It's hard to believe that in less than two weeks, I'll be landing back on British soils and adjusting back to an English way of life. It's May 2010 now, which means it is my 12th month of travelling....I have to say I feel quite proud of myself for managing to get this far and for putting up with crappy back packer jobs in Australia to still be travelling a year later! I now find myself in Bali, Indonesia, and I am absolutely loving a taste of Asia again!
In the weeks since my last post, I spent three final weeks in Perth - three final weeks in Australia, infact. My plane took off on 29th April at about 6 in the evening, and I felt rather thoughtful and reminiscent as I looked down from my plane window with the sun setting over Perth. Yes I know, call me cheesy, but the eight months that I had spent in that continent were a seriously good time, and although I didn't get to see entirely everything that I had hoped to, maybe I will make it back one day. I spent my last three weeks re-visiting some good friends in Perth, going for lots of coffee and trying to make the most of the sunny weather, despite the climate cooling down considerably for their winter season (boo hoo). I was back working for All Seasons Catering again, fortunate enough to work at some great occasions such as the RedBull Air Race in Perth, viewed from the balcony of a luxury apartment whose American owners were having a lavish party for all their darling work colleagues. Quite a treat to serve platters of impressive food to guests, on a glorious hot day (minor facial sunburn achieved in under five minutes). Other functions included a large function for the Breast Cancer Awareness Charity of Western Australia, of which Mick is a dedicated supporter. Amazing food produced by several caterers and served inside an attractive marquee, plus we also bagged lovely free t-shirts! Love free stuff. The time in between work shifts was spent with lots of different friends, trying to preserve the funds but still managing to fit in the odd coffee shop or two, beach trips and window shopping.
With my earnings that month, I decided to re-route my flight home. My original ticket home departed from Brisbane, which is on the East Coast of Australia. I decided that for the cost of having to fly across the country to catch this flight (some $350), I would rather spend the money on a budget flight to Bali, spend a few weeks there, and from there I could fly to Singapore very cheaply to catch the Singapore to London connection. So that's what I did, and I've not regretted it one single bit. I love, love LOVE Bali!!
As I stepped off the plan in Denpasar airport, I immediately felt the humidity hit me, even at 11 at night! All the memories of my Asian travels in 2009 came flooding back, and for the time being I was actually enjoying the novelty of the humidity!! After queuing to pay for my entry visa to Indonesia (another page filled in my passport - woop!), I jumped in a taxi and headed in the direction of Kuta - the trashy, touristy capital of Bali. Full of Aussies and very developed for the tourist...with streets upon streets of Western clothes shops, drinking spots and various hotel resorts, but with a good beach to take the edge off it. I was warned by friends that this was to be expected in Kuta, but to just use it as a base for the first couple of nights. I successfully managed to get a walk-in booking at a guesthouse called Komalah Indah 2, paying 70,000rp a night for a twin room (approx 5 quid) which included a breakfast of banana toastie and a cup of herbal tea each morning. Yum!
I spent two days in Kuta, browsing the markets and enjoying some time on the beach, watching surfers catch some good waves and taking endless photos of gorgeous sunsets. On the third day, I got picked up at the obscene time of 6.30am from my guesthouse to be taken on a shuttle service to the Gili Islands, and I was super excited! Well, at about 10am when I'd actually woken up and was on the speed boat, I should say. On the way I met another solo traveller called Sarah, from Switzerland, and when we arrived two hours later on Gili Trawangan, it worked out well that we should share a room together.
