Indonesia Round Two

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After eleven days in Sabah, Borneo, I/we were ready to leave and start the second part of the vacation in Indonesia. Still, getting out of Sabah meant sitting and waiting whilst our Air Asia flight was delayed to Jakarta. There was quite a large storm taking place outside so we just had to wait for it to clear. Kota Kinabalu airport was so small, with hardly enough seating to hold the passengers on all the delayed flights. Tara and I had to pass the time by playing 'What would you rather?', a game which became a daily ritual in the end.

The storm passed soon enough and we were allowed to board. Tara and I had once again with Air Asia been seated apart. I think the check in woman had it in for me, and she placed me with two prime candidates for the swine flu. I was sat between them coughing and I had to ask to move. Tara actually had three seats to herself yet I had been placed with the swinies.

After an uncomfortable two hour flight, we landed in Jakarta. Here we had to obtain an Indonesian visa for $25 for a 30 day stay.

There is something about landing in Indonesia which makes me feel very uncomfortable. I have followed the Bali9 case for many years now, and that was on my mind the two times that I have been to Indonesia. There are signs up everywhere which warn people about drug trafficking and the death penalty which Indonesia holds for such crimes. Even tho I had nothing on me, it still puts me on edge going through customs.

Tara and I had six hours to kill until our domestic flight to Bali. It was not worth getting a hotel, as by the time we would have found one, and checked in, we would have only have been able to have rested for about two hours. I went over to an information booth outside the terminal to ask how we would get to the domestic terminal, as this is where Tara and I thought we would spend our six hour wait. The man informed us that there was a shuttle bus to take us to the other terminal. However, the bus did not start running until 6.30 - the time we were set to take off!!! As I walked off to tell Tara the news, the man in the kiosk started to call me back. He said that Tara and I could spend the night in his information booth!! There was a 'lounge' area attached to the kiosk. There was a long L shaped sofa, perfect for us to stretch out and rest on. If I had been on my own there is absolutely no way that I would have taken up this mans offer, as he was not alone in his kiosk, there was at least another two gentlemen with him. However, it was another one of those times, where I was lucky to be traveling with somebody else. Tara and I said thank you very much and took him up on his offer. Once inside the man was so kind. He was very polite, and generally seemed to care about our safety. He locked us in, which again, I would not have been too happy about being alone, but then offered us a drink, apologizing that he only had mineral water. He was actually a bit like a caring father, 'would you like me to turn off the light?', 'I'm sorry I can not stay and talk but I have to get back to work'. He was very kind to let us stay. So, all in all, we had about a five hour wait in his lounge where we did rest, but I think I slept with one eye open, keeping an eye on the men in the kiosk one minute, and then turning my attention to the mosquitoes which were everywhere in the room!!

Once we woke up, we had to get to the domestic terminal, and once again, we were helped by another kind man to find a taxi. They did not want any money from us, they just wanted to help. So he put us in a taxi and a few minutes later we were at the domestic terminal and ready to go to Bali!!

Our plan had been to land at Bali Denpassar and then go and get on the next flight available to Lombok, so we could then catch a cab and a boat and get to Gilli T. Our plan was short lived tho, as what with it being high season, there were no flights left that day, or for the next few days to Lombok. We would have to go in to Kuta, something neither Tara and I were fond of.

The airport is very close to Kuta, so as soon as we got dropped off, with our luggage in tow, we went to a tourist stand to see if we could get a boat over to Gilli T that day. The boat only leaves once a day and we had missed it, but after a phone call, we were told we could get on the next mornings. The boat was very dear, about 50 pound. The boats in Thailand usually cost about 6!! Still, it was either that, wait for the next available flight in three days, or take the slow boat, something I promised myself I would not do ever again after I did it back in 2007. So, we paid up, and then headed in to Poppies 1 to get a room for the night ............ something which also proved problematic as Kuta was so busy. We asked in a few places to be told they were full, or out of our price range. So, we ended up in the AP Inn, the hotel I had used two years ago. We got the last room available, and was put out the back in the staff quarters. Still, it was only for a night.

We then headed to a deli for lunch. A place Tara had been excited about re visiting after her trip to Bali in December. Nothing in there was Indonesian, yet, I was happy to see all the 'food from home'. After living in Korea for 18 months, I was not used to bagels, paninis, whole grain and rye, so I happily indulged. After spending about 70'000 Rupiah on the lunch, about $7, so quite dear for Indo prices, we made our way back to Poppies, avoiding mopeds, sellers, and masseuses only to run in to ISLE OF MAN PAUL. I had not seen Paul for 8 years! So after a dazed a confused hello, see you later, Tara and I went off to do something we had both been craving - BINTANGS ROUND THE POOL TIME. Bintang being the Indonesian beer and it is really good!!!!

