Padang- Padang Beach Uluwatu Surf Spot

Padang – Padang Beach Surf Point

Padang – Padang Beach

Padang – Padang beach White Sand

ang – Padang Barrel Waves

Youth and Teenage Ministry GKKA

yang terdiri dari

Remaja yang gaul-gaul..

dan

Pemuda yang kece-kece..

Akhirnya sampailah kami di perhentian pertama di tempat ibadah 5 agama..Di tempat ini ada pura,,gereja,,wihara,,katedral,,dan masjid yang dibangun tepat bersebelahan satu sama lain..Keliatan banget yaa toleransi antar umat beragamanya..Kami berhenti sebentar di sini..Ada yang foto-foto,,ada yang masuk ke gerejanya,,tapi kebanyakan sii pada nyamperin Owin.. Setelah istirahat sejenak,,kemudian kami melanjutkan perjalanan kami ke Pantai Kutuh..Melewati jalan kecil di mana ada tumbuhan-tumbuhan hijau di kanan kirinya..Satu hal yang paliiiiingg aku sesali di perjalanan kali ini adalah aku ga bisa naik motor..Bener-bener nyebelin daahh..Padahal enak banget tuuh bawa motor sendiri sambil dengerin musik pake headset..Aah,,sudahlah.. -__-’
Tibalah kami di jalan yang lebih lebar tapi kering dan gersang..Berbanding terbalik dengan jalan yang sebelumnya begitu hijau dan menyejukan..Jadi inget waktu pergi ke Sendawar..Kondisi jalannya mirip kayak di sana,,kanan kiri batu kapur yang habis dikeruk,,kering dan gersang..Tapi begitu masuk ke jalan yang lebih kecil lagi,,tibalah kami di tebing-tebing yang menakjubkan itu..Walaupun aku udah pernah liat waktu survey,,tetep aja ga bisa nahan bilang “Waaaaawwwww” waktu liat tebing-tebingnya..Untung aja ga pake salto..Bener-bener luar biasa,,keren abiss daah..Mungkin kalau dilihat dari foto biasa aja,,berhubung aku melihatnya secara langsung dan pake mata kepala sendiri *ya iyaa masa mata orang laen??!* jadinya pemandangan tersebut bener-bener tampak indah dan luar biasa dhee..

Tebing di tepi jalan..

Ini tebing di sepanjang jalan sebelum sampai di pantai..

Dan yang ditunggu akhirnya tiba juga,,yaitu PANTAAII…!! Pantai di sini ternyata masih bener-bener bersih dan terawat..Boleh laah untuk nyebur-nyeburin kaki dikit,,trus nyeburin tangan dikit,,basah-basahin kepala laah dikit..Enak banget,,dengan ombak yang ga terlalu kenceng,,kalo dibandingin sama pantai di double six,,di sini enak untuk main-main atau berenang..Yaah,,tapi aku sendiri ga bisa komentar banyak tentang pantainya karena aku ga ikutan nyebur..Cuma bisa ikutan ngeliatin yang lagi pada asyik nyebur..Menyedihkan.. *tanem diri di dalem pasir*

Tampak pantai dari atas tebing..Keren yaa??

Ombaknya yang tenang enak untuk berenang..

Di sini udah acara bebas..Ada yang mau berenang boleeh,,mau main pasir boleeh,,mau nongkrong menikmati pantainya juga boleeh..Kebanyakan sii pada milih main air alias nyebur..Tapi tetep juga ada yang main voli,,ada yang main pasir,,ada yang guling-guling di pasir,,bahkan ada juga yang bolak balik ngumpulin rumput laut..Di sini ternyata banyak juga looh rumput lautnya..Mungkin jadi mata pencaharian penduduk di sini kali yaa..Hmm,,

Ada yang berenang,,

Ada yang main pasir..Melatih team work nii ceritanya..

Yang ini asyik main voli pantai..

Di sini bisa sewa kano juga looh..

Ada juragan rumput laut..hihihiii…. :p

Guling-guling di pasir..Bosen guling-guling di kasur.. :p

Model majalah Trubus..

Lomba berenang untuk semua usia..

Setelah siang,,perut mulai ber-keroncong ria..Akhirnya semua makan siang dan ditutup dengan minuman yang luar biasa yaituuuu…

ES KELAPA MUDAAAA…!!

Habis puas main dan perut sudah terisi akhirnya pada bersih-bersih laah mereka semua..Ada yang langsung mandi,,ada yang meres-meres baju dulu,,ada yang jemur baju sekalian sama badan-badannya,,ada yang jilat-jilat badan kayak kucing duduk-duduk manis nungguin yang masih mandi,,kemudian kami pulang kembali ke Denpasar..Dan selesai laah liburan kami kali ini di Pantai Kutuh..Bener-bener ga nyesel dan ga kapok main ke pantai ini..Semoga ajaa di lain waktu bisa main ke Pantai Kutuh lagi..

Ugh! It’s raining again all day So, for those of you guys who don’t know. Indonesia only have 2 seasons, Indonesia is a (semi)tropical country. Those 2 seasons are rainy and sunny (summer, we said). Each divided fairly to 6 months each. Indonesia consist of loads of islands, we have around 13.000 islands. I live in the capital city and if you know Bali it is actually part of Indonesia, so do the beautiful Karimun Jawa, Wakatobi island, Irian Jaya, etc. 