And so passed four fantastic days of life on Gili Trawangan...lazing on the beach, hiring bikes and exploring the island, going on a snorkel trip (where we saw turtles!) and eating the most amazing fresh fish every evening. Our little bungalow was so cute, with a huge king size bed and an open air bathroom, though not quite so appealing when it decided to chuck it down one afternoon, and were busting for a wee...! Sarah and I met a lot of local Indonesian people, mainly guys that worked in restaurants and would come and sit with us when we had our meals. Lovely, friendly people. Though I was starting to realise that practically every one of them made a beeline for me! Me, the tall, pale and rather more rounded friend of Sarah, whom I assumed they would all love for her Italian looks and petite, tanned frame....but oh no, they commented on her skin saying it was like their own...then seemed to drool over me for my "western beauty" ! Ha!! If only Westerners would fall at my feet in the same way! I suppose I should be complimented, but really, I was actually starting to get very irritated by the attention, especially as they would just not accept the words "just friends" or even (in desperation) that I had a boyfriend (ok so a little lie doesn't hurt, right?). Infact, these Indonesians didn't care, as some of them were even married themselves but still tried it on with other girls. One of them even said to me "If you do not love me, I will kill myself", to which I giggled, but then five minutes later saw the melodramatic twat dive off the balcony, fully clothed, into the swimming pool below...then get kicked out by the bouncer...but at least the coast was clear after that! Blimey. If only I was attracted to these five foot tall, skinny Indonesians then I could have had a different husband each day.
The experience didn't end on Gili Trawangan. After saying goodbye to Sarah, my new French friend, Cecile and I caught the public boat over to Gili Air. Gili Air was a lot quieter and far less developed than Gili Trawangan, but we loved it, for these very reasons. The Gili Islands do not have any motorised transport, so bye-bye to the tooting cars and motorbikes of Kuta, Bali, and hello to walking, bicycles and horse and carts! Lovely. Cecile and I shared a twin room (with Disney princess bed covers) in a great little bamboo bungalow right on the beach at a place called Lucky's. Yep, lucky we really were, to wake up to such a stunning view as the mountains of Lombok and the calm blue ocean, with hardly a soul around. In my whole year of travels, it's only now, right at the end, that I find my little spot of paradise that I had been searching for all along. Time for some more snorkelling, lazy beach days, and great evenings watching a live band one night, and gathering on the beach a few other times with local people to have a bonfire and play guitar together. Happy days. Unfortunately I still hadn't developed dark skin by this point, so I was still flavour of the week for the local men, and would just be minding my own business cycling along when I'd hear my name called out, usually by guys I didn't even recognise! Cecile didn't get any of this treatment due to her deep tan, much to my annoyance of course, but she did giggle at me as I tried to edge away from guys repeatedly trying to kiss my hand, and stroke my arm, and even try to woo me by telling me that I have "hair like spaghetti". Wow. The English Language teacher taught them some shocking chat up lines. I'm guessing the reference to spaghetti was down to the fact that my hair has bleached quite a bit in the Australian sun, so I'm quite a blondie these days. At least that's the analogy I'm going by, rather than my hair was a tangled mess at the time of conversation...
Despite all these crazy Indo-dudes I seemed to meet, I had a truly amazing time on the Gili Islands, and I am so, SO glad that I decided to stop in Indonesia. I'm now in Ubud, which is back on the mainland of Bali, and soaking up some culture for a few days. Have visited a fair few temples so far, two great art galleries, and mused through the various shops and markets for a few bargains. Tomorrow I'm hoping to go to the Sacred Monkey Sanctuary, but sincerely hope that said Sacred Monkeys do not steal my camera!! I have heard they have been nifty little buggers if you're not careful!! In the evening I am hoping to go to a local dance performance at the Ubud Palace, before heading off the following day (saturday) to Nusa Dua, not far from Kuta. I'm hoping to meet up with my friend Jane (who I met in Perth and who also worked with at All Seasons) who is staying in a hotel as I write. My final few days will be spent enjoying as much beach and sun as possible with her, before I head off to Singapore on Tuesday! This will just be a quick overnight stop for me, as I take my flight the following day to HONG KONG!!! Very excited about this, I tell ya! I will be meeting up with my lovely Chinese friend, Connie, and seeing some sights with her.
So that's about all for now folks! Love you and leave you.
