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Asia 2019/20

December 2019 - March 2020
A 84-day adventure by Claire Read more
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  • TravelerAsia 2019/20
    Day 12

    Nusa Lembongan Day 2

    January 4, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 30 °C

    Had planned to go to a yoga class this morning but woke up with a bit of an upset stomach so I went back to sleep. It got a bit better but wasn’t great all day- though managed to power through. They call it ‘Bali Belly...!’

    We had planned to hire bikes (bicycles not mopeds!) from a woman down the road and explore the island, so we wandered down there about 11.30 in the end and got two pink bikes (50k each for the day, so less than £3). They weren’t in great condition but what can you do for that price!

    We cycled up to the top of the island and stopped off for a drink- it was a bit cloudy by this point which was nice, but as we got back on our bikes frans flip flop broke. We decided to go back to the hotel which was on the way to the south anyway and as we approached it started hammering it down with rain. So we ran into the hotel and dried off over lunch!

    We set off again towards the bridge linking Nusa Lembongan with Nusa Ceningan. We took the long route because it avoided the massive hill! Took us past the more rural parts of the island and then to the bridge which is a very narrow bridge - only enough space to pass two bikes - slightly hairy! This took about 45 minutes on rickety Nike’s so we were quite tired by this point and stopped for a quick drink. The dark clouds were appearing by now so we didn’t stop too long and headed back. We made it most of the way back but got caught in a pretty heavy downpour!

    Once we got home we packed up and showered before heading to the beach for a meal at Ginger and Jamu- lovely place though the beach was very very windy!    Read more

  • TravelerAsia 2019/20
    Day 13

    Nusa Lembongan -> Uluwatu

    January 5, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Another early start for the 8.30 boat back to the mainland and our transfer to Uluwatu. All went smoothly although the sea was pretty rough for a bit, but we made it safe and sound. Transfer was included so we were at our hotel by 11.

    Uluwatu is in the Bukit peninsula at the bottom of Bali and has a lot of cliffs over looking the sea with small coves with little beaches. Our hotel, Dreamsea is basically built into the cliff so we had to walk down a lot of step steps with our luggage (easier for me with a backpack than for Fran with her case..!) but the views are amazing. We didn’t had much choice when we booked it so we have a fan room which is a little warm but it’s fine. The walls are bamboo too so you can literally hear into the next rooms but it’s ok as the sound of waves crashing underneath you basically drowns that out!

    We couldn’t check in until 2 so we had a quick swim in the sea before heading up to the main road for some lunch.

    After checking in we headed to Single Fins which is a sunset spot. Had a swim in their pool and then some drinks and food whilst watching the sunset.

    Home not too late as we booked a surf lesson for 8 tomorrow 😬😬    Read more

  • TravelerAsia 2019/20
    Day 14

    Uluwatu

    January 6, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Our last day together 😭😭 but a good one 🤗

    Started the day with our surfing lesson!! As my lovely colleagues at Virgin Trains had given me money towards surfing and yoga lessons we splashed out on a private lesson (€40 each for 2 hours). Both of us had only ever done a lesson once before a long time ago so we were essentially beginners..! Our aim was to stand up, nothing more than that!

    We started with the classic surfboard on the beach practice before had to paddle out to the break which was probably about 50m - that was tiring enough 😬 we then took it in turns to go into the break with the instructor where he would help us try and catch the wave and stand up. The first few were absolute disasters (think belly flops all around) before Fran managed to master it! I wasn’t so great- managed to stand up for a couple of seconds but that was all. We messed around until we got too tired and then our instructor basically pushed us back to shore! Safe to say I’m not sure surfing is the sport for me!

    Had some breakfast when we got back which was much needed and then changed etc and headed up to the shops. We had decided one last massage was is order so we stopped in a place nearby and booked one for 5.30. We then headed to a beach club we had found online (El Kabron) which was about 30 min walk away. It was beautiful and a great way to spend the afternoon. Headed back for the massage which was dreamy and then had dinner and packed and set alarms for 4.30am 😱    Read more

  • TravelerAsia 2019/20
    11
    Day 15

    Uluwatu -> Gili Air

    January 7, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 28 °C

    Time to say goodbye to Fran 😭

    We both had flights in the morning and Fran’s left at 8.10 so we had to get up very early. 4.30 am early 😱. Lugged our luggage back up those steps, with the help of a man who worked there and into the taxi and at the airport by about 5.30. My flight wasn’t until 10.50 so I had a long wait!

