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Published: December 5th 2008
We landed in Bali, once the favorite destination of honeymooners, but got really affected by the 2002 bombings...
But, like the Phoenix, it is growing once again and it's becoming a popular backpacking place, in fact, it has recovered so well that many places that Dax visited in 2004 and were then free, are now asking for a generous amount as entrance fee...
Not only that, but you can take 3 steps without having someone offering something to you; the most used sentences in Bali are
Hello Mister,
Hello Boss and
Yes followed by information, transport, room, food, massage, sandals, pareus and t-shirts...
All of that was getting on my nerves because they don't give up when you say "no, thank you", they keep on askimg until they see another tourist or you just stop being polite and start ignoring them. We got transport offered while we were having breakfast and, even more funny, while we were driving our moped!!!
We spent 3 days in Bali,
risking our lives driving the motorbike on those crazy roads where the only rule that seems to apply is the red traffic light, other than that THEY DON'T GIVE A SHIT!!;
Singapore airport
it's Christmas / es Navidad!!the horn seems to be attached to the accelerator, brake, direction lights and windscreen wipers so, every movement is followed by a beep; even the simple fact of driving in a straight line requires a few beeps: to let other drivers or pedestrians know they are coming, to greet someone on the road or, my personal opinion, for the sake of it!!!
Crossroads are like the jungle: the strongest rules!!!; to cross to the other side you just have to do that: cross and hope that the vehicles coming on the opposite direction will reduce their speed... they won't stop, but they may drive slowly...
But, the most impressive thing are the take overs, which happen at any place, any moment: as soon as they reach a slower vehicle, they simply take over it, whether is on a straight road or on a turn (but here they have the "decency" of beeping first!!). The moment I was more scared was when our bus was taking over a truck that was taking over a motorbike while on the other lane two motorbikes taking over each other were coming!!!... I guess that's why there aren't many old people...
We
left Hindu Bali and crossed to Muslim Lombok...
Dax suggested that I covered my shoulders to respect the muslims and I agreed but, once we were there we realized how much things have changed since 2004 and now the locals are very used to tourists with skimpy clothes!!!
We spent 2 days in Lombok and, from there, we went to the
Gili Islands, and thinking that Gili means
Island they are the
Island Islands:
Gili Trawangan is full of tourists and most of them only stay there and don't go to the other Gilis... there, we treated ourselves with a "proper honeymoon" and stayed for 3 days in a very nice hotel... and paid less that we paid in Australia for a room in a hostel with shared bathroom!!!
Gili Meno is empty, if you lookfor peace and quiet, that's your place!!! it was a bit too quiet for me!!!
Gili Air was perfect!!!, the island is beautiful and there is the perfect number of tourists to keep you company and not be on your face!!!; we stayed in a quite decent bungalow but we had to buy our own toilet paper as it was
bali
monument to the dead on the bombings / monumento a los muertos por las bombas NOT included in the price... you can always wash your arse like the locals do, just remember to use the left hand!!!; the next morning we were informed that, even though the breakfast was INDEED included in the price, the milk for the coffee was not and there for we had to pay for it!!!.
There, Dax did his Open Water Course and I did my refreshment as it has been nearly 3 years since I did my last dive!!!. We did once dive together and it was great, we saw lots of fishes and turtles!!!.
But all good things come to an end and, after 4 days of mango juices on the beach, we had to move on, so we took the ferry back to Bali to have a proper shower with fresh water, after 9 days in the Gili Islands where only have salty water!!!, and to plan our trip to Java which, hopefully, will start tomorrow!!!!
The best: dive with turtles
The worse: Being seen as a walking money bag by the locals
El papel higienico NO esta incluido en el precio de la habitacion!!!
Aterrizamos en Bali, destino que una
bali
our helmets after the storm / nuestros cascos despues de la tormenta vez fue el favorito de las parejas en luna de miel, pero que se vio severamente afectado por las bombas del 2002...
Ha tardado varios anhos, pero como el Fenix, ha renacido de sus cenizas y se ha convertido, una vez mas, en lugar preferido de vacacionistas y viajeros, de hecho, se ha recuperado tanto que algunos de los sitios que Dax visito en el 2004 y que de aquella eran gratis, pedian ahora una generosa cantidad en concepto de entrada...
