Deutsch
Indonesia/Ubud Round the world trip 2007
6-29
A quick update of the last few days bring us back to Kuta. We did not take the public ferry from Lombok, but chose instead a smaller junk style private operation. We waded out to our motor launch, same one we took to the Gili’s days ago. All the luggage including Bici went out in another native outrigger. Breakfast and launch were included in the $20US p/p fare plus $8 for Bici. It was a choppy rolling crossing. Judee was quite green when we arrived. Smaller boats are hard on her. We quickly found lodging in a quaint Balinese bungalow with fan and mosquito netting, but a dip and pour toilet and cold shower, all set in a lush tropical garden with cool breezes. On our afternoon walk around tour, we discovered that tomorrow was a religious holiday. All the homes and businesses were preparing long bamboo poles all decorated with small offerings, long chains of palm leaves and decorative ornaments made of native floral materials. What a sight to walk down the streets with these long curved poles arching out over the pavement.
The next morning when we awoke it was poring so we just rolled over with smiles and slept another hour. We decided not to go straight back to Kuta but to stop on the other side of the peninsula a little farther north on the beach in Sanur. Wow, what a difference from Kuta. Much more laid back, cleaner and more up scale and not flowing with surfer kids. We found a place, Flashback” run by a pair of Aussies: six bungalows and a loft over the restaurant. We took the large loft with fan and netting over the bed, cold shared shower, TV for $20US. Staying here were many very nice and interesting guests. One couple from Perth invited us to stay with them if we find ourselves on the western coast.
The ride to Kuta only 11k took us back into the hustle and bustle of congested tourist haven. Our hotel welcomed us back and gave us the room next to our old room right on pool side. After lunch we found the back alleyways drawing us further off the main drag, into book stalls, warongs, surf board shops and tacky souvenir stalls, all this mixed with a light on again-off again mist. We checked used guide books and bargained on prices. We found that some were knock-offs with Xeroxed pages, a mix of new and old editions. Buyers must beware and look carefully. We enjoyed getting lost in the labyrinth of small alleys and lanes window shopping.
Today awoke to rain again. We roll over. After a breakfast of fried noodles and coffee, we hop on Bici to go on a search to find someway to box Bici to go on the plane. Traffic and rain: we get soaked, wet and dirty. We stopped at a packing/cargo place that was unable to help us; went to the mall looking for big boxes or maybe a bike store with no luck, either. We spy another cargo shipper and pull in. all the employees are sitting together on break, but one comes over to see what we need. The rest follow and after much discussion among themselves: Yes we can box your bike $25. We roll Bici into the warehouse and start taking him apart; lots of eyes and hands to help. Then we step back; the team of boxers attack Bici; within 45 minutes Bici is housed in his new travel box and we are driven back to the hotel. All smiles when we thought earlier all was lost. These people are wonderfully adept at solving problems and getting the job done.
We leave for Singapore, July 1. We have Bici boxed, hopefully avoiding a similar experience when arriving into Bali of a broken bike. We cannot seem to get reservations for a hotel. We plan to put ourselves in the mercy of the travel desk in the airport when we get there. We are just marking time until our flight tomorrow by emailing and catching up on the end of our Indonesian travels – this year!!
<
June 24 Indonesia/Gili Islands Weltreise 2007
A quick update of the last few days bring us back to Kuta. We did not take the public ferry from Lombok, but chose instead a smaller junk style private operation. We waded out to our motor launch, same one we took to the Gili’s days ago. All the luggage including Bici went out in another native outrigger. Breakfast and launch were included in the $20US p/p fare plus $8 for Bici. It was a choppy rolling crossing. Judee was quite green when we arrived. Smaller boats are hard on her. We quickly found lodging in a quaint Balinese bungalow with fan and mosquito netting, but a dip and pour toilet and cold shower, all set in a lush tropical garden with cool breezes. On our afternoon walk around tour, we discovered that tomorrow was a religious holiday. All the homes and businesses were preparing long bamboo poles all decorated with small offerings, long chains of palm leaves and decorative ornaments made of native floral materials. What a sight to walk down the streets with these long curved poles arching out over the pavement.
The next morning when we awoke it was poring so we just rolled over with smiles and slept another hour. We decided not to go straight back to Kuta but to stop on the other side of the peninsula a little farther north on the beach in Sanur. Wow, what a difference from Kuta. Much more laid back, cleaner and more up scale and not flowing with surfer kids. We found a place, Flashback” run by a pair of Aussies: six bungalows and a loft over the restaurant. We took the large loft with fan and netting over the bed, cold shared shower, TV for $20US. Staying here were many very nice and interesting guests. One couple from Perth invited us to stay with them if we find ourselves on the western coast.
The ride to Kuta only 11k took us back into the hustle and bustle of congested tourist haven. Our hotel welcomed us back and gave us the room next to our old room right on pool side. After lunch we found the back alleyways drawing us further off the main drag, into book stalls, warongs, surf board shops and tacky souvenir stalls, all this mixed with a light on again-off again mist. We checked used guide books and bargained on prices. We found that some were knock-offs with Xeroxed pages, a mix of new and old editions. Buyers must beware and look carefully. We enjoyed getting lost in the labyrinth of small alleys and lanes window shopping.
Today awoke to rain again. We roll over. After a breakfast of fried noodles and coffee, we hop on Bici to go on a search to find someway to box Bici to go on the plane. Traffic and rain: we get soaked, wet and dirty. We stopped at a packing/cargo place that was unable to help us; went to the mall looking for big boxes or maybe a bike store with no luck, either. We spy another cargo shipper and pull in. all the employees are sitting together on break, but one comes over to see what we need. The rest follow and after much discussion among themselves: Yes we can box your bike $25. We roll Bici into the warehouse and start taking him apart; lots of eyes and hands to help. Then we step back; the team of boxers attack Bici; within 45 minutes Bici is housed in his new travel box and we are driven back to the hotel. All smiles when we thought earlier all was lost. These people are wonderfully adept at solving problems and getting the job done.
We leave for Singapore, July 1. We have Bici boxed, hopefully avoiding a similar experience when arriving into Bali of a broken bike. We cannot seem to get reservations for a hotel. We plan to put ourselves in the mercy of the travel desk in the airport when we get there. We are just marking time until our flight tomorrow by emailing and catching up on the end of our Indonesian travels – this year!!
