CH194: Bali Indonesia Part 2

Following on the first entry: CH193: Bali Indonesia Part 1:

Pictures from this set will be from Days 3 and 4:
Day 3 - Dec 1: Breakfast, Bali Tour - Gunung Kawi (temple), Tampaksiring (where the sacred water is) and Tegalallang (rice terraces), hotel, chill, sunset dinner cruise, hotel, go out for drinks and party, hotel
Day 4 - Dec 2: Breakfast, checkout, beach, hotel for shower, departure

We rented a car to bring us around to places we had chosen. Typically, the tours are packaged for 5 hours or 10 hours. Since we didnt really have enough time in our hands, we decided on select destinations which were the Rice terraces and temples close to it (Gunung Kawi and Tampaksiring). There are other places that could have been visited if we added an additional 3-4 hours like the volcano (Batur) or the arts and crafts village around Ubud, but we had already booked a sunset dinner cruise so we were pressed for time.

One time while we were walking the streets of Seminyak, someone approached us and said: "you want to buy some Valium or Xanax?" I was a bit shocked someone would be peddling those prescription drugs on the streets of Bali! Or, when we got back to the front of the hotel from drinking, a motorcycle stopped by and said, you want magic mushroom? The man brought out a cup which looked like it had black liquid like bile in it and I was like, Uhm, no...

Security wise, I think after the incidents that rocked Bali before with the bombing, there was a strict enforcement of checks. In our hotel and Ku De Ta, cars were checked thoroughly going in. I appreciated the fact that even after it happened a while back, the measures they take to ensure the safety of the guests and patrons still persists. Unlike I would say in the Philippines, were after a few months from an incident, security becomes lax again - to the point that it's just a ridiculous hassle for guards to poke a stick through your stuff in a bag.

First stop of the tour was the Gunung Kawi temple. Surprisingly, it wasn't crowded. But, we reckon it was because of the steps you had to take going down to the place (about 300-350 stair steps maybe). And, considering we just went 600+ steps down to the white water rafting, my legs were pretty achy at this point haha

CH193: Bali Indonesia Part 1

Last Nov 29 - Dec 2, I went with CP to Bali! I wasn't really aware of how big Bali was until I got there. I didn't even realize that Bali was an island by itself! It was nice to learn that Bali is a lot of things I didn't know of, and how it's attractions are spread out in Kuta, Seminyak, Legian, Nusa Dua, Ubud, and other districts/municipalities. There's so much to do in Bali it's almost staggering just thinking how I could have fit all the things I wanted to do in 4 days and 3 nights. To say the least, you definitely need more than that to be able to properly experience Bali - much like Europe I guess, but on a lesser scale.

Here's a brief itinerary we had:

Day 1 - Nov 29: Arrival, check-in, walking tour of Seminyak, lunch at Ku De Ta, chill by beach, back home, dinner, go out for drinks and party, hotel

Day 2 - Nov 30: Breakfast, white water rafting, snacks, hotel, dinner, hotel

Day 3 - Dec 1: Breakfast, Bali Tour - Gunung Kawi (temple), Tampaksiring (where the sacred water is) and Tegalallang (rice terraces), hotel, chill, sunset dinner cruise, hotel, go out for drinks and party, hotel

Day 4 - Dec 2: Breakfast, checkout, beach, hotel for shower, departure

From the itinerary, I didn't get to fit in the Tanah Lot temple as well as the Ulun Danu (Bratan Lake) that a friend suggested.

It was also surprising to have seen Xander - a college friend I met from 1st year 1st sem for Social Science 1 - in a pub we went to. It was so random it was almost freaky to see a common face in a not so common land and more so in a not so common place to drink in!

Anyway, enough talk and more pictures (from Day 1 and 2)

SATS premier lounge

a very nice airport

chicken run!

CH192: Deaths and Bali

A week or two back, there have been two saddening news coming from my college social circle.

1. An acquaintance, somebody I know by face who is from a rival org, someone I see often in our department (you eventually remember all the faces because a lot of people dropped out of our course program) died of pneumonia. It was shocking to have heard that out of the blue from close friends who heard about it first. This is considering the fact that a couple of years ago, his dad died. Soon after, his mom died as well. Thus leaving him as the sole bread winner of the family with other siblings to take care of.

2. A good friend who I worked with in the laboratory I "interned" for in our department also passed due to cancer. This hit a mark last week after I heard the news. Not long before she moved here in Singapore for work along with her boyfriend, she was diagnosed with colon cancer. She went back to the Philippines, had the help of her organization and close friends help raise funds for her chemo. Everything was going well, until when the treatment was over, she found out that the cancer spread to other parts of her body. Her bones, everywhere. And then the next thing I know, somebody messages me that she has passed away as well.

In less than 7 days, two people, one I was acquainted with and the other I shared woes and fears with (during our undergraduate research project and cramming sessions in subjects we both shared) passed away. .It's always so depressing to hear of someone you know pass away. More so when you take into consideration that they're just around the same age as me. 27! That is too young to say you've lived your life to the fullest!

I was very sad after hearing the two news of death. It got me thinking, why is it that my peers who I feel were good in their life die out, and yet myself, who parties, smoke(d), wastes money on unnecessary, speak profanity, rants a lot, who is mostly a cynic, get to live my life longer? What purpose does death serve? People will say, God has a purpose for everyone, well, I'm not quite sure what my purpose is now to be honest. My interest does not go as far beyond my self, family, friends and some extended friends. I don't think at the moment my interest in maybe helping out to some extent humanity has bore fruits of action.

To DS and Homer, may you both rest in peace. I hope that where you guys are, there is no more suffering.
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So... tomorrow, by lunch time, I'll have arrived in Bali.
Not so much plans or research yet as I did before going to Siem Reap.
It will just be a time to get away from Singapore...to enjoy life and think of things as the sun sets in Bali.
Maybe find out the value of life and what purpose each of us serve.

Or, it can just become a romantic get-away with white water rafting mixed along.

CH158: Bintan Getaway

CP has suggested a vacation after all the stress we had the past week or two. The obvious choice of course was Bintan for a beach getaway.

Initially CP was assigned to book rooms and I have the links I found from Web Asia because they had the most affordable rates. CP ended up booking something more expensive and I arranged to have it cancelled ahead of CP saying it was okay.

So, end result is when CP tried to book it again, it didnt go through and we got to Bintan without any booking. But, we proceeded to same result and CP booked the rooms while I attended to some work.

CP, without my knowledge, booked a chalet facing the sea. X_x

The resort was amazing! We booked at te Mayang Sari resort which is part of the Nirwana Gardens group (they have beach hotel where water activities are and the main hotel where the pool and kiddie area is).

We went from Friday-Sunday to make the most out of the experience. To say, the least, it was a very relaxing and fun weekend. I appreciate as well the ferry between SG and Bintan as it was unexpectedly comfortable. It was nice waking up with just the sea a walk away from your doorstep.

Pictures!