After spending a week in the high paced tourist traps of Seminyak and Kuta we were hoping to find the real Bali. We left the hustle and bustle of the beach and headed for a few days in the central foothills of Bali in Ubud. However, after the hit seller Eat Love Pray I'm unsure how 'real' it will be.
21 October - Bali (Seminyak/Ubud)
This morning we are heading to Ubud for a few days which is a little town in the central foothills of Bali. We all packed up and Shaun and I went for a yummy breakfast at the Dusty Cafe.
Leona's husband came to pick us up in his mini van (of course it wasn't a mini van but a people carrier we had to squeeze into with all our luggage, why the Balinese just can't be upfront and honest with you baffles me!). We drove into the middle of Bali for about an hour and a half to Ubud. We pre booked a hotel on Monkey Forest Road and it looked really nice ... from the outside. They showed us down to our villas ... covered in mould and stank of damp. Not happy we complained and the boys went off in the villas golf buggy to find us a better room within the hotel complex. They managed to bag us some rooms in the newer building which were a hell of a lot better but it was at the very end of the complex but they do offer to cart you around in the golf buggy!
After some lunch we took a walk to the end of the road and paid the entrance fee to go into the Monkey Forest. It is what it says on the tin ... an old temple within the forest covered in monkeys! You are encouraged to buy bananas to feed them. The boys both got a bunch of bananas and tried to persuade the monkeys closer but I think they were so full up they weren't interested. Then one of the big boys decided he wanted Grimo's bananas, not the one he was offering in his hand but the bunch behind his back. He chased Grimo and swiped at his legs until he threw the bananas over. They are pretty vicious animals. We were hearing stories of the monkeys biting people frequently.
In the evening we went down the road to an Indian and shared an epic meal and a few beers before Shaun and I had to get an early night as we are climbing a volcano at sunrise! .....
22 October - Bali (Ubud)
After attempting to sleep the alarm went off 3 hours later as we are getting picked up at 2.30 to be taken to Mount Batur, a live volcano, with an awesome sunrise to reward you at the top. In the jeep waiting were two English girls both travelling on their own. We exchanged pleasantries and tried to sleep the hour and a half to the base of the mountain region. In a rickety old shack they offered us breakfast of tea and a deep fried banana ... just as I was about to tuck in I saw a GIANT RAT shimmy up from behind the cooker up the wall! No thanks! Shortly after we drove a further few minutes to the car park and met our guide, a local Balinese guy who was only 21. Unfortunately we missed his name, and you know how it is when it's too late to ask again! Our guide offered us water and torches but we were already ahead of the game, being prepped by Grim and Pam as they had just climbed Mount Bromo, and were prepared with head torches! At this point it was freezing! Yes it gets cold up in the hills of Bali. We have obviously only packed for summer, I had to borrow Grimos jumper and we were still cold! We set off in a heard of about 100 climbers in the dark at 3.30pm. The walk started along a gravel path for a good twenty minutes before we started climbing uphill. It was so dark we had no idea of the direction of the volcano or even how high it was!
We kept plodding along up a shingle path before it started getting quite steep and we were starting to clamber up the rocks. Finally a couple of hours in we were told we had made it half way and the hard bit would start! He wasn't wrong, our guide had to pull us up some steep rocks as we get zigg zagging up the mountain. I'm not going to lie it was a struggle, after 2 months of not even a light jog my thighs were feeling the burn! The first sun finally hit and we could see the red glow peeking up from behind mount Agung opposite ... it was so beautiful, especially because it means we are so close to the top!
Sun first appearing over Mount Agung
We could just about make out where we were walking now and the epic climb awaiting! We made it to a viewing platform just as the sun peaked up from behind Mount Agung. It was a shame we weren't at the very top as it was so crowded and we didn't get that peace you expect when sat at the top of the mountain, it felt very touristy. We took a few snaps and powered on with the last strength in our tired legs up the shingles which was more like one step forward two slides down! We all encouraged each other on and finally made it to the rim of the volcano, standing at 1717 meters!!!
Our guide rushed off to make our breakfast whilst we made the most of this amazing scenery! Breakfast was served: bananas sliced on bread and a volcanic cooked egg! Yes the eggs were placed in a steam vent and boiled! Shaun came to the rescue with the breakfast having sneaked his Nutella in the bag!! Nutella and banana sandwiches now that's a good breaky!
Sun rise over Mount Agung
At the top of Mount Batur
We had some time to chill and take in the beauty of this little island, we actually ended up being the last to leave which meant we had some quiet to enjoy our surroundings which was nice! The options were to take the same route down or walk around the rim and down a more difficult path ... we made it this far lets continue! Walking around the edge volcano was pretty effing cool! Although it wasn't bubbling or red or hot ... the volcano is active but the centre is completely covered in greenery!
