Just a hour to get through the VOA payment system yesterday.
Then it's a matter of picking the best "snake line" to get through the Immigrasion process.
Two hours all up, and then out to deal with the taxi Mafia.
Booked fare to Bemo Corner, which is a Bluebird 30k trip max.
Just 90k with airport taxi company....and "you pay driver" which means it's going to cost 100k as he will not have change.
Anyway, no point complaining because that's how it is.
I have been taking particular note of Kuta and surrounds, given the negative sentiments sometimes expressed on the forum.
Some see it as just Boganville, but the way I see it, Kuta has more to offer than anywhere else when it comes to diversity of pretty much everything.
I wandered around yesterday, through the nightclub strip by the memorial, and for those who are into this, it seems to all be there.
However, these few (very noisy!) places are less than 1% of Kuta.
I was then able to checkout the retail options in Kuta Square, and then walk along the beach front road (Jalan Pantai), past Hard Rock, and then the string of Hotels and restaurants all the way through to Pullman at Jl. Melasti.
The places along this strip offer a variety of classy properties, and not the least bit bogan like.
Then there is Kutabex and Boardwalk, that offer good retail experiences in high quality surrounds.
Then there is Kuta Beach!!
This iconic place never fails to provide a buzz.
Spotlessly clean and characters everywhere providing lively conversations and interesting insights.
Just sitting there with the sun going down and the outline of Java on the horizon, planes approaching from the west bringing more wallets......this is surely one of the best beach experiences in the world.
Carrefour this morning had beer "everywhere", and all sorts of it from Bintang to Belgian wheat beers.....no problem.
May venture up to Seminyak this evening, but will be holding on tight to the purse.
There's a lot of crime up there you know!
Rp around 9,700, Bintang cold, Sambal hot and weather fine and partly cloudy.
Wake me up soon.....I must be dreaming.