the great bali escape: may ‘09: day one: departure, arrival, blasted taxi driver
So Fireangel and I went to Bali and back. We purchased the tickets in August 2008 during one of those Air Asia free tickets thing. It cost RM566 including RM36 optional GoInsure (which wasn’t optional for us because for some reason, the optional box/button did not appear in Firefox). When I was at a dinner hosted by Heineken last week, I spoke with one of the guys who was there. He bought 2 tickets to Bali earlier this year and it cost him half our price. So you can imagine my geramness…
Oh well. Our flight was at 7pm, we reached LCCT Sepang in good time, checked in and had a quick bite at Old Town.
Check out my awesome Threadless t-shirt!
The plane was on-time and we arrived in Denpasar 20 mins early, about 9.40 pm. Filled out an arrival card. Upon entering the terminal, we had to fill out a health card. Lots of people wearing face masks. Retrieved my luggage, wanted to exit the terminal but got stopped by an official wanting some other card. Huh, we don’t have. Go back, he said. Har?? Oh turns out we had to fill out yet another card -_-”
Lots of touters at the airport. We had to go to our hostel in Poppies Lane I in Kuta. One wanted Rp80,000 (RM28), another wanted Rp70,000 (RM25.xx). We stood in line for the airport taxi, ended up paying Rp50,000 (RM17.xx). Taxi driver said something about stopping us somewhere and we had to walk because Poppies Lane I is small, only meant for motorbikes. We clarified this (as much as we could, not well-versed with the streets of Kuta) and had to agree, providing that he showed us where to walk. He stopped us at a corner of Jln. Pantai Kuta and Jln. Legian, pointed obscurely and left. Err, thanks.
Legian Street at night. Only when we arrived it was much darker and deserted.
Obviously we got lost. Asked a few Caucasians who were most helpful in providing directions to Poppies Lane I. They weren’t kidding about the lane part. The entrance to Poppies Lane I from Legian Street was this small pathway with no signboards nor indications that it was a walk-able lane. The opening of the pathway was dark and small, only for pedestrians and motorcycles. I took a couple of photos on our last day to indicate the lane:
Was rather bewildering and a tad scared. The pathway opened up to a bigger lane of course, but the initial walk was a bit scary, especially in the middle of the night. Some beggars with children around. Had to ask more people if it really will lead us to our hostel. The next day we found out from our guide that the other part of Poppies Lane I could take in cars (single lane). So turns out, our airport taxi driver just couldn’t be bothered to drive slightly longer to go into the lane @#*()@*@#&
Anyway, we found our hostel. Was nice, more on this later. Checked in, dumped our stuff, freshened up, went to a pub along the same street (Kubuku) for nectar of the gods.
Om nom nom nom
Rp20,000 (RM6.90) for a big bottle of cold Bintang lager. Nice.
*Complete Flickr set of Bali, May 2009 here, including photos not published on blog.
Related Posts
- sunlight radio taxi & restoran sri ganesh seksyen 11 suck
- the great bali escape: may ‘09: day two: legian beach, kuta streets, sunset @ ku de ta
- the great bali escape: may ‘09: day three: to the peak of mount batur (part one)
- the great bali escape: may ‘09: day three: ubud and the famous ibu oka babi guling
- before bali
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
It’s easy to be conned by taxi touts in Bali. Lucky my hotel provided us a free hotel transfer to the airport.
It’s a bit overwhelming for first-timers in Bali/Indonesia but usually, what is offered by the taxi touts at the airports is worth the money. They will be beholden to drop you off at the proper hotel (not making u walk), and anyway, traffic can be so bad that you would end up paying just as much via metered taxi.
But yes, I usually ask for a free hotel transfer (just book one night is enough!) because you could breeze through the touts, to the guy bearing your name on the card. No stress..
Appreciate you could let us know the place you stayed and how much it cost/night.
I would love to go there again.
Also.. you must try Babi Guling.
Shop name: Ibu Oka.
Area in Ubud.
It’s very famous.. and definitely to die for..
eiling: yeah i guess so. maybe it’s obligatory to be cheated once everywhere!
squirrel: it was, esp at night. for some reason i didn’t think of asking the hotel for a transfer. wouldn’t have been free, but at least it would be straight to their place. ah well next time i’ll know better
Dez: we stayed at masa inn, will blog about it later with photos. will also blog about babi guling
suan, my 4d3n visit in Dec 2007 cost me RM350 per person inclusive of return flight and hotel stay (but the hotel was in Legian). Don’t jeles ya :p
My gf is going to Bali end of July. Any recommendation like where to go or where to eat?
I like tt seamless T! Wonder how it’s made though.
Bali is a romantic place to go… I like it! I took the free and easy package by Sime Darby tour, includes hotel at Bali Dynasty which is 3 star hotel at Kuta Town. Overall hotel stay is not bad. The tour guide was not bad too, and it’s ony 2 of us.. not like have to follow a tour group.
I think you might have bought the tickets before the fuel surcharge was axed?
Ahhh, I miss Bali so so so much
The last time I went there was like 6 years ago. Stayed at The Legian on Seminyak beach, but went to Kuta a few times! Must drag KY there again soon, maybe end of the year!
RM566!? That’s expensive! Booked in Feb09 for Dec09 X’mas. . RM160 for 2. Return ticket somemore. .
Been there once & the taxi r super annoying. Simply horn to get tourists attention.
izad: go fix your ym bleh
kit kat: not so much on the food because i think malaysian food nicer. but the rest i will blog about it. in good time la. lots of photos
paperman: ask the bangladeshis!
pet: i can imagine why it’s romantic for couples. bali is v. beautiful
ky: think so too
mell: hah but this time you can legally drink! and stuff
hairy belly: it was
as ky said, it was b4 the fuel surcharge cut. then again it was also in the middle of the year – rainy seasons would be cheaper. not only the taxis horn — cars and bikes and just about anything with a horn, honks!
you is back! quick more posts!
Suanie is back! ohhh I miss u…! herro!
Looking noticeably slimmer – in the pic at the airport at least
Did the Reductil help? Need more? (Still have a spare box if anyone wants at cost)
Don’t blow it all away again on bacon and Bintang, LOL!
I bought it for 400+. My friend got it for RM160 for two. Imagine my tulanness. Aih!! Going next week. SUAN UR T SHIRT VELI KIUT!!!!!!!!!
ahseng: slow la. lots of photos to process, heh. but will eventually get to them.
rach: oOoo mwah
Grant: heahahah it’s all about the angle
stopped Reductil for a while now, will get back on it after May. Too late advice about the Bintang 
Cheesie: Wahh Rm400+ for one person?!? speculative flight ticket prices sucks! i know you are going to bali next week again! heaheh have fun!!!
Zomg everyone going to Bali, I also want!
Great
Then I should tell my gf to get ready to eat those lousy food. haha
i’m with u ST,
btw, the lane could just fit FA and a Suan. nothing more than that dy.
ST: do it!
kit kat: ahha not sure about other people’s preferences la. or maybe it was just the stuff we ate in bali. the best was the pork pizza in ku de ta. restaurant food was just okay.
horng: so fa and suan equals to one incoming motorbike.
OMG, me haz exact same one. We iz villains. http://www.projectblam.com/2009/04/my-threadlesses.html
What is FA drinking? Lime juice??? lol
jimmy : now you are not so speshel anymoar
simon: fuwah you insulting her ka? that was arak
the two shot glasses with orange liquid is supposed to be something with alcohol, only we couldn’t taste the alcohol