First Impressions of Bali – Bali Diary

Hello from Bali! This is a trip I’ve been planning for quite some time now. Lots of activity in my personal life has caused me to change the dates twice, and the itinerary has changed beyond recognition along the way. Coupled with the fact that my travel experiences in South East Asia have so far been limited to a couple of brief stops many years ago on the way to and from Australia (click here for my 6 week Australia itinerary), I was slightly nervous about what my first impressions of Bali would be.

As the travel dates and route plans changed over the past number of months, I became increasingly nervous about this trip, much more than I have been for any other solo trip I’ve ever taken before. All the signs seemed to be telling me not to go, but anyone who knows me knows I’m primarily a rebel at heart and I don’t take kindly to being told what to do.

Denpasar Airport

So, with all that in mind, picture this. Here I am, finally stepping off the plane in Denpasar airport, wondering if this beautiful place I have seen so much of and heard so much about online will live up to the hype. I think I myself have even been guilty of painting a slightly romanticised picture of how it would be for me here.

Well, I hope you will be happy for me that so far I am in love with this place! It’s overwhelming for sure. No matter how many YouTube videos or blogs we watch, I don’t think anything really fully represents the assault on the senses that happens when one walks out of Denpasar airport. Honestly, that assault will probably start inside the airport building itself.

As soon as I collect my bags and come through customs, the offers of cars, taxis, moped rentals all begins. People with signs and clipboards are everywhere, and not just the private drivers brandishing their customers names on pieces of paper that I’ve become used to seeing in airports all over the world.

This continues on out though the airport to what seems to be the official taxi stand. Here, I am again offered taxis at what are sworn to be cheap and fair rates, and moped rentals that I would not have considered no matter what the price. With my tendency to fall and injure myself, a moped rental just isn’t on the agenda for this trip.

As I carry on past the official looking taxi area and across the road to the spot where all my research has told me the actual, real official Blue Bird taxis will be found, I am still being offered rides on the back of mopeds, and even more taxis, sometimes even with mobile phones being thrust into my face with photos of the cars on offer as confirmation that everything is legit and that I won’t be scammed.

Finally, I spot a BlueBird taxi, check with my driver that he’s going to run the meter, hop in, and sit back, ready to relax now that all the madness is behind me.

The Infamous Bali Traffic

Well, I’m clearly some kind of fool, because the madness is really just beginning. It’s roughly 6pm and the traffic is absolutely crazy (my driver tells me that Bali has the fifth worst traffic problem in all of Indonesia), but it is no match for this taxi driver. Anyone who knows me will joke that I have some pretty advanced level road rage going on, but to my shame I’m nowhere near the expertise of the Bali taxi driver.

It’s a strange type of road rage. It’s an air of complete apparent calm, all the while muttering and swearing under his breath, beeping, driving on the wrong side of the road when deemed necessary, and trying to cut in front of vehicles far bigger than his own, vehicles which will obviously win this rush hour face off hands down.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. What on earth is so amazing about all of this? You see, it’s familiar and unfamiliar all at once. It’s so far removed from my daily life and experiences at home, and that’s exciting and fun. That’s why I travel. I don’t travel to do the same things I would be doing at home. That makes no sense at all to me.

At the same time, I’ve done so much obsessing about Bali for almost a year now. I’ve watched so many videos and read so many blogs that what I’m faced with on my arrival is actually exactly what I have been told to expect. There is therefore a familiarity mixed in with the strangeness, and it’s a blend that I find oddly comforting for some reason.

My Hotel

Having been dropped off safely at my lodgings here at Grandmas Plus Airport Hotel, my positive experience has continued. The staff are professional and courteous, and the hotel itself is seriously impressive given the €15 per night I’m paying. I’m given some sort of iced tea to refresh me while I’m being checked in. My room is clean and comfortable, with free water and a huge bed.

The bar is tastefully decorated, with comfortable seating and a nice menu, plus happy hour cocktails until 10:30PM, all served by more friendly and smiling staff. After a burger (apologies, not an adventurous choice at all) and a couple of cocktails, here I am back at the room to do a little blogging and have a mammoth sleep.

My Daily Spend

I’ve set myself a budget of €35 a day (on average) for this Bali trip. I’ve booked a mix of accommodation, from hostels to private rooms, and even a small private villa for a few nights, so the daily spend will vary based on that and the costs of travelling between islands and areas on particular days.

That said, I’ll be giving an honest daily account of what I’ve spent. To make it a little easier for me, I’m aiming for 500,000 Indonesian Rupiah per day (according to Google, that is €34.39 based on the exchange rate at the time of posting). Todays spend has been: 22,000 for a can of Coke Zero when I got off the plane, 60,000 for my taxi from the airport to the hotel, 232,460 for my hotel room, and 165,000 for dinner and drinks, bringing me to a total of 479,460.

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