Day 12. I love the fact that I have now completely lost track of time. Very relaxing experience. I have to refer to the computer to find out what day of the week it is! Lovin' it!
To the left: Just a small part of one of the huge pools at the Intercontinental Resort on Bali on Jambaran Bay just off the Indian Ocean. This is a beautiful property - highly recommended.
To the right: Early morning walk on Jambaran Beach. The Ritz Carlton Resort is in the distance.
Another early morning. Sleep has been SO relaxing. But there is a rooster somewhere to the south of my hotel and he starts "cock-a-doodle-dooing" about 4:30 every morning. He usually wakes me up and then when I realize how early it is I go back to sleep.
I had my morning coffee and then headed out for a long walk on the beach before the sun came up and before it got too hot. Beautiful and quiet. Not many people stirring. It was a very high tide and fun walking along the beach. Many locals also walking and they always had a great big smile. The beach was spotless - and they were raking it - by hand!!!! Beautiful soft sand here at Jambaran Beach. The Ritz Carlton Resort is around the bend from the Intercontinental. That could be an interesting place to stay - each guest has their own little bungalow set up on the hillside. But their beach isn't as good as at the Intercontinental.
I walked by the place where the Muslim terrorists bombed a building right next door to the Intercontinental a few years ago. The other bombing was in Kuta! The locals were furious about the bombings as it absolutely killed their tourist business for several years. Tourism is the biggest industry in Bali. They still haven't fully recovered. Agung told me that they put the 4 terrorists to death a couple of years ago.
The locals had already started putting out their daily offerings. Each day they put out a colorful small tray (maybe 4" by 4") with palm fronds, flowers, maybe a cracker, or other things as a gift to "the universe". Unlike the Indian Hindus, the Bali Hindus believe in one Supreme God and they believe that the other gods are "personalities" of the Supreme God. So each day, the Balinese make these small offerings. They are on the beach, at their homes, at shops, on the sidewalk in town - everywhere.
Also another interesting fact - the Balinese have no family names. The first born always is given the same first name - whatever the Balinese for "first" is, and the second is named "second", third and then fourth. The they start over. The parents then give the child their name - like my guide was Agung. Agung was the first born, so his name was "first" Agung. But everyone calls him Agung. But there is no family name to tie them together. Never heard of this before and an interesting concept.
I finished packing and went off to the pool for a few hours to read. Check-out is noon so I relaxed by the pool and read a book for a while. I went back to Jambaran Grille for an early lunch and then headed to the airport about 2 pm for my flights to Bangkok and then on to Chiang Mai on Thai Air. The hotel arranged a car for me that worked perfectly.
Checkin was swift and easy and I went to the Executive Lounge to wait for the flight. Today I travel on flights 7 and 8 of 18 flights for a total of 2,213 miles. Thai Air is one of my favorites because of their service and food. The service was good but the food was unmemorable. I was sitting upstairs on a 747 and no one was next to me so I moved to the window and enjoyed seeing all of the islands below.
Today was a day to reflect on beautiful Bali and travel day back to the northern hemisphere. I left Bali at 4:30 and arrived in Chiang Mai, Thailand at 9:30. I swiftly retrieved my bags and then headed to the Dusit D2 Hotel in central Chiang Mai. The D2 is really cool - a "with it" hotel. They do a "Shift Change Performance" in the lobby at 2 pm every day. It is fun. Young energetic staff.
It was midnight when I got unpacked and settled and off to sleep. Tomorrow will be a day spent exploring the walled city of Chiang Mai and the local Sunday market.
Goodbye, Bali! Hello, Thailand!
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