Indonesia - back to Kuta, Bali and a little bit of Bangkok

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Hello,

This is the penultimate entry....! In my last update we'd just got back to Bali from the Gili Islands...........

Thursday 9th September - The Gili's to Kuta, Bali continued
The journey back into Kuta took a long time. It was interesting though as it was the last day of Ramadan and there were a lot of people on the side of the roads dressed up very colourfully with elaborate food laid out in front of them waiting for sunset so they could eat. The Bali countryside is really beautiful, lots of lush green and nice rivers. The traffic in Kuta was TERRIBLE!!! We moved about an inch a minute. We hadn't realised that a lot of Indonesians come to Bali at the end of Ramadam for Eid, there's a 5 day national holiday. This also caused us problems for accomodation. We already knew that Suka (the nice place we'd stayed at before) was booked up so instead of being dropped off in Poppies II we were dropped off in Poppies I where Laura had stayed before and knew two nice places. The first we went to was full. The second had one room (apparently. It looked like a big place) and wanted to charge us 600000 Rupiah for a room (Laura hadn't paid more than 200000 the last time). We really didn't want to pay that so I stayed with the bags at the hotel while Laura and Pin went to look for something. Whilst they were gone I rang numbers from the Lonely Planet; ALL were full. It didn't take long for Laura and Lyndsey to get back; everywhere they'd tried was full and they were even laughed at at one place for thinking they'd get a room at this time of year so we decided we'd have to stay 1 night in the expensive place as it was late and we were tired and hungry. And it was raining, which is very helpful when you're trying to look for somewhere to stay. So we were shown to our room and it was HORRIBLE! It smelled and felt really damp and you could see mould on the walls. We told them we were not paying 600000 Rupiah to stay in such a poor room. They told us they didn't have anything else and gave us our money back. They were practically chucking us out the door, they wouldn't let us back into reception. I'm not sure what we did to upset them, or maybe they just don't like backpackers! So, in the rain we walked the 10 minutes it takes to get to Poppies II. It wasn't a nice walk. It was raining so we got wet, as did our stuff, and covered in mud from the road and as I'm so slow it was even harder to keep up with Laura and Pin with my bags! They would wait for me, but I got behind again quickly. I really am very slow! We asked at a lot of places down Poppies II and they were all full. It's really frustrating that you can't book any of the budget backpacker places online! Lyndsey sat with our stuff in Stakz and Laura and I went searching. We were starting to think that we'd have to stay in a proper nice hotel. In the end we found a room at the Seahouse Beach Inn, which is opposite Suka. We'd discounted it the last time we needed a room because it was expensive but this time it didn't seem so expensive in comparison to 600000 Rupiah and the prospect of a really nice clean room with nice bathroom, air con and a TV won us over. That we might not find something else was also a factor! The people there were so lovely as well, very friendly and welcoming. So we move our stuff in and went straight out for something to eat at Stakz. We all had a Bintang, we deserved it! We then got ready to go out. It was still raining. We went to Sky Garden and then onto Bounty. It was a brilliant night! We were on form! We got a lot of attention, especially when we tied string round our wrists to join us together. The blokes seemed to love that and wanted in on the action, there were usually at least 3 Perth boys (they're so many Perth boys in Bali) tied onto the string. Laura found a little friend, who took a shine to her but not her to him, he chased her round the club, LOL. Bless him.

Friday 10th September - Kuta, Bali
We were up late, after getting in late, and went to the Suka Beach Inn pool all day as they'd been nice and said we could use it. It was a very lazy day.......we just read and swam and talked, a lot. Us three are always talking a lot! It was Lyndsey's last night with us - 😞 - so we were going out that night and having a Full Moon Party in Bali. I had really painful ears again so struggled to get into it, but after spending ages laid down with medicine in my ears (and a few Bacardis!) I perked up. We went out at about midnight, for a drink in the Seahouse bar first then straight to Bounty for dancing!!!!!!!!!! It was brilliant, again. And very funny. We got a lot of attention being dressed up, especially Laura who had a lot of very unwanted attention. It got so bad that we took photos of all the blokes trying to dance with her. We bumped into the lads from East Challow again (that we'd met on the Gili's) which was funny, they got in on the string action. And Pin and Laura did some more straw limbo, which is always popular. I think we got in at about 4am.....!

