Losing my Bali Virginity - Markit


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Losing my Bali Virginity - Markit

Postby Markit on Mon Apr 21, 2008 1:02 pm

Well as promised and due to popular demand I've decided to pen a few lines ("finger" would be a better description in the keyboard age I guess but not so poetic) about my first impressions of our trip (accompanied by the best woman in the universe, against her better judgement, of course, but hasn't so much been?).

We left a cold and miserable London early spring with nights around 0C and days not much better, the monotony only broken by intermitent rain lashed by cold winds - sounds great doesn't it?

First destination is Singapore for a 3 day SIA holiday stopover as they put it. Let me tell you we've put the POOR back into Singapore - man! I thought that England had some hefty pricing but after I paid 12S$ for my first beer there I almost gave up drinking but the best woman in the univers (bwtu) saved the day with her duty free - it will, needless to say, be a cold day in hell before I'm allowed to forget that - or go back to Singapore.

The whole place seems to be run by someone from Disney World, I kept expecting the smiling, shiny people there to spontaneously break into strains of "It's a small world after all" and I'm sure that they sing it under their breathes when tourists go by. Wiser and much poorer we leapt onto the plane to Bali - nice airport, though, must be a shock when they go to England and land at Heathrow or JFK - gotta wonder who's developing what?

Bali at 9:30 Sunday evening and was hoping to meet Jimbo from forum who was passing through on his way to FilthyRichistan, but no luck finding someone with a hand growing out of his ear, or for that matter anyone else either - bar was empty. Bwtu wanted to go to the hotel - not a great traveler, but she has other points - she puts up with me, for one. And our guy from the hotel was kind of antsy too so, Jimbo maybe next time.

Haven't been here long enough yet to upset many people but I'm sure I will - noticed, first off that there seems to be a lot of half eaten bowls of salad on the pavements in front of the houses, guess they got distracted huh? Hotel is great with pool and all the trimmings you would expect, all for 50$ a night with breakfast thrown in. Highlight so far is the beer priced at 2$ for a large Bintang - great tasting but a little on the weak side. People are great too, but enough has been written about them and as yet don't know enough myself.

Just had a wonderful experience in that have now been writting for about a half to 3/4 of an hour now and the electricity just died - well, we've forgotten what it's like to loose our work and what a great reminder, nice lady in the internet cafe almost broke into tears with regret but it was worth it to see how happy she was when it came back and these humbel lines where still there.

Only other "happening" was seeing a 2 lane highway turn into 6 at commute time, 4 in one direction and 2 in the other. With many people swerving up onto the pavement to avoid sudden head on collision syndrome.

Guess that's what made all those people drop their salads huh? :)

Thanks for your interest and comments welcome.

Markit in Bali (with bwtu)
There is no such thing as bad weather, there are just badly dressed people.
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Re: Losing my Bali Virginity - Markit

Postby tintin on Mon Apr 21, 2008 3:35 pm

Excellent start, Markit. :lol:

Just a word of advice before you actually get on a Balinese highway. You must abandon your concept of a road. In Bali, a road includes not only the paved portion of the highway, but also what we might call “the verge,” “the curb,” “the sidewalk,” “the front yard,’ “the roadside restaurant,” and “the monastery” Furthermore, the paved portion of the roadway is generally one lane wide. Not one lane in each direction: one lane. :)
Keep on smiling.

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Re: Losing my Bali Virginity - Markit

Postby froggy on Mon Apr 21, 2008 3:52 pm

I too have posted my dislike for singapore,, Blaaa! The salad things funny...Bintangs are weak, but smooth,,, if you drink too many the next morning isnt as bad as the beer your accustomed to,, just have another one in the a.m and everything will be all fine.....Keep up the post when you can thx!!
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Re: Losing my Bali Virginity - Markit

Postby mimpimanis on Mon Apr 21, 2008 3:59 pm

Bintang's 5% isnt it? As strong as most beers in UK. Unless you are talking about the likes of Special brew :p

If you are planning a dinner in the Jimbaran beach restaurants at all during your stay let me know & I will pop down and have a beer with you. We usually go to Pantai Sari at least once a week.
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Re: Losing my Bali Virginity - Markit

