Airports are Evil - Memoirs of a Very Long Day

Like the scrimpers we are, we decided our hotel was close enough to the airport to walk! It was, but walking anywhere in Bali involves no sidewalks, lots of mud, more time than you think, and a few near deaths. Having learned this already, we left hours early, and we are so glad we did!

After arriving and going through security, we saw another line forming entitled 'exit tax.' What nonsense was this! When we got to the front of the queue, a darling Balinese girl asked for 300,000 r, about $30, for the airport tax. Austin threw a little fit which I totally joined.

"What?! We already paid a ton to get in. What would happen if we refused? Would you export us? Great!" The little girl (she was probably like 30) just did not get why this was weird. When I handed her my credit card, she smiled again, " sorry we don't have a machine." Whaaa??

When I asked why they didn't take cards, she smiled again, "we don't have a card machine!"

O brother!!

So we went back downstairs to the ATM's, then remembering the Thai money, I asked if we could use that instead. Affirmative!

Back through security with a linger line.

The southern beaches of bali

Rent a scooter and check these babies out! They are in south west Bali.

Uku watu beach

Panang panang

There are a million Aussies and Russians here, but it seems we are the sole Americans, and the locals cannot distinguish accents. The only thing that differs to them is what the tourist asks for. Most common Russian question in Bali? " where are the bars?" Ha.

(Photos to come)

Bali for Future Travelers - Itinerary, Tips, and FYI

10 Day Bali Itinerary

Knowing what I know now, I think the following itinerary would be perfect for a 10 day vacation in Bali. It gives a great balance of tourist hits, culture, beaches, etc.

Day 1 & 2 - South Bali

Main hits -
Ulu watu temple and beach
Padang Padang beach
Kuta Beach
Eat a Roti-O, preferably at the Diskovery Mall. O. Heaven.

Tanah Lot Temple

Tips -
Rent a scooter! For 40,000 to 60,000, there is no better way to travel in Bali and isn't as scary as it first seems. Budget in cop bribe money. Though. Those punks are on the lookout for cash-- aka white skin.

Depending on the time of year, the beaches can be FILLED with trash, particularly Kuta in January. Bukit's beaches are a bit more protected, and Nusa Duas are cleaned by the resorts.

This is a very busy part of Bali, and there are vendors and tourist everywhere. It makes it fun, but a little crazy. Keep an eye out for people offering you to check out a new hotel. Take them up on it! If you are the right age, etc., you can get free dinner, free trips, free vacations, etc., out of it. Just make sure the guys tell you ALL the details. They will do anything to get money.

Day 3, 4, 5 - Ubud (2 hour drive)

Main hits - 

Monkey Temple Sanctuary

Gunung Kawi

Massage!
Balinese dance

Yoga or art class
Sukawati market and wood shops
Mango lassi

Tips -

Day 6, 7, 8 - Amed and Tulamben (3+ hour drive)

Main hits - 

Scuba dive Liberty shipwreck
Snorkel Japanese fishing boat wreck in Aas

Get lost on back roads

Snorkel in Jumeleck
Eat sea food on the beach front

Watch the sunrise (something you can't help with the jet lag)
Ride a fishing boat

Tips -

Amed is made up of 4ish coastal fishing and tourism villages. These towns are located on the far east side of Bali. They have super narrow roads, a million guest houses and restaurants (lots of competition), amazing snorkeling and scuba diving, astounding views, misty mountains, and lush jungles and rice paddies. It is the most beautiful area I have ever seen in my entire life.

Day 9 & 10 - Lovina (3+ hours from Tulamben)

Hits -
Hot springs
Dolphins
Clean beach swimming

Tips -
We actually didn't make it up here but we wanted to 

Scuba diving liberty

Yesterday be drove 3 hours across probably from ubud to amed. For 8 bucks, we rented a car, a suzuki katana, and I thought we were going to die about every 2 seconds. Yikes! Austin was super sweaty after the drive, and it had nothing to do with the weather.

We arrived in Amed, a beautiful, sleepy beach town. We keep going from one extreme to another, and this hotel is rockin! For 11 a night, we get a private bungalow, free breakfast, beach views, and jungle terrain. Totes romantic 

After shopping around yesterday for some cheap scuba diving, we set out on our diving adventure this morning: the shipwreck of USS Liberty! It was torpedoed by a Japanese sub during WWII and sunk near the coast. Then, in 1962, Mt. agung blew, moving the island farther out to sea, meters from the wreck. Wicked!

For $55 total, Austin and I dove the wreck with a guide. We literally walked down the pebble beach to the wreck.  Despite waves and silt, it was spectacular! I have never seen so many species of corral: cones, fans, brains, twirly ones, all colors, all sizes. Imagine finding memo reef style, but on a massive military ship. The bow rose up through the sea, and the largest eel I have ever seen ever ever lived within a gaping hole.

The ship was quite intact, everything encrusted with sea life and coral.

Lots of fish species, but mostly smaller ones that were super colorful.

We were at the bottom for about half an hour, but I could have Lil mermaided it up for days!

Ubud- the Center of Arts!

We decided to couchsurf in Ubud. We stayed with an adorable family from the neighboring village. He picked us up from Kuta (like 40 km and over two hours. bah!), we took him to lunch where the locals eat (my stomach hated me for days), then he took us on a whirlwind tour of Ubud! On the way, we bribed a police officer--par for the course.

We started out at the Monkey Forest, a monkey sanctuary and temple complex down in the riverbottoms of the Bali hills. GORGEOUS!

We got a massage- $4 a piece for one hour. It was my first massage every! I only lasted about 10 minutes before I had to break the silence and chat the rest of the time, but boy did it feel great. It was pretty funny stripping butt naked with people peeping in through the curtains...Our darling masseurs kept commenting on how handsome Austin was--and that he looked 30--as well as how beautiful our white (and red.) skin was. Baha. People keep telling him that.

That night was a little warm and a little rough. Our sweet hosts. Really, we are so blessed in the states. SOOOOO blessed.

These really don't do anything justice.

Kuta Adventures

We just needed a treat real bad. This one is for our friend Ty Bearnson. Check!

 

Seafood anyone? I feel like I have a broad palate for an American, but these Asians really put it to the test. O boy they eat everything no matter how old, smelly, squishy, or alive!

Wow. What a romantic beach Kuta offers. The views, the sand, the heaps of trash. Seriously, this was the cleanest area! Apparently January is not the time to enjoy Kuta's wonders. Sick. But at least we got our beach chair for cheap!

Toilet options

So many options, but what to do?!