Goodbye Asia, I will miss you....
Dreamland Beach, Bali
23.08.2010 - 27.08.2010
33 °C
Map
We got a bluebird taxi (the ones that actually use a meter!) to Dreamland beach on the West coast of Bali on a peninsula just South of Kuta beach. This beach is very popular with surfer dudes and would have been a stunning place if it wasn’t for the dodgy new resort built right on the main beach, blasting out trance music all day and night. Time for something completely different, we stayed in what I think was the only hotel in the area, a large place with loads of facilities but felt in the middle of nowhere. We had a great room overlooking the infinity pool and a balcony with a view of the sea, ahhhhhhh lovely. A ten minute walk took us to dreamland beach where we enjoyed watching the surfers at sunset. The main beach was pretty busy but found another beach through the rocks with no-one on it, so we chilled there.
The hotel provided a free shuttle bus to Kuta so we spent the afternoon there to do a spot of shopping. Scott was just as impressed with crazy Kuta as I was!!! (NOT!) On the way back to catch the shuttle bus (which actually never turned up!) we caught a Balinese Hindu ceremony right on the beach. We sat and watched as the sun went down and I started to think that this was to be one of my last Asian experiences on this trip. In a couple of days the next phase of my round the world adventure begins, a new country and a new continent, the land down under, Australiaaaaaaaaaa.....
.
One day we decide to see what all the fuss was about the club on the beach which was called, now try your best not to laugh... promise....... right here we go then, this club was called the KLAPA!!!!! There were even plans for a Klapa 2 and a Klapa 3, they are taking over dreamland beach, it is gonna be full of Klapa’s before we know it.. The Klapa is spreading everywhere (OK, maybe I am taking this too far now!!) Anyway, this place was a bit of an eyesore to be honest, taking up a prime spot on the cliff overlooking dreamland beach. They should have left the beach alone as it was actually very beautiful if you avoid the Klapa (hahahahaha I am still laughing at the name, my apologies, you know what i am like once i start!) Not only an eyesore but a complete rip off too. You pay an entrance fee, how they put it a ‘minimum charge’ of about 12 USD if i remember rightly. We thought this would probably cover the cost of our lunch in there and a drink but no, double that and you might be close.. So that is how they get you! The food and service were pretty good actually and the views lovely but so many people around the pool, mostly Japanese tourists that had come on daytrips by the coachload as they do. We didn’t spend long here but soon made our way down to the quiet beach the other side of the rocks to play iPhone scrabble which we had shamefully become addicted to!
MY LAST DAY IN ASIA HAD ARRIVED........... Minutes silence please. Yes, I felt that sad. Not only was my last day in Asia, but Scott leaving me to go back to England. Over breakfast we had the usual naff romantic tripe music ‘how am i supposed to live without you’ depressed me a little but then this was followed by some HEAVY METAL, yes think it was anthrax or something, over breakfast in a 4 star hotel... I was on an emotional edge as it was and this decided to show itself with hysterical laughter. The irony of that music, the surfer chicks with their orange skin letting it all hang out on the table next to us, the fact that I was leaving Asia today ALONE. Tears were rolling down my cheeks and Scott though I had gone a bit loopy! Anyway, i finally managed to compose myself long enough to make it to the airport. Scott’s flight was at 2pm but mine wasn’t until GONE MIDNIGHT. I wanted to be there to say goodbye though, and sad it certainly was. I hate sad goodbyes at airports. As we went our own way, a taxi driver came up to me and asked me where I was going ‘NONE OF YOUR BLOODY BUSINESS’ I half shouted at him. I had just about had enough of these bastards and he was at the receiving end of my frustrations. Scott heard me, turned round and laughed!
.
Bali has some fantastic airport lounges, lucky for me as I had a 10 hour wait for my flight! I considered going to the beach but didn’t feel up to it. For around $5 USD I had unlimited time in the lounge, free wifi and free drinks and nibbles! Absolute bargain! I spent hours and hours in that airport lounge just wallowing. I almost got on the next plane to Jakarta to join Scott on his way back home. I already missed Scott so much and the thought of travelling alone right now exhausted me. Here I was, about to ride solo again and leave behind the magic of Asia to go back to the predictability of the ‘developed’ world. I had felt at my happiest during those five months in Asia. I felt more myself in personality, humour and spirit than at any point in my life. Every day I learnt something new, came up against a new challenge, met some wonderful people from all over the world. I felt at my healthiest too. The sun and the diet rich in fresh tropical fruits had done me the world of good. My skin soft and glowing, my hair naturally lightened from the Asian sunshine, I felt younger and more energised than I did in my late twenties! I am pretty sure Australia will not give anywhere near the adventure and surprise that Asia threw at me. I left on the ‘red-eye’ overnight flight to Perth with a heavy heart.....
