Bali (Kuta) -- Day 1 -- Restu Bali Hotel

It was a long, tiring night at the Hong Kong international airport. My 3 1/2 hour flight to Denpasar at 10.00 am was uneventful. The airport was very cheery and I looked forward to a fantastic time in Bali. Upon arrival, I got a visa for a week (10 USD). Since I had not made any hotel arrangements, I decided to book a room at the airport itself. After going through the brochures I settled on Restu Bali Hotel (435,000 Rupiah for two nights ~ 24 USD per night). This hotel is situated on the main strip in Kuta along Jalan Legian about 1/2 km from the beach.

Kuta is the principal tourist destination in Bali and approximately 15 minutes by taxi from the airport. There are plenty of hotels, restaurants and bars in Kuta Beach and Jalan Legian is the hotbed for nightlife in Bali. However, since 2002, this area has been under a deep economic crisis due to two terrorist bombings. Since most of the Balinese economy is from tourism, the effects of terrorism are very visible -- empty hotels, empty streets, empty stores, empty bars, empty beaches and empty restaurants. It's hard to imagine why someone would commit such dastardly acts on a people who are among the most peaceful and gentlest I've ever met. Unlike the rest of Indonesia, the Balinese are 85% Hindu and their commitment to non-violent ways are always on display. More about the Balinese later!

I took a cab to Kuta (45,000 Rupiah ~ 5 USD), once again a ripoff, not that I minded it that much. One thing you have to get used to is the number of zeros in the currency. You feel like a millionaire in Bali especially when you use the ATMs, and they are plentiful in Bali! First order of business was to get acquainted with the hotel and the surroundings. The hotel was very nice and had two Jacuzzis and two huge swimming pools. My room was for two persons with nice bathrooms and plenty of towels. The hotel was built in a typical Balinese style and reminded me a little of temples in India, however, without the ostentatious decorations. The hotel staff were extremely polite, helpful and spoke English with varying degrees of familiarity. The hotel was practically empty, maybe the fact that it was off-season had something to do something with it as well.

I relaxed for an hour in the Jacuzzi and never saw any other guests. After a quick shower, I checked with the hotel reception for restaurant recommendations. In the meanwhile, one of the hotel staff, Ayub, an extremely nice, polite man, suggested that the following day I try some outdoor activities. He was going to be my de facto guide throughout my stay in Bali. I sauntered along Jalan Legian and had an early dinner at Made Warung restaurant (it was also recommended by Lonely Planet). I relaxed with a bottle of Bintang beer until food. I had some excellent pork satay and nasi goreng (104,000 Rp). I shared my table with two young Japanese girls who spoke very little English. Nevertheless, with sign language and some Japanese words I knew, we had a great time.

Dinner done with, I walked back along Jalan Legian and took in the hundreds of (empty) arts and handicrafts stores, sporting goods stores, jewelery stores, restaurants, clothing stores and the always open bars. The merchandise was touristy for the most part and in my opinion a little schlocky. Of course, you cannot avoid the guys standing around offering you fake watches and shades or hawking "massage parlors". In an effort to survive, many of them convert their motorbikes into impromptu taxis. If you are traveling alone, it's a good deal to take one of these motorbikes. I stopped at Roscoe's Bar near my hotel and had two more Bintang beers (16,000 Rp each). You don't have to tip, although they were very glad when I did so. I returned to my hotel room and slept early, for the next day was going to be hectic.