Anyway, January is still part of our rainy season. It is pretty exhausting, because I’m an outdoor person. But, to make this day beautiful I wear a mini dress that my mom made for me. It’s simple and make my silhouette look beautiful. Even though today I only went to the bank (to open a new account, finally) and hypermarket. It made my day quite sunny and flowery Thank you, mommy.

Cute hair tie by Uluwatu

Plus, I tie my hair with a special hair tie made in Bali, Indonesia by Uluwatu. It has sweetened my day :9

Love,

Prue

]]> http://kartamihardja.wordpress.com/2013/01/25/hanoman-obong/ Fri, 25 Jan 2013 08:05:49 +0000 kartamihardja http://kartamihardja.wordpress.com/2013/01/25/hanoman-obong/

Shita’s kidnapped by Ravana, Rama’s heart sinked to know that shita’s missing. knowing this hanuman’s volunteer to search and locate shita. Beyond his journey, hanuman finds out that shita is in the hand of ravana. He is expect to know more and spy on Ravanna, but to Ravana finds out and captured hanuman. To punish hanuman and to show his power Ravana execute hanuman by burning him alive at dusk. By this time Hanuman felt that the information he needed to gather is enough and to surprised Ravana, he stand up and freeing himself by scattered up the fire that supposed to burn him by kicking it in rage. Hanuman escaped and then get back to Rama with the information he’s gathered.

The Rage of Hanuman (Hanoman Obong) is one part of the Ramayana story that bring strong memories to it’s viewer. ‘Hanoman Obong’ also become the name of the performance that I have watched, rather than ‘Ramayana’ as it’s title. Guess you’ll know what to expect when you heard the name from now.

Terima Kasih, no idioma local, quer dizer obrigado. Então, obrigado, Bali, por nos proporcionar momentos tão enriquecedores e inesquecíveis, e ter deixado recordações incríveis, que vão durar para a vida inteira. Terima Kasih, Bali.

Uluwatu Temple, in Bali’s Bukit Peninsula, is an incredibly breathtaking sight. Words cannot describe the feeling you get as you stand on the edge, looking out at that beautiful cliff, and the ocean, that seems to go on forever, into the horizon.

O templo de Uluwatu, na península de Bukit, é um lugar simplesmente impressionante. É impossível descrever a sensação de ficar de pé bem na pontinha, olhando para aquela paisagem de tirar o fôlego, e o mar, que parece nunca acabar.

Our last night in Bali was definitely a good one. We were just taking an evening walk down the beach, and I went into the shallow water with my camera, and there it was, that amazing sunset.

Nossa última noite em Bali foi ótima. Fizemos uma caminhada pela praia, e fechamos a viagem com esse pôr-do-sol deslumbrante.

Next stop: Malaysia!

Próxima parada: Malásia!

- Daniel

@ Uluwatu 

Another beach visit! Padang-Padang Beach, Uluwatu

I heart this beach! It’s rather secluded as we had to squeeze in a very narrow cave with equally narrow steps to go down to the beach, but the beach was gorgeous and there were a lot of butterflies there!

And I love butterflies! They just make everything ten thousands prettier, including the beach.

All good things must come to an end

And this concludes our Christmas trip. So long Bali! Until next time!

Madeline slept throughout the flight home, and I couldn’t feel my arm afterwards. But we were both excited to see a smiling Diaz, waiting for us by the arrival gate at Jakarta.

Next: Semarang New Year’s Trip! *hosh!*

It’s cold here. Tired and seeking warmth, I close my eyes and fade away into my mind for memories of the past year. Here’s a bit of what I uncovered in my head when I was listening to this song…

Inspired by Noah Cohen’s 2012 Innersection entry.

Rp 400,000-Rp 500,000
(price negotiable because we care for our guests.)

• Pick-Up from Hotel

• Breakfast at Place of Choice

• Padang-Padang Beach

• Relax, Tan, Swim and Enjoy the Amazing View at Padang-Padang

• Dreamland/Bingin/Balangan Beach( your choice)

• Visit to the breath-taking Uluwatu Temple during Sunset

• Experience the Balinese Culture at GWK (Garuda Wisnu Kencana)

• Watch the mystical and cultural Kecak Dance

• Jimbaran Seafood Dinner ( Enjoy the moonlight breeze and crashing waves as you have dinner by the beach.)

The Chinese Garden Pagoda, Singapore, 2008  (Sony Ericsson K790i)

The City Old Guardian, Talasalapang Makassar, 2010 (Nokia E71)

The Tales of Uluwatu’s Cliff, 2008 (Sony Ericsson K800i)

The Sun Rays over Makassar Bay, 2007 (Sony Ericsson K790i)

The Lights of Modern Living, 2008 (Sony Ericsson K790i)

The Cactus Sanctuary -Bali Botanical Garden- 2008 (Sony Ericsson K800i)

Lucu bila sifat galak digunakan untuk haiwan. “Kalau kita, galak tu maksudnya gatal merenyam hehehe”. Yatt ketawa, aku dan Abid pon ketawa sampai terhincut-hincut bahu. Rui mengiringi kami membeli tiket persembahan tarian kecak-kecak sebelum membawa kami mengitari kawasan pura lama itu. Persembahan akan bermula sebaik sahaja matahari terbenam. Setiap pengunjung diberikan tali kain berwarna kuning untuk diikat dipinggang. Aku pakai dengan perasaan was-was. Adakah ini dikira mengikut perlakuan keagamaan? Pengunjung yang berseluar pendek pula diberikan selembar kain. Mereka mengikat dua hujung di pinggang menjadi kain belah.

