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Published: March 20th 2005
Girl at Temple
Girl at a temple in the monkey forestSo I just got back from (only) a week in Bali. And I can definitely say that this is really the first place that I really wish I would have had more time to explore!
Bali, apparently, is the only Hindu society in South East Asia, and the temples/shrines/statues that decorated the streets (and every other possible spot that you might look) where breath taking. I spent the first few days in Kuta, and extremely overcrowded and blan spot. I should have left as soon as I got there. For this part of the trip I was travelling with a guy from Liverpool named David. Now let me tell you a little about Dave...but first, just in case david is reading this...let me say some good things. Dave is a great guy, he is damn funny, and really easy going. Traveling with him was pretty easy because he didnt really care what we did and he let me kind of take over. Now, I dont think I have ever met anyone fussier then David...you guys at home have no idea...talk about princess. Restaurants...ordering was never and easy thing for david...for some reason he could never really just pick out something
Boat
Boat in Nusa Lembongan and order it...he always had to try to change the sauce or add something extra or somehow modify it..or he would ask tons of questions about the portion size (all the time commenting on how fat american supposedly are). So ordering was difficult for him, and frustrating for me, and even worse for the poor waitress who barely spoke english..and then after about 10 minutes of fussiness...he would revert back to the very first thing he mentions..no modifications at all. And guys...I am not exaggerating..this would happen every single time. Also, David was deathly afraid of everything, especially bugs and dogs. And in Bali their are tons of both! So he would constantly be jumping or running and hiding from one thing or another.He would spend about an hour every night hunting down stray bugs in our room. He had a HUGE bag that was really difficult for him to lug around, and it took him ages to get read. But he was cool with me going off and doing my own thing, so truth be told I didnt really have to wait around for him that often, or get effected to much by his oddities...it ended up just being
Kuta
i'm not quite sure something really amusing (especially when yuo tell him there is a bug behind him...or bump into his leg under the table.
So Kuta was a dump, only good for massages and cheap souvenirs. You could not even walk down the beach without being surrounded by guys selling everything you could possibly imagine (including blow guns that packed away nicely...you should have seen dave jump when the guy shot one into the sand)..and old ladies grabbing you and trying to give you massages (kind of gross).
The one good thing about Kuta was a local kid about my age named Johnny that i met one day while I was sitting on the side of the road (that seems to be the most successful way for me to meet locals).We talked for hours about everything imaginable...our conversation could be a blog within itself...I ended up getting some local food with him (with cost about $1 for the both of us) and tried a little of his homemade liquer (gasoline).
After a few nights in Kuta we caught a ferry to Nusa Lembongan...a really nice a peaceful island off the coast. My time there was spend on the beach...or reading.
sunset
sunset The heat in Bali is basically unbearable...and the places that we stayed had no AC (and piss poor fans). The heat would just suck the energy out of you...it was pretty bad..you would sweat all day long..while you eat, while you read, when you nap..it was bad.
While in Nusa Lembongan I found out that there were cockfights around. I saw tons of roosters in cages apparently for the fight on the weekend...i spent hours and hours looking for a fight that night (since I was not going to be in town over the weekend) but had no luck. Jen, Jeff, and Amber..you guys know how roosters are (actually maribeth you probably do too..haha) territorial and all...well imagine a village with about 100 roosters....then went on and on from midnight till noon!!
After a few days in Nusa...I caught a boat ride (the smallest most over crowded boat ever...it was me dave...a guy fishing...and an old lady selling fruit all crammed into a boat the size of a large bath tube..i was sure we where going to sink and was trying to figure out whether or not I could tread water with my backpack on and my camera
Dave and I
Dave and I over my head) We ended up getting to Ubud which is the art and crafts center of Bali. Ubud was a really interesting city...with everything a tourist could want...monkey forests, temples, cultural dances, and we just happened to get there during a ceremony week (for the life of me I cannot remember the name of the ceremony) but I order to get into the temples you had to wear a sarong...sounds like fun.
On our second to last night, david and I ordered a smoked duck dish that took 24 hours to prepare (so we had it the next night)...the duck was good (not great)...but still it is really fun to be required to order your dinner the day before.
I did more things, and have more stories, but i am tired, I'll tell you more when I get home.
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Jennie
Jen
teammate
Chris, you are the best teammate ever. Keep taking the beautiful flower pictures. I named the last one after you. www.jenwhitney.com Thanks for spreading the link throughout the world lol! I love you and I miss you and I think you should spend lots of money and come home in July for good. xoxoxo, Jen