Sanur, Uluwatu, and back to Kuta

If you read my last entry, you'd know that I stayed up to watch the sun rise on Gili Trawangan and got 1 hour of sleep before we had to catch the boat back to Bali. Ergo, I was a hot mess that morning. Holy god I was struggling... But I was able to muster up some energy to pack and walk to the pier on what seemed like the walk Moses took across Egypt. Anyone else notice that I manage to be obnoxiously hungover during the majority of my boat rides? 

Heather and I booked our ticket the day before for the "fast boat" to Padangbai and then a shuttle bus to Sanur. It was supposed to leave at 9am and of course didn't leave until 10, so we waited in the blistering sun with our all our luggage. Then once we boarded the boat we waited for another 30 minutes below deck that was probably about 100 degrees. We were packed like sardines in there and I was doing my best to suppress my nausea. Once we actually got going on the water, we made a pit stop at Gili Air and then Lombok. This "fast boat" turned out to be a slooooooow boat and instead of taking 1 hour like they told us, it took 3. Son of a b!tch! Not the greatest way to start the day, right?

Lunch on the beach after an exhausting day

Our shuttle bus finally arrived in Sanur and we had no place to stay. We followed some other backpackers to their hostel but it was a piece of sh!t for the price the’re paying so we continued to look for lodging. We finally found a place that was agreeable but still a hole. We were so exhausted at this point that it really didn't matter anymore. I don't think I have ever sweat so much in my entire life from the beating sun on the beach, the suffocating boat ride, the cramped shuttle bus with no AC, and the trek around Sanur. Yikes!

After settling in, we immediately looked for food and a place with some TV’s so we could watch the rugby world cup between France and New Zealand. However, there were only a few places that fit our prerequisites and they were all full. So we eventually gave up and found a restaurant to grub at by the beach. Food had never tasted so good!

Sunset in Sanur

Sunset was upon us and though we were facing east, we had some killer pictures. It was so beautiful despite all the damn kids running around and the massive 5 star resorts in the background. 

That evening Heather and I went out for a cocktail at a bar around the corner. Everything was going great until this crazy drunk surfer chick from England starts talking to us. She has blonde dreadlocks and has a typical story of a western nomad who ends up staying in Bali. She's been living here for the past 5 years working as a scuba instructor/ surf clothes designer/ bartender... Whatever. She's hilarious so we let her stay until her antics brought us in the middle of a conversation consisting of her gay roommate who was hooking up with this girl loaded on mushrooms. That was our cue to leave... Just another day is Bali! Lol. 

Crazy b!tch

Originally we were going to stay 2 days in Sanur but we realized the whole city was just a bunch of Aussi families on holiday. There wasn't great nightlife, the beach wasn't as good as Kuta, and our hotel was a piece of sh!t cause it was full of mozzies (mosquitoes). So we packed our stuff and got a short taxi ride back to Kuta. We got a room at the Suka Beach Inn, not far from our first hotel, for a cheaper rate and with AC. However, the facilities were not as, how should I say.... Classy. It's definitely a beach bum's paradise. But it did serve a bomb free breakfast and had a sick pool. Shannon's happy. 

We immediately head to the beach for a surf session. After some wave action we had a beer on the beach with the guy we normally rent boards from, Andre, and two Australians dudes. We kick back and eventually watched the sunset together. These kinda days make me never want to leave this place...

That night we had dinner at Goku, a Balinese BBQ joint that is popular with the local surf crew. Its super cheap and the food is to die for. We both got the teriyaki chicken and 2 sides for $2.50. Ya, amazing.... Ill be back here for sure. After dinner we went to Skygarden where they have free drinks and appetizers from 10-11pm. Oh yeah baby! This is every traveler’s heaven and a prelude to the rest of the night’s shenanigans. Another 4am bedtime it is...

Padang Padang beach

Bali is famous for their surfing but so far, we only had seen one beach worth surfing and that was Kuta beach. The most famous surf spot on the island is by far Uluwatu, which is a 45-minute drive south of Kuta beach. Our taxi driver took us to Padang Padang beach where we proceeded to bask in the sun for the next few hours while we watch a few surfers catch some waves just outside the reef.

Surf break at Padang Padang

Afterwards we needed some chow so we went on a search for a restaurant recommended in Heather’s guide book. We’re cheap b!tches so we opted to walk to the place rather then take a $2 moped ride. It took us like 45 minutes but it was worth it. We arrived at Uluwatu beach and it’s a completely different part of Bali then we’ve seen. It’s a small beach community that over looks one of the most famous (and dangerous) surf breaks in the world. You have to march down a zigzag path to the water but on the way down, you pass surf shops, cheap bungalows for surfers, restaurants, etc. So sick and I definitely regret not making this a place to chill for a couple days rather then just a day trip.

We had a beverage overlooking the beach until it was about 30 minutes before sunset. We wanted to go to the famous temple (Pura Uluwatu) to watch the sun go down. A taxi got us there just in time to snap some amazing pics and check out what has to be one of the most sacred Balinese sites on the island. Words cannot describe the beauty of this place.

Uluwatu community and surf break 

Sunset over Uluwatu 

Sad day…. It’s my best friends last day in Bali before she returns to California. As a surprise, Heather booked us a nice room at a “proper” hotel for her last night. We arranged our stuff and walked a few hundred meters to DeKuta Hotel not far from the beach. Since it was her last day, we needed to do it right and had a full day of events planned. Once we checked in, we went shopping for more gifts to add to the generous amount Heather has already purchased. Then we had lunch followed by our final trip to the beach together. We didn’t lay out in the sun long before we were compelled to go surfing. It was an awesome surf sesh and Heather couldn’t have been more stoked. As usual, once we finished surfing, we sipped on some Bintangs while watching the sun drop over the horizon. Perfect way to end the afternoon.

Pura Uluwatu

Totally not sweating....

Everything in Bali is cheap… especially beauty services i.e. massages, hair cuts, waxing, etc. Our beautiful blonde locks have taken a beating this trip with all the sun and salt water that we decided we needed a hair treatment. So for $6 we got a hair mask and a phenomenal head massage. Score!

To end Heather’s last day in paradise, we had dinner at our fav restaurant in Kuta: Dog Dragon. We each had grilled fish coupled with 2 amazing sides of our choice. So delicious and unforgettable! I’m gunna miss this place… but now we're off to Skygarden for some dranks. Of course we saw everyone we’ve met over the past 3 weeks in Bali at Skygarden. Though the bars were packed, we saw the Germans from Singapore and Gili T, the Aussies from the first week in Bali, The French guys from Gili T, and our fav local Kiwi, Chong. After Skygarden, we hit up Eikon, then the mini mart for some more beers and chilled by the hotel pool drinking until the wee hours of the morning. Can this really be our last night together?!?! NOOOOOO!

Leaning like a cholo with Chong

Heather and I packed our belongings and enjoyed our last few hours together in our awesome hotel room. It was an emotional goodbye not only because I was saying goodbye to my bestie who has been my partner in crime for the past 2 months, but also because I am going to be alone for the next week before I head to Brisbane, Australia. I’m going to miss having Heather around but I know she’s excited to see her family and friends back in Cali. Now here I am, alone in Indonesia…. To be continued….