Meninjau tebing tinggi di Uluwatu sangat-sangat mengujakan. Nun jauh di bawah, pasir putih menadah pantai yang sempit. Ombak selalu menghempas keras pada tebing yang berlekak-lekuk, menghasilkan busa putih dan tebal di atas pasir. Begitu buih tak sempat hilang ombak yang lain pula tiba. Indahnya ciptaan Allah.

Para pengunjung berlumba-lumba menunjukkan keberanian bergambar sedekat mungkin dengan tebing. Aku rasa tercabar. Aku juga hairan, entah ke mana perginya penyakit gayatku. Aku duduk hanya sejengkal dari tebing. Abid menyuarakan kekhuatiran. Aku hanya senyum. Dua hari lepas ketika kami di Tanah Lot aku rasa seram bukan main melihat bule-bule (orang putih) bergambar. Padahal, berbanding tebing Uluwatu, apalah sangat tebing di Tanah Lot tu, setinggi tebing parit sahaja.

“Aku dah tinggalkan gayat di Gunung Batur” ujarku berseloroh.

Pengunjung semakin ramai. Kami terlalu seronok, suka berlama-lama di satu-satu tempat. Kalau tidak kerana Rui, memang asyik saja kami mengambil gambar. Berkali-kali Rui ingatkan kami perlu bersegera supaya dapat melihat keseluruhan kawasan pura dan masuk ke pentas kecak-kecak lebih awal supaya dapat tempat duduk yang strategik.

“Supaya dapat melihat sunsetnya, sekali melihat tariannya” Kata Rui. Oh.. tarian mistik berlatar belakangkan matahari terbenam di celahan dua tanduk identiti khas Bali,…serasa bulu roma lenganku meremang.

Pap! Imaginasi, sila pergi dahulu.

“Tolong ambilkan gambar bertiga” aku hulur kamera pada Rui.

Aku, Yatt dan Abid bersandar pada tembok. Latar kami ialah laut dan tebing tinggi Uluwatu. Agak susah untuk bergambar kerana semakin ramai pengunjung lalu lalang. Sedang kami mengukirkan seikhlas senyuman, tiba-tiba Yatt menjerit. Aku merasai kesan daya dari sesuatu yang bergerak laju di belakang kami. Ohh! monyet rupanya. Benarlah, galak sungguh!

“Cermin mata kita!” wajah Yatt separuh pucat.

Monyet tadi telah meragut cermin mata yang sedang dipakainya. Ya! cermin mata itu sedang di pakainya! bukan, dia tidak memakainya di atas kepala tetapi di muka! Monyet itu meragut cermin mata dari mukanya! Dan Yatt memakai tudung, maksudnya kaki cermin mata terselit di celahan tudung. Sang monyet benar-benar berani, pantas dan errr… profesional?

Keadaaan huru hara. Serta-merta kami menjadi perhatian. Belum sempat aku mewaraskan fikiran, sepantas kilat datang lagi seekor monyet ke arah kami. Sekali lagi kami menjerit. Beg sandang kecilku tertarik dan aku cuma mampu menekup muka dengan telapak tangan. Namun, mujur cuma botol air dari poket sisi yang diragutnya, bukan beg. Sungguh , aku terkejut dan ketakutan. Jantung mengepam darah dua kali lebih laju. Nafas menjadi pendek.

Yatt tersebik-sebik, seperti mahu menangis melihat sang monyet menayang-nayangkan cermin mata Bonia asli yang baru saja dibeli beberapa bulan lalu. Sang monyet membuka mulutnya besar-besar, menyeringai sehingga taringnya kelihatan seolah-olah tersengih. Dia langsung tidak takut malah mengejek-ngejek pula. Patah hati Yatt melihat sang monyet mengigit cermin matanya. Setiap kali sang monyet mengepak-ngepak kaki cermin mata yang malang itu, kami sama-sama menjerit “Jangan!” spontan menunjukkan isyarat tangan suapaya Sang monyet berhenti melakukannya. Hmm.. kau kira Sang monyet tidak faham? Sang monyet semakin seronok memprovokasi kami.

Keadaan semakin kecoh.  Seorang remaja Eropah mencampakkan sebiji kacang ke arah sang monyet. Jauh tersasar. Ah.. Rui, kemana saja kamu di waktu ini? Aku menoleh ke belakang dengan tujuan mencari Rui. Sekali lagi aku terperanjat, bukan kerana ada monyet dibelakangku. Tetapi begitu ramainya orang yang berkumpul menyaksikan drama kami. Masing-masing dengan kamera seperti wartawan berebut gossip sensasi. Mataku berkelip-kelip menahan flash. Tak semena-mena muncul Yuna Zarai. Dia bersandar di dinding pura, matanya kecil melawan silau mentari petang. Dengan santai memetik gitar dan menyayi….  I can’t believe we almost got famous for nothing baby….. oooooo

Pap! imaginasi sila pergi dahulu!!

