My Second Day in Bali

That headache attacked me all night and was finally eased a little bit a couple of hours ago after throwing up. Or perhaps it was the zapper that helped, in any case, I can actually move my eyes around without feeling the pain, so I can head out.;

Today's mission is to find some normal shops where I don't have to bargain, organise the sunset dinner cruise for tonight/tomorrow night, hook up with some fellow travellers, cash some travellers cheques, and maybe if I get time, have a back/shoulder or scalp massage :)

This place is spookier alone than I imagined it would be. Everyone is looking at me, I just smile and say Hi, Hey or G'day to them all. I haven't smiled this much in years.

I thought Kuta would have Australians everywhere. I've seen about 5 westerners so far.. they must be hiding at the beach.

The tourguide/shop guy from yesterday was really friendly, I can't believe I forgot to thank him for walking me to the phone shop. Perhaps it was the headache/ears thing. I hope that I get a lot better later before the dinner cruise.

My new phone number over here is +62 0817 470 0524 if anyone wants to send me a SMS message (the normal phone won't work - my phone just dies).
Send me an email with your mobile number and I'll msg you first to make it easier to reply with the country codes, etc.. travelches@yahoo.com

I had a continental breakfast this morning, which is just a fruit salad and toast. It was nice enough, tomorrow I'll try something fancy, but today I thought my stomach might appreciate something simple since it's been hurling up all night.


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Bought some thongs and sandals for approx Aud $25. The "people in the shops" are so nice, hard to find a way to bargain were both win, maybe if I wasn't so nice.. oh well.

Went for a walk, updated my site on the internet, met up with the hotel guide this morning and arranged the dinner cruise and cooking course.

Met up with that shop guy Iketut by accident and he decided to walk with me. Don't know whether he expects $ or not or whether he is offering "more than friends".. etc.. a bit strange that one, though seems nice enough.



Tried Nasi Goreng - a special version- Fried Rice with fried egg, and chicken satay. It's SOO yum.

I had a ride on the back of a motorbike with Iketut.

Thank god for the clouds. All the Balinese Hotel staff keep apologizing for the weather, but I think it's perfect.
It feels about 28 degrees but I don't know how accurate I am. It's nicer weather than Melbourne.

I had a full body massage (50,000Rupiah - apx $7.60). It was probably the best massage I've ever had, they have a unique way. Hmm, and a full body massage is really that... back and front! Wouldn't of wanted to have more of a complex about your body than I do!

I also had a shampoo/conditioner (16,500R). Their hairdryer is broken so I left with wet hair. My skin around my face, neck, and chin is now itchy. The water was icy.

The guide asked me to take him to dinner. I said No. He asked to come on the cruise. I said no. I might SMS him tomorrow to take me to the "local" market for the experience.
He was also going to take me to where the bombings took place but we got distracted cos of my hunger.

I wish I knew how to speak Balinese or Bahasa Indonesia, although a lot of them speak English, sometimes it takes 4-5 repeats to get the right meaning.

I'm sitting in my front porch in front of the pool, listening to .. I think... some German girls who are having a swim.

Itch... Itch.. Itch.

Ok.. time for a walk.

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Went for a walk up Legian St for a few hours. There are a lot of people who approach you, some girls even grabbed me and refused to let go for about 5 mins up the road! Thankfully they aren't usually that inconsiderate.

I met a guy named Nick. He is visiting from South Africa for 3 weeks. Usually works as an Air Traffic Controller in Dubai, UE.

I am meeting up with him at Tubes tonight for a couple of drinks after I have something to eat.

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I wanted to find some good Indonesian food, thought my best bet is to walk up Legian St since Tubes is also off that, and I didn't want to end up lost.
Walkn, walkn.. run into a guy who suggests a new place that he likes for Nasi Goreng. I get some half-assed directions, then run into that shop guide Iketut again!! He asks where I'm going and asks if he can come, which I agree to.
He said that he had to go and park his bike, so I told him to meet me at the restaurant.
I found it, with help from the first guy, it was sort of like a kitchen with a wall missing that faces the street! A nice family kitchen with enough chairs for 5 of us.
He ordered 2 x Nasi Gorengs (1,400 Rupiah each.. VERY VERY VERY cheap!).
It was yum, but in my opinion the other one was better. The side-dish chilli nearly burnt a hole in my tongue :)
The smallest change I had was 20,000 R, so the guy (Jupri) paid and I will find him tomorrow and pay him back. We were talking while waiting for dinner (which took at least 20 mins to cook) with the owner, and a local Indonesian couple. We discussed the options of me working in Bali and the guy will put me in touch with someone he met with recently who could have some work. His name (the guy I was talking to) is Jupri, and he works as a Bali Tour Guide. He can speak Japanese too.

I then went to Tubes. Iketut still hadn't shown up, and I couldn't see Nick anywhere. So I sat at the bar and ordered an orange juice - it tasted like wizzfizz? hehe.

A guy next to me started talking to me. He was from Sydney and was on the last leg of his year-long trip. He was on day 5 of staying there a month and is there for the surf. He had been to the USA, France, and now Bali. He once owned a restaurant in the USA somewhere (California?). Anyway, he seemed friendly enough but he was a self-admitted loner. I probably could've ended up talking to him all night but while he was gone somewhere, I spotted Nick and went to sit down with him instead.

Nick cracks me up. He is definitely a people person. He got me on the Bali Ciders - they are really yum. Tastes like a flatter Apple Cider (or weak strongbow). Is 4.9% AV. I had 2 - the first was his shout, the 2nd mine. We really hit it off and will hook up again in a couple of nights at the same place. He doesn't have email or phone, so this was the only way to hook up. We are going to arrange a trip up to some place - Ulluwatu or Ullamaroo or something like that, apx 45mins away - a semi-isolated beach, but I will have to gain enough courage to ride on the back of a bike with him all the way, and also enough courage to walk around in bathers - EEKS!

I got an SMS from Iketut to say that he can't find me at the restaurant. Told him I was now at Tubes but that I wasn't staying much longer and that I would be heading back home.

About 20 mins later, I felt a couple of hands on my shoulders and thought it must be him, but to my surprise, it was Tony.

Tony and his 3 new surfer buddies joined us, and we shared a few of our Bali experiences and a few drinks. One was from France - Samuel (Sam - Yoo - ELL). One was from Australia, the other wasn't introduced.

50 First Dates started playing on the big screen (Troy was on first). I went to the loo - found one that would flush ;) - then went back to the table. I dunno, when I got back the atmosphere had changed, so I decided to stop drinking and head back to the hotel before it got too late.

I will meet up with Tony tomorrow night for the dinner cruise and Nick the night after as he was going on an all day/overnight surfing trip.

It is approx 11:30pm.