Bali

Washington DC to Denpasar - 16-17 July 2018

I booked the flight the night before and Korean Air had a decent one stop flight through Incheon. Despite this I technically took off on a Monday and landed on a Wednesday. Unfortunately, because I booked so late, I was stuck with the middle seat on both legs. I sat next to a girl who worked for World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and a guy who specialized in tuna. Made it through customs and immigration without incident but had trouble finding a hotel the first night since the surf camp did not have availability. I walked out of the airport as fast as possible to escape the relentless hawkers pushing taxis and drugs and found a place across the street to sleep (Harris Hotel Tuban-Bali). Oddly, this place was expensive and had a reduced room price for a seven hour stay for those in transit which worked for me as well.

Denpasar to Canggu - 18 July 2018

I had some trouble figuring out my money situation, where to stay, and how to get there...no planning means more adventure! I used the Grab app (Uber equivalent) which I guess is not appreciated by the locals who have plenty of signs banning drop-offs by non-taxi drivers. The traffic here is terrible and it took over an over to drive 20km. After getting settled in an having a mahi-mahi lunch at the surf camp, I went for an afternoon surf at Old Man's Beach with three guides and two young Swiss guys. I caught my first wave and a few others as well for a pretty good start to the trip. While the 9' swell on the reef created the largest waves I have surfed, the winds and the current were rough and wore me out. The surf camp did not permit GoPros on their boards and I never asked anyone to take video of me surfing so I have no picture or evidence that I ever surfed in Bali...


After surfing, I did yoga with a dozen or so other guests which did not feel great after a long plane ride and first time surfing in years. I followed that up with an hour long massage which was interesting. A lady greeted me at the door and showed me to the table but after I laid down a feminine man came in to perform the massage. While not a big deal, I was surprised at the bait and switch tactic. Luckily, this was a legitimate massage and not a place of "funny business" and aside from the loud German girls next to me it was pretty relaxing.

The Kima Surf Camp Canggu is owned by a German and Swiss couple (I think) so German is the lingua franca throughout the camp. I spent the evening with some Swiss eating tacos and heading to the beach bar also called Old Man's. While there were many attractive people there, it was a shit show and the decade age difference between myself and the Swiss was palpable. After a few drinks, we headed back to the camp for a few beers and a night swim. I'm staying in the poor man's dorm room located a few hundred meters down the road from the main surf camp.



Strange banana tree


Stray dogs are everywhere. The breeds are diverse and many have collars...so I guess there not all strays. The streets in Canggu are narrow and crowded. There is lots of new construction as large hotels are underway and will surely change the environment of this previously sleepy surf town.

Baby Kuta Reef - 19 July 2018

I woke up many times because it was hot on the top bunk and the stray dogs were loudly greeting passersby throughout the night. I gave up going back to sleep around 0700 and made the walk down to the main surf camp for breakfast. Early morning is a great time to wander around Canggu--and most places for that matter. I borrowed one of the surf camp's free bicycles which were fairly new mountain bikes and rode around town. Canggu is not a bad little town but it's visibly changing each day and many of the guests commented on how much different it was since their previous visits.

Batu Bolong Temple



Unfortunately, Hitler and the Nazis borrowed an infamous symbol from Hinduism that represented the sun, prosperity, and good luck in Hindu culture.


The ride out to Baby Kuta Reef took forever because of traffic. It looked intense upon arrival and some people backed out. Three of us tried it, but only one made it all the way out (it was a girl). Another Swiss male, Sasha, and I failed and were humbled by the ordeal. I got rocked even coming back in and was lucky not to break my board. We had lunch at a local's spot next to the beach and enjoyed Satay (grilled chicken on a stick served with sticky rice). Sasha and I walked around Canggu and did some shopping before meeting up with other Swiss from the camp. We took it easy with dinner at the camp and since I was exhausted I headed to bed early.

While there are lots of dogs roaming around, most have collars and some take refuge from the sun in the stores


Not sure what is going on here


Nearly every house and shop had these little offerings out front along the sidewalk


Baby Kuta Reef...pictures do not do it justice but it was big. In fact, this day was the finals of the Rip Curl Cup, a professional surf competition occurring at Padang Padang beach a few kilometers south of this site.




