Kuta is situated at the south of the island around 80km from the capital Mataram. As usual Chris was in the drivers seat as I directed us along the narrow precarious roads.
We had fairly high expectations for Kuta having been recommended it from various backpackers. Picturing it as a chilled out town on the coast of beautiful beaches, quiet and undiscovered. However as we drove around the town in search of somewhere to stay, it soon became clear that prices were high and standards were very low. Maybe because we had been in Bali where we were staying in some truly lovely accommodation for under £5 each, to then be charged the same, if not more, for very basic, run down, damp and dirty rooms. Luckily we had the car so we were able to cover a lot more ground, but as the hours ticked by we also noticed a lot more backpackers out searching for a bed for the night. We ended up settling at **** homestay, a little out of town, but it appeared to be the best value for money. First impressions can be deceiving and once inside the room we had problem after problem; from the bins not being emptied from the previous customers, to the bed sheets smelling like they also hadn't been changed. Eventually we managed to have the room cleaned and bed sheets all changed. Realising there was National Geographic on the TV just about made up for the uncleanliness of the homestay.
By now it was time to go in search of dinner. It just so happened that a recommended warung was across the road, so after sussing out that options nearer town were more expensive and unknown, we sensibly ate at 'Mario's'. Mario and his wife were a very welcoming bubbly couple, running a small warung and serving fantastic food. Chris had bbq'd tuna and I had bbq'd chicken with coconut, both served with plenty of vegetables and rice, even corn on the cob, much to our delight. We certainly didn't go hungry.

After a pretty decent nights sleep we awoke fairly early and decided to get going in search of some surf. Kuta is predominantly a surf area so it seemed only right. Most accommodation include breakfast and for us it was the choice of an "egg omelette" or banana pancake. We shared one of each to determine the better option for the following morning! It would have to be the pancake, the egg omelette just wasn't doing it for us.
We had been informed that 'Selong Belanak' was the best beginners beach around, so we drove the 20km or so west. Unfortunately the waves were a bit too beginner friendly, or in other words pretty non existent! I had also read about the next beach along being nice, 'Mawi', but with one massive downside...the track leading to it. Possibly the worst track we had come across and even on a moped it looked challenging. Chris took it slow and steady and said that he was pleased he had participated in some 4x4 off-road experiences, as they had unquestionably helped.
The track was relentless, even as a passenger. But eventually we arrived at Mawi beach, along with a handful of surfers out enjoying the waves. We had the pristine white sandy beach to ourselves, just unfortunately there was no where to hire surfboards. In any case, we made the most of the beach and swimming in the sea before moving on to the next beach.
Once off the horrendous track, thankfully the main road was mostly decent, inspiring me to take to the drivers seat. It felt strange at first driving a car, after over eight months off! But I safely drove us over to 'Muwan' beach, a 3km long bay, with dazzling white sand and inviting blue sea. We couldn't resist the freshly bbq'd corn and coconut water. Chris, keen to try all the local snacks, purchased some strange looking chicken balls in a broth, which actually tasted quite nice. Muwan was more popular than the other beaches, and with no surf here we decided to try out one final beach.
I continued with the driving as I was enjoying the quite decent roads, taking us over to 'Tan Jaun Aan' bay. From the car park we walked about half a kilometre along the soft sandy beach to 'Warung Turtle' and sat on the beachfront tucking into nasi goreng and slurping on a refreshing iced coffee. It seemed we were out of luck with the surf today, but Warung Turtle had paddle boards for hire, something we had both found a new like for.
We battled against the strong sea breeze and current to paddle around to a private beach. It was definitely on the challenging side fighting against such winds. But after 20 minutes we reached the small secluded beach. We continued to paddle along the coast line and back for the remainder of the hire time, Chris trying hard to push me into the water, but my balancing improving and keeping me securely on the board.
Taking a gamble and not returning to Mario's, we went into town and to 'Chili' for dinner. Although the food was nice, the portions were small, and Chris had to order extra rice. We returned to our room via the shops in need of some chocolate to satisfy our sweet tooth.

Seeming to be early risers, we didn't hang around Kuta any longer. We hadn't particularly received good vibes, and having seen all the beaches on one day, we decided to head on in hope of finding nicer places.