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Day 2: To Bali, New Year's Eve

We spent most of new year's eve in transit. We left Ibis Styles Hotel at 10.30am, got to Jakarta international airport, got our tickets to Denpasar (in Bali) and left for Bali about 2.30pm (about 30mins late due to air traffic density at the airport)

In transit at Jakarta Airport domestic departures; after check-in on the way to Denpasar
Photobombed by Tom Hilde and Tom Jones
We arrived in Denpasar around 7pm, where we met with Sunday who had arranged our transportation to Ubud. It took us the next hour and a half weaving through ever narrowing roadways towards Ubud, which is our home for the next six days.

The driving in Bali immediately reminded me of Nairobi. Traffic wasn’t too bad, but driving a car involved checking both sides of the mirror because scooters, mopeds and motorbikes weave in and out of lanes at breakneck speed, with little warning or caution. Further, while passing huge vehicles like buses and lorries, our drive honked twice to let the other car know we were coming i.e. you don’t assume that the other car can see you!

Because we had dinner reservation at 8.30pm, at Café Lotus, we dropped our bags in our rooms at Permana Cottage and headed there. We were at least half an hour late, but our reservation, thankfully was still intact.

We spent the next 3 hours eating a 3 course meal of soup, stake, desert, copious amounts of juices, waters and teas. Most of us were really tired, yet there was talk of going to a bar to see the ushering of the new year.

Temple next to Cafe Lotus
Well, we walked a quick fifteen minutes to the center of Ubud town, and the 23 of us "raided" a nearby bar and restaurant. We ushered the new year while drinking Bintang, the "national" beer and cheering ourselves into 2018, while a firework display went on in the center of town. There was a relatively large gathering witnessing the display, and it was eerie to be a part of this display. The display was somewhat organized with the large fireworks close to the middle of the field, but other small ones went off on the sides, on the streets, and at the entrances of buildings, like the bar we were at. Despite the hazard the seemingly haphazard shooting off of fire crackers posed, there were incidents.

Selamat Tahun Baru
As we prepared to leave the bar back to our lodging place, the dj, began playing internationally-recognizable music like Despacito and other club-bangers. Those of us who were more musically and dance-inclined danced the few minutes away before leaving the bar. We walked to Permana cottage and after a shower, I slumped into bed, leaving the weight of 2017 behind me, and welcoming the new year with gratitude. I spent the next few minutes sending new year messages to my family and friends on WhatsApp, which worked quite well. The Wi-Fi is thankfully alright.

Highlights of my day:

  • Recognizing various figures and figurines that marked doorways to temples and people's homes
  • Seeing offerings that Balinese put out at their doorways
  • Navigating the narrow streets while reorienting the driving side from right (as in US) to the left
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