The next day we were picked up at 7.40 and driven to the fast boat terminal in Benoa. We were taking the Mahi Mahi directly over to Gilli T. The boat only held about 20 passengers, yet the owner, an old Ozzie guy, was making a killing, charging 50 pound return per person, and the boat being full most days! The boat ride along the coast of Bali was smooth, but as soon as we got out on the open and before we reached Lombok, the waves and the rocking really began to pick up. Still, taking the boat was much easier than the plane/taxi/boat option which I had done on my way to the Gilli's last time.

We got dropped off, had to walk through the water as there is no pier, and then it started 'TRANSPORT'. There are no cars on Gilli T, so here, it's the horse and cart option. If you are staying where you get off the boat, you really do not need 'TRANSPORT' as Gilli T is so small, it only takes an hour to walk the whole way round. So I sat with the bags, and Tara went off to get us a room - and, she had trouble. Gilli was FULL!!! Eventually Tara found us a hut, but for $45 a night - but, at high season, we would not get any cheaper!

What I instantly noticed on this second trip to Gilli was how many French there were. Absolutely loads! Last time I had been to Gilli was low season, in the January. Now with it being August, and the prime time for Europeans to travel, the French were everywhere. They even had French dive schools!

Gilli was starting to get more developed too. There were a lot more high end rooms / resorts being built, and a lot more places to eat. After coming from five restaurant Semporma, we were so happy to see all the eateries. However, my first meal on the island was a let down at 'Terminal' restaurant. My meal looked like it had a hair on it. I informed the staff, and they fingered around at my food and then said 'it's not hair, it's wood!' - oh, ok, so wood makes it alright then??? They then expected me to eat my fingered food!!! ..... Just for the record, I didn't!!

Tara and I knew that four nights would not be enough, so the next day, we extended our return boat pass for an extra day, there was no point rushing back to Kuta.

We headed down to the beach, and wanted to have a play in the turquoise water. It looked so perfect, yet Tara and I managed to make a spectacle of ourselves. Tara and I do not like rocks, specifically, hairy rocks. With the reef being reachable from the shore, there were hairy rocks everywhere!!! Oh, it was horrible. The tide'd take us and we be swept across the hairy rocks screaming. We looked like a right pair! Also, there was a big drop off, a part of the ocean where it goes from being very shallow to extremely deep. The pair of us have over active imaginations and we had the fear of what lies beneath!

After the ordeal of the ocean, Tara and I found our new daily lunch venue, The Gili Deli. WOW!!! Great great food and an amazing chill out chair out the front, which we soon named as OURS. The baguettes were great, but just like last night, mine included another hair!!!

Tara and I took a walk around the island, it really is so small. They do not even have a fresh water supply. All the water is pumped out of the ocean, so salty. We see the local school, and then a lot of children marching. This turned out to be for the August 17th Independence Day.

Gilli is so small, and there are only a few bars. A couple of times a week, one bar is set as the 'party bar' for the night. Tonight it was being held at Rudy's bar. After picking up a local en route, Tara and I bumped in to Isle of Man Paul and Stan, who then introduced us to Andy the German, German the Andy and Alberto the Spaniard. We had a good night, dancing to diabolical music.

The overall atmosphere on the island is quite chilled and relaxed. By day you can lay for free on sun lounger sofas at the Horizontal bar on the beach, watch movies on pagodas over looking the ocean, or, do a schroom shake if you wish. They are sold everywhere - openly.

Tara and I stayed on Gilli for five nights. Unlike Semporna, we didn't have to eat in the same restaurant once. Some of the fish I had, namely the Mahi Mahi was out of this world!! Still, I did not find the Indonesian part of the menu's to be very satisfying. They all seemed to be serving the same thing, nasi gorang, gado gado etc.

So, back to Kuta. Tara is leaving to go back to Korea before me, so we spend one more night back at the AP Inn. The fast boat back over was terrible. The sea was so rough, I could not even sit up straight as I was being thrown around so much. I had visions of the boat flipping over it seemed so dangerous.

The next day, Tara left me, and my mate Chris who I met in Bali two years ago came to meet me. I would be staying with him for a few nights, as he lives by the prison in Kerobokan. Here I would try to visit Scott Rush, one of the convicted Bali9 drug smugglers on death row.

