8 of us left my home in Berwick in a U BUET limo, complete with Crown Largers to keep us company on the 45 minute trip to the airport.
Flew with Jets* via Darwin and arrived in Bali on time to an empty airport.
Arrived at the Dewa Sri hotel and took off straight away for a quick meal and a few binnies at Bali Corner Warung in Poppies two befroe heading of to the clubs.
Next day we all hired scooters and purchased any additional clothing we might need as we all travelled very light.
Day 1 on Scooters. (7 Hrs riding) Kuta to Lake Bedugal for Lunch. Then on up to Siniraja before heading back south on another road to Balian on the West coast. We all stayed ion the Dolls House Rooms at Pondock Pittaya
right on the surf beach. Accomodation, our evening meals and as much binnies as we could fit in cost us AUD$45 a head.
Day 2.(6 Hrs on Bikes) Departed Balian at 11.30 and after realising that the West coast road was very quiet as it was Sunday, decided that we would travel to Gilimanuk. From Gilimanuk we headed to Lovina stopping at the Watch Tower near Menjangan for lunch. This is an awsome restaurant. Five storys high and built entirely of wood and bamboo with grass roofs and each floor smaller as they went up. It was built as a fire watch tower and is still used for that reason as well as a restaurant. Then back on the bikes and arrived in Lovina with plenty of rain falling in the last 5 kilometrs. Stayed in a budget hotel for $11 a night each with breakfast.
Day 3. (4rs riding) Lovina to Kintamani. Very steep roads and monsoonal rains causing flooding and stones on the roads. One bike brock down with the water. Then when it was being repaired the motor seased as it had no oil in the motor. Left the bike there to be picked up by its owner and continued onto Kintamani for Lunch. Still pouring so over lunch made the decision to get out of the rain belt area abd head to Padang Bai for warmth. Arrived in Padang Bai about 5.30 and booked into some accomodation on the waterfront at $11.00 a night per room with fans. As it was so cheap we all had a room to ourselfs buit had to purchase toilet papoaer each as it was not included in the price. Got harrased to purcvhase farst boat tickets for the next day to Gili T. They wre asking 800.000 return and said the boat was nearly full only 8 seats left. As there were 8 off us we got them down to 700.000 return . That night we went to the Sunshine bar where Komang from Gegeg Bulan in Poppies 2 used to work. I asked him how much the fast boat should cost and he said 250,000 return..Next time we will know!
Day 4 (No riding)> Left the bikes at the booking office for the EkaJaya Fast boat and took of for GiliT. Arrived on time and went to the Beach House for drinks and a few of us took off to check out accomodation. Ended up staying at Gili Trawongan Terminal at 400.000 per room per night. Nice clean accomodation with new bathrooms and a great pool in. The hotel is located in the middle of the strip and suited us well. As we were not riding today we tended to bar hop a little and enede up at the Beach House again for diner. The Beach House seemed to be the most popular for eating out of all the restaurants and the food proved why.
Day 5. One of us went scuba diving while the other seven booked a boat for the day and went island hopping and snorkelling for the entire day. Snorkelling was great. Very easy and plenty to see. We saw three turtels and plenty of variety of fish and coral. That night dinner again at the Beach house. On our trip we had a challenge every day set by a different person. It was fourtunate or unfortunate that the two challengers we had at GiliT were both very visual to others.
Challenge 4 was each had a dummy in there mouth whilst they drank a binnie, then had to do a dummy spit to find out who could spit the dummy the least. Challenge five was to wear a pair of fluro underpabts on the outside of uor clothing. A little embarasing but veryone else around us enjoyed our antics. A young English couple who tagged along as we bar hopped wanted to go and get a pair of undies each and join us. Buit as were just about finished our one hour wearing them, when we took them of this young couple put them on and had photlos taken with us. May seem a little boganish to some. But we we had fun and as we are in our late fortys to mid fifties we tried to respect everyone else whilst doing it.
Day6. Back on the fast baot. Picked up laundry and our bikes and headed to sanur for lunch. Then back to the Dewa sri for our last two nights.
Day 7 we were supposed to go to Thana Lot and Eco Beach but the previous week of travelling and partying ghad worn us out, so we had very relaxed days. Went to Lani for tea then to the Beach House bar in Garlic lane for a few drinks and watched part of there Drag Queen show.
Day 8. Ku Da Te for breakfast, another lazy day then watched Football at Kuta Town Houses before diner at Queens of Tandor. Great Indian food. We ordered 8 different dishes and shared all, so as we got to taste all the different iterms on the menu.
Day 9. Took it easy again. A little shopping for family and the odd drink in the pool. Checked out of the hotel at 6 and went to kori for tea. Still enjoy the food there after maybe being to Kori something like seventy times over the last 16 years. Into two cabs and of to the airport. Being a Saturday we went early expecting hugh crowds but we arrived again to an empty airport. Checked in patd 100.000 each and spent the next three hours in the Dewa lounge before boarding the plane for home.
Looking at doing our fourth ride next june.
I personally have travelled nearly every main road on Bali and find it easy to get about on a scooter. We were all very aware of having an accident and the good riders would drop back one at a time to keep an eye on the guys who hadn't been riding for as long.
We had a marvellous trip and can't waite for next one.
Bob