Kuta – Incense & Scootersmell

Legian – 

It’ll be a “short” day for us – I can really feel the jetlag. I really need something more nutritious than a continental breakfast today: A huge portion Mi Goreng

While eating, I realize though, that I got some sore throat caused by the air condition. A sore throat while being here in a tropical island! Great . We choose to organize the next day the easy way and just book ourselves a private tour. Which is actually like having a private taxidriver Renting a scooter would have been quite as easy though. We have a little walk and look for a Warung to have lunch (in the afternoon). Somehow you simply cannot walk the streets without being asked to get into shops, buy stuff, get a massage, and so on. Even at the beach there are lots of hawkers who can be quite intrusive while trying to sell their stuff. I’m just 2 days here and this starts getting on my nerves… Though a friendly-persistent “No thanks”/“Terima kasi” is enough most of the times, if you make sure they don’t put some bracelet or similar stuff on your arm forcing you to pay for it.

By the way: While walking the streets you can see dozens of little baskets on the edge of the road, on walls or doorsteps. Those are filled with different kinds of offerings – incense, (perfumed) rice, fruits, sweets, some money… etc. You really have to watch your step here cause you might kick something over… All those scents somehow seem to cover the smell of the vehicle-engines – and I’m pretty sure it exists, since almost every vehicle here seems to be a scooter. After a short swim at the beach we buy a SIM card in a mobile shop to be able to look up things on the net while not having WIFI nearby.

We have dinner in a Warung located in some backyard. The owner seemed quite ashamed that they were out of rice and he had to order a dish with noodles. I had to reassure her multiple times that this isn’t an issue at all

Having the new SIM card, I can easily look for another hotel via Agoda (seems to have the best prices in Indonesia). The hotel “Grandmas” around the corner seems to be alright.. The hotel we are stying right now may be good, but the lacking insulation makes you hear the traffic down the street way too clear.