Haircut!

Up about 9:00, Kristin and I went for breakfast, then I just laid around about until about 11:00, then I went to our old hotel and booked a room. Got the same room I was in last time. Kristin and Scott got a new room, this time with a seat on the toilet!

I headed to Matahari department store to look for a 220 volt to 110 volt convertor, but found nothing. Stopped at another spot that might have it, but the guy said I'd probably have to go to Denpasar. Also stopped at a tourist place and got more information on white-water rafting.

Back to the hotel, and Kristin and I went and booked our white-water rafting, 250,000 rupiah each, about $41CDN. We spend about 2 hours on the water.

Kristin and I went shopping for a while, I bought some shorts, Kristin bought a bunch of stuff, then we headed to the Bagus restaurant for the 3:00 showing of "Dumb and Dumberer", which was dumb. Never finished watching it.

I went for a haircut at 5:00, then Kristin and I headed for "downtown", where the main Matahari department store is, walked around, I'm on the lookout for a converter. We ate at an expensive (by Indonesian standards) restaurant, I had an amazing clubhouse sandwich. Then we walked back to the hotel, stopped at a payphone so Kristin could try to call her honey using her calling card, but no luck, so we went to a long distance phone place, and she called him at 10,000 rupiah/minute, about $1.60/minute.

Back to the hotel and did nothing, went to bed.

Really Short Journal...

I got up about 9:00, showered, had breakfast, Kristin and Scott got up after 10:00. We headed to the beach with Scott's Japanese girls at about 11:30. I left about 2:30, Kristin shortly afterwards. We showered, then we went for something to eat and checked out rafting in Bali. All the tourist places have it at 50%. She went to watch "American Wedding" at a restaurant at 4:30, and I hit an internet. I went to "Bad Boys II" at a restaurant at 7:30, but couldn't hear anything, because I was relegated to a back table right beside the road, with all the loud motorcycles buzzing past. It sounded like it was a good movie, because the audience in the theatre that the guy videotaped it from kept laughing. I got back to the hotel about 10:00, and Kristin was asleep. I went to bed too. Scott got home about 4:30AM.

And that's it!

Bungy!!!!!

Up at 9:00 or so, had breakfast, then showered, then just lounged. About 11:30, I headed to AJ Hackett to check out the free bungy jump offer. Kristin came with me. It was what it said, a free bungy jump, no strings attached, so I got weighed, went up to the top of the tower, they attached the bungy to me, and I jumped, screaming. This was only 44 metres, over a swimming pool in a resort, and not nearly as much fun as the Nevis Highwire I did in New Zealand (it was 134 metres). But it was still good, because it was free!

Kristin and I headed back, she bought a bunch of belts on the way back, and a bracelet. We got back about 2:45, met Scott who was just heading to Aquarius Hotel to meet up with his Japanese girl friend (as opposed to girlfriend). Kristin and I had lunch at the great restaurant that has awesome lasagna and pizza.

My neck is peeling horribly, and Kristin is all red and sore.

Scott joined us in the restaurant, and asked us if we wanted to move to Aquarius for a few days, about 50,000 rupiah each (little over $8 each). Very nice place, air conditioning, pool, free breakfast.

Paid our bill at the other place and packed our stuff and moved into a triple at Aquarius.

Kristin and I went swimming in the pool for a bit. Ran into Greg and made arrangements to see him tonight too.

Kristin and I went for a long walk around Kuta looking for Scott, and whoever he was hanging out with. Couldn't find him, so headed to Greg's hotel about 8:45, he wasn't there, then we ran into Scott and went to Bailey's (a guy Scott met) place, ran into Greg, and a bunch of us headed to the contruction lot roulette place. It's funny, a local sets up a simple roulette board, and a bunch of locals some and gamble every night in a contruction lot. Too funny!

They all gambled a little, then to a restaurant to meet Scott's Japanese friends (he spent two years in Japan, and speaks fluent Japanese), then to the Bounty Ship. Left there about 1:00.

Surfing Safari!!!

