This is our last LONG holiday before summer break. We have two weeks off for Chinese New Year. I did not want to go somewhere cold and I really did not want to fight jet lag for most of the trip nor when we returned. Originally we were going to Singapore and Japan. Yeah that changed quickly once I realized it would be cold in Japan. It was already cold in China where I stay. Cold wether clothes weighs your luggage down. So I started pricing Bali.

Villas, Villas everywhere.
First you gotta decide do you want to be in city center or not. Bali is small but huge at the same time. I didn’t want to be bothered so I opted for outside of the city center. We stayed in Lovina Beach area which is North Bali. I regret nothing. The trip from the airport was 3 hours. Again I regret nothing.

Going through customs was long. We gotta do better about this a whole. You spend so much time in customs. Most of it is just standing in line waiting your turn. Then all that waiting…guess what still waited on our luggage. Then you need cash IMMEDIATELY! Look I live in a cashless society. I don’t know what the currency looks like most times. I just scan a QR code and BAM transaction complete. I really need the rest of the world to level up and the hackers to level down. I understand as long as there are hackers a cashless world will not be possible.
Anyways my Chinese union pay card was useless as I figured it would be so thank goodness I have my PNC card. Look even that was a hassle because it was a debit/credit card and the ATMs were being picky and complex. Finally I said enough I’ll just ask the driver. Bless his heart he took me to two different ATMs before I was able to finally draw some cash. It was late and we needed to eat. We stopped for snack and a SIM card.

– let me pause right here and discuss SIM cards. Now you are more than welcome to roam and use your American cell phone service. I was even roaming with my Chinese cell phone service. However I am not about that life for two weeks. I wanted fast and reliable internet. I also don’t want any surprises when my bill arrives. I don’t want any issues when I return to China and need to add money to my account. So I purchase a local SIM. It’s easy, simple and straight to the point. I don’t have to worry about roaming charges nor do I have to worry about not having service. Make sure your phone is unlocked or it won’t matter that local SIM will not work. Contact your cell phone provider to get more information about unlocking your phone. I know Verzion no longer locks their phones. T-mobile (which I have) give you free data at 2G speeds. I don’t need that drama in my life. Phone calls are .20 cents a minute. I think text messaging is free. Again I grab a SIM before I leave the airport or right outside the airport. I have an iPhone that has two physical SIM card slots. I pop out my Chinese SIM and insert the local SIM still having access to my US T-mobile SIM. Simple and easy. Better than those days when I carried two phones. That was a pain but whatever.

We drove through the mountains of Bali and about 8 minutes left of the trip I got nauseous and was gonna throw up in this man’s car. If you have ever driven or road through the mountains, it is a bumpy, curvy and hilly ride. I couldn’t handle much more. Thank God for peppermint. I grabbed some peppermint gum and my peppermint oil dabbed some in my face mask and I made it to the villa.

VILLA NYOMAN (http://villanyoman.com) I booked via airbnb.com

we arrived at this ungodly hour…it was like 10:30pm but for me that is bedtime. Anyways. We were greeted with smiles, a cold face cloth and a cold homemade drink. Don’t remember the name and didn’t take a picture.

They handed me a cellphone (an old Nokia looking phone) to use while here to contact them if no one was at the desk or I just didn’t feel like leaving the comforts of the villa. They showed us around the villa. 3 bedrooms. 3 bathrooms. Private pool. Sitting area outside for the pool and to eat. Sitting area inside with a TV. A full kitchen if I wanted to cook or if I wanted the staff to cook. Groceries not included. We settled in for the night.

The first two days we did NOTHING. Elise swam and I sat and read a book. Food was delivered to our villa and we ate outside. We have yet to go to the restaurant area on the grounds.

BALI ADVENTURE TREEPARK

I have zip lined in Bali and I am good on never doing that again. Elise wants to go again but we gotta do that in another country.

WATERSPORTS

I parasailed in Bali. Elise attempted knee boarding and she rode on this thing called a flying fish.

UBUD

I have seen monkeys and elephants in Bali. Bali was good to me and would come back. We were meant to ATV but after the swing we were done and wanted to leave. We learned how silver jewelry was made. Yeah okay. Tried to hustle money out me at the gallery and the artist place. I’m good love.

The Swing

look this was a WHOLE setup. It was beautiful, yes. BUT lord it was hot and crowded. I was over it after the first photo. I did not dress up. It was HOT! people were dressed up and people weren’t. The place I went to offered lunch and a photographer. You have unlimited time, unlimited photos. I will go back when it’s cooler. I’m not gonna be out here sweating and looking fly. I gotta pick a struggle.

THE WEATHER

It was hot and sticky. It rained but never for longer than an hour.

The People

They were amazing and friendly. They were kind and their hospitality was amazing. I live in China. I don’t experience these kinds of things on a daily basis. Being in Bali made me miss the Middle East.

BUGS, INSECTS OH MY

Look suck it up they have creepy crawlies. I’ve seen more ants, spiders, and on my lizards to last me a life time. Oh yeah and mosquitos. I forget these things exist in warm climates and all these trees.

Overall

Bali is an untapped land where they still have rice fields, spice fields, coffee fields, cocoa fields. They have local cuisine with a splash of western cuisine. I enjoy visiting countries that DO NO resemble the west. I hope it stays that way.