    Said bye to Fran about 7 (I’ll see her in exactly 8 weeks in Koh Samui!) and then wandered over to the domestic terminal and checked in. Luggage was 15.8kg but got away with that extra 0.8 😊

    Flight was so quick and then I was met by Omar at the airport- I’d found him on tripadvisor as a tour guide/transfer with 5* reviews so booked him to take me. Probably the pricey way to do it but wasn’t ready yet to start haggling with taxis at airports etc! It also meant I got a private speedboat over to Gili Air which was lovely!

    Things I noticed/ Omar told me about Lombok (vs Bali)
    - so so so much less traffic. Roads are much better but so much quieter! Barely anyone on the road which is a very pleasant change to the gridlock on Bali
    - it’s mainly Muslim (vs Hindu) so lots of women in headscarfs and mosques around
    - no stray dogs but lots of cats all of whom seem much better looked after than the dogs on Bali!
    - just generally less touristy

    Arrived at my hostel to find I’m the only person in my 3 person dorm which is great! Had a quick wander and found a yoga place nearby so went back there for a 4.30 yoga class and then over to the west side of the island for sunset 👌🏻

    Found a nice place nearby for dinner and then crashed early- that 4.30am start was catching up with me!    Read more

  • TravelerAsia 2019/20
    Day 15

    Bali round up

    January 7, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌧 28 °C

    Whilst Fran and I were together there were lots of things we kept noticing that were quite unusual (to us) about Bali and we kept saying I should write these down so I don’t forget. These weren’t really interesting enough to fit into the daily diaries so I’ve just randomly scribbled them all here!

    - the traffic is SO bad. To the point where we decided maybe I would retrain as a town planner as we had some many ideas on how to make it better! There are seemingly no rules of the road, with pedestrians, mopeds, cars and busses just randomly passing each other, sometimes at the narrowest margins. The roads clearly weren’t designed for this much traffic and so are not coping very well at all. Canggu and Ubud were by far the worst, to the point that I think it could start really putting people off coming- for one the pollution in Ubud when you just want to wander around really isn’t pleasant. There also seems to be no public transport system which clearly doesn’t help.

    - The ants are massive. Especially in Ubud. The size of actual spiders in the UK!

    - Bali in Hindu and they have temples everywhere. Our driver to the rice terraces told us each village has 3 temples for the 3 gods (xxxx) and as well have that they have little family temples and these little tower things. On each of these and also just outside of shoes restaurants etc they leave daily offerings, which are essentially a banana leaf folded to make a square with things they enjoy inside, as well as incense. They usually had flowers insides but also things like biscuits, cakes and cigarettes

    - The limes are tiny! I would say about the size of a strawberry. So small. But very limey.

    - We had the most delicious tomato we have ever eaten at a cafe in Ubud called Simply Social. God knows what they did to it but we’ve never tasted anything like it. The only way to describe is the most tomatoey thing I’ve ever eaten. I realise this isn’t an amazing description but there really is no other way!

    - Getting picked up from the airport was interesting- it was midnight after an 18hr flight and we had a transfer from the hotel. The problem was that there were about 200 people there to collect people so we had to walk up and down this long list trying to find our name! I know this usual practice but I’ve never seen so many before. Of course ours was at the very end!

    - they have a WH Smith in the airport. Why?

    - Petrol is sold by the bottle at the side of the road from re-used bottles. So we saw bright blue petrol being sold from an Absolut Vodka bottle. Very confusing, looked too much like WKD!    Read more

  • TravelerAsia 2019/20
    Day 16

    Gili Air Day 1

    January 8, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 30 °C

    Nice lie in and breakfast at the hostel (waffles with banana and honey) before renting a bike for the day to explore more of the island.

    It’s so easy to cycle round so I cycled right down to the harbour at the bottom of the island before heading back to H2O yoga for the aquayoga class i booked yesterday. Yep, thats right, yoga in the pool! It wasn’t too serious or too hard and was a nice thing to do! Dried off by their pool and then headed over to the west side of the island for some beach time, and lunch!

    Back to the hostel in the afternoon and to register a Gili Divers on Air which is where I have signed up to do my Open Water diving, starting tomorrow, for 3 days.

    Yesterday I booked a massage at slow spa so I headed there for 5 but got caught in a big rainstorm so turned up soaking! Lovely lovely spa and massage though and good thing to do while it rained. Had a low key dinner after and then went to bed quite early!    Read more

  • TravelerAsia 2019/20
    Day 17

    Gili Air Day 2

    January 9, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Started my diving course today! My instructor is called Linn and she is Norwegian, and very good. Im doing the open water course which is 3 days and after that you are certified to dive up to 18m.

