Finally, arriving

Long awaited arrival

We descended into Bali airport and landed at 0050 with the cabin lights dimmed rather than off.  It was still plenty bright, just like during take-off some six hours ago.  I wonder if there is a maximum permissible brightness.  Other airlines I fly with simply turn the lights off completely.

There was a long queue at immigration.  Surprisingly, it moved pretty quickly and I was on my way around 0130 in a pre-booked transport to the Grandmas Plus Seminyak hotel.  The car was booked via Traveloka with a hefty discount voucher which meant that I didn’t need to haggle with overpriced drivers.

I saw my long-awaited bed around 0200 and was washed up and in it soon after.  It was the end of possibly the most horrible disruption I’ve had in my extensive travel history.

Lazy day

I woke around 0700 and had breakfast around 0800 in the hotel restaurant.  I chose the local breakfast which was kinda westernised for the audience.  I then took a walk to the beach and came back rather drenched from the humidity.  I chose to stay in air-conditioned comfort until the bloody thing stopped working.

It was hotter but less humid when I ventured out for a Nasi Padang lunch.  I cooled off in the small but pleasant hotel pool before lazing again.

I had been looking forward to revisiting the massage place I went a few times last year called Zema Healing.  They only have masseurs (no females) and they were strong.  I think it’s a Muslim business.  The prices have gone up in the 11 months and some treatments are cheaper at my hotel.

After a 90 min massage I emerged loosened without feeling mangled.  Trouble is that I actually do like hard massages that do mangle me.

For dinner, I chose to look around the Seminyak beach area.  Just as I was giving up and settling for overpriced western or bastardised local fare, I found a place that did authentic Balinese food.  Not just Indonesian but Balinese!  It was cheaper than anything else around as well.

I finished the day with a walk on the now-busy beach before retreating to my room around 1900.  My day in Bali had been exactly the way I had wanted it.  Lazy and relaxing.