The driver that had transferred us to the villa seemed like a good guy so we hired him to take us to 'Pantai Pasir Putih' this pagi. What better way for Daz, Maddie and Matt to spend their last day in Bali than on a beautiful beach.
Yes it was the inevitable last day for them, maybe that's why Matt looks so 'down' in this picture....could of had something to do with all those Black Russians he shook hands with the night before though.
A swig of raspberry in the morning is mandatory.
Breakfast was a delicious Mie goreng (which was becoming a rule too), a fruit platter, muesli and banana pancakes. That should be enough to keep us going!
Alt-J Something Good
On the way to White Sand we needed to stop at an ATM and it just so happened to be next to a supermarket and a lovely silver store, funny about that...thanks driver :0).
I stocked up on some snack supplies and Matt and Maddie had a look around for some last minute gifts for their loved ones at home. Luke and Pam bought some gifts from here too I think.
Meanwhile I chatted with the driver (really wish I could remember his name and I should, seeing as I apologetically had to ask him what it was every time we met, for some reason it just didn't stick).
I mentioned how we found the villa with great difficulty the previous day and how I had asked many people for directions. He said he knew and that I had asked him also...Oh god I didn't recognise him at all and flushed at the thought he might be 'the guy that came around the bend'! " Oh look,Luke needs me"...I wandered off to help him look at jewelry.
The beach is just north of Candidasa, about 8k away and in the town of Bugbug. The road there is interesting and Luke said with all the bends and curves it would be great fun on the bike, without all the other traffic around that is.Our driver was careful but geez a couple of large rubble trucks were in a hell of a hurry to pass us on this windy road. I had a few anxious moments with them right up our kicky and with the way they were dodging around the school kids on their little scooters was frightening.
The only other time I had been to White Sand Beach, Rob and I had arrived by boat.
The dirt track in is a bit of a challenge.
A couple of times it was necessary for a few of us to hop out and walk a little so the car could make it through some of the ditches and potholes.
I just love it here and was so happy I could share it with the family.
Pantai Pasir Putih
Beach Sand White (not exactly white but it will do me :0)
Both ends of the beach are flanked by these steep hills.
On the way down the track Luke and I had noticed prickly pears all through the undergrowth and it was all over the hills too. It would surely make these hills inaccessible.
Luke got us sorted with some lounges quick smart. The dealio is that they don't charge you for the hire of the lounges if you eat at their warung.
Whilst I grabbed some Bintang singlets in anticipation of Rob's arrival tomorrow (nice quality ones too), Pam organised a pedicure and Maddie was to get some Bali flowers for her trip home.
We ordered a round of drinks with Daz and Matt getting a young coconut each.
Unfortunately they were nothing like the ones we had on the herbal walk. Not so young maybe?
Alas some moments are difficult to recapture.
They found the coconuts quite undrinkable with almost a chemical taste to them.
Luke commented that the sky looked like a text book picture of all the different cloud formations :0)
The guys organised some snorkeling gear for themselves.
The water was clear and warm and as you can see it doesn't take long to get waste deep.
Us girls did some shopping for pretty things.
Plej - Blue
In the distance I could see a whole lot of goddamn rubbish on it's way into shore.
Pam and I had another quick swim before it arrived.
We bobbed around in the warm water having a chat with a lovely young German backpacker travelling solo on her first trip to Bali.
The guys weren't gone for long on their snorkel.
They came back a little depressed after seeing the amount of rubbish in the water and the fish struggling in it.
And then the rubbish arrived, what an absolute crying shame this is.
I'm not going to prattle on about it here but let's use our cloth bags whilst in Bali and say no to the plastic when we can, for starters.
Mad about you Dazzy x
Whilst I was checking out all the stalls earlier I had come across the young, friendly and very entrepreneurial 'Made' whose establishment Rob and I had dined at last time we visited this beach.
It had been a very memorable lunch with Rob declaring it one of his favorite seafood meals to date.