Bali Dirt Bikes - 20 July 2018

I woke up early but felt rested after taking an Ambien (prescribed) the night before. I was able to sneak in breakfast before the van picked me up. Two Aussies, Naren and Giann, were also on the tour. I wanted to rent a KTM but it was twice as expensive as a Honda CRF 150. We rode through a number of small villages throughout the mountains and hills of central Bali. The guides tested us early on with some challenging terrain and my Aussie mates struggled a bit on the steep inclines of rocks and mud. Honestly, some sections were even difficult for me and I was impressed at how well they rode with little to no off-road experience.







This guy is in for an interesting afternoon


The highlight was easily fulfilling a lifelong dream of riding along the beach...especially on the borrowed KTM from Naren. While the Honda was grossly under-powered, all of the bikes clutches needed adjustments (and the Honda's had no feel) which caused a lot of stalling. Amazingly, dogs sleeping in the middle of the road instinctively knew to wake up and move to the side as we flew past. Huge flags flew everywhere as leftovers from the recent World Cup. There were rudimentary windmills in some of the rice patties but I'm not sure what purposed they served. I feel like riding motorcycles is consistently the highlight of any trip.


The camp hosted a BBQ that evening and it was the closest thing to a party that occurred during my stay. Not speaking German really made it tough to participate in conversations. I only received a small chicken wing off of the grill so the food was slightly overrated for what is a monthly event. It's funny listening to Germans and other Europeans sing US and British songs with an acoustic guitar.

Torro Torro and Sunny Side Up - 21 July 2018

I booked the last of my day trips offered by the surf camp to the Torro Torro Reef just south of the airport. The break is pretty far out and requires a boat to access, although our boat still dropped us 150m from the break. I thought this would mean a less crowded lineup but I was mistaken. I may have caught a few waves but ended up on the reef and cut my foot a little. The hour long car rides fighting through traffic combined with my lack of surfing skill kept me at the waves near the surf camp. The roads in Bali (at least the populated areas in the southwest) make no sense and it takes 30 minutes to go the 4km between Canggu and Seminyak...without traffic.

The Aussies invited me to join them at a music festival at the Potato Head Beach Club in Seminyak. I already had a ticket to the Gypsy Land Festival so I agreed to join since the Europeans back at the surf camp flaked. I asked the hostel to arrange a taxi and the guy wanted IDR150k ($10) but I got him down to IDR75k since I remember paying the Grab car IDR86k for my trip from the airport which was further. I offered for him to use the meter in his car, but he declined which indicated that he was indeed trying to gouge me a little and the meter prices were more fair.

We watched some Australian rules football between Essendon (Melbourne) v. Fremantle (Perth). The boys were rooting for their home team from Perth, and it was pretty entertaining and quite simple once they explained some of the basic rules. There is a lot of scoring and the rules seem a little strange to my foreign ears. One of the big ones is that of a "mark" which a team is awarded a free kick if they catch the ball from one of their teammates at a distance of greater than 15 meters. Anyways, the team from Melbourne was the favorite and did win the match.


We met up with some more Aussies and a couple of Germans and walked down to the Sunny Side Up Music Festival. The security at the entrance line took forever and I spent the time talking with a young couple from Ireland. I was bummed to discover that I had purchased the wrong ticket only after waiting for nearly an hour in this line. Luckily, a guy working security was nice enough to escort me out to purchase another ticket and back through security. The was music was okay I guess since I danced the whole time but I did not recognize any of the songs. The headliner was Chet Faker which everyone seemed to know--even back at the surf camp...I'm old. The venue was pretty cool with a pool along the entire stage front but we abstained from getting in since not everyone had swimsuits.



While app taxi services are prohibited, especially in Canggu, I'm done with taxis trying to rip me off charging IDR200k for transit between Seminyak and Canggu. I eventually talked a random guy on a scooter to take me back for IDR50k. He only knew of the Old Man's Bar a little less than a kilometer from the surf camp so I had to walk the rest of the way home. There was a beach party going on but I was exhausted after the music festival. Of course, the night would not have been complete without the scooter guy offering me cocaine. I thought Indonesia was tough on drugs but a lot of people seem to have access to it.

People are flying kites everywhere that looked like aerodynamic trash bags. The consistent breeze keeps the kites in the air, as no one is actively flying them.

