It’s been an amazing past week with the arrival of Hilary and Jason, our good friends from Hawaii. It’s always more fun to be with friends to share adventures with; especially in the surfing arena. I feel so much more comfortable that there is a “group” of us in the water to watch out for one another. Ryan and I rented a car to pick Hilary and Jason up from the Bali international airport. We always envisioned picking up “tourist” from the airport, like we’re so “local” now. I have to say, driving at night is much different than the day time. Ryan immediately felt stress and caused himself to have a migraine headache. I was screaming “watch-out!” and “Oh my gosh!” every minute. Before picking up Hil and J at the airport at 11:00 p.m., Ryan and I headed to the BIMC hospital to get recent test results. That killed our time since it took about 2 hours of consultation. We were cutting it very close to the time to pick up Hil and J and I told Ryan, “Okay, you have one chance, just one chance to get it right. No wrong turns to the airport or we will be late and Hilary and Jason are going to wonder where we are and we are going to have to turn around on these crazy roads!” Ryan thoroughly understood his mission and so we headed out onto the main highway. We had to make a U-turn, which normally is a pain, but it turned out to be a breeze thankfully. Ryan followed the sign that said “Airport” and went around the large statue in the middle of the main intersection. This was our first time driving to the airport and we were slightly nervous wrecks. A right turn, then a swift left turn, then another right turn, then payment booths, then a check point, then another left turn, then another right turn and we made it to the parking lot. Unlike Honolulu international airport where there might or might not be parking and are charged a large fee, the Bali airport was full of empty spaces and no fee…yet. “There, there, over there Ryan, park…go, go, park.” Ryan swiftly found a parking and we jumped out to head to the “waiting area.” There were a large amount of people holding signs for their respective guests. The airport had really cleaned up from just two years ago when it was my first time to Bali. I was freaking out when I left the safety of the airport with all my luggage. Driver after driver ran up to Ryan and I “Need transport, need transport, I take your bags!” “Hold on to your bags…tightly Kir,” Ryan sternly reminded me. I did what he said and I remember Ryan trusting a stranger to take us to Kuta. The stranger turned out to be a “good transport” and took us to a safe hotel. Two years later, waiting to pick up our friends, there was a metal safety gate before any of the “drivers” could meet the tourists (which were much fewer to begin with) and everything seemed much more organized than the chaos that I first experienced. The taxi service was well near the metal gates and the taxi drivers were efficiently prepared to gather the newly arrived tourists into their safe, air conditioned Toyota and Honda vehicles.
“Their flight number is not on the screen Kir! Are you sure they’re coming tonight?” Contemplating I thought, did I make a mistake, I could have sworn it was Wed., April 13th, I had been waiting for this day for a long, long time, there is no way I made a mistake. “No Ry, I know it is tonight, I have been prepared for like a month now, counting down the days.” Giving a “hopefully you’re right, non-trusting, paranoid glance,” Ryan hoped that they would be coming through the glass doors. I pointed to several Korean language name signs to comfort Ryan’s nerves. Afterall, Hil and J were arriving on Korean Air. One by one and three by three Korean passengers exited through the glass doors. They were definitely Korean nationals with their distinct look. “It’s my people!” I exclaimed to Ryan, since I am 1/8th Korean. Ry just kinda looked at me and laughed a bit. “Hey, kim chee is supposed to be cancer fighting you know.” Then suddenly two very familiar faces popped through the glass doors and there they were! They made it to Bali! Excited Ryan and I let out a “Transport, transport?” and waved a big wave. It was a moment Ry and I had been waiting for, for a long time. Hil and J looked a bit travel weary, but extremely relieved that they had finally made it to Indonesia. The parking at the airport was a mere $2.00 and we headed home in our vehicle. The drive back to Uluwatu was a breeze, no people, no traffic. “This road is crazy in the day time,” Ryan explained to Hil and J, “Wait for tomorrow when we go to Kuta, it will be quite an adventure.” “I really don’t doubt it,” Hil replied to Ry. Before we could make it home the Polisi had a stopping point to check our cars. “Be prepared to possibly take out your passports,” I said, trying to calm us down a bit. “But Ry, remember, just give him your international driver’s license. We are not supposed to give our passports and if we do, and he takes it away, we need to report him.” The polisi checked Ryan’s driver’s license and our vehicle. The rest of us just smiled the biggest smile that we could and they let us free. Thank goodness because the last time this happened the polisi took our passports and demanded we pay to get it back. Apparantly on the bukit there have been several cases of drunk driving and accidents and so the polisi were out checking to make sure there were no other repeated offenses. “That’s actually very responsible that they are doing that,” Hilary responded after the close call. Soon enough we made it to our homestay. We reserved a room right next door to ours. Satisfied and relieved at the cleanliness and space of the room, Hil and J settled in. We talked for a good couple of hours before we head to bed. Ry and I were so thrilled that our friends made it safely to Bali.