Up about 9:00, when Kristin came into my room and squirted water all over me. Had breakfast, then showered.

We headed to the beach about 11:30, Scott and me rented surfboards (with lessons) and Kristin got a boogie board.

Two surf guys took Scott and me out into the water, and gave us some simple lessons on how to do it, lay flat on the board (on your stomach), facing towards shore, when a good wave comes, start paddling, then, when you've "caught the wave", stand up. It took me a few tries, but I caught on quickly, and in no time, I was surfing quite easily, no balancing problems or anything. Scott was another story, he tried for an hour, and still couldn't stand up, and gave up. My problem is, trying to catch the wave, I can't paddle fast enough to "catch it" right most of the time. And getting OUT to the waves is most of the battle!

Stayed at the beach for quite a while, Kristin got a good burn. We walked around after, checked out a tour of some other parts of the island (waterfall, monkey forest, etc.)

Went to a restaurant for late lunch, then lounged around.

Sat around with a couple of Americans, then walked to a parking lot roulette table that one of them new aboutm, but it wasn't open yet (the local told us 8:00 it'll start). I decided to go watch "American Wedding" and get something to eat.

AFter the movie, met up with them, they lost their shirt; well, $5 or $6. Went to the Bounty Ship, and some guy handed us a free bungy jump pass from AJ Hackett, just up the beach. Kristin and I home about 11:00.

Kristin and Scott Arrive

Up about 8:15, slept great, despite my sunburn. Had breakfast with Amy and Claudia, then showered.

Walked around a bit, then back to my hotel at 10:00, Maria wasn't around. I thought I was free. I was chatting with Micky (Indonesian friend of the Canadians) and Amy, and Maria comes walking up. I said Hi to her, and then said, "Sorry, I can't go with you today, my girlfriend arrived early.", and introduced her to Amy. Maria asked Amy when she arrived. Amy was on the ball, she replied early this morning, and said she was very tired from the flight. Well, Maria looked kind of disappointed and said, "I go now", and left. I felt bad, actually.

We all sat around outside their room, chatting and they started giving me stuff they didn't want: their leftover toilet paper, antibacterial handwash, and the aunt gave me her Canadian beach towel!!! She said if I don't take it, she'll just give it to someone else. So, I got a big blue beach towel with big, red Canadian flags on it.

At noon, we went out for lunch, and the aunt paid, I tried objecting, then back to the hotel and I helped them take their bags to the waiting truck.

About 3:00, walked down the main street and waited for some guy to say "Transport?" to me, I asked him how much to go to the airport, he said 15,000, I offered 10,000, he accepted, he handed me an eggshell helmet and I climbed on the back of his bike and he whisked me away to the airport.

Kristins and Scotts plane was late, supposed to land at 4:00, didn't arrive until 4:20. The finally made it out about 4:40, we got a taxi to my hotel and they booked a room there.

Kristin told me, as we were driving into Kuta from the airport, with all the small shops, motorcycles driving on the sidewalks, everything in disrepair, and chaos all around, that she was thinking to herself, "What have I got myself into?" She was expecting some Cancun-style, massive multi-million dollar resorts.

Just outside our hotel area, there is a bunch of ladies who grab your hand, ask your name, and then try to give you a gift of a leather bracelet, for free they say. I've always pulled my hand away, and not taken the "gift", knowing there is some sort of catch involved. So, as we're walking past, they try to grab mine, I pull it away, but they get Kristin and Scott. They put the bracelet on Kristin, being all nice, then take her by the hand down to there shop. Scott and I are standing in the street, watching her get taken away. After she disappears into the shop, we follow and she's sitting there, grin on her face, being pampered, as about 5 ladies are braiding her hair, giving her a manicure and pedicure, and painting her nails. They usher Scott in there too, and they start giving him a manicure. Well, I'm thinking to myself, if Scott and Kristin are doing it, I might as well too, so I allow them to sit me down, one of the girls comes over to me, and gives me a manicure. Near the end, the money subject comes up, and with all the commotion, I do remember hearing Kristin getting upset, too much, and I remember her saying she's "pissed off". Scott is getting sucked in as well, but I manage to barter my price down from 150,000, where she started, to 80,000. Anyway, Kristin paid 350,000, Scott 150,000 and I paid out 80,000. And that was Kristins and Scotts first lesson in the SE Asian economy! They always want your money first! Scott was totally pissed about the whole experience. Whereas Kristin, after we left, was happy as a lark, she was really impressed with the little flowers they put on her nails, and said it was worth it.

