Bali (Kuta) -- Day 2 -- Time for Outdoor Activity!

I had made arrangements with Ayub to meet a few hundred meters from the hotel. I had a continental breakfast with plenty of local fruit and kopi bali (Balinese coffee, served black with the grounds in the bottom of the cup). Over time I got used to drinking kopi bali and looked forward to it. The local fruits are plentiful, tasty and come in many varieties. It's a pleasure to see what real fruits taste unlike the non-organic crap we get in the US supermarkets.

Ayub took me on his motorbike (80 cc Honda) to Nusa Dua, about 45 minutes from Kuta. Nusa Dua is full of luxury hotels and a popular destination for water sports. We went to a water sports park (I forgot the name), where you can choose from para sailing, surfing, snorkeling, deep sea diving, fishing, jet skiing or just hang out on the beautiful beach. I hired a jet ski and tried snorkeling (435,000 Rp). Unfortunately, not having swum for the longest time because of contact lenses, I had to abandon snorkeling, but did manage to get a good swim in the turquoise waters of Nusa Dua; I had a hard time breathing through my mouth. Oh well, the next time, I'll be prepared! Instead, I went to the Turtle Island to see the fauna and learned about the ongoing preservation activities in Bali.

Fairly hungry from the activity, we returned to Kuta. On the way, I had backup copies made of my digital pictures. Lunch was at a roadside restaurant, where I tried the Balinese delicacy of suckling pig with rice (23,000 Rp) for the two of us. God, Balinese cuisine is excellent! The spices (shallots, ginger, garlic, turmeric, galangal root, cardamon, red peppers) are fresh and mixed in various proportions depending on the dish. Ayub had to be back at work around 4.00 pm and went to his home to meet his family. His daughter Feisha is a sweet little kid and not at all shy. In spite of not knowing any English, we were able to communicate quite well. She showed me pictures of her relatives and learned a couple of words in Bahasa (om for uncle and tante for aunt).

Ayub had purchased his small house (~ 500 square feet, 2 bedrooms) at a cost of 25,000,000 Rp (~ 2,500 USD) and pays monthly installments of $15! Just consider, my two months' rent alone in San Francisco will be enough to buy his house. Who knows, I might buy something here some day. At any rate, Ayub dropped me off close to the hotel on his way to work. I returned to Roscoe's pub for a couple of beers. After a nice long shower, I walked along Kuta beach, took in the gorgeous sunset and had a Balinese massage on the beach. I felt really sorry for the masseuse. According to her, the women have to get an official permit to work on the beaches, but sadly there was no clientèle. Both wife and husband work in Kuta and have a little girl to take care of. They have to make do with nasi (rice) and gado-gado every day. Meat of any kind is only for that rare occasion. She was so glad when I tipped her something extra after the massage. Life is tough!

I walked roughly 2 hours along the beach and saw the typical beach side "attractions" -- Hard Rock Cafe (the site of one of the terrorist bombings), McDonalds and Pizza Hut to name a few. Security at the larger hotels along the beach side was very tight. Armed guards inspect every person and vehicle entering the premises. A little eerie for a vacation, I must say. Of course, empty taxis and jobless tourist guides are everywhere. Pretty sad!

Tourists and backpackers hang out at the numerous bars and trendy restaurants along Poppies Gang II street and Jalan Legian. Great place for people-watching. One thing you have to bear in mind is that the street signs are unintelligible. Combine that with the narrow streets and the dim lighting, and you are guaranteed to lose your way.

I dined at Nasi Bali restaurant on Jalan Legian, very close to my hotel. I opted for a prix fixe Balinese menu (110,000 Rp) consisting of chicken soup with galangal root, nasi goreng, pork satay and black rice pudding. Boy, I am more and more impressed by Balinese cuisine. I shall definitely seek out a Balinese restaurant in San Francisco. Nothing like a couple of beers to top off this long, exciting and hot day. Next day, it was off to Ubud, interior Bali.