Day 13 It is our last day in Lovina. Mogley will be picking us up at 2:00 so we can make our way back to Ubud. One thing Lovina is known for are the dolphins. You can’t leave without seeing them. For 60,000 Rh per person we booked the dolphin tour. The wake up call is at 5:30 am and we are to be in the lobby at 6. We were with one other couple in a small “traditional” boat. They are long narrow boats that have long bamboo poles on both sides for stability. The water was like glass and [View Full Entry]

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Day 12 Lovina Beach We basically did nothing all day except lay around and drink beer. I read and Peter went to the pool where he chatted with some Aussies and met an older Canadian man traveling alone. We noticed a lot of people traveling alone here. One lady summed it up. It’s safe. She told me she is divorced her kids are grown and she feels comfortable going to Bali by herself because of this. I have to agree. I saw no threats or reason for anyone to be afraid of the area. Just the drivers! The staff at the [View Full Entry]

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Day 11 Off to the races! This morning we met our driver at 7:00am in the hotel lobby and started on the road to Negara for the buffalo races. We were about 20 minutes driving time from the Jimbarwana Hotel, the hotel we ended up staying at. If I never saw that hotel again that would be OK with me. The rooms certainly weren’t worth what we paid and they weren’t negotiable on the rates at all. The kind gentleman behind the desk explained that the hotel is government owned and it is impossible to negotiate. On the way we saw [View Full Entry]

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Day 10 The drive Today was check out day at The Grand Bali in Nusa Dua. Peter negotiated and found a driver for $40 a day. Every night while in Nusa we had talked to a shop owner named Matt (that is what he had us call him) and he said he had a friend that needs a job. Before you knew it we were talking his friend via Matts phone. The driver (named Mogley, like the character in Jungle Book) picked us up at 11:00 and off we went. We had a route planned out in our heads but we [View Full Entry]

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Day 9 Oct 9th Kuta Beach This morning we took off for Kuta Beach . This beach is world renownd for its white sand blue water and great waves. This also means another day of panic and teeth gnashing as we navigate the Balinese “bypass’ on the way up the coast. What the heck. We had our day of R and R. We can’t possibly be like all the other tourists and just lay by the pool or hang out at the puny resort owned beach. Off we go and we got there without incident! This is the Mission Beach of [View Full Entry]

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Day 8 Rest and relaxation Today Peter left early in the AM to have the scooter repaired. I stayed behind and did some research on where our next stop would be. We are interested in the area to the North West. This part of the island seems much more remote and I’m uncertain what we will find. We need to start narrowing it down, after tonight we will only have only one more night then we will be officially homeless. We have no room reservations any where and no idea which direction to go. Peter came back a lot sooner than [View Full Entry]

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Day 7 Scooter estimate and Jimbaran Bay Peter and I got an estimate to have the scooter fixed today. We took off early from the hotel, so we could make the most of the day. The front desk gave use the name and directions to an authorized Honda repair shop. Understanding the directions and trying to find the place was an adventure all in it self. We drove a lot further than the directions said but we found the repair place. It was a busy little shop, but one of the guys came out right away and took a look at [View Full Entry]

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Day 6 Oct 6th The crash Well I might as well just get it out of the way. Today wasn’t great. We had a terrible crash on the scooter and Peter was left with significant road rash. It could have been a lot worse. At dinner tonight we agreed to the fact that if there was on coming traffic we would have become Balinese road kill. We were about 30 minutes into our trip to Uluwatu Temple. The roads to this village are narrow and windy in most spots. The area offers such an amazing flavor of the Balinese culture. T [View Full Entry]

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Day 5 Oct 7th Benoa Bay and the snaggle tooth. The day started with breakfast at the resort. Peter and I rented a motorbike. 5 days for $22 USD. Panic and fun all rolled into one! Driving on the other side of the street takes a lot of getting used to. We went North to Tanjung Benoa. This area is a fishing village and the local economy thrives on tourists who want to go out to try to catch the big one or those who want the thrill of parasailing and jet skiing. We had a great time weaving in and [View Full Entry]

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Day 4 Today is our first full day at Nusa Dua. We opted for the breakfast buffet at the resort. We felt it was pricey at about $7.50 pp. We have been used to a deluxe complementary breakfast being brought to our room for the last few days. I guess we have gotten spoiled. The menu options are a lot different also. The Balinese eat a “porrege” for breakfast that looks a lot like a thick rice soup. It is tasteless, white and they offer choices you can add in to your taste. The add ins are things such as cilantro, [View Full Entry]

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