We walked to the beach, Scott bought some shorts. Back to the hotel, Scott and Kristin settled in, I played with my MP3 player, then about 7:30, went for supper and then to the Bounty Ship for happy hour and karaoke. Kristin did Guns & Roses, "Sweet Child O Mine". Karaoke here is neat, the band plays along live with you, no recorded music, and you even have live backup singers!

The toilet in Kristin and Scott's room has no toilet seat!

We then went to Paddy's, next door to the Bouny Ship, and stayed there most of the night. Scott left about 1:15, Kristin and I left about 1:45, then used an internet, then home after 2:00 sometime.

Maria, Oh Maria

Up about 7:45, showered and had breakfast. Breakfast is usually included in the price of a room when you get accomodation in Indonesia. At my new place, it's sliced fruit (pineapple and banana), tea, and this very tasty, sweet pancake-like thing rolled up with a banana in the middle, fried up a little. It's very delicious.

About 9:40, headed to Greg's place, knocked on the door and waited about two minutes for him to open it up. He looked very rough, I asked him if we were still going on the day trip today, he said no, then I told him to go back to sleep and I left, laughing.

At 11:00, I went to the beach and went swimming. The water is fairly cool. Huge waves, lots of surfers and flags everywhere warning people not to swim too far, because of dangerous currents. Went back to hotel about 1:00.

Back at hotel, showered (no hot water at this place), then went for lunch at a cheap restaurant, then to an internet place. As I was using the internet, I was the only one in the room and an Indonesian girl came in and sat in the cubicle next to me, and started totally chatting me up, asking me where I'm from, where I'm going, asking me if I want to take her with me, etc. She says she's a student, studying tourism and hotel management. She then starts asking me out, she wants to meet up with me, tonight, but she has class from 5-9 tonight, so tried to make a date for about 10:00 tonight, I told her I couldn't, I was meeting up some friends this evening and going out, but maybe I would see her out tonight. Then the guy working the internet comes into the room, and she shuts up, and puts her finger to her mouth to indicate to me to be quiet. After he leaves again, she then starts on tomorrow, I tell her I can't tomorrow, I have to meet my girlfriend at the airport at 4:00, so then she tells me tomorrow morning, she'll pick me up at my hotel at 10:00 tomorrow morning. I'm, like, fine, ok, tomorrow morning, and she waits for me, so she can find out where my hotel is. So, after I finish using the internet, we leave, and she drives me back to my hotel on her motorbike, and when we get to my hotel, she asks what room number I'm in, but I don't tell her, I'll just meet her out front tomorrow morning at 10:00. I then ask her what we're going to do tomorrow morning, she says she'll pick me up at 10:00, then we'll go back to her place, and "blah, blah, blah" (that's what she said!), then at 4:00, I can go to the airport. So, she's quite excited, and I'm like, ok, either she wants to get with a foreign guy and wants sex, or wants money for sex. Actually, I don't think her intentions were "bad" in any way, and I actually do believe she is a student, like she said. And she wasn't unattractive, either. Her name is Maria. Hahaha, too funny!

So, I have half a day to figure out a way out of this one. I figure I'll probably just not show up at 10:00, or perhaps meet her at 10:00 and tell her that I can't go.

So, I walked around for a while, back to my room and tried to sooth my burning, painful sunburn (from today...very sore!)

