Bali - Day 2

We finally arrived in Bali. I’m looking forward to teleportation. When we got off the plane and walked towards the exit we were greeted by a few strange sights:

1. Exit signs that warned us we would be killed if we had drugs in our possession. This struck me as a bit harsh, but probably very effective. I was glad I had left all my drugs in Singapore.




2. The last leg out of the airport is a long hall. It feels like more of a gauntlet. As you walk down the hall there is a money-changer (literally) which each step you take. Tiny little rooms, right on top of each other one after another. There had to be at least 20 in about as many yards. Each one proclaiming the best rates ever. I imagine it must be pretty stiff competition and I can’t make sense out of how they could all think it was a smart business plan.

3. As you leave the airport you are again bombarded by a hoard of “taksi” people. This is how they spell and say taxi in Bali. Not sure why. They all want to take you somewhere and swarm you as you walk out. We were jet-lagged, confused by our new money and overwhelmed in general. We agreed to a taksi to our hotel which was about 25-30 minutes from the airport for the low, low price of 90,000 rupiah. This sounds like a fortune, but turns out it’s only 9 bucks. Which you have to agree is quite reasonable for that length of ride.

We had 3 people pulling our bags to the taksi, and one driver. Amazingly helpful these Balinese blokes. We heard you didn’t tip in Bali, so we were quietly debating whether to tip our driver or not when we reached the car. The 3 baggage handlers dropped our bags and walked over with hands extended demanding a tip. This confused us, our money confused us and we floundering-ly handed over 10,000 rupiahs. Which we thought sounded like an awful lot. The guy looked disgusted and said, “This is just cents.” Elizabeth misunderstood and said, “Oh, is it too much?” Uh, no. Another look of disgust and I handed him 100,000 or $10 to be split between them. Honestly though, does it seem right that a 30 minute taksi ride and a tip for carrying our bags across the street should be the same amount?

Arriving at the Conrad was bliss. It was simply gorgeous. It was a bit strange to get stopped at the gate and have the taksi hood and trunk searched before we could get on the property, but we were reminded of the terrorist bombings a few years ago. Apparently it’s standard protocol now which is kind of sad.



We were so happy to be at the hotel, and got there just in time to see some traditional Balinese dancers perform over the balcony. The grounds were amazing, the service was first class and the bed was just what the doctor ordered.