Standing on the rim of the volcano
The climb down was pretty arduous sliding volcanic sand. You literally could have sand boarded most of the way. Our shoes were full of sand and it was started to get hot! It took a few hours to make it back down to base .. a total of 5 hours walking, we were spent but totally worth it! I would really recommend this trek.
Steep slope back down
Looking back at Mount Batur as we reached flat ground
We tipped our guide and all fell asleep on the way back to our hotels! After a well needed shower, the water was running black for a good 5 minutes, and my nose! Shaun and I had a little nap and met Grim and Pam by the pool a few hours later. We had a very chilled out afternoon and went and found this yogurt shop the girls told us about. It was heaven!!! You pour your own frozen yogurt, in numerous flavours and dump as much topping on as you like. The girl's face at the counter when we popped our tubs on the scale to pay she said "you haven't been here before have you because that is a lot!". Not for us, we polished it off, amazing find and such a good idea!
In the evening we had dinner at Three Monkeys, a very cute restaurant sat amongst the rice paddies (and yes the mozzies were in full force!). Afterwards we all sat in the hotel gardens and played cards and had a few beers. Bintang ... well Bingtang Radlar (with a splash of lemon) is one of the best beers we have found!
23 October - Bali (Ubud)
This morning we woke up late and just about managed to get breakfast, although it really wasn't worth getting out of bed for. After which we all headed back to our rooms to sort out accommodation and flights over the next few weeks. Shaun and I are leaving for KL tomorrow for a few days then we get to Sydney!! We have booked a hostel for an extortionate price for a week (500 AUD) when we get there whilst we try and find jobs and somewhere to live. All a bit scary and hard work to even think about. We have been scrolling through the Seek website applying for proper jobs but realistically we want to be doing something random until we are forced to go back to our normal jobs for good money. Grimo and Pam and also leaving shortly after us and will be doing the exact same thing in Auckland, New Zealand.
We got an hour in by the pool before heading out for another Frozen Yogi of epic proportions!
In the evening we got a bit cultural and went to a Balinese fire trance dance in a temple. Is was actually really good with guys chanting the whole way through as a story was acted out in the centre.
Dinner was Balinese suckling pig in a restaurant close to the hotel. Then for our last night together we had a few beers on the balcony until gone midnight.
24 October - Bali to Kuala Lumpur
Last day in Bali with Grimo and Pamela today. We could definitely stay here for longer. It is so nice to have familiar faces around. This really is a holiday. We all admitted we would also be quite happy to head straight to our new lives in Australia and New Zealand instead of the last few days of travelling. After a holiday like this travelling seems really hard, not that we would ever admit that!
We got picked up in a taxi at 9am we pre booked the night before for 250 rupiah. We were all really tired after our late night so slept most of the way then suddenly we were at the airport dropping Grim and Pam off for their flight to Flores ... it's too soon! We are really go to miss them!
The taxi driver carried on to drop Shaun and I to Kuta beach as we have a few hours to kill before our flight to KL at 7pm. We headed straight to the mall and ended up booking into the plush cinema to watch Fury in the big comfy chairs for £15. After the film we had a Starbucks and a quick KFC for dinner as we only had a half hour spare and got a taxi to the airport, on meter without any arguments! We obviously had to have our last Bintang in the airport, they actually let you walk around the departures with the open glass bottle!
Bali Airport selfie
The Air Asia flight was pretty terrible! We ended up paying £130 each, not quite the £20 deal we got to Bali with! We had to pay extra for bags, and food would have been extra too (Malindo gave you free 20kg and a meal and a spacious seat for £20!). The leg room was a joke. Shaun isn't exactly tall but his knees were jammed into the chair in front.
We arrived at the airport, got a coupon taxi (set price 50 ringgit to the hotel, we should have got the meter) and arrived at the hostel by midnight! Yup our first hostel of the trip! On route we passed the Sepang Circuit all lit up, Shaun is stupidly excited to watch tomorrow's Moto GP qualifiers.
Back to hostel life! Most of the hotels near Sepang Circuit were fully booked and KLCC is too far away so we settled for a hostel right next to the circuit, but still paying £12 each a night! We sneaked into our 10 person mixed dorm at 12.30am turning on the lights and routing around our bags, certainly not prepared for hostel life! In all fairness though the hostel is nice and clean and the beds are really comfy!
A la perchoine
Jodie and Shaun
x
Link to Shannon and Pamela's blog: http://www.getjealous.com/Shanpam
