At the end of 2013, I enjoyed the best 1-month adventure of my young hot life in Bali. It’s almost 10 years to the day that I find myself back here. Smell can be our strongest sense with regards to memory flashbacks, and being back immediately felt familiar, with the smells of incense, clove cigarettes, and the ocean. I just can’t believe that they still haven’t completed all their construction projects! It was not an easy return journey though.
The 4-hour flight from Saigon was delayed, then delayed further as we circled around in the air waiting for the runway to clear. I had not eaten all day and was willing to fork out for a tiny airline meal, but these were only for those who pre-ordered. The smell of chicken curry filled the airbus…
I then spent an additional 3 hours in the airport. It was one queue after the next, first to get a visa on arrival, then a queue to get a SIM card before joining another queue to get that activated. The most frustrating of all the queues was having to complete a self-declaration form at a computer terminal, instead of simply stating that you had nothing to declare. There were a billion things to fill in, as one waited for those who struggled to find the exact address of where they would be staying.
The wait for a taxi took a further hour due to a traffic jam. There were clearly loads of arrivals to this popular tourist destination. I thought it savvy to get an official, uniformed ride, while constantly been offered ‘deals’ by those targeting tourists with ‘special’ offers. Fresh meat. I was destined to reach to Uluwatu – one of the more peaceful places on the south-west coast of the island, one hour away.
Accommodation at homestays in Indonesia were very memorable experiences, so I had booked a 4-night stay at Tregge Surf Camp Homestay. It was lovely – run by a local family of five. My room was huge, with two single beds (how sad), an aircon, and a large desk and chair – perfect for getting work done. I had a stoep with a garden view and the main beach was a 13-minute walk away. It was gloriously peaceful. The only noise emanated from the deep-throated geckos, which is also such a wonderful memory.
Bali is full of young and beautiful bodies. A marriage proposal even occurred during my second visit to the beach! Being an extra hour into the future with the new time difference meant that my working hours were now between 3pm and 8pm. That took some adjustment, but gave me such freedom of exploration during the day-lit hours! My knackered body and mind slept for 10 hours on the first night. I soon rented a scooter and started taking short trips around the area.
Bali is not as cheap as it was a decade ago (discounting global inflation). These are tourist prices, but I was allowed a full 30 days there at the cost of USD 33 (for the visa), so the little world was my current oyster!
Next: Indonesia #2 – Uluwatu
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