Monday, January 28, 2008
Leaving Bali on morning Feb 28th
Posted by
The Aquarius Gal
at
6:42 PM
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Third Day in Bali
Posted by
The Aquarius Gal
at
10:59 PM
Saturday, January 26, 2008
2nd Day Trip at Bali
Next destination took us to the famous Batik shop to witness true and original masterpiece of batik and even having the prestige to watch a group of professional workers working diligently with full concentration on their piece of work. I saw many nice batik prints design hung up on the wall as we entered the hall ranging from big to small sizes. I was so fascinated by the design and instantly fall in love and was captivated with the lovely batik prints while mesmerizing the beauty of this traditional piece of art. I wanted to get at least 2 pieces back for home and instantly spotted few nice ones. Medium sizes costed within the range of 45,000 rupiah which is about RM 15 . Bigger ones will be at RM 30 plus over till 70. Unfortunately I ended up buying none of it after decided to pick which one as I was told that these batik prints will not be available for sell together with the frame. It will just be the cloth only. Damn! It will be so inconvenient then to just buy the cloth and that you will need to worry about framing it up yourself. It will be a bit troublesome since I prefer ready made and not just part of it. So, eventually we decided to lay off the idea totally. It's a bit sad and frustrating initially but anyway I've overcome the feeling. I managed to browse through some other souvenirs made from batik downstairs. They had many cute and lovely items sold such as bags, purse, decorations, scarf, sarung and many more. I grabbed few purse in batik prints as it's really beautiful and truly represents Balinese style. I need to do lots of shopping in fact as Ive promised few of my close colleagues , my parents in priority. Phew..It's so much shopping to do but too little time to squeeze in each day. So I need to break off my shopping activity in 3 times at 3 different places. hahaha. :D I was advised by my bf to save some for other places like the Ubud marketplace which is well known for better deals and where you could bargain and slash down the prices. hehe :P It was a really long drive in fact which took us more than an hour from here to the next destination which is the Ubud marketplace and padi fields plantation. I sat too long that my butt hurts like shit and I was experiencing leg cramps later on. Pheww..Along the route, we passed through houses, small lanes unlike in Mys where the road is wide enough unlike in Bali where the roads of 3 lanes in Mys is equivalent to only ONE single lane in Bali. In fact another thing which I noticed was the culture and attitude of Balinese drivers on the road in comparison with MYS. Balinese drivers will not use lamp signalling while turning left or right. They will just honk all the way through to signal alerts to other cars. Funny isn't it? hahaha . Traffic jumpings are common in certain busy areas. Road conditions were in lousy state as I witnessed them almost the whole 3 days trip route to different places... But people there don't steal unneccesarily. Crime rate such as robbery, murder, stealings are rare and very low, unlike in Malaysia. I was shocked to see furnitures laid outside of the shop at night not covered. And not one single item stolen. If it's here in Mys, I guess everything will be wiped off clean totally!! Even slippers will be stolen away right in front of your house door. In this aspect, I wish our country has this aspect. Sigh.
Our tummy were growling again as by the time we reached it's about say 1 plus pm. We stopped by at the lovely Kintamani area where it's famous for volcano which ruptured a thousand years ago. It's a very old volcano and thankfully now being inactive. haha. The place is so high up that it's breezy and windy up there despite having sunlight still. It's truly a relaxing place to be. We quickly checked in to the buffet restaurant situated right on top of the hillside, with beautiful scenery from inside. You could just sit down, have your lunch while looking out from the glass window and witnessed the hills and volcano across the land with hundred feets below. It's really indeed one memorable place which I shall never forget. The food costed about RM 50 per person and we decided to invite our Balinese driver together for lunch since it's definitely not easy to drive us back and forth , stopping in so many different places and waited for us on every destination. We were one sympathetic lot of person. :D hehe. The food is just okay. They served pork satays, rice, noodles, vegetables mainly. It's at least much better than the food we had so far downstairs in our hotel.. Though there's not much of a variety to choose, nevertheless I had three rounds of eating!!! Im extraordinarily hungry during the Bali trip in fact which scares me out like a freak. And suprisingly I wont feel uneasy or experienced any undigestion after eating which I usually have when I'm in Malaysia. Probably we walked a lot from one place and another and that has got some calories burnt out. :P which is GOOD. The washroom in here was beautifully designed and clean. I made few trips there to ensure I have my bladder emptied and freshen up before we left the place. Of cos we did manage to take some pictures of ourselves after lunch before we took off. Then, we stopped by at the padi fields somewhere along Ubud while we passed through and due to time constraints we were not able to make a stop at their famous marketplace for shopping and I missed it. However luckily I was informed that nearby the padi fields stop, there will be some stalls below selling souvenirs which I'm counting on. But I was pissed by the irritating sellers who will come and bug you to buy some from them and even till the extent of even when we ran in the the van , these bunch of desperate fellas pulled away the door van and didn't want to let us go and keep begging. Pheww...I didnt really get any souvenirs except for 2 pair of earrings which I've bargained for RM 10,000 rupiah for two. The seller was a woman and she was so happy that we bought something and thanked us after that and even offered to take pictures for us both against the padi fields plantation background from the top. :D It's really freaking hot which made us quench with thirst and caused us a minor dehydration. The ice cream man came along just the right time and we bought Connetto roll ice cream stick to eat. Yummy...
