Friday, June 25th, Kuta

Today I went on an all-day tour of Bali.
The tour was called "highlights of Bali" and costed about 270,000R, which is very expensive, but as it was with my first tour-company, I knew it would be less personal which is the kind of tour I felt like, one where I didn't have to "keep a smile on my face just to re-assure them I'm having a good time".

Tour East picked me up at 9am. I can't remember the names of the places we went, and I've lost the map they gave us, but we drove from Kuta through Denpasar to a village to see how they make a gamelan orchestra. The guys who normally show you how it's done were attending a village ceremony, so the guide just explained the process of mixing 2 parts copper with 1 part steel, etc. He showed us how they play the instruments.. gamelan, bamboo gamelan, wooden flute (recorder), etc.

We then visited an "outdoor" Archaeological Museum which holds ancient coffins of Royal families dating back to 500BC - sarcophagus's (sp?) made of stone, in the shape of turtles, but for a human to fit in them, they would need to be "bent in"! These days, the Balinese cremate their dead because they believe it frees their soul.
We then went to Sri Batu? a place that grows and sells Balinese coffee, fruit, and spices. Cheap - but "tourist price". I spent 470,000 ($80) there on essential oils, ginger tea, spicy tea, cinnamon sticks, and saffron.

Then we drove to the mountains of Kintamani to view the active volcano of Mount Batai. Even with my binoculars, I couldn't "make out" the black lava that was apparently at the bottom, but the view was breathtaking. I was "wowed".. I took a picture, and I hope that it portrays an accurate image.

(bugger.. it doesn't!)

We then had lunch at Kintamani Restaurant which looks out to the volcano/mountains and lake. Very expensive restaurant, it costed 85,000 just for MY LUNCH ONLY! It was buffet style, the meal was cold for us but they "heated" it up after we had already been served which was pretty annoying. I could've fed 6 people for the price of that meal and it was cold, so I was pretty unimpressed and won't be recommending it to anyone.

We then went to a village "Panglipuran Village" to see how the "real" Balinese live. These guys weren't rich, but they weren't poor either, and apparently well-educated. It was very clean, but the old people were a little creepy looking! The tour guide said they were 130 years old, but I think he was lying.. they looked more like very unhealthy 90yos.


There was just 3 of us on the tour, and 3 "staff"... 6 all up. A couple from London (Kirily and Shane/Steve/Stuart? can't remember).. who were both very nice, the guide's name was Wedo, the drivers' name I can't remember, and the "trainee" who was an 18yo training in Tourism's name was enfelo or something like that, he will email me later so I'll work out what it is from that :) Nice kid from Sumatra!

The last stop was Bakit Jatil ? - very nice views of rice terraces and the ocean. I made room on my camera to fit one more shot. I may buy an extra memory card tomorrow, or get it transferred to disk.


I arrived back at the hotel about 4pm and fell asleep almost immediately. I slept for 2 hours then forced myself to get up to go out.

Went to an internet cafe, then went to Tubes and watched a bit of "The Chronicles of Riddick" (Van Diesel.. part 2 of Pitch Black), with a Bali Cider and some good company - the bar staff.

Then I walked up Poppies II, a different end than I usually go, just for the experience. Bought some earrings and more bracelets (10,000 each), and a marble grinder thing for spices and some bamboo coasters (50,000 for both). I took a cab to Papa's cafe for dinner, but when I saw the prices of the food, I changed my mind about eating there tonight.. maybe another time.

Took a white taxi for the first time! You never use the white ones, everyone has a "bad experience" to tell you about the rip-off sneaky white taxi's, but I told him about the dodgy stories and he wanted to "prove" that they are good, so I gave him an opportunity, and he was good. The driver was friendly. When the meter got to 10,000, I told him that's all I was going to pay him and offered to walk the rest of the way, but he drove me back to my hotel for the 10,000, and offered to drive me to the airport for free on Sunday (but I won't be using him).

I tried to eat at Aquarius, but it was after 10 by this stage and they weren't cooking anymore, so went to my fave bar (Goes Art) and YAY, they cook til midnight. Ordered Cap Cay (chap chay), which is cabbage, carrot, beans, water spinach in a yummy soup of spices, which you mix with boiled rice. Healthy and Enak!

Had a few Bali Ciders and Red Bulls, started talking to two other "solo" travellers who had walked in. John from Adelaide and Stephen from Woollongong. It's John's last night but Stephen has 5 weeks to go.

We listened to the manager play some awesome spanish guitar. Joko came in - his wallet was stolen/or lost today (saw him earlier on the way to the Police station to report it), it was his birthday at midnight but he had had a lousy day but still pretty perky considering! We played a few games of pool, he won 2/1 which I think cheered him a little. Then we headed to Paddys. He knows the bouncers, so even though he's "local", he doesn't have to pay to get in like the other locals. Jeez Paddys... Aussies are so... Predictable? Drunk, sleazy, yobbos.. testosterone.. not my idea of fun, so Joko took me to the Bounty - which was WORSE in the "Sleaze" department, packed full of Javanese prostitutes and Young (18-21yo) Aussies, so I suggested the Apache Reggae Bar. We went there, but it wasn't Joko's scene at all, so he said he'd take me somewhere else, up Seminyak.

We got outside, he wanted to hire a bike to go up there, but I didn't want to go on a bike in Kuta. It was 2am and tonight wasn't going to be my "big one", I want tomorrow night to be my "fun" last night, so I decided to go back to the hotel. I gave him 100,000 R to try and have some fun on his birthday (much to his protest), and will see him tomorrow night perhaps.

Just had a shower to get rid of the Paddys smell and will try and get some sleep now. It's 3:30am.