The aftermath

So after my little accident yesterday, we decided to relocate to Kuta. Why? Kuta is pretty much tourist central and everything (food, shopping, entertainment, spas) is within walking distance, eliminating the need for a bike. Also, the internet connection here is much faster and more reliable (hence the photo upload). Our new place is a little older than our previous one but is clean and has AC as well. After all the drama of yesterday, I think a "masagE" is in order!

Finally.. a few pics

Beautiful Geger Beach

A crowded Dreamland

Crack Shack #1 - a treehouse

The disgusting pool outside another crack shack

Learning theory during Day 1 of PADI certification

Beautiful Padang Padang Beach

Kecak Dance at the Uluwatu Temple

Eating beachside at Menega Cafe in Jimbaran - BBQ'd seafood

The most delicious sate ever... droool

At the Bedegul Floating Temple

Gitgit - The Twin Waterfalls

Sate Kelinci (Rabbit Sate)

Entrance to Pura Taman Ayun

Pics = fail

my current internet connection is so slow! It's been 15+mins and I have still been unable to upload 1 stinking photo.

Damaged goods

Ugh.. so apparently it's quite difficult to learn how to ride a bike! During my education this morning, I crashed into 2 cars and flipped over the handles!!!!!! I have a 5 inch gash on my left arm, a deep 3 inch gash below my left knee, road rash and numerous other scrapes and bruises. Ouch.

Not sure what I'm going to do if I can't ride a bike. There's no public transport here and relying on taxis or renting a car/driver will burn through cash. An option might be to move back to Kuta where everything is within walking distance??

Dang, who would have thought it was so hard?

yummm.. Sate!

If there was ever a day for sate, it was today. We headed north towards Bedegul to see the twin waterfalls and on the way, stopped for the most delicious sate ever. Forget Richmond night market, this sate will blow your taste buds away! It was so good, I had to go back for seconds. Be warned though, while the sate themselves weren’t very spicy, the accompanients (rice, soup, veggies) will burn and burn and burn your mouth. Yum…I’m salivating just thinking about it.

On the way to the waterfalls, we stopped by the Bedegul floating temple. It’s not one of Bali’s most spectacular temples but was still very pretty. It floats on a lake that reflects the mountains behind it. My pictures don’t do it justice but you’ll be able to get a sense of how peaceful and serene the area was.

The twin waterfalls were nice but I didn’t think they were anything special. The coolest thing about them was the cave-like structure that was nearby and the swinging tarzan rope.

After the waterfalls (TLC anyone?), we headed home but decided to stop by and get more sate! Except this time, it was sate kelinci – rabbit sate! While it was good and everything, the other sate that we ate in the morning was by far tastier, juicier and tastier! We also stopped by the Pura Taman Ayun (Taman Ayun Temple) since we were in the neighbourhood. Not as pretty as the Bedegul Temple but it still had nice features.

Our next adventure is to try and learn how to ride bikes... Should be a piece of cake! (or not)

The continuation..

We found a place to live! Ros and I are staying in a koskosan about 5 mins away from where Rollan and Allen are staying. It’s not bad – the room is clean (which is very important), spacious and has AC (equally important). And, for a little touch of luxury, there’s a cleaning service every day. That’s right, high class all the way. Anyways, the room is definitely liveable and it’s saving us lots of money. The cost of staying at the hotel for one week is equal to staying in this room for one month. I’d say the only downside is that there isn’t a kitchenette or mini fridge – which means that I’ll be eating out a lot! We’re also getting motorbikes in the next couple of days which should help us out in the moolah department. Although I’ve never actually driven one, I’m confident that I can drive one. I mean, how hard can it be?

On Sunday, we hit up Padang Padang Beach and Uluwatu Beach and let me tell you, both were absolutely gorgeous! The beaches were surrounded by sea stacks and the water was a beautiful blue color. Because the waves at both beaches were decent, there were lots of surfers out trying to catch the perfect wave. At Uluwatu Beach, there’s a bar called Edge and it is literally at the edge of a cliff. Absolutely perfect for sipping a bintang (or tehbotol) and watching the surfers down below. Afterwards, we hit up Uluwatu Temple to catch the Kecak Dance, a Balinese culture show. It was filled with beautiful costumes and imagery. There was even a fire dancing segment! Definitely a tourist trap but I’m glad I got to experience it.

Oh yeah, did I mention that I’m now certified to open water dive? :D

That crack shack?

So, in the last few days, our #1 priority has been finding a more permanment residence – an apartment or a koskosan (basically a room in house, dorm style). Not gunna lie, a couple of the places we went to are pretty sketchy and ghetto – think whalley ring road meets east hastings meets asians. There are a few promising leads though so hopefully something pans out soon! Can’t afford to stay in a hotel very much longer.

We did manage to head south to the Bukit Peninsula for a beach day. We hit up Geger Pantai and Dreamland. The two were night and day. The beach at Geger was very clean and the water was a beautiful crystal blue color and very calm. It wasn’t very busy at all so it was pretty quiet. It’s the type of beach that is perfect for tanning and sipping a pina colada. The beach at Dreamland however was the exact opposite. It was absolutely crowded with people yelling and screaming and shrieking. It was absolutely filthy too – both the sand and the water were full of garbage and who knows what else. The waves were huge and there were quite a few surfers trying to hang ten. It’s the type of place that is perfect for being obnoxious, filthy and shotgunning a bud. Don’t get me wrong, I had loads of fun at both places but I felt that I had to scrub myself raw with rubbing alcohol after Dreamland.

Something that I’ve noticed is that spas and salons are a huge industry in Bali – every few metres there’s a spa or a salon with people outside asking if you want a “masage”. While there are spas that are very comparable to any North American ones, the majority are dingy, old places with a bed and a few chairs. Ros and I must have walked past at least 30 places before settling on one that was brightly lit and spacious. We’ve been back a couple times now – did I mention that you could get a 1 hour body massage (Balinese style) for the equivalent of $5? Ya, you’d be going a lot too!

Ros and I also signed up to get our PADI certificates. Our first day consisted of theory and practicing in a pool. Our second day consisted of 2 open water dives. I always thought that diving and snorkeling is pretty similiar in terms of breathing habitats but it's not! For whatever reason, I need to concentrate harder during diving to remember to breathe in and out through my mouth. I must say that diving is amazing! What a cool experience to live like a fish for a while.

Pics to come...