The days are being eaten away too quickly,
Well up nice and early, we found we have been unable to sleep in. Doesn't bother us that much but it would be great to wake up late.
So we got ready to leave straight after breaky, showered and packed in 15mins, off to a lovely breaky by the pool again, said goodbyes to all the staff and to Richard, Tini was already off somewhere.
On the road by 8:30. Fairly quiet and a very clear morning, the plan was to cruise along through Singaraja and on the coast road to Talumben, Amed for lunch and around the coast to Ujung Water Palace.
Well , by the time we got to Talumben it was only 10:30, had a drink at a café and decided that as we were so early we might as well just ride through to Candi Dasa. Have a leasurely lunch and sort our accommodation (not booked as yet) and maybe spend a bit more time at White Sand Beach than we planned.
We just skirted the edge of Amlapura and headed to CD. Past the turn off to White Sand Beach near Bug Bug village and over the hill to CD. It was a great day for riding, not too many trucks, even up the hill.
We had planned to stay at Grand Natia on the main drag, it backs onto the shore, they only had one room and it was one of the seaview rooms. 550,000 rph rather than 350,000rph. We said it was out of our budget and they immediately knocked the price down to 400,000 rph. Done deal.
The room does not have a seaview, however if you sit on the verandah and drink Bintang (as you must by law) you overlook the horizon pool and the ocean. Very nice.
A snack for lunch on the verandah and off to WSB.
For those like GaryD who have not found this beach yet. There are 2 roads off the main drag, they both have hand painted signs, the road closes to CD read 'White Sand Beach' the second one reads 'Pantai Pasir Putih'. Apparently the beach and adjacent land have been bought by a Korean Consortium and will be kicking out all the fisheman and warungs to build a large resort. So get in quick.
The beach is not breathtaking but is nice and relaxing place to be, little warungs and beach lounges and umbrellas like Kuta and Legian. Cheap and local cuisine is the scene.
You know those solid bracelets that are ‘C' shaped and slip over your wrist? Well I have one but it was not on as I had just been swimming, the warung owner came over to me a was telling me how cheap silver is in West Timor and was describing a similar bracelet is the one I have. She was saying they were only 500,000rph to 900,000rph, soooooooo cheap. She left and the next minute a guy comes over with a tray of these type of bracelets, soooooooooooooo cheap, what a coincidence.
They are very cheap he says only 500,000rph to 900,000rph. Nice little bit of marketing. So I take out my bracelet from my bag and put it on and say I already have one and don't need another.
How much you paaaay, says he/she (another story altogether, Ron and Neil would recognize him if he had pink trousers on)
250,000rph says I and it was made specifically to my design. May I will give you the jewelers name so you don't get ripped of next time buying from West Timor, my jeweler is only in Candi Dasa and you won't have to travel as far next time.
He was not a happy camper that's was for sure (BTW pun intended)
Anyway stayed for a few hours and back to CD before it got dark, swim, Bintang and lunch at Temple Café, good food at a reasonable price, have stayed and eaten here before.
Dinner that night was at Toke Café towards the Western end of town on the opposite side of the road to the beach. Very stylish and the Kitchen is enclosed in glass, so you can see in on what is happening. Food was very good about middle of the range in price. I would compare this with the legendary Vincents (same side of the road at the opposite end of town)
The service at Toke has been well drilled into the staff and they have decorated the restaurant with drapes and candles, the ambience is fantastic.
Reasonably early night for an early start tomorrow, back to Sanur to say hi the Neil and Bloodyron and then to Legian for the night.
More later,
Cheers,
Ray