There are cool cafe racers everywhere and I regret learning that I could have rented some cool custom motorcycles like those offered by MalaMadre. Most of the bikes on the island are between 125 and 250cc and have obnoxiously loud exhausts.


This one was not that flashy but did have a custom oil tank (Jack Daniels bottle)



Surfing and Seminyak - 22 July 2018

I surfed Old Man's in the morning and Batu Bolong in the afternoon. I took a nap between sessions since I was out late for the music festival. We got rained on at Old Man's and it was crowded, but there was little wind so it was smooth for once. Batu Bolong was good as well, I just lacked the endurance in my shoulders to stay out long.

I met up with Naren and Giann and headed to Mrs. Sippy for some afternoon drinks by the pool. We got there a little late and missed the day crowd and party scene. They had a 5m diving platform into a salt water pool that was pretty fun. Unfortunately, I left the GoPro at home and did not get great video on my phone, but I also didn't do anything special off of there so I guess it does not matter. My photography skills, or what little skills I ever had, are degrading lately and I could use some practice.



We ran into some Brits and a Dutch girl on the beach and played drinking games with them before I left to call it an early night.

Canggu to Amed - 23 July 2018

I surfed Old Man's in the morning again...still feel like I'm getting worse at surfing. One of the surfing guides, Alejandro, is Spanish and the only non-Balinese guide at the camp. He was a lot more assertive in his instruction than the laid back Balinese. I caught a decent wave and then called it for the trip.

I took my time checking out and kept trying to book a Grab across the island to Amed without any luck. I'm not sure whether it was the lack of Grab drivers in Canggu or the distance of my trip (2.5 hours one way). I decided to try the Bluebird app that simply requests an "official" taxi. It actually worked out well since my driver used his meter and the price was within the range estimated by the app (IDR610k or $42). I felt bad that the driver had to make the 2.5 hour return trip across the island most likely without a paying passenger.

I left my portable charger, international adapter, and charging cable at the surf camp which was a bummer.

Despite the heat it's clearly winter here, or perhaps more accurately the dry season as many of the trees covering the hills along the coast are browned. I had no money after paying the taxi and checking in so I borrowed a bicycle from the dive camp and rode into Amed. They are supposed to charge IDR30k for them but I do not see how they could since the bikes were in such bad condition. Amed is way more mellow than the southwest coast and is dominated by the French tourists rather than the Germans or Australians. There's slightly more diversity among the guests at Fab Dive Bali and I splurged for a room with air conditioning for an additional IDR20k ($1.40) per night. I grabbed dinner by the beach and watch kids drop a large net from a rowboat along the beach. Not sure if they caught any fish but they looked like they were having fun. The black sand beaches have everything from boats to chickens and dirt bikes on them. The black sand comes from the nearby Mount Agung volcano which overlooks Amed and much of the central east coast. The view from the beach reminds me of the views of Mauna Kea from Hilo Bay in Hawaii.

The staff at Fab Dive Bali is almost too welcoming and can be lazy at times



Nice dinner by the water


First views of the Agung Volcano


One of many jukung outriggers dotting the eastern coast of Bali


Many places suggest or request you take your shoes off before going inside.

Liberty Dives and Scooter Rides - 24 July 2018

I loved sleeping with the A/C again. I grabbed an early breakfast at 0600 at the little family cafe around the corner and watched the sunrise over the volcano. It is easy to wake up early for diving because the roosters are relentless in Amed. Still better than the dogs of Canggu I guess.


We took a short right to the USAT Liberty wreck site in Tulamben. The ship served in WWII and was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine in 1942 and beached on Bali. The Agung Volcano erupted in 1963 and the lava pushed the into the ocean. The wreck was large and crowded with divers. I was a little rusty but managed just fine. My GoPro 5 did not have a housing and the pressure at 18m was great enough to depress the record button and take 500 pictures and drain the battery before I even attempted to use it. The second dive was at the Drop Off dive site which is a large reef wall hugging a peninsula and I began to relax and become more comfortable while diving. My diving guide, Sven, offered to help me earn my Advanced Open Water despite my condensed timeline. I assume this is because I demonstrated sufficient proficiency in the first two dives. Again, not the best pictures, but these are the only two out of hundreds worth anything at all.



