Bali Indonesia, July 2010 Just before 2nd Semester.

July 15th, 2010

One of the great things about Indonesia, or at least Bali for certain, although I can't imagine it is much different in other parts, is that everything is affordable.   On my first night in Bali, I walked around and found a great hotel.  This was the pool, complete with with bar access, in which I had my morning swim and coffee at for my first morning in Bali!  It was Nirmala Resort, one of the most expensive of the entire trip costing $35 a night.

After breakfast, I wasn't sure what to do.  I had arrived with my backpack and no plan...So I checked out of the hotel and decided go in whichever way the wind was blowing.  About an hour of wondering around aimlessly later, I walked past this man who was renting scooters and a light went on.  20 minutes and $45 later, I had rented the beauty below!  The new plan: bike around the island stopping wherever my heart desired :)  With that fool proof plan, I was off!

My first interest along the way to wherever, was Tamah Lot, a temple which you could only access at low tide or by boat.  I was unfortunately there during high tide, but that didn't make the visit uneventful.  With the surrounding area covered with tourists and random kids with snakes, I took in the view and wondered around people watching for several hours before hoping back on the bike and heading west!

The second night wasn't quite like the first, I arrived in Nagara quite late shortly after deciding I should get a map after having underestimated the distances between towns.  My card wouldn't work anywhere so I took the only room I had cash for.  It was quite dodgy, as you can imagine, even in Bali, $10 wouldn't rent a clean, safe room.  After a quick 4 hour nap I was up and out, ready for day 2! 

Heading further north I made it to Gilimanuk, the most North- Western point in Bali and also the start of the National Park.  The drive around this part was gorgeous, with heaps of friendly monkeys everywhere!

Stopping in Lovina Beach of the night, I got a room at Hotel Padmasari, a gorgeous little spot right along the beach.

While in Lovina Beach, I toured around for a few days, meeting some of the locals and checking out the local waterfalls, a hot springs, and cove trees along with the way!

Locals picking cloves with this "safe" bamboo of a latter and rope.

Rice Fields

Game of Ginsing (big game for betting in Bali, but not as big as the cock fights...)

One of the many windy roads around Lovina Beach.

One of the many temples

Typical house in Bali

Dinner along Lovina Beach before sunset with a local I had met that day.

Hotsprings just south of Lovina Beach.

Street meat in Bali

Cloves, spread out to dry.

After a nice breakfast at the hotel, on July19th, my fourth day in Bali, I hopped back on the bike.  Now on the Central North part of the island, I was heading east.

Beautiful locals I met along the way when stopping to purchase petrol (sold in glass bottles).  The mother spoke english and she was able to tell me a bit about the village I was in.  She is holding her son at their store/hut in this picture. 

Back on the bike, heading east, I saw a sign which read Les Water Falls and thought to myself "why not"?  Within 20 minutes of bobbing and weaving I was at the base of the trek to the falls.  Within minutes I was glad I stopped. 

Shortly after reaching the falls, I noticed another caucasian (there weren't many tourists in these areas).  Instantly I went over to introduce myself.  His name was Sebastiaan.  It would be difficult to tell you what country he is from as he seems to have lived all over since he was a young child and had been for the past ten years moving countries each year beginning projects in poor places in hopes of helping locals.  This was his job, the company was a European based bank.  

I ended up staying the night as we exchanged stories under the stars and shared a few drinks.  Sebastiaan is a very interesting man with some fascinating stories.  Had I not had only 10 days for this journey I may have stayed longer to hear more.  

Unfortunately this was not the case and the following morning after our goodbyes, I was off once more. 

Driving east to Amed.

Heading further east, through to Kusambi, the most eastern point, before turning south and heading west once more, through Seraya and Gerey Timur (two gorgeous mountain areas), to Candi Dasa where I stopped for the night.

After Candi Dasa, I headed North once more to Umbud.  While it was quite touristy, I quite enjoyed this town and stopped for a couple of nights.

The highlights of this small town for me was the monkeys!  I spent an entire day playing with a group of them.  Returning to my hotel, I looked like I had been mugged.  One, which had been sitting on my backpack eating the bananas I was passing back to him all afternoon, had unzipped every pocket on my backpack, made a mess with the bananas I had given him and a fro with my hair.  But he was still the cutest monkey ever :)

Bat at the hotel I was staying at.

Some interesting fruit I ate.

On the last day I headed back to Kuta.  I had the bike to drop off, some shopping to do and a plane to catch.  Needless to say, it was a frantic run to the airport after the above, but with more than a few seconds to spare, I made it!  I was headed back to Perth for work and study :(

Kuta Beach