About 7:00, went to a restaurant showing Tears Of The Sun at 7:30 (crappy quality!), had supper and watched the movie. Back to the room about 9:30, and I was laying on my bed in pain, and someone knocked at the door. I didn't answer, paranoid it was Maria. Another knock. I waited a couple of minutes to make sure she was gone, then I peeked out the window, and no one was there. I then went outside to see if I could see her, and Greg was standing talking to the other Canadians (the ones with the towels). It was Greg knocking at my door. He was like, he thought he heard something inside when he knocked, and the worker guy indicated to him that he had just seen me go into my room a little earlier, I told him I was on the toilet.

Anyway, these three Canadian girls, two from Ontario, and one from.....Saskatchewan! The fifth Saskatchewanian (actually living there) I've met! She's from Wapella, near Whitewood/Moosomin, that area. She's going to U. of R., took a semester off, and is travelled to Bali with her Aunt and a friend the aunt's. Amy is the student, Claudia is the friend, not sure of the Aunt's name. They also have an Indonesian friend, her name is Nicky, that the friend has known for quite a few years. The aunt and her friend has been to Bali a few times before, it's Amy's first time. She's 19, and very attractive.

We all sat around (including Greg) and talked about lots of things, like the ghosts that apparently haunt some of the hotels near where the Bali bombs went off, and travelling around Indonesia, travelling to other parts of the world, etc. I then decided to tell my Maria story, and that's when I told Greg that I didn't answer because I thought it was Maria. Then the Aunt pipes up, and says that Amy could double as my girlfriend tomorrow morning when Maria gets here, just tell Maria that my girlfriend got here on an earlier flight. Amy said she would "save me" tomorrow morning. So, there's my way out.

We sat around and talked until about 1:00AM, then to bed.

Greg's friend, Hayden, as I've mentioned earlier, has an Indonesian g/f called Tanya. Greg (and I) assumed it was a rather sexual relationship. Tonight, Greg told me that it's not. Greg found out today. Apparently, Tanya has a boyfriend, and is on the verge (sp?) of being engaged, but she's scared being all alone in Bali (her sister is arriving on Friday), so latched onto Hayden, and they are staying together in Hayden's hotel room, but all Tanya wants is someone to have around, for security. There's no sex. And, I guess she's very, very demanding of Hayden, and expects Hayden to buy everything for her, they go shopping and she buys lots of stuff, and Hayden pays for it, they go out to expensive restaurants and Hayden pays. Hahaha, Hayden, what a goof!

Cheap Accomodations

Up about, well, 10:30ish, showered. Greg dealt with his room. The hotel booked his room to someone else, and had nothing else available. They called back a little later, and they had a cancellation, so he had to move another room. I think he's paying, probably, $75-$110/night for the room, because he made a remark that the deluxe rooms were $125US.

About noon, we moved all our bags to his new room, it's one king-size bed, he did say I could stay with him, crash on the floor, if I wanted, but no, I'll move to this cheap place. The bathroom is pretty bad, but oh well, then went and got my bags and took them to my new place.

One of the rooms in my new place has two towels drying out front, one has a bunch of maple leafs on it, the other is bright red and says "CANADA, Proud to be Canadian". I wonder where they're from.

Wrote in my journal, for a while.

Walked around Kuta for a bit, then went to McDonalds, then walked along the beach for a bit, then lounged in my room, trying to keep out of the sun. I don't need layered sunburns.

About 7:00, I headed over to Greg's, and hung out with him while we waited for Hayden and his new Indonesian-London girlfriend (from Indonesia, working in London, here for a holiday). He picked her up at the bar last night. The four of us went out for supper to a place, Tanya (that's her name) wanted pizza as well, so we went to the Maccaroni Club, an expensive restaurant/lounge with a chick DG mixing tunes, but not loud. The Maccaroni Club is architecurally really neat. Totally open-air, the DJ boot is a concrete "box" above one of the bars, so everyone can see. Very cool lighting as well.

After that, about 10:30, I decided to head back to the room, against the peer pressure to stay out. Made arrangements to go on a day trip to some sights around Bali tomorrow with Glen and Hayden and Tanya.