No solo eso, sino que no puedes dar 2 pasos sin que alguien te ofrezca algo, las frases mas usadas en Bali son
Hello Mister,
Hello Boss y
Yes seguido de informacion, transporte, habitacion, comida, masjes, pareos, sandalias y camisetas...
Todo eso me ponia de los nervios porque no se rinden aunque les digas "no, gracias", insisten hasta que ven a otro turista o hasta que dejas de ser amable y los ignoras... nos han ofrecido transporte mientras desayunabamos y, mas gracioso aun, mientras conduciamos la moto!!!
Pasamos 3 dias en Bali
arriesgando las vidas conduciendo nuestra vespino en unas carreteras alocadas donde, parece no haber mas reglas que el semaforo en rojo, a parte de
bali
Dax mixing with the locals / Dax mezclandose con los locales eso LES IMPORTA TODO UN CARAJO!!...la bocina esta conectada al acelerador, freno, intermitente y limpiaparabrisas, asi que cada maniobra va acompanhada de un bocinazo, incluso el simple hecho de conducir en linea recta conlleva varios pitidos: para avisar a otros conductores o peatones de que pasas a su lado, para saludar a alguien o, segun mi opinio, por que si...
Los cruces son como la selva: la ley del mas fuerte; para pasar al otro lado de la carretera solo tienes que cruzar y rezar para que los que vienen en direccion contraria frenen un poco... no pararan, pero frenaran...
Sin embargo, lo mas impresionante son los adelantamientos, que tienen lugar en cualquier momento, sea en recta o en curva (aunque aqui tienen la "decencia" de dar un bocinazo, por si acaso!!). El momento en que mas miedo pase4 fue cuando nuestro bus adelanto a un camion que adelantaba a una moto y, por el carril contrario, venian dos motos adelantandose la una a la otra!!!... no es de extranhar que no se vea mucha gente mayor por la calle...
Dejamos atras el Bali hindu y pasamos el Lombok musulman...
Dax me aconsejo que me tapara
bali
muslims girls in Kuta Beach / chicas musulmanas en la playa de Kuta los hombros por respeto y me parecio una buena idea, pero al llegar, nos dimos cuante de que las cosas han cambiado mucho desde el 2004 y ahora estan muy acostumbrados a ver a turistas con poca ropa!!!
Pasamos 2 dias en Lombok y desde alli nos fuimos a las Islas Gili, y teniendo en cuenta que Gili significa isla, son las Islas Isla...
Gili trwangan esta llena de turistas y la mayoria se quedan aqui y no van a otras islas... aqui decidimos regalarnos una luna de miel en condiciones y pasamos 3 dias en un hotel estupendo al lado de la playa...
Gili Meno esta vacia... si quieres tranquilidad, este es tu sitio... vimos unos 10 turistas en 2 dias...
GiliAir es perfecta!!!... la isal es preciosa y hay la cantidad justa de turistas para no aburrirte ni agobiarte. nos quedamos en un bungalow bastante decente pero en el que el papel higienico no estaba incluido en el precio... podiamos limpiarnos el culo con agua, como los locales... siempre y cuando nos acordemos de usar la mano izquierda!!!... a la manhana siguiente tambien nos dijeron que, aunque el desayuno SI esta ba incluido en
bali
the cleanest part of Kuta beach / la parte mas limpia de la playa de Kuta el precio, la leche del cafe no y la teniamos que pagar a parte!!!! aqui Dax hizo su curso de buceo y yo mi repaso, ya que hacia casi 3 anhos que no buceaba...
Lo mejor bucear con tortugas
Lo peor que los locales nos vean como bolsas de dinero andantes
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marinero
non-member comment
invierno
Para darte un poco de envidia y que no seais vosotros los que nos la dan siempre te diré que aqui no hace el día de Gili Air y demás Gilis pero tenemos un maravilloso día de lluvia, viento y frio de los que lo único que apetece es sentarte delante de la calefación escuchando el mar, a leer un libro, que a buen seguro a tí te gustaría en algún momento del viaje., pero como no puede ser, tendréis que conformaros con seguir viajando, bañando, disfrutando y descansando en esos paraisos a los cuales estamos conociendo y visitando gracias a vosotros. Un besazo de family. Cuidaros mucho ok?