffee, taking our time after finding our flight had been delayed.
• We bought a few little things from a small shop to spend the last of our rupiah, since we didn’t want to go home with extra currency, then grabbed a Blue Bird Taxi to the airport (apparently, all other cab companies will rip you off and claim their meters are not working).
• When we got to the airport, we found an exit tax needed to be paid before we could leave.  While we had planned for that by saving some rupiah, the price had been raised immensely and we were short.  Thankfully, we exchanged a few USD that we had on hand to make up the difference, but it was a little shock (300,000 Rp/person are needed to leave the country).
• Cathay Pacific was the airline we were flying home on, and being business class passengers, we had access to the lounge.  Had we known so much food would be awaiting us there, we probably would have skipped lunch.  But, we are who we are, and regardless of whether or not we’re hungry, if there is free food, we will eat it.  And so we had a taste of some of the eats and relaxed in the comfy chairs.
• Once it was time to go to the gate for boarding, we were stuck waiting in the general waiting area (delayed a little more)… not the luxe environment as the lounge, but eventually we were able to board the plane, we were ready to get home.
• I found the Cathay seats and entertainment to be quite good.  Michael wasn’t too fond of the layout, and unfortunately, the in flight entertainment was rebooted half way through the flight to Hong Kong, leaving us looking for something to do… but in all, comfortable beds that reclined 180 degrees and lots of choices.
• With a stop in Hong Kong before arriving in LA, we had some time to check out the Cathay lounge there.  Unfortunately, it was bursting at the seams with passengers, no doubt since Hong Kong is such a major business hub.  It’s very modern, and if you’re lucky enough to snag a club chair, can be quiet comfortable.  We found ourselves hanging out in the Noodle Bar for a while on the benches, and ordered some of the complimentary noodles and espresso drinks.
• After nearly 30 hours of travel, we finally arrived back in Florida.  We got as much sleep as we could, which wasn’t a whole lot, and readied ourselves to snap back to reality.  We were, however, very eager to get back to our little guy, Tanker, and have a good night’s sleep in our very own bed.

As far as honeymoons go, we’re pretty darn happy with the way things worked out.  We had an exotic adventure, on the other side of the world, and made the most of our time there.  If we had the opportunity to go back, our consensus was that Krabi was our favorite, and we’d love to explore more of that region in Thailand.  I also wish we could have seen more of Northern Thailand, but perhaps another time.  This trip was so different from any other we’ve been on, and we really feel like we go a true taste of that tiny piece of Asia.

Now the real question… where will we got next?  That’s always in the back of our minds, and while we slowly scrape and save away for another big trip, we will slowly contemplate our options.  For now, we’re reflecting on this latest adventure and the memories we’ve made.