The next day Ryan and I took Hil and J to crazy Kuta to find a body board and a surf board. We still had the vehicle rented. Traffic had tripled and Hilary and Jason looked on with worry and excitement. Arriving in Kuta, it was as busy as it could get and the heat completely sucked the energy out of our bodies. Ryan parked extremely far away from Poppies I and Poppies II, but somehow we made it to those busy alley’s. The haggling began right away, “You buy, you buy!” “Massage only $50,000,” “Sunglasses, wallets, come on just look, just look one minute.” I knew Hil and J would be completely overwhelmed in the first five minutes. Hilary gave really good advice to all of us, “Never ever say that you are coming back to that place to try to be nice, then they will expect you to come back and push the sale even more.” I accidently said it to the wallet guy, but only because I thought we were really going to be coming back that way. “No, no Kir, don’t tell him that we will be back,” Ryan whispered to me. “Okay, okay, sorry.” I happened upon the make- my- luck- by- forcing- to- paint nails lady. “Oooo, I remember you!” she said in a strong voice, pointing and staring at me. “Oooo, and I remember you!” I strongly said back, staring her down while swiftly walking away. There are more of them than us even though I felt like I needed to stand up for myself.
Hilary and Jason found good deals on a body board and surf board and Ryan found the unique multi-colored boat kite that he really wanted. I haggled a bit and bought five beaded necklaces for my friends. I almost walked away until he would give the right price. In the end, we all agreed that a Kuta visit would only be if we REALLY needed to go down there for an errand or to go to the Hard Rock Café as Jason suggested. Kuta really is a place for the special and unique, those who want to party hard every night, shop and haggle to their hearts desire in the dying heat, and be amongst crowds and crowds of people from all over the world. Country living is definitely not in sight, although perhaps at one time, Kuta was more like Uluwatu, quiet and calm.
For the next week after Kuta, Ryan and I brought Hil and J to various surf spots, Green bowls, Padang Padang, Impossibles (Hil calls it Incredibles), Dreamland, Uluwatu, Piung, Nusa Dua, and the 547 stair hike down to Nyang Nyang. Nusa Dua spots on the East Side have recently and unfortunately gone to poop. Literally a week before Hil and J arrived Nusa Dua was glassy, beautiful, and manageable. Ryan and I were bummed since we wanted to share those spots…especially the secret spot, “Shangrila.” Other than that Hil and J had incredible days at Impossibles. J got a barrel at Uluwatu and Hilary got covered in a right hander barrel at Padang on a fun day. Nyang Nyang was too huge for all of us and only Ryan went out. It reminded us of an out of control surf at Quarries in Mokuleia back home on the North Shore. I was praying that Ry would come out alive and well! Oh yes, that’s right, I forgot to mention. A miracle has occurred, Ry is up and riding again and it’s such a relief. Watching him paddle out to catch perfect left handers at Impossibles about 5 days ago with a beautiful sunset and moon rise brought a genuine smile to my heart. I understand that your heart is unable to smile, but if it could and I could show the world, it did at that very moment. The hiatas of not being able to participate in water activities together has been a bit of a strain on Ry and I. The ocean definitely is our connection and will always be. We had our first amazing session together at Greenbowls yesterday and I felt much safer and comforted with Ry in the water.
Currently, today, 4/22/2011, Hil is recovering from a case of Bali Belly. Jason caught a flu bug and Ryan and I are trying to not get sick…but you never know what can happen with all the traditional Indonesian food we have been consuming. We are all taking it easy today, resting our bodies from surf and heat exhaustion. The storm last night has made spots choppy and unorganized. It is a bit overcast today. When all is well, healed and rested, we will resume our adventures. Signing off for now—U’i
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