 Aku tak tau harus bereaksi apa. Melihat aksi monyet – cemas, muka sebik yatt – kasihan dan para pengunjung yang berebut-rebut mendapatkan sudut gambar terbaik – lucu. Yuna Zarai telah hilang tapi suaranya masih kedengaran. Mengulang-ulang baris yang sama. Dari rasa tegang timbul rasa geli hati. Aku tak dapat menahan ketawa. Aku memaut bahu Yatt, cuba menenangkannya. Orang yang di cari-cari, Rui, muncul dengan dua orang menjaga pura.

“Rekam ekpresinya!” Rui ketawa kecil memandang kami sambil memetik picu kameraku yang masih di tangannya sejak tadi. Tiada riak kasihan di wajahnya, tetapi kami sangat berterima kasih kerana dia cepat bertindak. Ah.. Rui, adakah engkau kecil hati kerana kami meremehkan nasihatmu lalu engkau meminta kepada Tuhan supaya kami diberikan pengajaran?

Akhirnya, Yatt mendapat semula cermin mata kesayangannya. Tetapi skru sudah senget dan beberapa kesan gigitan monyet dibahagian tengah. Ketika menyusur laluan ke pentas kecak-kecak. Rui menyuruh kami rakam gambar pura dari jauh.

“Kalau orang tanya, apa buktinya sudah ke Bali,nah.. lihat saja fotonya!”.

“Kaca matanya juga boleh jadi bukti hehehe” ujarku

Nota__________________________________________________________________________________

Melihat tarian kecak-kecak buat aku banyak berfikir. Kecak-kecak sebenarnya cerita klasik Hindu. Kisah Rama, Sita dan Hanuman. Betapa jauhnya pengaruh agama Hindu berkembang pada masa dulu. Bayangkan jarak antara India dan Bali. Walaubagaimanapon agama Hindu di Bali sangat berbeza dengan Agama hindu di India. Kecak-kecak menyedarkan aku – tiada satu tarian kebudayaan pon yang tidak menerima pengaruh dari tempat lain. Budaya mempengaruh dan dipengaruh. Justeru ia dikongsi, tidak dimiliki secara total oleh sesuatu kaum.

Di satu sudut lagi, aku agak kecewa Bali tidak menerima tempias gelombang Islam yang melanda Pulau Jawa. Sekarang bayangkan jarak antara Pulau Jawa dan Bali.

Eco luxury does not get any better than this. The Singapore based Alila brand has a firm grasp of what it takes to do it right. It is a brand to watch in the coming years with 20 new properties launching in Asia as well as Portugal. Uluwatu is only 30 minutes from the airport (depending on traffic) and does indeed have the same WOW effect as Soori. Stunning views, cliff-top balconies overlooking the ocean, beautifully designed villas with their own pool and decking, indoor and outdoor showers and just space. They understand space. They design spaces that make you immediately feel you are not “in Kansas” any more. It is unlike anything we run into in our everyday lives, or even in our customary luxury moments.

GETTING THERE

There are several ways to go to Bali. Since I’m going there from Kuala Lumpur, the easiest would be to just take a direct flight. Managed to buy a ticket on promotional price from Air Asia. Paid only RM371 for return tickets!! If you go to Bali by flight, you will land at Ngurah Rai International Airport, also known as Denpasar International Airport.

Please take note that you will need to pay airport departure tax upon departure from Bali. It can be paid in cash and in Indonesian Rupiah only. The rate will be Rp 150,000 (international departure) and Rp 40,000 (domestic departure). So do remember to keep enough money with you. Infants under 2 years old are exempted from departure tax.

VISA

Visa on arrival: Westerners can just apply for Visa upon arrival. Just bring along your passport with at least 6 months remaining validity, 2 recent passport photos and $25.

Visa in advance: Obtain visa from Indonesian embassy before arrival.

Visa waiver: Show passport, get stamped & that’s it! Applies to selected, mostly ASEAN countries – including Malaysia!

GETTING AROUND

Getting around Bali is not that difficult. You can rent your own car or bike (you will need to have an International Driving Permit), walk (I did this from Seminyak-Kuta-Seminyak), take a taxi (use Blue Bird since it’s quite cheap & the the most reliable taxi company) or hire a driver (I did this for 3 days tour)

DRIVER SERVICE FOR BALI TOUR

Visiting places like Tanah Lot, Kintamani, Jimbaran, etc. will definitely requires driving and NOT walking. For my 3 days tour, I did hire a driver. Managed to get a contact from the internet and I was so glad that I asked him to be my driver, or known as SUPIR. He was so nice & since he is local, he knows A LOT of interesting places. I provided him with my own itinerary but it changed along the way; added with a lot of interesting places! He also knows a lot of people there so he can help you to get a very nice deal for example for a spa treatment or water sport package. The price for his service is one of the cheapest that I can find. Price is based on per car (not per head & his car – MPV, can fit 7 people! The more people, the cheaper it will be). Price include car+petrol+driver. He is also a music teacher there, so I did learn how to play RINDIK or Bamboo music from him. Such a good & enjoyable experience! See us playing a duet by [CLICKING HERE]. If you are planning to go to Bali, please do contact him (you won’t regret it! I promise you!) and just tell him, TEH (that’s me) recommended him to you.

• NAME: Pak Bram
• PHONE NO: +628123922449
• EMAIL: bramsadia@yahoo.com
• WEBSITE: http://bestbalitour-bram.blogspot.com

ACCOMMODATION

MY 7 DAYS ITINERARY

Here’s my itinerary for my 7 days in Bali. Worth every second & every rupiah spent!