Postby Ipanema on Tue Apr 22, 2008 5:03 am

Welcome to Bali your observations are appreciated and noted. :shock:
"There are many things in life that will catch your eye, but only a few will catch your heart . . . pursue those."
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Re: Losing my Bali Virginity - Markit

Postby Jimbo on Tue Apr 22, 2008 9:11 am

Bali at 9:30 Sunday evening and was hoping to meet Jimbo from forum who was passing through on his way to FilthyRichistan


I was there in the business lounge in the international departures. As an aside I am at my first day back in work after a 30 something hour journey. Not a happy bunny. I left my house at 15.00 hours for the airport and flew to Bali at 17.30 arriving at 18.45. My next flight was at 00.40am next day. We boarded but there was a technical problem and we did not depart until 02.40.

Arrived in Seoul after a 6.5 hour flight and then had a 6 hour wait there before boarding for a 6.5 hour flight to Almaty, Kazakhstan. I was dead last night and feeling bad now after a good nights sleep. On top of all that the turbulence was bad and I am a notoriously bad flyer. Maria who would hold my hand does not depart until tomorrow so I had several whiskies to deaden the pain.

Enjoy Bali. Even in the fews hours I aws there I wanted to not come back here and stay there :(
Regards Jimbo
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Re: Losing my Bali Virginity - Markit

Postby Markit on Wed Apr 23, 2008 1:39 pm

Thanks for your interest new posting up now.

Bintang is for pussies!

Driving here for suicidals.

Thanks to all others who have shown their interest.

Jimbo - I don't get let into Business Lounges any more...
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Re: Losing my Bali Virginity - Markit

Postby Git on Wed Apr 23, 2008 6:07 pm

Thanks Markit
For the post,through the eyes of a virgin balinese visitor.
:lol:
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Re: Losing my Bali Virginity - Markit

Postby tintin on Thu Apr 24, 2008 2:33 am

Markit,

Don't forget to have an arak madu. But don't bother while in the south: they serve something made industrially, which they dare to call arak. Also, don't get it in fancy restaurants, like Aris' in Ubud: they serve the same s**t (last time I was there, few months ago, I tasted one and immediately asked to talk with the manager). I filed a complaint for, what I wrote down, could be construed as false advertising, misrepresentation and grand larceny). :evil: :evil:
Keep on smiling.

Daniel
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Re: Losing my Bali Virginity - Markit

Postby fordprefect on Thu Apr 24, 2008 3:46 pm

Were the Changi armed guards singing too? Besides the sheer enormity and antiseptic nature of the place, we were disturbed by the sight of the guards with machine guns all over the place....

entertaining post!

-1/2 eaten salads, hehe....
"Pitchez la vache!"
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Re: Losing my Bali Virginity - Markit

Postby Markit on Thu Apr 24, 2008 3:51 pm

Yea the Changi guards are still in full metal jacket but it looks like they just came out of an old WWII movie with Richard Burton - if you want to freak out, go to London - remember the Bobbies with no guns? Well, those days are gone - they now look like SAS commandos too. Strange days.

Sorry for the false beach atribution Tintin and as pennance I will try the drink...

For my next posting please go here:

bali-travel-forum-f16/losing-bali-virginity-t20869.html
There is no such thing as bad weather, there are just badly dressed people.
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Re: Losing my Bali Virginity - Markit

Postby sooze on Fri Apr 25, 2008 3:15 am

Lol what a great story Markit. You write well. It is good to read.
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Re: Losing my Bali Virginity - Markit

Postby AshRisen on Sun May 04, 2008 2:48 am

Oh man, I'm bummed about Singapore. We're headed there first as well. My husband went there a few years back and didn't seem to have a problem with the prices of beer so maybe things have gone up. I do remember him raving about the food courts/stalls but 12S$ seems high for a single beer - unless it's the huge one. We pay about that here in the USA for the large ones.
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Re: Losing my Bali Virginity - Markit

Postby Markit on Sun May 04, 2008 1:00 pm

Didn't mean to ruin your fun but for you it will be even worse - the dollar has taken a real caning in the last year. Beer size was 1/3 litre... definitely not big. But that was the worst it got - generally beers were around the $S5 range. But, hey , you aint going for the beer or? If it's beer you want go to Munich :lol:
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