Bali

Day 80 – Bali, Indonesia

At last! I’m on the famed island! It feels like it took days to arrive here (which, actually, is what happened).

This morning, I left my single room in the small homestay near the harbour. It was perfectly functional, a small room with attached bathroom, single bed, clean, no water, of course, but otherwise nothing to complain about.

Though I booked the room three days ago -which for me in this trip is amazingly early, I’ve been known to book a stay the same morning-, I’m not I was expected… especially since I was asked several time to produce the confirmation. As it was pre-paid, I was a bit worried, but apparently all went well.

I had a good breakfast of fried rice, with few spices, which means that the tea was enough to quench them.

I went to the ferry afterwards, a bit lost in the middle of the huge parking with all these options helpfully labelled in Indonesian. I was shown the right way for the few foot passengers.

I thought I would go to a counter, purchase a ticket, and board a ferry. In reality, I filled a first form with my information and passport number -which I still know by heart-, then I went to queue to the counter… to be told by security, before I waited too long, that I needed to purchase a prepaid card because they didn’t handle money directly at the counters.

This is when I realized that I had, in fact, purchased already such a card, in Jakarta, to take the bus. I thought it was a bus card, usable only in that city, and I had helpfully given it to another guest at my last hostel in Yogyakarta who would need it on her way to the airport at the capital. I can apparently also use it in some convenience stores. I felt… disgruntled.

So I bought a new card, put some credit on it, queued a while, listen to French tourist behind wondering why they couldn’t make a call with their new local SIM card (they bought a data deal, not a phone call deal), boarded the ferry, crossed.

Of course, both before boarding and after disembarking, I was offered to be taken to my final destination by travel car, only 400,000 rupias. I persevered to the bus station, and got -probably- ripped off by taking a local bus for 60,000 rupias. It’s the kind of bus I have already described in Central Java, small, even smaller here, with no comfort whatsoever, and that people flag down along the road when they went to go in that direction. It’s surprisingly efficient.

I think it took two hours to arrive at Lovina Beach, but as there is a one-hour time difference with Java -I’m 6 hours before Europe now-, I got a bit confused between my phone, which automatically updates the time, and my watch.

I have observed men on the side of the road wearing a traditional headdress, of the kind that is shown in museum, I hope to learn more on why it is still worn here. And to find a few lengths of batik the correct size to make my own head cover.

So I arrived at my BnB on Lovina Beach. I have already booked a scooter for tomorrow, and the promise that I can practise on a nearby field before tackling the road.  The BnB has a new pool (see image on top), and after a nap, I took advantage of it. They also offered to move me tomorrow in one of the room opening on the pool that will be freed, allowing more space and a better access. Yeah! \o/

So tonight I’ve shared smiles with the neighbour over the fence, as we found ourselves outside after the latest earthquake on Lombok was felt here, on the North coast of Bali. The light fixture was barely swinging, so, no worries.

Note on pictures: I added a few on the “Yogyakarta” album, and created a “Bali” album that has yet to show truly interesting shots. I hope to remedy that soon.