Just over a week ago I was sitting on a plane for 13 hours on my way to Taipei and then onwards to Bali. The second flight was half empty - I can’t remember when I last flew on a plane that empty! It was pouring rain in Taipei but as we circled in Bali there was blue sky. One of my favourite Bali moments is always being greeted by Made who has driven me around for years. If anyone ever needs a driver please let me know.
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| Taipei Airport |
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| Made |
The first stop on the adventure was Nusa Dua for a couple nights in a charming little guesthouse off the beach - Green D’Mel Luxury Homestay. The rooms were comfortable and the grounds and pool were wonderful. The staff was delightful. The overnight rain the first night presented a bit of a challenge as the narrow, and I mean very narrow road flooded. Since this was the way out it meant wet feet!
There are certainly many changes since my last visit which was pre Covid. Some places like the original Bumbu Bali are gone (but their second location is still open), some buildings have seen better days and then there is new construction happening. A fun afternoon was just driving around the area where I first stayed, visiting the beaches there and going to the spot of the 5 temples - 5 different churches on the same site - Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Buddhism and Muslim.
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| A meal at Bumbu Bali is always delicious |
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| Hindu Temple |
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| Catholic Church - I went to Christmas Eve service here many years ago |
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| Buddhist Temple |
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| Nusa Dua beaches |
Time to leave Nusa Dua and in fact Bali as we took the fast boat to Gilli Trawangan - one of 3 islands off the coast of Bali but considered part of Lombok. Unlike Bali, which is mostly Hindu, these islands are Muslim. They are very quiet right now and somehow I think we might be the oldest tourists on the island. The beaches have beautiful white sand and the water is amazingly clear, turquoise and warm. The boat for the snorkelling trip was a bit sketchy and the equipment not the greatest but it was still enjoyable. Thanks to one of the young guides we got great pictures of the underwater statue and a magnificent turtle. Today while on the beach I managed to see two turtles quite close to shore.
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| A regular visitor at the hotel |
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Local mosque - first call to prayer today was at 4:18
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One of the activities that the island is famous for is sunset. On a good day you can see the volcanoes on Bali as they form a backdrop for sunset. Unfortunately last night was not a good day but none the less there were some interesting shots.
The islands are definitely about snorkeling, diving and getting around on bikes. There are no motorized vehicles- only electric scooters and lots of buggies pulled by very small horses, some of whom don’t look too healthy.
Tomorrow we are back on the fast boat to be met by Made and then head off to Ubud.
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