Two weekends ago I went to Bali with my staff at school. We had a blast! It was supposed to be for Professional Development.
Two of my co-workers and I went a day early, so we could have a mini-vaction as well. We left Friday after school, it took us over ttwo hours to get to the airport with traffic, we almost missed our flight.
We got in to Bali around 9pm and immediately went to the town. We walked around Kuta (shopping area and beach). We ate dinner at the Hard-Rock Cafe, and then took at hourse and carriage ride back to the hotel. My co-worker, Kelly, (she's lived in Indonesia for 7 years) she said that I have to take a bath in the Balinese flowers. So of course I took up her advice. We gathered the Bali flowers and made a marvelous relaxing spa in our hotel!
Saturday morning I woke up early (I was just too excited to sleep). We ate breakfast at the hotel. Of course I had to check out the pool after breakfast! Then Kelly and I went shopping at the Kuta shops and bargained for some Bali paintings and of course tourists shirts. Before heading back to the hotel we stopped that beach to relax. What service we got. For 8$ I had one person giving me a manicure, one person giving me a pedicure, one giving me a back massage, one braiding me hair. All as I laid by the beach watching the waves roll by.
There are two sides of that story. It actually wasn't as pleasant as it sounds. In reality when we got to the beach 15 women mobbed us! They harrassed us and harrassed us until we finally broke down. They were so desprite for customers they would not take no for an answer. I wasn't sure how sanitary everything was so I didn't want them touching my feet or my head at all. But they were so insistant and so rough, that I felt I could not say no. Finally after 20minutes of them harassing me, I decided they could paint my toes, just not clean them or cut them. I also broke down and let the lady give me five braids, because she would not stop touching my head. And the back massage was actually painful. And anyother lady kept trying to get me to buy her jewlery and would not leave me in peace until I bought something. I know I was one of those tourists that encourages them to keep acting like this, because they know that eventually they will break us down. So if you go to Bali, don't make the same mistakes I did. All and all, I wanted to do it for the experience.
After the beach Kelly and my other co-worker (who had stayed at the spa in our hotel all morning) went to lunch at a Mexican restaurant. It was so good to eat Mexican food. They don't have many places that sell Mexican food in Indonesia.
After lunch we rented a car and a driver for 30$ (includes gas). He took us to Monkey forest. This was an experience I do not think I will ever forget. Monkey Forest is exactly what its name is. A guide takes you around a forest full of monkeys. These monkeys are used to people and are not scared of you at all. You can buy bannanas and peanuts to feed to the monkeys. I was told to hold on to my belongings because the monkeys tend to steal things from people. Many people have gotten their glasses stolen right off of their face. I was scared out of my mind. But I fed the monkeys anyways. They come right up to you and take it out of your hands. I have great pictures of this! I'll have to update my blog. Once your food is gone you must open your hands so they know you have nothing left, otherwise they will get violent. One monkey jumped on my co-worker, Carol's, back!
Outside of the forest was a little hut. I saw huge fruit bats hanging from the hut. I realized there was a man feeding these bats out of a bottle. So we decided to walk over and see what it was all about. (Yes, Marquia, I went to check it out!) The man gave me the bat to hold! I fed a bat like you would feed a baby. I held a bat like a baby and fed it! Not just those little bats you see back at home, these are huge bats! Don't worry, mom, I got all my shots already and washed my hands! I have some memorable pictures of this too!
Wow! You would think after that exxperience my day would be coming to an end. But no, its only halfway done. Then we went to Tanalot (no not Camelot, Tanalot). It is another beach with a muslim temple on an island. It is the most beautiful place to watch the sun set. I went to the temple and washed my face in the fresh water spring and received a blessing for good travel and long life! The sun set was just gorgeous!
Of course after sunset, we were off, to our next destination... Jambari Beach. This is a famous beach where they have the best sea-food. So we ate at a reataurant on the beach at a table in the sand by the water and watched Balinese dancers. What a perfect end to our day!
Of course the next day the conference started, but not until 12noon. So Carol and Kelly and I hit up the local Indonesian market in Suawaki. It is where all the locals buy things. It is cheaper then things in Jakarta. So I made out like a bandent there. I bought some traditional clothing and some great souvineers.
The rest of Sunday and Monday was busy with the conference, but we did have some time inbetween to enjoy the five star hotel and resort the school paid for. Sunday night for dinner they made a fabuluous baffet with all you can eat of everything. And they hired some balinese dancers to put on a performance for us.
All in all the trip was a hit!