We continued and rushed forward to catch the sunset view at Tanah Lot at 5pm and left the place about 330pm since there was hardly any time left . But before that we will need to make a quick and brief stop at the Sacred Monkey sanctuary called " Mandala Wisata Wanara Wana" forest to catch some monkeys. Haha. The monkeys there were harmless so long as you didnt come and disturb them unless if you feed them with bananas which we didnt since we will need to buy it upon entering the forest. These monkeys will run and hopped at one place and another , swinging from branches of trees to another. While some will just sat quietly on the floor or pathways munching on left overs coconut husks or fruits. I tried many ways to pose on cameras with close shot distance with the monkey but these creatures kept running off ..hahaha. I was also afraid that they would claw my face and pulled my hair upon self defense. :D Anyhow it's only one and single best shot I could get and my bf trousers was smeared with the banana skin and left overs on the bench while trying to pose with the monkey. He got so irritated and pissed since it's a newly bought pants. We only manage to spend half an hour inside the forest and left since we need to rush off to catch the sunset at Tanah Lot. The best time to watch and when it's most beautiful is at 5-6pm. During this period of time, it's similar to 7pm or 8 pm at night in Malaysia. We wanted to catch that moment of when the sun appeared to be in full moon, in a full semi circle with the sea from a far distance. You can only obtain this view at a specific time about 6pm . I waited anxiously with excitement to really witness this effect for the first time with my own eyes and while the wait, I managed to snap many pictures along the way and some appeared so beautiful just exactly like in post cards just that this time it's for REAL!!! :D I even did had some time to do last minute shopping there as they had many stalls laid side by side to one another along the path route to Tanah Lot. Thank god at least, I succeeded in bringing back souvenirs like a wooden carved vase, more earrings, oil painting picture frame. . Pheww. Tiring and i was drenched with sweat all over. I managed to catch a close glimpse on few hanging live bats from a metal pole for display to the public and it's so cute. haha. There were so many visitors all over this place, and it looks like a live market ground. The sea was so blue across miles from top, while watching it from below the huge gigantic rocks above. It's one unforgettable event for myself here.
Upon departure, night falls and the sky was as dark as 9pm in Malaysia. On our way back, we were so hungry and promised ourselves not to miss the famous Babi Guling. However, it's rather late when we left Tanah Lot and almost all shops were closed except only one particular shop which we could still see lights opened and there's a Babi Guling sign up. haha. The famous one was actually in somewhere else but can't remember where though. My first impression when this food was served is it doesnt look impressive and appetizing..I was shocked to find out that Babi Guling is all about pork with different parts, and god knows which part. They have pig liver, pig skin fried as keropok, pig intestines in one of the food items appeared in sausage shape. it freaks me the hell out as I hardly know what I'm eating. I tought Babi Guling seems to be much more tasty - the picture I had in mind all along . Gosh..haha. I don't think I will ever taste pork after this for some time being until the experience I had from this has slowly faded after time. :D
Posted by
The Aquarius Gal
at
11:14 PM
Friday, January 25, 2008
First Day of Arrival at Bali, January 25th
I was pretty thrilled for the fact that I flew up the sky all the way through to Bali from KLand the feeling was so great especially during taking off up to the sky .It pumps up your adrenaline and excitement having to look down over a thousands of feet beneath.As the plane reaches a level up higher in stages, you may experienced some pressure in your ears. It is still tolerable for the very first time for me. Well, but during landing my ears got so painful due to the pressure change and it lasted for few minutes even afterI was already adjourned to inside of Bali Airport. Pheww scary..man. :D But nevertheless, looking out of the tiny window when knowing you are so many thousands feet up the sky, everything look so tiny even the highways. Its more or less like looking at a map . The roads appeared just like a tiny pencil line. Seas and ocean looks blue with groups of mini island which is visible through the eyes. Thick lumps of clouds with different sizes and shapes looks so peculiar as i've usually seen it on TV or pictures but for the very first time in my life, I saw it with my own naked eyes. haha. It's really one hell of an experience indeed. We managed to get something to eat before we departed to Bali at theLCCT airport terminal near KLIA at Asian Restaurant. The food costed double or even tripple the normal price for a plate of noodle or rice and even the mineral water!! but worst of all,the food sucks. Sigh..Never mind since we couldnt hold on longer as our tummy were screaming in hunger by then. haha. It took about 2 hours 45 min to Bali and when we reached the air port it's already at 130pm approximately.
