Many of my friends have visited in Bali and fell in love with that place and now I know why it is so. My travel route also took me to Bali, the furthest destination from home and also kind of a turning point because after spending one week in Bali my travelling direction turns back North towards Finland.
But my story about Bali experience. First of all I was flying to Bali from Singapore with KLM, and it was interesting to notice difference in passssenger profile. Before this in all flights Asians have been strong majority but in this flight there barely few Asians so completely opposite than previous flight experiences. When I arrived to Bali, Gede was meeting me at airport - a local taxi driver whom contacts I got from my dad. First night I just stayed in one hotel close to airport but for next five nights I found a lovely villa with own pool, perfect for relaxing: Breakfast delivered into the room and while waiting could just dip into the pool or lie down at patio. But that wasn't all for me, its because I was having a “visitor“ from Beijing: Baiba manage get some holiday from work so she travelled also to Bali. Having Gede, who is extremely friendly person like Balinese in general seems to be, driving us around and Baiba as travelling company are two things which definately made the Bali experience even better!
First day was used only for relaxing, Baiba getting a tan and me turning to a tomato again, not as badly as in Tioman though so possibly I have learned something how enjoy the sun. Even that relaxing at villa was a pleasurable way to enjoy holiday, we wanted to see some sights also in other parts of Balil. We did one day trip with Gede to the Ubud and its surroundings. First stop was a Monkey Forest, a forest full of monkeys as you can imagine, but (luckily) these were friendly and curious monkeys especially when they noticed bananas in tourists hands. It was beautiful area overall with green jungle and old temples, but it was important to look after own belongings not because of pickpockets but because of monkeys. We managed safe but I saw few unlucky ones who lost their sunglasses.
Can you imagine enjoying a lunch outdoors sitting on the cliffs watching a view over trees seeing a volcano and a lake on the backround. I couldnt, but after bali trip I can. In that same area there were also coffee plantations so now I've seen both, coffee and tea plantations during my SE-Asia trip. The coffee place we stopped wasn't just a normal Bali coffee, they had also luwak coffee.
Name comes from an animal (luwak) because it eats coffeee beans choosing best ones but they go through its digestive system and when coffee comes out, they have achieved a strong tasty flavour during a process so they are ready to be washed and roasted. As a result a strong flavoured coffee is produced which is considered a world high class premium coffee. After tasting it, flavour is strong, yes, but is it so so special... Well, I just say the let everyone have a taste and decide after that by themselves. On the way back to our Villa, we stopped to see rice fields, or terraces actually but either or, Balinese grow it everywhere as its main ingredient of Indonesian food.
Second travel day took us first to see traditional balinese dancing and after North of Bali to the hot springs and black sand beach. Traditional dance reminded me of Sichuan Opera I saw in China in a way that its strongly based on telling stories between good and bad in various forms, like in this Balinese dance was a struggle between good and evil spirit. It was interesting to watch how story proceeded, but even more to pay attention on dancers detailed colourful outlook. Music, or "music", was more like so-so... I would describe it more like sounds made out from instruments. Even that it was interesting experience, Im happy it didn't last more than about an hour -same as Sichuan opera...
After sitting few hours in a car enjoying views of Bali, we reached "The Holy Hot Springs", few pools with warm water that had some kind of minerals that are said be good for your body. I dont about that part, but thing I know for sure that being in warm pool was good to relax my muscles after Balinese massage that I took day before. Still my patience is not that good that I could stay still in a hot springs too long, I lasted one hour and that was enough for me.
The day between these two travel days was a beauty and spa day for Baiba.. for me mostly hang around day meanwhile even that I encouraged myself to Balinese massage, second time in my life when having massage, first time in Bangkok and second in Bali, and there is one thing that is in common for them: I can feel my muscles when walking out and dont really notice the result of twisting muscles around... some claim its relaxing, but I havent noticed that part yet... But anyway after this massage we head up to the beach see sunset and looking for dinner. Walking along beach watching sunset when sea touches feet, is a must do experience in Bali especially when combined having dinner at beach while lying on cozy fatboys.
Baiba left one day earlier than me, so for my last night I moved to one hotel at Kuta area. Of course I wanted to see how the legendary Kuta is by night. After walking the main bar street little bit back and forward I realised that it was more or less what I was expecting: Full of drunken tourists everywhere, there was not a chance to walk even few minutes without getting disturbed by being offered everything like taxi, marihuana, mushrooms, ladies, massage... I ended up sitting in a small corner bar out from main street for few drinks and have a good chat with one Dutch and one Balinese guy. But more enjoyable time and interesting conversations I had with Ken, Indonesian girl who has moved to Bali to work in a hotel. While sitting on a beach enjoying tasting fresh coconut, I learned a lot about mentality, values etc. what people generally have in Indonesia.
My visit to Bali was my first but hopefully not the last, as it was such a great time,.maybe next time even a bit longer than just a week.
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