Day 1

• Fly from KL to Bali
• Check in Tune Hotels, Legian

Day 2 (day tour using driver service)

• Pick up at hotel – 8.30 am
• Barong & Kris Dance (Rp 100,000)
• Shopping at Hawaii Bali Oleh Oleh
• Nusa Dua – Theater area
• Nusa Dua Tanjong Benoa – water sport area
• Lunch at Seafood Lagoon
• Golden Kirrin Coffee Factory
• Padang Padang Beach – location for Eat, Pray, Love movie
• Uluwatu (Rp 20,000)
• Dinner at Jimbaran Bay – dinner on the beach + sunset

Day 3

• Breakfast at Legian Beach
• Walk from Legian Beach to Kuta – stopping by shops along Jalan Legian, Ground Zero: Bali Bombing Memorial Park, Kuta Art Market & Discovery Mall
• Walk back from Kuta to hotel
• Hangout at Legian Beach + watching sunset

Day 4 (day tour using driver service)

• Pick up at hotel – 9.00 am
• Mengwi, Taman Ayun (Rp 15,000)
• Coffee Plantation
• Lunch at Pacung – rice terrace view
• Pura Ulun Danu Beratan, Bedugul (Rp 30,000)
• Bali Butterfly Park (Rp 65,000)
• Monkey Forest (Rp 20,000, and do give some tips to the guide)
• Tanah Lot (Rp 30,000)

Day 5 (day tour using driver service)

• Pick up at hotel – 9.00 am
• Sari Amertha Batik
• Segaru Windu – basket weaving
• Prapen Jewellery – gold & silver
• Traditional Balinese Style House (do give some tips to the home owner)
• Art Gallery
• Wood Carving
• Lunch at Kintamani – volcano mountain view (entrance fee Rp 15,000, exclude lunch)
• Pura Besakih (Rp 20,000 + donation fee)
• Mahagiri – rice terrace view + coffee plantation
• Kertha Gosa (Rp 12,000)
• Tegenungan Waterfall (Rp 5,000)
• Kecak & Fire Dance – at Batu Bulan (Rp 100,000)
• Shopping at Krishna

NOTES: Please be aware that there might be some people that will try to con you at Pura Besakih. They will tell you that you will NEED A TOUR GUIDE so that you can walk around all the places inside and they will ask you to pay around Rp 300,000 or more. You can just say no & can still walk around the place with no restriction. Once you have passed the ‘guides’, there will still be someone saying the same thing but they claim to be the ‘Pura keeper’. They will bring you around and once finish, they will ask for money, and keep asking you to pay more! I’m talking based on experience. If you need a guide then it’s ok. If no, just say no.

Day 6

• Brunch at Warung Murah
• Wander around Seminyak on foot
• Hangout in hotel – resting + watching movie
• Legian beach – surfing lesson
• Aromatic Balinese Full Body Massage

Day 7

• Checkout from hotel – latest is 11.00 am
• Brunch at Warung Murah
• Manicure
• Off to airport

INTERESTING PLACES

• Nusa Dua & Tanjong Benoa – a place to enjoy great scenery & water sport

• Padang Padang Beach – the movie ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ featuring Julia Roberts was shot here

• Uluwatu – Pura by the cliff. Just be careful with the monkeys here. Keep your sunglasses in your bag because they might steal it

• Jimbaran Bay – a nice & romantic place to enjoy dinner on the beach while watching sunset

• Taman Ayun, Mengwi

• Pacung – enjoy lunch with rice terrace view

• Pura Ulun Danu Beratan, Bedugul

• Bali Butterfly Park

• Monkey Forest

• Tanah Lot

• Kintamani – mountain view. Raining & foggy when I was there so not much of nice photos but this is a very nice place with very nice view (if the sky is clear).

• Pura Besakih – also known as mother of all temple

• Mahagiri – rice terrace view. Great for having lunch or just go to the coffee plantation

• Kertha Gosa

• Tegenungan Waterfall

• Kuta – The most happening and crowded place. Kuta beach is also the most popular beach for tourist who go to Bali. It is the center of tourism.

• Legian & Seminyak – Full of shops along the street & beautiful beach! I love Legian Beach!

• Ubud – A town with all Bali cultural attractions which includes temples, traditional performances, handicraft such as painting, batik, basket weaving and wood carving. It is a popular center for exploring Bali’s countryside and rich culture.

• Lovina – go to Lovina for dolphin watching but you need to wake up really early
• Gitgit Waterfall – if you do go to Lovina, don’t forget to stop by Gitgit Waterfall

THINGS TO DO

• Barong & Kris Dance

• Kecak & Fire Dance – watch video by [CLICKING HERE]

• Go to the beach or Tanjong Benoa – swim, relax, surf, snorkeling, scuba diving, banana boat, paragliding, etc. Had my first surfing lesson at Legian Beach & it was awesome! Manage to stand on my third attempt I can’t swim but at least I can say that i can surf … a little

• Watch sunset or sunrise

• Get a spa treatment

• Enjoy or buy coffee at coffee factory or coffee plantation

• Watch ceremonies at local temple (also known as ‘PURA’)

• Watch or learn traditional dances or music

• Sight-seeing – do visit all of those interesting places
• White water rafting, ATV, hiking, elephant ride
• Go to night safari or Bali zoo
• Shopping
• Enjoy local food

SHOPPING

There are many places where you can just go and buy souvenirs, etc. There are a lot of shops along Jalan Legian, Kuta Art Market, etc. The most important thing to remember is to HAGGLE! As you walk, there might be sellers trying to sell you things. If you are not interested do let them know and don’t ask if you are not really interested. They are trying to make a living so do not waste their time.