Saturday 11th September - Kuta, Bali
It was Lyndsey's last day with us, as she was flying to Kuala Lumpur to get her flight home that night. I was pretending it wasn't happening. I didn't want her to leave us! Laura and I moved to Suka in the morning, to what turned out to be a very unpleasant room on account of the damp feel and smell, then spent the day at the Seahouse Beach Inn pool (they were booked up for the next few nights). We hadn't even realised it had a pool whilst we were staying there, but there was one and the nice people said we could use it whenever we liked. It was on the roof. It was nice. It wasn't big but enough to cool off and we were the only ones up there so it was like having a private pool, with good views of Kuta. Later in the afternoon Lyndsey and Laura went shopping and as I really don't like shopping I didn't go. They were not gone long and then Pin had to pack, which really meant she was leaving. We had a last dinner together at Stakz and all too soon she was in a taxi on the way to the airport. Laura and I were a bit upset about it and missed her immediately. I was really sad because she is brilliant. I've had an amazing time with them both. I've been really happy and enjoyed myself so much in the time I've had with Laura and Lyndsey and it's because they're both so nice and friendly and supportive and loads of fun and good to be around. They've been good for me. We all said how impressive it is that 3 girls who didn't really know each other that well a few weeks before had been able to go away for 3 weeks, spend all their time together and not fall out once or have a cross word between them. I love them girls very much and will be staying in touch with them for sure.
After Pin had left, Laura and I spent the evening on the internet. Then we decided we fancied a glass of wine, we needed one to sleep in the awful room.........so we headed to the main road in Kuta (was the only place we could find wine!) and first went to a bar that I dragged Laura into because they had a live band playing the likes of Guns n Roses and Rage Against The Machine. They were AWESOME! The band was amazing and the girl singer really pulled off the singing. We didn't have a drink though as the wine was too expensive. So once the band had finished we moved on and found another bar with reasonably cheap wine and a table right at the front, so we could watch the goings on down the street. And there were a lot of goings it. It was very interesting, amusing and sometimes cringeworthy. It was only about 11pm but there were A LOT of drunk people about. A couple of twenty something Aussie girls were in a right state. They literally fell out the bar we were in onto the road (lucky nothing motorised was about at the time) and couldn't get up. They were cackling like crazy and not very receptive to the help people were trying to give them. It was a bit embarassing, not really the way to behave in an Islamic country where we're lucky they're as accepting as they are of our approach to alcohol . I really hope I don't behave like that when I'm drunk! So, it was a nice way for us to spend the evening with a couple of glasses of wine. That turned into 3 glasses. And then 4. And then we were on our way to Bounty!!! Oh dear. We had one Bomba there and Vodka and Red Bull (you know I'm in trouble when I drink Vodka, as I know I can't drink Vodka) and a lovely time dancing around. With the dancers. I want their job! They get paid to dance in the club. Not on podiums, I wouldn't like that, but just on the dance floor with the normal people. Brilliant! We got home at 4.30am! So much for a quiet night!

Sunday 12th September - Kuta, Bali
We were not feeling so great after the wine so went for a Cheese & Beans Jaffle (aka a toastie) at Stakz. Then we went to the Seahouse pool again. It was nice. We chatted all day. We really don't stop talking! We know a lot about each other now. That day we were talking about all our lovely friends back home (I really hope Laura gets to meet some of my home friends, and I get to meet some of hers one day) and how much we miss them. I'd like to give a special mention to Laura's friend Claire-Anne, who has read some of my blog 😊 We left the pool late afternoon to do some Skyping. I was very Very VERY proud of my Dad. I'd text my Mum to see if she could Skype (didn't think there was any point texting my Dad as he couldn't use a computer when I left in January) and she was at the gym. But 5 minutes later she was calling me on Skype so thought she must have got home quick but no, who was there, my Dad!!! He'd turned on the computer and got onto Skype by himself! I was so impressed, to go from hardly having touched a computer in January to being able to Skype was great! So we had a nice chat. Then went to get something to eat at Gong's Corner (fish curry, again). Then we went back to the internet where I Skyped Drew and between the 3 of us we had a good conversation. Then we eventually headed back to the room and slept OK, but missed Pin.