I stopped at Made's esky and he hurried over to show me his brothers 'catch of the day'.
Perfect, his clear eyed, fresh snapper were just what I was after and I knew the boys would love them. I told him I'd be back for lunch with 5 orang (people). Did he have enough snapper to go around?
Of course he did ...silly question.
When I went to walk away he asked if my husband was with me this time. "Do you remember me Made"?
He sure did, what great memories the Balinese have. Our visit had been a couple of years ago!
I told him unfortunately suami saya (my husband) wasn't here today but was indeed arriving in Bali tomorrow.Which I was getting very excited about!
I told him Rob will be very jealous that he missed out on one of Made's grilled snapper lunches.
Made just beamed at that :0)
The fish, vegetables and choice of sambals were enuk sekali (very delicious) and fresh.
Pam and Matt ordered the calamari and they both enjoyed those tender morsels too.
I could only get through half of my fish but Darien and Luke helped me out there, no problem.
Like father, like sons. Darien was even sucking the bones clean.
I highly recommend Made's warung if your down that way. His umbrellas are blue and the lounges yellow.
Could someone please tell me what the story is with some Men of the older generations not keeping their bits in check when it comes to swim wear! Man Oh Man!
We had a couple of close encounters that day and both times the offenders were with their families of lovely ladies. Come on girls sometimes fellas need some guidance in the wardrobe department!
We all had to keep our gaze diverted during lunch from a family that were at this set of loungers a few feet away. The wife and teenage daughters (I'm assuming ) were all relaxed and demure on the lounges whilst Bapak just would not sit down!
Lets just say, in that pair of budgie smugglers he wasn't fooling anyone, absolutely nothing was getting into the country unnoticed...OOiiiii!
When we returned to our gear and asked for the bill the waiter apologetically explained that he would have to charge us for the use of the loungers because we didn't eat at his warung.
Tidak apa apa, 20,000rp seemed fair enough per lounge to me.
Time was getting on and we headed back to the villa so the kids could get themselves organised for their departure.
Ok I'm going to prattle on about the rubbish now.
On the drive home I was chatting to the driver about our day on the beach and what a problem the rubbish is becoming in Bali. He gave me the standard answer I've gotten every other time, when I've spoken to a local about it. Oh yes it comes in on the current from Java and Lombok etc. At that point of the conversation we pulled in here to check out the monkeys and I said I think this must be Bali rubbish don't you ?...he then agreed that it is becoming bad.
I think it is coming close to being dire and is majorly an education issue.
On returning to the villa Pam got her elusive butterfly pic's.
Love it's blue eyes.
And this little cocoon dangling off one of the pool statues, with it's inhabitant making it's way into the world kept Darien, Matt and Pam entertained.
This was a must take photo moment.
Bali 'Fade Out' for 3 of our travellers.
The kids were heading home and it was Luke, Pam and My last night at the lovely Anjani.
We were moving back to Seminyak for Rob's arrival and to give Pam her first taste of one of our favorites.
Indeed for me a trip to Bali would be incomplete without a stay in Seminyak. I knew she was going to love it.
All the Newbies had fallen for Bali and declared they would return... Matt was busy trying to devise ways he could stay for a year.
As they drove off into the night I got a little lump in my throat. I do indeed miss my boy when he isn't around but I knew Maddie was by his side to keep him company and I couldn't wait to see Rob tomorrow afternoon.
We 3 went off to Joglo for dinner which the manager of the villa highly recommended. It was pretty good but I wish I had given my TA list a run for it's money.
I ordered too much as usual and didn't have Daz around to help me finish it this time!
We all headed home feeling weary and a thunderstorm rolled in.
I tried to stay up for a while longer to make the most of the storm coming in over the coast whilst nestled in the comfort of Anjani but eventually I had to slip and slide my way off to my 'Very' comfy bed too.
Selamat Malam teman teman saya!
No comments:
Post a Comment