If haggling is not for you, do go to Hawaii Bali Oleh Oleh or Krishna. The prices for all items are fix but it is sooooo dammmnnnn cheap!! I prefer to shop at these 2 places compared to shops along the street. Believe me, all items are SO CHEAPPPPP!!!!

FOOD

More readings on Bali:

• http://www.airasia.com/my/en/destinations/bali.page?
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Bali
• http://www.bali-traveltips.com/
• http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/Indonesia/Bali/TravelGuide-Bali.html
• http://www.bali-paradise.com/traveltips.cfm
• http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g294226-c133570/Bali:Indonesia:Bali.Tour.Itinerary.html
• http://www.bali-travel-life.com/

VISIT MY TRAVEL BLOG:

 farahzulkiflygoingplaces.wordpress.com

D

Big boss santai sejenak kekenyangan.

Canon sx150is

Before we got to Sumbawa, we stayed 1 day in Kuta to sort out things like motorbikes. We’ve surfed Ulus which was fun too despite wet season. It was not the usual Ulus perfection but still great especially when you just arrive from 1ft Bondi dribbles. On the way to Ulus we got ‘robbed’ by the Bali police. Well not really but kind of. I thought we’ve got it all covered as we were smart enough to get an international driver’s licence but surely they still found an excuse to squeeze out some money out of us. Oh well…only in Bali. We then made our way through Bali on the motorbikes, then ferry to Lombok, crossed Lombok on the bikes and then another ferry before we arrived in Sumbawa. The trip was fairly smooth apart from a flat tire in my scooter but it was no big deal and got easily fixed on the way. Just wonder how that cut got into the inside of my tire…

Oh well, in Sumbawa now, that’s what counts…Waves have been great. 3-4ft glass every day and fairly empty line ups. It’s been a bit small yesterday but I needed a rest anyway. This morning, there were some crackers coming through again. Similar to Java, Sumbawa’s landscapes are stunning and are not yet tainted too much by tourists. Absolute paradise. Well before you get jealous, let me tell you paradise comes at a price. The currency is insect bites. Not only mozzies, but bed bugs, sea lice and all kind of flies and flees …oh did I mention spiders…there are spiders too.. so lots of spiders which bite too I figured…they can make paradise hell. I think I’ve got about 50 bites on my back which does not make for a great sleep at the best of times. I’ve never been so itchy in my life. But you live and learn, got my strategies now to deal with the nasty buggers but ye takes a bit getting used to. It’s boiling hot too. I’ve already had my fair share of sunburn and I’m staying out of the surf during lunchtime no matter how perfect the tides are. Almost got a sun stroke the other day. It would have been about 40 degrees and the water around 28…not much cooling down there.

Anyway, peeps gotta go…it’s also boiling hot in the internet café…and surf’s calling.

Have a great Chrissy everyone and hope you get some surf in good old Bondi too even if it’s just anklebiters…little wave better than no wave….

x

Clauds

ps sorry no pics by the looks of it….the pc here does not like my cam…

And these are some of the places where I had been hiding, alone:

Cocoon Beach Club, Jl. Double Six no. 66, Blue Ocean Boulevard, Legian.

Just come early in the morning (while it’s still empty) for breakfast, plunge into the swimming pool every once and a while, and then spend the rest of your time sunbathing while reading some good books.

Gusto Gelato & Caffè, 67 B Jalan Umalas 2, Kerobokan, Seminyak

A tiny gem in Kerobokan! Located inside a small road, these gelato shop is offering the most delicious gelato I’ve ever tasted so far. And it’s cheap, too! For USD$2 or around IDR 20,000, you could have one luscious cup of gelato; and the portion is generous! Don’t forget to try the chocolate chili. Amazingly hot and spicy!

Kunyit Bali, Jalan Kartika Plaza, Kuta.

Craving for some Balinese food? Stop by at Kunyit Bali. Lovely place, good food (the crispy duck is amazingly delicious), friendly staff, cozy ambience.

Nammos Beach Club, Jalan Villa Kandara, Banjar Wijaya Kusuma, Ungasan.

Located inside the luxurious Karma Kandara resort, you need to pay USD$35 to ride an elevator down to Nammos Beach Club (the elevator ride is free for the resorts’ guests). From that particular amount, the USD$25 can be spent later on, at the beach bar, to order some food and drinks. Though it’s quite expensive, I just love the beach club. I love the service. I love the fact that you can just leave all your belongings if you’d like to go for a swim—because the staff will look after it (very important when you’re traveling alone). I love it that they have a drink called Hemingway Daiquiri.

JuMaNa Bar, Banyan Tree Ungasan, Jl. Melasti, Banjar Kelod, Ungasan.

They said you need to have a reservation first for dinner. I came at around 4:30, saying that I just wanted to chill at the bar, and then a golf cart came to take me down from the lobby of Banyan Tree hotel to JuMaNa Bar. I sat outside, sipping their signature cocktail JuMaNa Royal (champagne flavoured with yuzu essence and Moroccan rose petal water) that tastes as ‘royal’ as its price, waiting for the sun to set.