We got a bluebird taxi (the ones that actually use a meter!) to Dreamland beach on the West coast of Bali on a peninsula just South of Kuta beach. This beach is very popular with surfer dudes and would have been a stunning place if it wasn’t for the dodgy new resort built right on the main beach, blasting out trance music all day and night. Time for something completely different, we stayed in what I think was the only hotel in the area, a large place with loads of facilities but felt in the middle of nowhere. We had a great room overlooking the infinity pool and a balcony with a view of the sea, ahhhhhhh lovely. A ten minute walk took us to dreamland beach where we enjoyed watching the surfers at sunset. The main beach was pretty busy but found another beach through the rocks with no-one on it, so we chilled there.
The hotel provided a free shuttle bus to Kuta so we spent the afternoon there to do a spot of shopping. Scott was just as impressed with crazy Kuta as I was!!! (NOT!) On the way back to catch the shuttle bus (which actually never turned up!) we caught a Balinese Hindu ceremony right on the beach. We sat and watched as the sun went down and I started to think that this was to be one of my last Asian experiences on this trip. In a couple of days the next phase of my round the world adventure begins, a new country and a new continent, the land down under, Australiaaaaaaaaaa.....
Scott trying to take an artistic shot of me in the pool!
View from our balcony
Kuta beach ceremony
Kuta beach ceremony
Kuta beach ceremony
.
One day we decide to see what all the fuss was about the club on the beach which was called, now try your best not to laugh... promise....... right here we go then, this club was called the KLAPA!!!!! There were even plans for a Klapa 2 and a Klapa 3, they are taking over dreamland beach, it is gonna be full of Klapa’s before we know it.. The Klapa is spreading everywhere (OK, maybe I am taking this too far now!!) Anyway, this place was a bit of an eyesore to be honest, taking up a prime spot on the cliff overlooking dreamland beach. They should have left the beach alone as it was actually very beautiful if you avoid the Klapa (hahahahaha I am still laughing at the name, my apologies, you know what i am like once i start!) Not only an eyesore but a complete rip off too. You pay an entrance fee, how they put it a ‘minimum charge’ of about 12 USD if i remember rightly. We thought this would probably cover the cost of our lunch in there and a drink but no, double that and you might be close.. So that is how they get you! The food and service were pretty good actually and the views lovely but so many people around the pool, mostly Japanese tourists that had come on daytrips by the coachload as they do. We didn’t spend long here but soon made our way down to the quiet beach the other side of the rocks to play iPhone scrabble which we had shamefully become addicted to!
iPhone scrabble
The Klapa!
MY LAST DAY IN ASIA HAD ARRIVED........... Minutes silence please. Yes, I felt that sad. Not only was my last day in Asia, but Scott leaving me to go back to England. Over breakfast we had the usual naff romantic tripe music ‘how am i supposed to live without you’ depressed me a little but then this was followed by some HEAVY METAL, yes think it was anthrax or something, over breakfast in a 4 star hotel... I was on an emotional edge as it was and this decided to show itself with hysterical laughter. The irony of that music, the surfer chicks with their orange skin letting it all hang out on the table next to us, the fact that I was leaving Asia today ALONE. Tears were rolling down my cheeks and Scott though I had gone a bit loopy! Anyway, i finally managed to compose myself long enough to make it to the airport. Scott’s flight was at 2pm but mine wasn’t until GONE MIDNIGHT. I wanted to be there to say goodbye though, and sad it certainly was. I hate sad goodbyes at airports. As we went our own way, a taxi driver came up to me and asked me where I was going ‘NONE OF YOUR BLOODY BUSINESS’ I half shouted at him. I had just about had enough of these bastards and he was at the receiving end of my frustrations. Scott heard me, turned round and laughed!
.
Bali has some fantastic airport lounges, lucky for me as I had a 10 hour wait for my flight! I considered going to the beach but didn’t feel up to it. For around $5 USD I had unlimited time in the lounge, free wifi and free drinks and nibbles! Absolute bargain! I spent hours and hours in that airport lounge just wallowing. I almost got on the next plane to Jakarta to join Scott on his way back home. I already missed Scott so much and the thought of travelling alone right now exhausted me. Here I was, about to ride solo again and leave behind the magic of Asia to go back to the predictability of the ‘developed’ world. I had felt at my happiest during those five months in Asia. I felt more myself in personality, humour and spirit than at any point in my life. Every day I learnt something new, came up against a new challenge, met some wonderful people from all over the world. I felt at my healthiest too. The sun and the diet rich in fresh tropical fruits had done me the world of good. My skin soft and glowing, my hair naturally lightened from the Asian sunshine, I felt younger and more energised than I did in my late twenties! I am pretty sure Australia will not give anywhere near the adventure and surprise that Asia threw at me. I left on the ‘red-eye’ overnight flight to Perth with a heavy heart.....
For me, this sums up Bali
Bluebird taxi
Posted by Spinky 21:58 Archived in Indonesia Comments (3)
