Kelvin goes to Bali!
Hey everyone,
I am typing this blog entry on my plane back to Singapore. My friend did not accompany me on the same flight because his flight was at 9PM. He went for his massage while waiting for his flight and I went ahead with my flight.
After the plane took off, there were several empty premium seats. I asked whether I could change my seat politely and the air stewardess gave me the green light. Sometimes…. if you never ask, you never know right? What’s the worst that could happen?
There is more leg room and the entire row is empty as well. Very comfortable!
I chose the window seat because it allows me to watch the beautiful sunset. Over time, I grew fond of watching sunsets because it symbolises a renewal of energy and the soul. There is just something captivating and magical about sunsets. To me, sunsets also means that our past glory will eventually fade off, and each day is a new battle for all of us. I particularly enjoy how the bright orange hue beyond horizon transits into a cool blue before finally fading into a beautiful night sky. That is exactly how it turned out!
I also love watching the clouds interact with each other to form unique shapes and structures.
This trip to Bali was impromptu and it provided me with rest from my work. I booked my air tickets 2 days before I flew! This spontaneity is definitely something new and I learned how to embrace it. The typical me would like to plan and pack my trips full so that I can maximise his holidays. Considering that, this trip was unexpectedly good. At least, I feel that my money was well spent. PS: Magnum ice-cream costs 15,000 IDR only!
Pullman Legian was a good choice for this short getaway.
The hotel room itself is spacious and equipped with a bathtub. The bed is comfortable. The breakfast is towards my liking too! Their gym is well-equipped with shower facilities. You could feel the warm hospitality displayed by their staff. My only remark is the room lights are inadequate during the night.
You do not need to bring any adapters because their power plugs are adaptable to your power plugs.
The Legian beach is just a stone’s throw away. There are many surfers during the day.
If you visit their Connectivity Room, you might find yourself falling asleep after enjoying their lush, comfortable sofa seats. It is a good place for guests to rest while waiting for their check-in or other activities.
There is an infinity pool at level 3 which is very popular among tourists as well.
Every day, there are a series of different activities for the hotel guests such as morning yoga, taichi, zumba, kick-boxing at different hours. On some nights, there are movie screenings of open air concept.
For your data needs, it is highly recommended to purchase your Telkomsel data SIM card outside of the airport. The ones near the street side will offer a lower price for the same amount of data. I bought mine that was loaded with 12GB data for 150,000 IDR. Anything above 250,000 IDR is considered overpriced.
We visited Scared Monkey Temple, Uluwatu Temple, Bali Collection, Beachwalk Shopping Centre, Tegalalan Rice Field, Kintamani and a few others. For places that were far from our hotel, I arranged a day-tour with Bali Victory Tour. I paid 450,000 IDR for the entire day including transportation – I found it very worthwhile!
For transportation needs in Bali, I encourage readers to download the official Blue Bird app from App Store / Google Play. Some taxi drivers will take advantage of tourists by overcharging for transportation around Bali. Another safety net is to request for meter to be on. There are many taxis out there but Blue Bird should be the more reputable taxi company.
For food choices, you should visit Made’s Warung, Potato Head Club (at night), Be Ja Na (near Uluwatu Temple), Warung Indonesia (cheap & delicious), The Naughty Duck and Naughty Nuri’s.
The Naughty Duck is unique because it sells western food. From my research, many tourists gave this place two thumbs up for its burgers. There might not be any other place in Bali that makes good burgers as The Naughty Duck. I find that their Duck’s Nuts burger and Big Duck sandwich are incredibly undervalued for its quality. On one of the days, I had it for breakfast and I invited my friend to come back to taste it! On both occasions, the place was surprisingly empty so you could really enjoy a good meal there without worry. There are some side menu items such as smoothies, milkshakes and coffee which gotten good reviews on TripAdvisor. Definitely a place to check it out.
For four days, S$300 should be adequate with some leftover to do airport shopping.
If you need to change extra money, use Honest Annie located at Melasti Street. The shop owner’s rates are reasonable and he doesn’t “pocket” extra via commissions. Be careful of “authorised” money changers who will pocket 10% of your currency.
If I am back for a 2nd round, I will definitely explore more sea activities such as snorkeling, parasailing, dolphin watching, etc.
I am looking forward to close off the remaining of this year well and prepare myself for 2017.
Cheers and wish everyone a happy Christmas ahead.