Corner Store, Jln. Laksmana 10A, Seminyak

Lovely place serving healthy meals; perfect for brunch or coffee-time in the afternoon. I fall in love with the smoked salmon bagel.

Blue Point, Uluwatu.

When some friends from abroad came to Bali, I always take them to Blue Point, Uluwatu. Nothing much to do but to chill while drinking soft drinks or beers, looking at the surfers riding the waves, and telling stories while enjoying the sea breeze. Alone at Blue Point? I’ll just sit there and write for hours.

Dear Zulfadhli,
I am very sorry about the short notice, however we would like to know if you could join us in Bali on the 1st and 2nd December to present your final logo version in its various manifestations (as ppt, letterhead etc.) to our Executive Board? We will organise tickets and accommodation, and would suggest that you could fly to Bali on Saturday 1st, present to the Board on Sunday morning and either fly back on Sunday afternoon or stay to observe our student Poster session on Sunday afternoon and fly back Monday morning.
Thanks once again for your excellent work, best wishes.

Wah, bahagia sekali rasanya, gratis, gratis. Saya berangkat dengan maskapai Garuda Indonesia, tepat di tanggal pertama bulan Desember.

Ngeteng Bandara – Uluwatu – Sanur
Berhubung waktu check­-in hotel di Sanur adalah siang hari, sementara pesawat tiba masih pagi, maka saya putuskan untuk berjalan dulu ke Uluwatu. Setelah menjelajah informasi di internet, saya pikir ini tempat yang jaraknya rasional baik dari bandara maupun hotel, dan bisa mengunjungi dua tempat sekaligus: Pura Uluwatu dan Pantai Suluban (dikenal juga dengan sebutan Blue Point atau Pantai Uluwatu).

“Wah, memangnya Mas ke sini sendirian? Tidak sewa motor?” Itu pertanyaan yang dilontarkan pada saya ketika penjaga Pura Uluwatu di Bali mengetahui bahwa saya ngeteng dan sendirian. Pertanyaan yang mengesankan bahwa transportasi massa memang belum begitu populer di Bali. Wajar jika kemudian banyak orang bilang bahwa berwisata di Bali itu membutuhkan biaya besar, terutama untuk transportasi, kecuali bagi mereka yang bisa mengendarai motor dengan kocek sewa sekitar 50-60 ribu rupiah per hari.

Dan ini pertama kali ke Bali, saya coba dengan ngeteng. Pertama dan yang utama, karena saya ngirit. Bisa ke sana aja udah untung karena tiket pergi – pulang plus hotel ditanggung panitia. Kedua, ya pengen coba-coba aja.

Maka dari Bandara Internasional Ngurah Rai yang sedang berbenah sebagai tuan rumah KTT APEC 2013, saya memutuskan berjalan kaki untuk mencari kendaraan umum. Masih menggendong ransel yang berisi pakaian dan laptop, udara terasa panas, dan keringat mengucur deras. Sampai sekitar hampir 1 km saya baru menemukan elf. Itupun ternyata sepi penumpang sehingga saya dipatok harga 20ribu rupiah untuk sampai ke daerah Kelan.

Dari Kelan saya sambung dengan kendaraan pengumpan Trans Sarbagita (semacam busway di Jakarta). Kendaraan pengumpan ini seukuran mobil travel Bandung – Jakarta begitu, dengan jurusan Kelan – Uluwatu, melewati Jimbaran. Jika hendak ke Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) bisa menyambung sekali lagi dengan pengumpan jurusan lain di pertigaan menuju GWK. Harga kendaraan pengumpan ini 3000 rupiah saja.

Tujuan terakhir dari kendaraan pengumpan Kelan – Uluwatu ini adalah Pura Uluwatu. Di gerbang pura, dengan membayar 15.000 rupiah untuk wisatawan domestik, saya memasuki kawasan Pura yang menghadap langsung ke Samudera Hindia. Teman saya bilang bahwa jika malam tiba akan ada pertunjukkan tari kecak. Berhubung dia bilangnya waktu saya sudah kembali ke Jakarta, dan waktu itu saya pengen tiba di hotel sore hari, jadi saya tidak menontonnya.

Yang menarik perhatian saya untuk memotret juga adalah monyet-monyet di sana yang banyak dan sepertinya sudah tahu cara bergaya jika dipotret dan kadang jahil mengambil barang pengunjung jika tidak hati-hati. Mungkin monyet itu pengen sekali-kali juga “balas dendam” ke manusia, bila perlu bikin pertunjukan “topeng manusia,” gantian dari “topeng monyet”, sambil bilang, “Ayo-ayo, Soriman pergi ke pasar!” gantian karena monyet sering disebut Sarimin. #halah

Dari Pura Uluwatu saya berniat melanjutkan ke Pantai Suluban. Eh, ternyata tidak ada angkutan ke sana. Bahkan ketika saya tanya-tanya apakah ada ojeg atau tidak, Satpam Pura malah mengecek kartu identitas saya, sambil ngoceh, “Masak KTP bisa ilang, kalau ada apa-apa bagaimana? Kamu tahu kan kondisi Bali sekarang?” Padahal saya udah tunjukin paspor, fotokopi KTP, dan SIM, walaupun KTP memang hilang. Jangankan KTP Pak yang bisa hilang, Patung Liberty aja bisa hilang Pak disembunyiin David Copperfield. Yang penting harga diri saya jangan sampai hilang Pak, gara-gara KTP hilang.

