I HAVE been to Bali too
A couple of weeks ago (13-21 July), D, K and I visited Indonesia for the first time last week. DH has been living in Jogja(Jogya?Yogya?Yogja?...I'll opt for the phonetic version)karta for the last 4 years, and MG is in Jogja learning Indonesian as part of his masters. We all met in Bali for a few days and then headed across to Jogja.
Bali was lovely – my only image of it, apart from surf and bombs, was of drunken aussie yobs. But there are a lot of options and it turned out very easy to avoid the yobs. Went to an increasingly famous bar/restaurant/club named ku de ta. It's perched right on the beach, full of tanned bodies and big deck-chair-style lounges. The sort of place I’d think was pretentious wankery and where I’d feel totally out of place and nowhere near hip enough if it was in Sydney, but on the beach in Bali it was worked for me. Amazing cocktails – eg “grilled pineapple and cracked pepper martini” (v good) and the best bloody mary I ever tried, made from “juice of slow-roasted tomatoes”. Good food too. This is the place by day:
Had one night in Ubud, little town in the hills. V touristy but nice feel, lovely accommodation and some v good food. DH took D and I on a beautiful wander through rice paddies in hills just above the town:
Jogjakarta was excellent, due in large part to having DH there to host us. Fantastic house, designed by one of Indonesia's most eminent environmental architects, in a village only 20 min out of the city. AND rent-free. Not sure how he does it, but this sort of stuff just happens to DH. Several times, D or I cruised around as a passenger on the back of his 1200cc Harley – which he ended up with after a friend sold it to him cheap because he (original owner) was desperate for cash.
I loved cruising round the city on the little 100cc scooter -- it was automatic, ridiculously easy to drive and comfortable at, oooh, 60km/h, which produced plenty of excitement for me. But I was shitscared (in a retrospectively fun way) on the occasions Dave semi-opened up the Harley while I was on the back (including weaving between cars and trucks on the road into the airport). I am really a very long way from hardcore.
Typically, I was very untouristy (sometimes to D's frustration) – most of my travel these days revolves around hanging out, chatting, eating and drinking. I’m more interested in getting a feel for a place (which is an attempt at sounding credible by euphemising "hanging out, chatting, eating and drinking") and catching up with friends, than traipsing around historical sites etc. Or maybe I’m just lazy. Whatever. Pour me some wine.
Bali was lovely – my only image of it, apart from surf and bombs, was of drunken aussie yobs. But there are a lot of options and it turned out very easy to avoid the yobs. Went to an increasingly famous bar/restaurant/club named ku de ta. It's perched right on the beach, full of tanned bodies and big deck-chair-style lounges. The sort of place I’d think was pretentious wankery and where I’d feel totally out of place and nowhere near hip enough if it was in Sydney, but on the beach in Bali it was worked for me. Amazing cocktails – eg “grilled pineapple and cracked pepper martini” (v good) and the best bloody mary I ever tried, made from “juice of slow-roasted tomatoes”. Good food too. This is the place by day:
Had one night in Ubud, little town in the hills. V touristy but nice feel, lovely accommodation and some v good food. DH took D and I on a beautiful wander through rice paddies in hills just above the town:
Jogjakarta was excellent, due in large part to having DH there to host us. Fantastic house, designed by one of Indonesia's most eminent environmental architects, in a village only 20 min out of the city. AND rent-free. Not sure how he does it, but this sort of stuff just happens to DH. Several times, D or I cruised around as a passenger on the back of his 1200cc Harley – which he ended up with after a friend sold it to him cheap because he (original owner) was desperate for cash.
I loved cruising round the city on the little 100cc scooter -- it was automatic, ridiculously easy to drive and comfortable at, oooh, 60km/h, which produced plenty of excitement for me. But I was shitscared (in a retrospectively fun way) on the occasions Dave semi-opened up the Harley while I was on the back (including weaving between cars and trucks on the road into the airport). I am really a very long way from hardcore.
Typically, I was very untouristy (sometimes to D's frustration) – most of my travel these days revolves around hanging out, chatting, eating and drinking. I’m more interested in getting a feel for a place (which is an attempt at sounding credible by euphemising "hanging out, chatting, eating and drinking") and catching up with friends, than traipsing around historical sites etc. Or maybe I’m just lazy. Whatever. Pour me some wine.
posted by secret wombat at 3:36 pm
2 Comments:
You haven't changed a bit...Good!
ah wombat darling
the Big Yabbie loved your company and was only deeply saddened by your departure
Your gorgeous 'wife' lit up my life for the week, and here i was thinking i'd be jealous !
What was i thinking?
I suggested a threesome, but she seemed somehow reluctant
The house of yabbie awaits your return
http://house-of-yabbie.blogspot.com/
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