Monday 13th September - Kuta, Bali
I was awake early with a really strange pain in my tummy. I was so worried that it was going to turn into something really bad which would have been horrible for my last few days, especially as a lot of it involved travelling. It would also have been ironic, as last night I'd been talking to Laura how I've been lucky not to have had food poisioning or the like whilst in Asia! I eventually went back to sleep and when I woke up it wasn't better but it was much better. So I made it to Stakz for something to eat (keeping to Drews poorly tummy rules) and then to the Seahouse pool. We were there till 4pm then went back to the room to pack. But it was horrible and was making us both feel ill so left quickly and asked if we could move. Suka didn't have anymore rooms so we tried Seahouse who were full, but told us to go back at 6pm as they thought someone was checking out. So, we went back to the internet!!! Seahouse didn't have a room so we had to stay put. We braved the room to shower and pack sufficiently to fly the next day then went for dinner at Stakz (you might have concluded that we like Stakz!) and then for a walk to exchange our books and buy some bracelets. I was struggling a bit with the tummy pains (must have been the malaria tablets again, was a strange pain) but got there. We successfully exchanged our books (I was very happy that Laura had picked up Breaking Dawn, so I could re-read my favourite bits) but were unsuccessful with the bracelets, the shop was closed. So we went back to the internet (Pin - this is what we do without you! It was that or get drunk on wine again) then back to the room. I put off going to bed as long as possible as it felt so horrible in there. I was repeatedly sneezing and coughing and my nose was streaming. It's not healthy! I did start stressing about what it was (as you do at 2 in the morning, well as I do), just hoped it was the room. At 2am I was sat outside because I needed a bit of relief. It was a fitfull nights sleep.

