My first JBR after many visist to the island.
Flew Jet* Saturday 16th Melbourne Darwin Bali arriving at 9pm. Out of airport in 20 minutes. Return flight direct Bali Melbourne Saturday 30th at 10.55pm. Left Leigan at 7.45 pm arrived airport 9pm. The worst traffic Ive ever scene until I reached check in at Jet*.Check in was sooooo busy ques everywhere. Finally got to boarding gate at 10.15pm. Cost for a taxi from Legian to airport 60,000,00 rph.
Stayed at Sus Cottages in main street Legian next to Kumpala Panti. Great value at $38AU per night with air con, hot water ,small pool,
breakfast. Hotel clean great location minutes from everything.
Changed money at Kodak on the street to your right just out the front of Jayakarta hotel.
Exchange rate over 15 days 8500 to 8750.
Tried a couple of money changers on the street as they had a higher rate but would only give it to you in 20,000.00 notes. They said they didnt have 50,000.00 or 100,000,00. Didnt like to try and count 870,000,00 in 20s. Should have known better so Kodak for me every time.
Hired a push bike for 15 days from the bike shop around the corner from Kumpala panti for 10,000.00 rp per day. Easier to get around and park. When the roads are busy use the footpath. Beats standing in traffic.
Went to Carrfour supermarket on Sunset road first time ever. What an amazing place for food shopping. Bintang supermarket great but will now go to Carrfour instead.
New scam with taxis. As your driving the driver pretends to change radio station but instead pushes a silver button on the meter which increases 5,000.00 rp at a time.
Fixed price shop *Ketuts*. She now closer at 7pm every night. It appears her shop has gone a little quiet but was very hummble this visit. She thanked everyone for shopping with her. A complete change from other times Ive shopped there. As normal had a good range of the basics but found other street markets had newer styles, colors than her shop.
Was in bali in June July noticed most items cloths , sunglasses , watches , bags etc gone up 5,000 rp. What was 25 thousand now 30 thousand rp etc.Still great value.
Ladies beware. Twice while at Legian beach on sunbeds in front of Kumpala Panti and Jayakarta hotels I scene 2 ladies have there phone stolen and 1 hand bag. The beach sellers did get both items back and dealt with the theft in there way very quickly. Dont think this very young boy will be back in a hurry. Even the beach seller ladies were hitting him with there bags.
Lady beach sellers in front of Jayakarta are still a night mare. I understand they have to sell but when you visit often there is only so many beads you can buy. Some got quiet nasty. At lot of people I spoke with will not use the beds in front of J hotel any more because of the ladies. Tourist who go to Bali often are walking further up the beach to Kumpal Panti area or other direction heading towards Kuta where you say no thanks the beach ladies leave with no problems.
Sun beds bintangs on sunset still sensational.
Had photographs put on canvas at SHOOTS in Seminyak. Couldnt have been happy with the price and results. Highly recommend them to all BTF. Easy quick cheap good english.
Nightlife in Kuta BEWARE GIRLS. Purses stolen in nightclubs. GIRLS only take enough money for the night, lipstick, smokes phone and leave every thing else at hotel. Scene 3 girls lose all there money. Yes they flashed there money at the bar next purse was gone from there hand bags. A couple did have bag over there shoulder but these people are experts. A small gang that go to the clubs have one as a look out and when the girls are dancing bumping into you while dancing another steal the wallet. These boys are young and do it for a living. They wear long chains around the neck, big earing in one ear , dance cloths, big baggy jeans , cap , are very good dancers, 8 in the group. Very good looking balinese boys around 15 to 22 years old.The group most times sits on the black PA boxes next to dance floor.
Ate at all the normal placers everyones knows , thought this time food was not as good as other times Ive been . The service is even slower than normal. Alot more places are putting 21% tax plus a service fee on top of the total bill. This is for food not only drinks. Tried alot more Warongs great value if you can work out what the food is same same but different.
Rained most nights with some streets closed at night due to flooding. Nice sunny days humidity was extreme. Times / months for wet season ,dry season has changed. Weather in Bali now is a ??????.
Having been to Bali many times Im still in love with the island, the beautiful people but I will be taking a little more care when Im out and about.
Thanks to all the advise message left on this site.