That night, Chris took me for a ride on the moped to show me how to get to the prison from his. Just being outside the prison made me feel very anxious. I got off the bike and went over to a few armed prison guards. I wanted to ask some questions about visiting the next day. They spoke very little English, but they wanted to know if I was Scott Rush's friend. When I said 'no' I seemed to confuse them as they did not understand why a stranger would be coming, from England to visit a prisoner! I decided I would go back the next day, during visiting hours and hoped that I would be greeted with a more understanding approach.

I was wrong. The next day was very dissatisfied. I had worked myself for this day for quite sometime. I had emailed the Australian consulate to let them know that I would be visiting and to put my name down on the visitor's list. I had a care package for Scott Rush. I had also copied my passport and had all the necessary documents that I was told to bring with me. Upon going over to the visitor's registration area, I was being gawped at by the Indonesian's who were there to visit their friends or family inside the jail. I bent down to speak through a small gap in the attendants window, and was being ignored. The jobsworth behind the window continued to speak in Indonesian down the microphone. I said 'excuse me I am here to see Scott Rush' again. She said to me, 'passport', to which I replied, I only have a copy - like I was told to bring. She shooed me away. I walked off to see if I could find someone a bit more useful. I spoke with some friendlier armed guards but they ushered me back to jobsworth. This time I just handed her the copy of my passport and said 'Scott Rush'. I was handed a long list of names. Visitor's that had made the list to see Scott. My name was not down. The Australian consulate had not put my name down to visit. I was gutted. After all the planning I had done, and after getting myself all hyped up about visiting someone in such a diabolical situation.

So, I left Kerobokan prison and headed back to Chris's to watch Indovision all day and eat Indo food on my own in a restaurant by night.

The next day, I headed back to meet Paul and Stan in Kuta. Being alone, I did not want to pay $40 a night at the LA Inn, so I opted to go back to its sister hotel, the LA Inn where I had stayed two years prior. Well, had it gone down hill or what!!! It was never great last time, but I had met some awesome people there that it hardly mattered. Being two years older, maybe I had changed and I could not handle such living conditions. Still, it was only for two nights and I only had to sleep there!!!

We all went down to Kuta beach in the afternoon. The sellers had got a lot worse than two years ago. Selling everything from bow and arrows to bracelets to foot scrubbing. The beach itself is not even nice. The waves were lame in this part, yet there are loads of people trying their luck at catching a wave and surfing. It seems that most of the Ozzie surfers that come to Bali hire a moped, strap their board to the side and drive off to find better waves in nearby beaches, as the ones in Kuta were rubbish, even I could tell that!!!

That night, Paul and Stan introduced me to their way of dining. A local Indo Warung. It's the sort of place you'd pass and not go in, but I was so happy they took me there. They had a large menu board out the front, yet we opted for a 'point and pick' option. There was a load of food behind a glass screen, and by pointing and saying 'one of those, some of that' you then came away with a large bowl of food for about one pound!! It was delicious and all local!!!

Later, I got to experience the Kuta nightlife. Oh God ..... it sucked. The place was run alive with young Ozzies. Kuta is to Ozzies what Magaluf is to the Brits. A quick and easy get away with clubs, bars, beach and chlamydia. We went to a few bars, stalked out the happy hours, and then ended up at ' THE BOUNTY'. No word of a lie, I honestly believe I was the second eldest female in there, up against a mutton dressed up as lamb old bird. There were a few older guys, but these mainly included sex tourists, and Stan and Paul. It was just horrible and I was eight years too old.

The next day was Stan's last night, before his 31 hour journey back to the Isle of Man!!! Alberto had got back to Kuta and come to join us. I knew of a place to take the lads for our last night ..... THE MINI MART!! After being accustomed to drinking outside the convenience store in Korea for so long, I wanted the boys to join in on one of my favourite activities. Turns out they really enjoyed it too!! The mini mart had tunes on, and all the tables out side were full of people sitting and having a drink ......... even if most of the 'punters' were locals who probably could not afford to drink in the Kuta bars!!! .... especially the ones along the front which put a high mark up on everything!!

Then I had to retire back to the FOUR SEASONS, our new name for the LA Inn. Outside my room had flooded, the toilet chain had just stopped working all together, and now ................. BED BUGS. I had gone to bed and I woke up to extreme itching. I got up and turned the light on only to see a small bug of some kind on the bed. It may not have been a bed bug, but it was a bug. So, I took my liner, and a small towel ............. and slept on the tiled floor. Just horrible.