Tiada pilihan, akhirnya saya berjalan dari Pura Uluwatu ke Pantai Suluban, sekitar 3 km. Di sepanjang jalan motor-motor yang dikendarai bule lewat, beberapa tersenyum pada saya dan melambaikan tangan. Saya cuma bisa bertanya, “Is the beach still far away?” dan mereka jawab, “Not, not really, you almost get there, a couple hundred meters.” Mungkin bule ini sudah belajar dari orang Indonesia, atau Banten yang selalu bilang jarak sudah dekat kalau ditanya. Atau mungkin mereka sudah nonton iklan, “sumber air su dekaat.” mentang-mentang tujuan saya pinggir laut.

Entah Pantai Suluban ada hubungannya dengan kata “terselubung”? Saya tidak tahu juga sih. Yang jelas letaknya memang agak terselubung. Menuju ke sana harus menuruni anak tangga yang banyak, kira-kira berapa generasi itu anaknya, yang bikin kaki tambah pegel setelah jalan.

Selain itu pantainya terselubung di balik karang, lebih tepatnya sih tebing. Berhubung saya bisa berenang di laut kalau hanya ada pelampung, jadi saya memutuskan hanya foto-foto di sana.

Dari Pantai Suluban ini saya agak pusing, pusing memikirkan “masa’ pulang harus jalan kaki lagi”. Beruntung tukang parkir saya nego untuk mau jadi tukang ojeg, seharga 15 ribu dengan motor model Astr*a tuanya. Maka saya sampai kembali ke Pura untuk menunggu kendaraan pengumpan Trans Sarbagita yang kembali ke Kelan.

Ternyata memang jadwal keberangkatan mobil pengumpan ini juga tidak pasti. Saya menunggu sekitar hampir satu jam sebelum ada angkutannya. Mungkin karena beroperasi baru beberapa bulan, dan memang sepi penumpang. Pulang-pergi Kelan – Uluwatu itu saya satu-satunya penumpang. Saya ga tau apakah moda transportasi ini akan membawa keuntungan atau tidak kalau ternyata masyarakat pun tidak melek transportasi publik.

Dari Kelan saya lanjut menaiki bis Trans Sarbagita dengan trayek Nusa Dua – Batu Bulan. Naik trayek ini sebenarnya bisa untuk mengeksplorasi kebanyakan daerah wisata seperti Nusa Dua, dan akan melewati Kuta, Sanur, sampai Batu Bulan yang sudah agak dekat ke Pasar Sukawati. Harga sekali turun adalah 3500 rupiah untuk dewasa dan 2500 untuk pelajar.

Berhubung hari sudah sore dan saya agak capek, belum tidur nyenyak dari semalam karena begadang dan harus bangun pagi untuk menyiapkan presentasi besok, maka saya memutuskan berhenti di daerah Sanur (halte Matahari Terbit) dan langsung check-in di hotel. Sebelumnya saya berkenalan dengan panitia dan sedikit diberi penjelasan bahwa presentasinya besok hari.

Malam hari saya hanya mencoba melihat area Pantai Sanur yang gelap dan ramai. Tidak lama saya pulang ke kamar hotel, berhubung jauh lebih asyik dibanding kamar kostan, untuk menonton pertandingan sepakbola Piala AFF antara Indonesia dan Malaysia. Oh iya, saya mampir dulu di Masjid Al-Ihsaan daerah dekat situ.

Presentasi di depan Para Profesor
Penjelasan awal, bahwa logo yang saya rancang terpilih menjadi logo SEAOHUN (South East Asia One-Health University Network), sebuah organisasi yang mengumpulkan akademisi kesehatan dari berbagai universitas di Asia Tenggara. Maka logo itu harus disetujui oleh Dewan Eksekutif mereka yang terdiri dari professor atau doktor. Di Bali ini mereka semacam sedang mengadakan rapat kerja.

Di sela-sela itu, saya diberi waktu presentasi. Singkat waktu yang diberikan, hanya 15 menit. Dan saya kira para profesor itu akan mencecar pertanyaan seperti sidang skripsi, eh ternyata tidak. Satu dua pertanyaan saja terkait warna yang dilontarkan. Dan pada akhirnya, logo itu disahkan. Yang mengesahkan adalah Chairman dari SEAOHUN yang juga Wakil Menteri Kesehatan Republik Indonesia, Prof. dr. Ali Ghufron Mukti, M.Sc, Ph.D. Ternyata beliau ini adalah orang yang saya temui waktu pertama kali datang ke hotel dan ngobrol-ngobrol sejenak ditemani panitia, eh ternyata waktu itu saya belum tau beliau itu Wamen euy

Epilog
Dan ini pertama kali saya ke Bali, saya bilang itu sebelum presentasi. Setelah presentasi dan di waktu ramah tamah mereka cukup kaget, di antaranya ada yang berkata “Orang bule sudah banyak yang ke sini, kamu belum pernah udah segede ini. Yang bener ah?” Dan saya hanya tersenyum, karena tidak akan mungkin jawab, “Mau tau aja apa mau tau banget?” hehehe

Akhirnya pulang kembali ke Jakarta, dengan Garuda Indonesia, airbus pula. Alhamduuu… lillaah….