KUL-BALI-KUL
Sunday, September 23rd, 2007For more photos, view at POP POP PIX!
Kembali ke Bali (Day 1)
After almost 3 long years, Sara and I once again set foot on the heavenly Cempaka-scented island.. Bali. Having visited most of the local attractions back in 2005, we were just there to chill-out this time around.
We stayed at the same 2-star Bali Indah Hotel in Kuta, which is a 5-minute walk to the beach for about RM80 a night.
Catching Doraemon on Indonesian TV was pretty shocking. Check his voice out. Horrid!!
Sewa Motor Honda ke Ubud (Day 2)
Waduh, bahaya sungguh bersepeda motor. Tapi anda bisa menikmati keindahan alam Bali dengan bebas. Juga pengalaman yang amat bagus jika bonceng cewek bersama. Anda juga bisa sewa sepeda motor dengan murah sekali. Terserdia motor Yamaha Mio (jenis matic) atau Honda Supra (jenis bebek) cuman dengan harga berkisar antara Rp.30.000 sampai Rp.50.000 sehari.
And so, I rented a Honda Supra for 2 days at the price of Rp.30.000(RM12) a day. The first 30 minutes was pretty tricky, being my very first time riding a motorbike, I had to familiarise myself with the controls and the hardest part was actually balancing when starting off from first gear. To make things worse, I chose the manual Supra cos the automatic Mio scooter was nerdy. And to top that off, I did not have an international license.
Raksaksa Sudah Muncul!
We set out to Pasar Ubud. On our way out of Kuta, I was pulled over by two raksaksa’s (Polisi) for not stopping behind the line at the traffic light. 5 minutes later, there was a road-block ahead and many more raksaksa’s waiting to suck us foreigners dry. Once again I had to dig into my wallet.
Not having the international license, I donated Rp.250.000(RM94) in total to the Polisi-polisi of Bali. Much to my relief, I later learned that the temporary license (that could be made in Bali) happen to cost around Rp.200.000 too. Phew 
Satu Jam Setengah Kemudian
We arrived in Pasar Ubud and managed to satisfy ourselves with some lovely crafts. Our bargains were pleasant and the sellers seem to be less aggressive this time around. Perhaps I did not bargain ridiculously like I used to back in 2005 (I was poor then), or maybe its just low-tourist season. For bargaining tips, ask me and I’ll teach you how to get the best buys.
We balanced our stuff on the bike and headed home, once again stopping every now and then for directions and photos. Even though the tissues turned black after we wiped our faces, the motor ride was liberating and a great chance to appreciate the natural surroundings of Bali. If you lack confidence, I don’t recommend doing what I did. The roads are often narrow and traffic is slightly hazardous.
Here’s the stuff I got myself in Ubud. An intricate elephant candle light box that’s made from steel. Next is a glass mosaic tray, and lastly, a wood-carved giraffe (seen here with a bottle of Absolut for size comparison). Sara bagged an identical elephant, a red glass mosaic tray, and some silver bracelets.
Cuaca Dingin dan Sunset yang Indah Sekali (Day 3)
The weather was really fine this time of the year, and we spent hours just strolling around Kuta, checking out surf shops and designer crafts.
We were blessed with cool wind everyday and a most beautiful sunset on
the one evening we relaxed at the beach. The sky was clear, the clouds
were away, and everyone was just sitting there with their mobiles and
cameras set ready. We also agreed to let two old ladies give us a foot scrub and leg massage for Rp.25.000(RM10) a person.
In the meantime, Sara’s obsession with Michael Buble’s version of Quando, Quando, Quando playing from her Sony Walkman mobile has got to me. It’s humming in my head everyday 
Perhaps the lyrics do make a whole lot of sense… Let me show you the way, to a joy beyond compare. I can wait a moment more… Tell me quando, quando, quando.. Oh my darling tell me when.
The time spent together couldn’t have got any better. She reminds me of the good things in life and how meaningful life could be, only if you put meaning and value into the things you do, especially when it comes to caring for one another. It takes a lot of courage and spirit to pull through the hard times. It’s really inspiring to see someone being able to achieve happiness and fulfillment at where they are today. Life’s dreadfulness and reward is just a matter of perception. *Much gratitude and adoration to you, Sasa-chan* :]
Barong Dance and Babi Guling (Day 4)
We woke up early on the last day to visit a nearby temple for the Barong & Keris Dance performance. It was all right.. not as mind-blowing as the Kecak Dance in Pura Luhur Uluwatu (a must-experience for all culture/performance-art fans).
After watching the cute Barong in action, we headed to a warung for babi guling. If you haven’t notice, the Balinese are Hindus and not Muslim. Served with rice, cili padi, soup and satay or pork liver/heart if you wish, the meal was awesome at Rp.10.000-15.000(RM4-RM6) per person.
Sara headed off to the airport in the afternoon for her direct flight to Singapore. I went to relax at the beach once more and chatted with a Taiwanese surfer chick over a massage session. There were also these 2 cute Asian chicks who smiled at me a lot. It was funny, I felt like I was in high-school again. Too bad I didn’t bother finding out where they were from cos I had to leave for my flight in the evening. I rolled up my sarong mat and smiled at them as I stepped out of the sandy shore.
I showered, packed my stuff, took a good look at my room, and shut the door. Selamat tinggal Bali.
