Blog 28 - Bali

After some delay, I arrived in Bali… Got of the plain around 11pm and had to wait for ages for my bags to arrive… As I got out of the airport, there were hypes of Balinese people with sign's with names on it and it took me a while to discover mine… Made brought me to Joost' and Marieke's homestay Ombak Bagus (good wave) in Canggu. Joost and Marieke were still up and it was really niceto see them again J

The next day I was really tired, so I slept in for a bit… then I went to the supermarket with Marieke and later that afternoon I had my first surf with Joost at Tugu, a really easy beach break! Really fun as well: I had my best waves ever! It was about 3foot (not Dutch foot obviously.. it was actually pretty big, but the take of was a piece of cake), clean, and a good practice - wave for turns, cut-backs, etc.

The next morning, Saturday, I surfed The Old Man (right of Tugu) with Joost and that was great as well! Afterwards we had a drink at Echo Beach: a really nice beach where there are several breaks as well (one on some reef (left) and 2 beach breaks (one left, one right). If you arrive on Echo Beach, you've got to pay 2000Rs (0,14 euro) before you can enter the beach… Joost introduced me to Mandira, a man that's got a warung (café/restaurant) there. His pineapple juices (50 eurocents) and avocado salads are really good J. Anyway, in the afternoon I had a little rest and another surf before dark of course, with some nasi for dinner.

Sunday morning I went for a surf (getting used to wake up at 5.45am now) and went to yoga with Marieke at 9am. We did a really nice ashtanga class… After the yoga, Marieke dropped me of at a massage salon, where I had a really nice body massage (3,5 euro's) .In the afternoon I went to Kuta with Floriaan to check out some boards for him. We took out some nasi for dinner and in the evening Marieke and I went to Echo Beach for a drink. We met up there with some of her friends and Natas, an Australian guy.

Mondaymorning I went for an early morning surf and went back to Echo Beach later on to use the (free) wireless internet at Sticky fingers on the roof terrace, a place that's got really nice Italian cappucino's J After that, a late surf with Joost and an early night…

More early morning surf's the day after. Watched a movie after the surf - Surf Dude- worst movie ever!! Never seen a movie as bad.. In the late afternoon I went to yoga again with Marieke, a really nice class (Active Asanas), taught by a French lady. Movie-day today! Saw - Yes Man - with Jim Carrey in the evening: pretty funny.

Some more yoga the next morning; on the beach this time! After the yoga Marieke and I cruised around, I went to get some money out of the ATM and after that I was sooo tired that I went back to bed. Did go for a surf that evening, but had a bad one L Met up with Nelson en Ivan afterwards (they were staying at a villa with Natas) and we had some pasta atSticky Fingers (good pasta!). Had a swim at their villa afterwards.

On thursday I went for a early morning surf with Ivan and Floriaan at Tugu's. Afterwards we went to the villa, where we had breakfast (fruit salad and egg on toast). Later on I checked my emails at Echo Beach and went for a surf later on. Another crap one though… my arms were so tired! Time for a massage J Floriaan, Joris and I went to Pleo, where we had a really! good massage. It was after 9pm when we were finished and we took out some food for dinner.

No early morning surf the next day: way to tired… But I did go to yoga again with Marieke. It was quite a heavy session, but really good. Afterwards I chilled out for a bit at the resort's swimming pool. Later on I passed by the villa and chilled out there for a bit. In the afternoon I checked the surf and it didn't look very good, but Mark (Belgium guy, also staying in the home stay) convinced me to go in (at Tugus) anyway. We did have a fun surf, so it was definitely worth going in… I had dinner with Nelson and Ivan at Echo Beach (Mandira's) and in the evening they had a little gathering with friends at their villa, since they were leaving the next day. Back home around 11.30pm, straight to bed!

Early morning surf and breakfast at the villa afterwards with Ivan, Nelson en Peter (was surfing same spot as I). Had some lunch at home before I went to Kuta to do some shopping: needed a long sleeve and trousers against the mosquitoes in Lombok. I hated the shopping though… to much choice and always bargaining.. I did end up with a really cool painting and I managed to find some trousers and a long sleeve… luckily… On my way home, I received a call from my friend Roos: she called me back when I got home. After that I did go to the beach, checked the surf, but it was low tide and the waves were really crap, so I went home, did some laundry and chilled out the rest of the evening. Went to bed quite early.

To get up the next morning was still a challenge though: I snoozed for ages! When I did get up and ready to surf, I found out that I had a flat tyre! How annoying! Luckily Marieke let me use her bike (she's got a cold) and so I went for a surf with Joost and Joris. Afterwards a banana juice and straight to yoga class. Chilled out by the pool for a little while before I went home to get my tyre repaired. In the afternoon a long sleep and right now I'm at Echo Beach again to put this blog on the internet. Tonight we're all going to have dinner together and tomorrow at 6am Jelle, Mark, Joris and I will be leaving for Lombok! The first couple of days we'll be staying at the Surfers Inn and after that I'll probably go to the Gili Island where I'm going to get my PADI (open water diving course).

That's it for now J