The next day I was happy to be out!! Paul and I were heading East to Amed aka Arkkkkkkkkkchmed. Amed is not a place too many choose to go to, so we would have to hire a cab to take us there. Of course, it was all marked up for high season, and we had to barter, but we managed to get 'TRANSPORT' to take us over there. It took about 2 and a 1/2 hours to get to Amed. As soon as you drove out of Kuta, you felt as though you were in 'the real Bali'. Less traffic, less mopeds, less sarong shops, and more rice paddies.

Amed is a 10k stretch, so not knowing were we would be staying, we did not know where to tell our driver, so we kind of just got dropped off in what could have been the middle of nowhere. Luckily, there was a small warung, run by an even smaller owner, Wayan. Wayan cooked us up some vegetable rice, offered us a room out back with the chickens, but we declined and Paul found us a room next door at the Bali Yogi for about $30 a night - so still not cheep if you were doing this alone on a backpacker budget.

The next day, Paul and I hired a moped so we could go and see the 10k of Amed coast for ourselves. It was not as if the 10k was a strip with shops, restaurants and hotels. It was very split up and you would have to walk on the road, as there was no pavement to get to the next area. Paul drove us to Aas, a small town at the butt end of our jokes. We passed a Japanese ship wreck snorkel site, but then turned back to head to Tulamben to see about diving the SS Liberty ship wreck.

I had not dove off Gilli T as there were so many people and the dive boats were extremely full. I figured I would maybe dive this wreck, a shore dive, just off the beach. However, when we got there, there were no dive shops. These were all located on the 10k stretch and would ferry you over to Tulemben for the dive. I inquired about a dive, but then had a reality check that I was asking a man in a container about diving with him. No PADI memorabilia in site. We weighed up the situation and decided that we would go and check it out again the next day. So, it was back on the bike, and back to Amed for food and Bintangs.

We did go back the next day. Paul had braved it and hired a snorkel set. I would wait on the 'beach' - pebbles - until he came back in. I had a man to barter with over the dive price, should I decide to do it. I had got him from 50'000 to 30'000, I just wanted to hear back from Pablo to see if it was worth diving. After 45 minutes, snorkeling boy came back in and said it was great. I was sold. I found my bogus dive guy and he took me to the dive shack. I produced my dive license but they did not ask for it. Myself and the dive master, just the two of us headed out in to the blue alone. The shop was so bogus, they didn't even do a buddy check on my equipment .... but I had made an effort to double check that everything was right. I was worried about getting in to the water with all my gear on as I had seen a few people fall over as they were entering. I actually did really well, and no sooner were we under, we were greeted with skoals of fish in loads of colours, amazing colourful coral and the wreck itself. It was pretty spectacular. We went in to the wreck, and dove various chambers. I felt very relaxed, and I was really enjoying it. I would now say that it has been the best dive I have done so far.

This would be our last night in Amed. We had really enjoyed it. It would not be the place to go alone, but we had had a great time. We handed back our trusty bike, which Paul had driven so well, and then we went to Paul's mates for dinner, back to Wayan's. He had caught a barracuda and this would be our dinner for the night. It was excellent. What ever he did with that fish, he did it right. It was only us in the warung, and this Wayan's family joined us and we all sat and chatted about our lives. They live so close to the volcano that erupts every 20 years and leaves a path of destruction in its wake. Something they know will wipe out their home and their business.

The next morning, we hired a shuttle back to Kuta. It was not a shuttle bus, it was a car. With what I now think was driven by an un licensed driver. This close to three hour journey was terrifying. A speeding, braking, revving nightmare - but at least we got there safe in the end.

Now for two more days back in Kuta avoiding the mopeds, the whores, the sellers, and the TRANSPORT.

The shopping did not seem as good as two years ago, but maybe I just could not be bothered with the pushy sellers and the constant bartering. They aim to rip you off constantly. Things just do not seem as cheep any more.

Paul left early on the Friday and I had until 11pm on my own. A day of tanning, eating and finally a massage. The massage sucked. I opted for a traditional, thinking it would be a traditional oil. Wrong. It was a traditional Balinese and it HURT!!! I actually had my teeth gritted as she stuck her knuckles in to me for 45 out of the 60 minute 'massage'.

One last banana pancake, one last Indo meal, one last walk down Poppies and Legian ..... and then it was time to head back for my last stint in Seoul!!!

Great trip guys!!!

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