    Had to start the day by watched the videos so found a nice spot just next door in a cafe to do this. Took about 2 hours and it goes through the basics of equipment, the process and the physical effects of diving. Then had a little break and at 12 we got in the pool. Another girl called Briana had joined- she wasn’t doing the open water just an intro to diving but they combined us.

    We learned the basics; breathing, inflating and deflating the jacket, clearing the mask and floating for about 45 mins. I managed to pick it up pretty quick- think that one dive 8 years ago helped 😂. Then at 2pm was out into the sea to a site just off shore.

    Unfortunately Briana had some difficulty equalising (when you have to pop your ears on the way down) and so we tried a couple of times but she just couldn’t do it so she went back on the boat and we carried on without her! (Turns out she had blocked sinuses and had a nosebleed after 😬)

    We were then kind of in the wrong place and the visibility wasnt great but I just followed Linn until we found the reef and saw lots of fishes! We also saw a really big turtle just having a rest at the bottom 🥰

    All in all it went pretty well so feeing good about the next couple of days (have to do one more pool session and 3 more dives and an exam!). Linn set me up on the SSI app so I can do some studying and log my dives.

    Went back to the hostel and met some of the girls there who were going out to see the sunset so went with them - it was a great sunset as it had been the best weather in a while (no rain!) and then we had dinner and a couple of drinks before bed ☺️    Read more

  • TravelerAsia 2019/20
    Day 18

    Gili Air Day 3

    January 10, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Another day of diving today!

    Started off in the pool as we needed to finish off the skills that we started yesterday. These included; taking the mask completely off and swimming and putting back on, removing the waist belt (5kg so not easy to keep balanced!) and removing and replacing the BCD (buoyancy vest) underwater and on the surface. Took about an hour, and then we went through some more theory on pressure, bars and equipment before lunch.

    After lunch we went out on another dive- to a site called bounty wreck. This is an old speedboat platform next to Gili Meno that was deliberately sunk about 20 years ago and so the coral has now taken over. The current was SO strong so we had to swim against it to see the wreck for a little bit and then we drifted really fast along the reef for about 20 minutes. It was a little tricky as I wasn’t as close to the coral as Linn (as I’m not super confident in being able to go up and down without hitting it) so I was drifting even faster than her! We practiced a couple of skills (taking off mask, floating etc) and then eventually started coming up - but the Meno statues. These are probably the most instagrammed place on the Gili islands, mostly for snorkelling as they aren’t very deep so it was pretty cool to see them!

    After diving I went for an early dinner with some people from the hostel and to the sunset. We headed back about 8 and then just sat around chatting with a few beers until bed.    Read more

  • TravelerAsia 2019/20
    Day 19

    Gili Air Day 4

    January 11, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Last day of the course today- and two dives! First one at 9, we went to Turtle Heaven! Saw 4 turtles, one really big one and went down to 18m for the first time. This was probably my favourite dive as the current wasn’t too strong and the visibility was a bit better. Felt like I was floating better too- although she did put 1kg more on my waist belt to keep me down!

    Back at 11 so I had lunch and did some more studying as I had my exam at 1pm!! A 50 question multiple choice exam, but luckily I passed 🙌🙌. 92% actually 🤓.

    Then we had the last dive which was just for fun, we went back to Hans reef and saw lots more fish and the first hawksbill turtle!

    After that we were all done so Linn certified me and I have it now all stored on the app as well as the divelogs.

    There’s a girl who has been training to be a yoga teacher and doing some free classes in our hostel so I did that at 6 (it also started raining really really hard) and then we got a takeaway to the hostel and chilled here. The hostel only has about 8 people staying here as it’s low season but it’s a nice group of people so it’s fun just to hang out.    Read more

  • TravelerAsia 2019/20
    Day 20

    Gili Air Day 5

    January 12, 2020 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Originally I only booked 5 nights here so was supposed to leave today but i decided to stay and have one more day to chill.

    Very relaxing day- went for a massage in the morning, then met up with a few people and had lunch at ‘burger lady’ (which is actually the name of the restaurant) and headed to the beach for a couple of hours. We had agreed to have a yoga class with Carolynne again (the girl who taught yesterday) so we did that at 4.30 and then the hostel did a bbq for us, so we all had that with a few beers and then went to bed.

    All in all a lovely day!    Read more

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