In Reply to: 25 years ago today, my very first trip . posted by sunluva on Tuesday, 28. September 2010 at 13:39 Bali Time:
by many here it seems. LOL...maybe too many magic mushrooms were eaten in those days.
My first trip to Bali was in 1980 and I stayed in a losman in Kuta on Jalan Kuta down the road from Made's Warung.
Contrary to many others here that have posted on this thread about the same time in Bali;
Kuta was NOT a sleepy town.
Many large hotels were already built. Two of them were The Kartika in Tuban and The Bali Beach in Sanur.
The road to Legian was NOT a dirt road. It wasn't the best of roads but it had bitumen and if you travelled up it and arrived at a new restaurant on the right 'The Waltzing Matilda' you knew you were already out of town.
There was a set of traffic lights at Kuta between bemo corner and the river.
KFC was open near the river adjacent to the Galel Supermarket next to the petrol station.
Many decent restaurants were open. Glorys used to do a roaring trade with the Aussies as it was owned by an Aussie and the toilets were clean.
The Dynasty hotel was open for business before 1983.
Many night spots then were open till the very early hours. La Barong, Doggies Disco, Bali Sand Bar, Rum Jungle, Kayu Api were some of them.
Magic mushrooms were easily available in either a tea, soup or omelette.
The main road from Sanur to Nusa Dua was a newly made hwy where one could speed down it ones motor bike,
Street hawkers would haggle you to buy things all the time.
Motor bikes were everywhere.
It took me about 40 minutes to get through the airport and it still takes me about the same time nowadays.