A traveller's reflection: January 2014

My Travel Journal

"There isn't much I haven't shared with you along the road and through it all there'd always be tomorrow's episode" - Elton John

I started traveling around the world since early 80s when I had the opportunity to combine business trips with vacations. Then later when my rezeki is in abundance, there were numerous other trips along the way for vacations, most of the time with hubby and the kids when the timing is right. I have also started to compile the journal and photo-pages covering almost more than 45 years of world wide travel. Some destinations I visited just once, others many times. Many of those places are the obvious famous places people would like to visit but some, the casual traveler doesn't even think to try. I have placed links to my travel at the side bar of my personal page, My Life Reflections, and will be updating them from time to time.

My wish is to continue my travel and complete circumnavigate the globe, insyaAllah…

Sunday, 26 January 2014

Indonesia 2014 Bali Adventure Ride: 01 KL - Kuta - Ubud

"Do something now that will make the person you'll be tomorrow proud to have been the person you are today..."

Tranquil Beaches and Majestic Mountains

Day 1 - Thursday, 23 Jan 2014

(KL - Kuta - Ubud)

We had earlier booked a taxi direct to KLIA through MyTeksi for 5:00 am.

When we arrived at KLIA we performed subuh prayers first before we checked-in via the self-service kiosk. It was a simple and fast process. We then headed straight to the boarding gate as we did not have any check-in luggage.

(Nasi lemak breakfast at KLIA)

The MAS 9:00 am flight took almost 3 hours. It was raining slightly when we reached Ngurah Rai International Airport Denpasar. After going through a very slow immigration clearance we were greeted by a hotel personnel and transferred by a van to The Zuk Hotel in Kuta Beach.

(Airport transfer to Kuta Beach)

In the hotel we met with the rest of the bikers gang who arrived a day earlier. There were 10 of us, 4 couples and 2 singles, and we will be riding either the Honda Tiger 200 or Honda CBR 250 around Bali island. After a brief introduction we walked to the nearest Nasi Padang restaurant for a late lunch. After a short briefing and a simple check on our rental bikes, we started riding out of Kuta town towards Ubud around 3:30 pm.

(A short briefing before the ride)

(Inspecting the rented sports bike)

Kuta is the best known tourist resort town on the island of Bali and has a great surfing beach. It has long been a popular destination for backpackers next to Katmandu in Nepal and Khao San in Thailand. Even after the tragic even in 2002, Kuta today still attracts some hardcore backpackers and tourists from all over the world.

(Lorong tikus to the main road)

(Normal traffic out of Kuta)

(Riding out of town)

Because of its popularity and continual development, Kuta has become overcrowded and congested and most roads are constantly busy with motor scooter, taxis and private cars. Instead of using signals, motorists prefer to honk to indicate overtaking or squeezing in between cars.

(A lady selling Jamu)

(Vespas with side cars)

We rode slowly and carefully out of town through the massive traffic jam towards the Bali Mandara Toll Road. It is a tolled causeway bridge stretch across the Gulf of Benoa about 13 km in length, an alternative route between Denpasar, Nusa Dua and the Ngurah Rai Airport.

(Riding on a toll road)

(Rider approaching the toll booth)

(Motorist paying the toll)

Apart from providing access and smoother traffic, drivers and motorists can enjoy a nice scenic drive. The toll road has a special lane for motorcycles and they are charged Rp4,000. The toll charges for cars is Rp10,000 and higher for bigger vehicles.

(Stopping for photo shots)

(A photo shot on the toll road)

(A scenic view along the highway)

(A glimpse of the Benoa Habour)

We stopped to refuel at one of the petrol stations before heading towards Sindhu Beach. Sindhu Beach is a peaceful and beautiful white sandy beach situated in Sanur Village with stunning view to the Indian Ocean. It is blessed by the breathtaking scenery especially at sunrise with the blue sky and Gunung Agung as a backdrop. This beach is one of the famous beaches as a tourist destination in Bali Island.

(Refueling at a petrol station)

(Signage to Sindhu Beach)

(Parking our bikes)

(The bikers gang)

(Clean sandy beach)

(Not so crowded in the evening)

We rode to Ubud using the smaller trunk roads passing through Sanur. There are many roads leading to Ubud and the ride was made interesting as we rode through quieter roads passing different villages. The journey brings on a feeling of discovering more of Bali. Ubud is located amongst rice paddies and steep ravines in the central foothills of the Gianyar regency. As one of Bali's major arts and culture centres and famous for it's artists and paintings, Ubud has developed a large tourism industry and difficult to distinguish the town itself from the villages that surround it.

(Looking for signage to Ubud)

(Riding on the trunk road)

(A small trunk road)

Before we reached our hotel, we stopped at Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary for some photo shots. The Ubud Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary is a nature reserve and temple complex. The sanctuary complex houses crab-eating macaque monkeys. The Monkey forest contains the Pura Dalem Agung Padangtegal Temple as well as a ‘Holy Spring’ bathing temple and another for cremation ceremonies.

(Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary)

(No parking area)

(A group photo)

We reached the Pertiwi Bisma Resort near dusk. The resort is quiet and clean, nestled in between small lots of paddy fields. After checking-in and a short rest we rode to a nearby theater for a Legong and Barong Dance Show which cost us Rp40,000.

(A small plot of paddy field)

(A small road to the resort)

(The Pertiwi Bisma Resort)

(Ready to go out for dinner)

Legong and Barong dance show is a very ancient dance traditions that is part of the religious and artistic expressions. The Balinese dancers express the story of dance-drama involving Rangda, the witch and the great beast Barong through their bodily gestures, fingers, hands, head and eyes movements.

(The Dance Drama)

(The Barong Dance)

(Expressive Balinese Dance)

2014: 02 Ubud/Kintamani/Lovina, Indonesia👉

Indonesia 2014 Bali Adventure Ride: 02 Ubud - Kintamani - Lovina

"The way we choose to see the world creates the world we see..." - Barry Neil Kaufman

Day 2 - Friday, 24 Jan 2014

(Ubud - Kintamani - Lovina)

We had breakfast early and it rained quite heavily when we got ready to ride out of Ubud. The weather turned out fine when we started riding towards Kintamani.

(Ubud prominent monument)

(Pretty girls walking the street)

(A religious gathering at a temple)

About 10 minutes ride out of Ubud, we stopped at a small village of Tegallalang in the Gianyar district for a nice spectacular view of the rice terrace. Water from the mountain springs flows into the step terraces on the hillside and mountain edges and keeps the paddy fields irrigated all year round. The terrace rice fields attracted photographers and have become the most popular features of Bali landscapes.

(The rice terrace)

(A nice view of the paddy terrace)

(Our ride for today, Honda CBR)

We rode on the winding road to Kintamani, one of the most favorite tourist destinations in Bali with the view of the active volcano of mount Batur and beautiful Batur Lake. Mount Batur has erupted about 24 times since year 1800 and still active up to now.

Kintamani is surrounded by the captivating nature and there are six ancient villages around cauldron of Batur Lake. The local people from these Bali Age villages own the unique cultures, houses and life style.

(A small road passing small villages)

(Riding leisurely through the trunk road)

We stopped for photo shots of Gunung Agung, a stratovolcano which is the highest point on the island. It dominates the surrounding area, influencing the climate. The clouds come from the west and Gunung Agung takes their water so that the west is lush and green and the east dry and barren. The most important temple on Bali, Pura Besakih, is located high on the slopes of Gunung Agung.

Gunung Agung last erupted in 1963-1964 and is still active, with a large and very deep crater which occasionally belches smoke and ash. From a distance, the mountain appears to be perfectly conical, despite the existence of the large crater. From the peak of the mountain, it is possible to see the peak of Mount Rinjani on the island of Lombok, although both mountains are frequently covered in clouds.

(Gunung Batur and Lake Batur)

(The majestic Gunung Agung)

(Deja Vu, our last visit was 10 years ago!)

(The lady bikers)

(The bikers gang)

We rode downhill towards Lake Batur, the biggest lake in Bali. It functions as irrigation source to all farmers around it. There are nice hotels and restaurants along the lake. It is a famous tourist place because of its beautiful panoramic view and the cool mountain climate.

(The winding road to Lake Batur)

(Steep road downhill towards the lake)

(Beautiful chalets on water)

We stopped for a short break at the floating restaurant and had iced tea with hot goreng pisang while absorbing the tranquility of the surrounding scenery.

(The floating restaurant)

(Boating in the lake)

(Many rest areas along the lake side)

(Having tea and goreng pisang)

We rode the winding road out of Kintamani. The weather was sunny at first but it started to rain when we were riding the mountain road and there were a few landslides along the way.

(Local scene - bicycle on the motorbike)

(Checking the routing in the rain)

(Wet and slippery ride on a winding road)

Riding slowly with care in the rain, we later stopped for a short break at Desa Bengkala. When it stopped raining, we continued riding towards Lovina Beach.

(Pit stop and ciggie break)

(Entrance to the village)

(Motorbikes taking a break too)

We stopped for lunch at one Nasi Padang Restaurant in Singaraja. Singaraja is the largest city in North Bali, and the former colonial administrative capital of not only Bali, but the whole of the Lesser Sunda Islands. It is also a noticeably multi-ethnic city. The Arabic influence is especially apparent in the district near the old docks called Kampung Arab and the largest Chinese temple in Bali is here. It is also a major academic centre with two univerisities.

(Masjid Jame' Singaraja)

(The road to Lovina)

We reached Lovina beach Resort early in the afternoon. After we checked-in, we had a long refreshing nap in the room. When we woke up it was already dark. We had a two-hour traditional body massage in the room to relieve tired muscles.