Sanur, Kuta, Jimbaran '16

We didn't have as much time to plan for this trip as opposed to our previous ones. My husband was stationed in Perak for work, and we didn't know when that project of his was going to end or if he could even get any time off from work. Hence, everything was planned and booked just a mere week before the trip. This is highly not recommended folks, because last minute bookings = more money spent. We had a pretty tough time trying to get fair priced airfares, but with a little tweak of plans and itinerary, we managed to get tickets that were still within our budget. Finding places to stay wasn't as difficult - as a matter of fact, we were spoilt for choice.

And thus began another #hfzimntrvls adventure.

8th May 2016
We only had a couple of hours that morning to pack, print our bookings, prepare ten days worth of food for our bubba, change our ringgits to rupiahs, and attend a wedding before our four o'clock flight. There were just so much to do, and so little time!!! Praise the Lord, we managed to get everything done, and still be on time for our flight (well, barely to be honest).

We smothered our little bubba with bear hugs and wet kisses, and said our goodbyes. Arrived at the airport and checked in just in time before the doors closed (/phew). We had to change our money at the airport as we didn't get the chance to do it earlier. If you can avoid doing so, avoid it. You can get more money for less at almost any other money changers outside of the airport. I personally do not like to carry too much cash with me for security reasons, hence I also activated my ATM card for overseas use prior to boarding my flight.

First stop - Bali! The journey took three hours, and the two of us arrived at Ngurah Rai Airport via Malindo Air just before 8PM. We decided to hire a private car instead of taking the airport taxi as we figured that it would be cheaper. This soon proved to be a mistake as the driver had decided to charge us more than what was agreed on because he 'took the wrong way' and had to make a 'long' u-turn. Yep, we got conned in less than an hour after stepping foot in Bali. I had chosen for us to stay in Sanur because the boat that leads us to our second destination departs from Sanur beach. D'Joemah Nadja Homestay, a gem of a place that is tucked away from the hectic streets of Sanur. I fell in love with it's tranquility and homey feel as soon as I stepped foot in it's premises. The place isn't very big, but that is what made it so significant I feel. It was the little things - the outdoor dining space, the garden and mini pool, the quaint little reading space... We didn't have any complaints regarding our room either. To be honest, we were caught off guard at how pleasant the place was.

It was pouring rather heavily that night, and with no halal food in sight, we settled for KFC (most of the big fast food chains are halal) across the street. Unlike Kuta, Sanur is more laid-back and serene, but that could also be because we didn't stay at the central of Sanur. After we filled our stomachs, we went to get some necessities at the mart before retiring for the night.

9th May 2016

We woke up later than we meant to and only had a few minutes to wash up before they stop serving breakfast. The staff was however very accommodating and courteous despite us showing up at the dining space five minutes before breakfast supposedly ended. The breakfast menu consisted of a few choices, but we settled for toast and scrambled eggs aka the halal choice. Oh, and did I mention how much beautiful the homestay is in the morning? Once we were done devouring our breakfast and savoring the charisma of our homestay, we decided to take a walk to the central of Sanur.

The walk took us about twenty minutes. We spent hours walking around aimlessly down different streets and alleyways, unearthing secret havens and random places without the help of a map. The type of tourists you see in Sanur and in Kuta are thoroughly disparate - the laid-back nature of Sanur seems to attract families rather than the common rambunctious crowd you'll come across in Kuta. After chartering around almost the whole central of Sanur, we decided to stop for lunch. Scouting for halal food was harder than we presumed. We walked around for another good one hour before deciding to dine at one of the many seafood warungs along Semawang beach. We shared a portion of mahi-mahi fillet which was served with rice, two different kinds of sambal, and some vegetables. The fish was delicious especially when eaten with the sambal. One of the things that I absolutely love about Indonesia is their sambal!

My husband and I explored Sanur on foot a bit more before deciding to take a cab to Kuta. Kuta was like a whole different world. If you come to Kuta expecting culture, temples, and quiet beaches, then you will be thoroughly disappointed. It is clamorous, crowded, with bars and tourists attractions left, right, and centre. The streets are filled with drunken half-naked foreigners who don't think twice about tossing their trash on the ground, and screaming out profanities to everyone and/or anyone they pass by on the street. Combine this with a ceaseless collection of western fast food chains, clothing shops, and street vendors selling t-shirts that read "Suck It or Leave", "You're a Homo", "Up The Bum, No Babies", and the likes. It is really easy to forget that you are actually in beautiful Indonesia when in Kuta.

A big part of me feels sorry for the Balinese locals who are forced to watch their home fall into disarray. And because they have families to feed, they have no choice but to stoop down to a somewhat infantile level and fill their shops with profanity t-shirts and wooden penises. These items are obviously highly sought after because why else would the locals be selling all these nonsense? Opinions may differ, but I feel that Kuta is the poster child of tourism gone wrong. It is upsetting to know that this small piece of paradise have turned into a booze, drugs and sex playground for many. If you are into partying and the nightlife scene, then Kuta may be for you. But it is definitely not for my husband and I. The constant obstacle course to avoid all the unnecessary commotions gets tiring after a while.

So why did I decide to go to Kuta in the first place? Because I wanted to show my husband the other side of Bali. Because I wanted to see how much have changed since my two previous Bali trips. And also because we needed to find a place to pray, and I was certain we could find one in Kuta.

Before the night got darker, and the parties got wilder, we hailed a cab to Jimbaran. I've heard and read so much about the infamous beach side candle-lit dinner over at Jimbaran, and I didn't want to miss the chance to experience it myself this time. Our cab driver had offered to wait for us, and send us home once we were done with dinner (for a little extra $$$), and I'm glad we decided to take up on that offer because getting a cab at night over at Jimbaran isn't exactly easy. We requested for our driver to take us to a halal restaurant and he took us to Jukung Bali Seafood. They had a really stunning and romantic setting by the waves. We unfortunately missed the sunset, but the view was still spectacular nonetheless. The only drawback was that the food was profoundly overpriced, but we were already expecting this - we knew that at Jimbaran Bay, it is not just about the food, but it is more about the luxurious experience of dining on the beach. We settled for one of the set menus which consisted of a variety of seafood such as lobster, fish, squid, clams, and king prawns. These were served with a pot of rice, a vegetable dish, soup, two drinks, and also fruits for dessert.

Hafiz and I enjoyed our dinner so much that we cleaned the whole seafood platter up. The clams and lobster were our favorites. There was a live band going around from table to table whilst we were enjoying our dessert. Although they were quite the entertainers, they sort of pressure people (especially tourists of course) to tip them. They didn't really give us choice when they shoved their tipping hat in our faces. For the most part, it was a wonderful experience that we'd recommend to those who don't mind spending a little. We had a boat to catch early in the morning hence we went back straight to our homestay after out little feast.

Travelling Tips

• Book your tickets and accommodations early. The earlier you book, the less you spend.
• Change your money beforehand. If you decide to change your money in a foreign country, make sure you recount the money given to you on the spot so you don't get cheated on.
• Activate your ATM card for overseas use. This is good for emergencies!
• Master the art of bargaining. Most places in Indonesia have 'local prices' and 'tourist prices'.
• If you can't find halal food in Bali, opt for fast food chains like McDonald's, KFC, Burger King, Pizza Hut, etc. They're all halal.
• If you plan on using public transportations, research the prices beforehand so you'll know how much is too much.
• When you take a cab, make sure your driver uses the meter.