Phew the heat and bright sunlight was so high that my skin felt like burning under the sun. We gotta search and start scouting for taxi or van to take us to our Hotel name Dewi Sri Cottage at Kuta. As usual, the culture and peoplein Bali really look so different as you will notice that they might really be so persistent to persuade you to buy something which they sold and tailed you so closely until you needto chase them off. Life seems kinda hard to make ends meet. It will be a common sight to see balinese people sitting by the doorway or paths or even out along the streets practically doing nothing!!! hahaha . Strange eh? we bumped into those taxi drivers lingering nearby and they knew that we are foreigners and seems kinda lost and through our facial expressions we do look like that!!! However our group never fails to reap the best deal and one of us in the group is the "King of Bargain". haha. So it's hard to really earn our money as we knew and we are a damn lot of very calculative ppl!! LOL. Bali airport looks old and dull unlike our KLCC airport..We quickly checked in, have our luggages picked up and headed out. I didnt have time to take pictures upon arrival as all were excited to head towards our hotel and rest our stiff bodies to loosen up a bit.
However unfortunately that during the drive to our hotel, we got two drivers and one of them was really snaky and cunning. He cheated us and stinched on the air conditioner. We were profusing so badly that the heat nearly cooked us alive at the back seat. We requested the driver to turn on to a higher volume and after few seconds , he turned it back to low again for several times! Damn..this fella really unreliable. A bad choice but a good lesson to learn from anyway. Once we stepped foot to the Hotel, as usual for me I started snapping pictures , posing even under the hot sun. We checked in and came out to have our lunch downstairs at the Bar&Restaurant within the Hotel itself. It's comforting to know that they have this spot available cos it's at least 10 min walk from the hotel to Kuta Town just to get our stomach filled up or go shopping, etc. Nice environment with a swimming pool beside the bar. Breakfast is provided during our 3 nights stay. The food definitely stand no where compared to our own home country cos it's so basic and nothing special apart from normal rice and noodles . However I must stress what could you expect more than an average graded hotel right? It was quite a turn off at first when I detected a strange stench of smell when I stepped into the hotel instantly. Its something similar enough to smell of urea. Not suprising though since the furnitures dont seem to be brand new, and even the basic neccesity like a pipe hose was not found in the toilet!! It's really dissapointing anyway.
Western food do have many choices especially in Kuta town since it's mainly foreigner's spot.Business caters and attracts these people generally wise. We suffered from food cravings and missed KL food so much in fact. haha. First day was tiring after we reached and checked in to Hotel. So we just walked along the Kuta town, doing some window shopping since my bf advised me that in Ubud market place,the souvenirs are much cheaper and you can bargain to get better deals. So why's the hurry.hehe..:P The location of our hotel was somewhat strategic as it's neaby to the town area, the busiest and most complicated area . In fact I got to know that it's just less than 10 min walk to reach the bombing side where thousands of foreigners perished , the historical event of Bali during that time which shall never be forgotten. Kind of scary isn't it? that we were hardly a mile distance from that black spot. haha.We went back and by evening we are getting prepared for the much awaited romantic seafood dinner by the sea at Jimbaran Bay , a restaurant called Segara Restaurant. I was so hungry and craving for their seafood and scenic view. It was already like night time in darkness by 7 plus in the evening at Bali. Night falls pretty early there and perhaps that explains why the people there wakes up so early and close business by 6pm, unlike in MYS.
Posted by
The Aquarius Gal
at
11:38 PM