The Agung Volcano letting off a little steam


I rented a scooter for the afternoon from the dive center for IDR50k ($3.50) and rode down the coast through Amed town and up the mountains to the Pura Penataran Agung Lempuyang Hindu temple. Everyone is required to wear a sarong IDR10k and entrance is free but they accept donations (typically IDR5k). While there are seven temples up the mountain, the one at the bottom is the most impressive and only a short walk up some stairs. The temple itself was okay, but the view of the volcano was spectacular. Dozens of people waited in a queue to take pictures at the split gate with the volcano in the background. I probably should have done it since I saw someone's picture back at the dive center and it did look amazing. Despite this, the scooter ride itself was the highlight for me.

Looking down the valley towards the mountains I conquered on my Honda 150cc scooter



Crazy looking tree outside the temple


Temple through the gates


Pura Penataran Agung Lempuyang



Lots of dragons...



...and roosters too!


Inside of the temple. Only Hindus allowed beyond this point.


Looking down from the temple, through the gate, towards the Agung Volcano


I went to Sunset Point to grab dinner, a few drinks, and watch the sunset over Jemeluk Bay, Amed, and the volcano. Just like at the temple, it was a hot and I even used the menu to shade me from the beating sun.




Two old German women decided to plop on a rock right in front of my table that I had secured for over an hour, completely obstructing my view. I made it awkward by standing right over them to take my pictures and told them I would not have to be so intrusive if they had not chosen this particular spot.


Interestingly, a large Bintang fit perfectly in the scooter's storage area


Everyone at the dive center went out for burgers but since I already ate I called it an early night.

Four Dive Day - 25 July 2018

Another early morning. Sven, Miriam, and I went further up the coast to Kubu for the Boga Wreck. It is so strange that this site is only a few kilometers further north than the USAT Liberty but we had the site virtually to ourselves on two separate dives. The other reason this site is not as popular is that it begins at 18m and goes to 30m--out of the range of Basic Open Water certifications. Getting in and out was a little tricky as the shore was covered with large volcanic stones and the waves were rather large. After the first dive we actually were thrown ashore by a wave but luckily no one was hurt. During our break we enjoyed ginger coffee, which is something I am going to bring back with me at home. On the second dive, we did a double penetration through the lower and mid decks past a Jeep in the cargo hold. I felt safe during the dive because you could see through the wreck to the other side and there was sufficient light to prevent a blackout while inside.

Large volcanic stones on the secluded beach


We did two more dives at the Drop Off that culminated my diving in Bali. On the first one, I used a compass for underwater navigation which I did with marginal success, but enough to meet the requirement. On the second dive, Sven allowed Miriam and I to wander off along the reef as a buddy team. We covered the whole wall at 18m and failed to notice the current helping us along until we turned around.

Locals rigged up a new sail on one of their jukung outriggers. I did not have time to go for a ride on one of these interesting boats.


Scooters are the primary means of transportation--for scuba tanks as well!


People are always washing their driveways.

A couple of us went out for drinks at Pacha Bar which is the only thing resembling nightlife in Amed. While they stopped playing live music around 2200, we did not leave until nearly 0200, long after they had turned the lights out on us. On the way back, Ben and I raced our scooters with Miriam and Charlotte on the back. Ben won, but he was on a real motorcycle with nearly twice the displacement of my scooter.


Amed to Denpasar - 26 July 2018

I took my time in the morning since I was not diving and we were out late the night before. I did an hour or so of diving theory and knowledge review with Sven to finish my Advanced Open Water certification. After a hipster burger at Small Time Cooks in Amed, I rode out to Tirta Gangga and the Ujung Water Palace. I was not really impressed with either of these as they almost felt like roadside attractions and should have gone to some of the waterfalls in eastern Bali instead.

Tirta Gangga





There were hundreds of giant coy in the ponds throughout the gardens


Ujung Water Palace. At first, I thought the sign read "Hater Palace" which I thought would have been a cool name.







Almost ran out of gas, but luckily there are bottles of petrol available nearly everywhere like most of the developing world.


I spent the evening waiting for my taxi to the airport and said goodbye to the nice people I had met. I passed out during the ride to the airport and boarded the flight home through Korea without issue. Luckily I requested window seats two weeks ago and enjoyed a much more comfortable flight home.