Tuesday 14th September - Bali to Bangkok, Thailand
We were awake early, with no desire to spend longer in the horrible bed. It was so damp my sleep sack (which I've only ever got out in damp rooms) had stained the sheet. It's so disgusting!!! I was not feeling very special that morning, had not very nice cold symptoms going on. We got sorted and checked out and I went in search of Lemsip whilst waiting for the airport taxi but couldn't find anything. I had to make do with a chocolate milk. The airport 'taxi' picked us up at 9.30am, it was a really old battered jeep car which we wouldn't have minded had it been a little bit comfortable. But my seat wouldn't stay upright, which meant that my stomach muscles had a good work out trying to sit a bit upright and Laura's knees got put to good use keeping my seat a bit up for me. And the glove box kept opening. The traffic out of Kuta was busy. The main street to Bounty looked VERY different in the daylight! I was sad to say bye to Kuta, as we'd had an amazing time. There is an interesting mix of cultures, I liked the way they put the little Hindu offerings outside their businesses. The airport all went OK, we got something to eat then it wasn't long till our flight. I was totally OK, not at all stressed, even when I found out we couldn't sit together because the plane was full. I didn't have anyone in the seat next to me though so Laura moved to come and sit by the window. We had a familiar face behind us; a guy that we'd seen drunkenly walking the streets of Kuta at night. We were very wary of him, he was in his 60s and completely out of it every time we'd seen him. It was a coincidence to see him on the flight. He was sober, but asking for a drink which they don't serve on most Air Asia flights. We really felt for him, makes you wonder what's happened to someone to make them like that and why there is nobody helping them out of whatever mess they are in. He was so polite, letting us out of our seats before him, we were the only ones he did that for.
I was allowed back into Thailand, was a tiny bit concerned as it was my 4th time entering the country in 3 months, is a good job they don't have a limit on entries for the British! The hotel pick up was waiting for us, they were so lovely and welcoming and smiley. The same man took us all the way from the airport to our room in the hotel, which was The Cottage, only 5 minutes from the airport. The hotel was really nice, very new and smart and only £25 between us for the night (they have a nice pool, would definitely recommend it for a stopover in Bangkok). They were really sweet in there, a bit disorganised but they're still finding their feet and will get there. They were so nice we didn't mind. We wandered to the local shopping centre and had something to eat and a look around the shops. Then headed back to our room and chilled an gradually packed properly. It was nice to spend time in a room that looked nice and smelled fresh. And we had air con and a hot shower, which was nice. It wasn't really really hot but it was better than anything we'd had for a few weeks. We watched TV which was exciting and then headed downstairs for some dinner. I was rapidly going downhill with my cold type illness which I was very annoyed about it was my last day with Laura (although I was back in pretend that wasn't the case mode!). We really fancied some wine but they didn't have any, they only had Heineken so we had that. As we were waiting for our Pad Thai we decided I needed some medicine, so went to ask the reception if there was an easy way to get to the Tesco Extra. There wasn't, so I resolved to staying poorly until the morning. Then the nice hotel man who'd picked us up from the airport came to tell me that there was a shop near that sold medicine. They didn't speak great English so we were a bit confused, Laura insisted on coming with me as she really didn't know where they were taking me, but it was just opposite the hotel. The shop was closed but the hotel man spoke to the owners and they opened for me so I could get these tablet medicine things. I was very grateful for their help, as about 5 minutes after taking them I felt so much better! I enjoyed my Pad Thai. We went back up to the room and watched more TV, then went to sleep at about 11ish. I had a really bad migraine that woke me up during the night, took some tablets for that then spent half an hour panicking that I'd been mixing medicine!!!! Laura calmed me down, poor girl. I'm sure she's glad to be getting rid of me as I'm prone to these panics in the night. She wasn't feeling too well either bless her, we're a right pair!

Wednesday 15th September - Bangkok, Thailand to Muscat, Oman then Fujairah, the UAE
I was up at 4am, to be picked up at 4.15am to be taken to the airport for my flight. I had to say bye to a sleepy Laura, which wasn't nice. It was probably a good thing it was so early as we couldn't hang about, I was in danger of getting emotional. I have loved every minute of the time I have spent with her, I love her to pieces and consider her a very close and special friend now. I'm so glad we bumped into each other that drunken night in Hoi-An! I know we'll stay in touch and I'm so excited for all the adventures she's going to have! I won't go on about it now, as I'm already missing her loads and it'll make it worse 😊

The hotel people were so lovely again, despite the early hour. I got all checked in and wandered round the airport in a sleepy daze, calling my Mum and Dad for a night chat, then got on the Oman Air flight to Muscat, in Oman. I was due to be flying with them to London via Muscat on the 20th, but changed the Bangkok to Muscat flight so I could visit my friend Kandy in the United Arab Emirates. Oman Air is a lovely airline! The seats were very roomy. I was sat next to a nice French girl, who was flying home early from a trip round Thailand as she'd fallen over trekking and badly hurt her leg. It did look bad, so bruised and swollen. We were another right pair, me with my cold type thing and migraine that was getting worse and her with her leg! We cheered up when we got some nice warm towels and saw the film and TV selection. It was better than British Airways, which whilst it isn't the nicest airline I've flown on, it did have the best entertainment selection. I started off with the Bounty Hunter which was good. It was all so smooth I didn't realise we'd taken off, thought we were still taxiing then looked out the window and saw we were in the air. The food was really nice too, and the stewardesses lovely. I tried to have a sleep but couldn't so watched the A-Team then Gavin & Stacey. The whole flight was quite pleasant and before I knew it we were heading down into Oman...........

One more to go...........!

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