I love Bali
Supafreak wrote:Bon voyage swelllnutters , sitting on the tarmac at cooly Bali bound . Bloody cheap home scales cost me $110 as they weighed my boardbag in at 23kg but virgin scales had it at 26kg . They don’t charge by the kilo, they charge for simply being over 23kgs . At least they didn’t strike today , I was a bit worried after not hearing how Fridays meeting went . They are running late as usual. Looking forward to time out . Cheers all .
Been here for a week, Qantas allow 32kg.
How much was Return Qantas Ticket ?
Have a great trip SF, Xmas and NY on NL?
udo wrote:How much was Return Qantas Ticket ?
Went from Coffs > Sydney > Bali, not as cheap as from GC, but easier, boards/luggage go straight through, no driving and parking to pay for.
We don’t have virgin anymore.
Cost of International leg ?
udo wrote:Cost of International leg ?
All up? Or each flight?
Been lucky so far, got here after a few weeks flat spell, have surfed 10 out of 11 days 3-5ft, not looking good for my last 3 days though, but you never know.
Supafreak wrote:Bon voyage swelllnutters , sitting on the tarmac at cooly Bali bound . Bloody cheap home scales cost me $110 as they weighed my boardbag in at 23kg but virgin scales had it at 26kg . They don’t charge by the kilo, they charge for simply being over 23kgs . At least they didn’t strike today , I was a bit worried after not hearing how Fridays meeting went . They are running late as usual. Looking forward to time out . Cheers all .
Supafreak. Have a good one with your daughter and your Indonesian family. You deserve a break, it’s been a taxing and trying year for you. AW.
udo wrote:https://uluwatusurfvillas.com/speedboat/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz5fqlRB45M/?img_index=1
What a beast of a boat
That looks better than walking down those stairs at that secret spot that’s not secret.
You know the one lol.
ashsam wrote:https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2023/12/21/indonesia...
Hmm first I've heard of this, looks interesting, will have to check it out.
indo-dreaming wrote:ashsam wrote:https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2023/12/21/indonesia...
Hmm first I've heard of this, looks interesting, will have to check it out.
$1500 for a 5 year visa
IDR 3,000,000 (1 Year) = $AUD300
IDR 6,000,000 (2 Years) = $AUD600
IDR 15,000,000 (5 Years) = $AUD1,500
All the Best to You Slim
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...........
Will you still be able to smell the rubbish dump from kura kura shopping centre ?
eat-your-vegies wrote:Will you still be able to smell the rubbish dump from kura kura shopping centre ?
Only when there is any breeze!!
Been in Bali last 10 day hasnt rained once and light SE winds every day , whats happened to the Wet season?
amb wrote:Been in Bali last 10 day hasnt rained once and light SE winds every day , whats happened to the Wet season?
Yeah I was from there 4/12-19/12, Cunguu and Keramas and never saw a drop. Went to Ubud one day and it had been flooding on the side of the streets, never saw it rain though.
burleigh wrote:https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1qMsK_vWpK/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&...
Those blue taxis are dodgy, we just used the grab app while in Canguu before xmas, tells you the price before you confirm, was brilliant, never had any issue.
the old 50 thou becomes 50 dollar trick...
those blue cabs certainly are as dodgy as hell... trying to cash in on the bluebird good reputation, amongst other things...
the online cab versus taxi mafia has gone next level
what was old mate cab man thinking? seriously...
they were filming him!
indo people are generally lovely, but fuck there's some fruitcakes in bali
udo wrote:https://thebalisun.com/balis-acting-governor-says-new-tax-could-fund-ins...
I know its fuck all at the end of the day... but this has a real stench to it...
so... because all the billions of dollars that have gone into bali over recent decades have essentially disappeared...
as infrastruture is creaking under pressure to basically none existent...
bali has its hand out for a tourism tax...
they look like beggars
beggars with a gucci habit
ashsam wrote:burleigh wrote:https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1qMsK_vWpK/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&...
Those blue taxis are dodgy, we just used the grab app while in Canguu before xmas, tells you the price before you confirm, was brilliant, never had any issue.
My wife is Indonesian and she is onto all these little things and now we really only use Grab when in Bali, so i think it must be the way to go.
indo-dreaming wrote:ashsam wrote:burleigh wrote:https://www.instagram.com/reel/C1qMsK_vWpK/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&...
Those blue taxis are dodgy, we just used the grab app while in Canguu before xmas, tells you the price before you confirm, was brilliant, never had any issue.
My wife is Indonesian and she is onto all these little things and now we really only use Grab when in Bali, so i think it must be the way to go.
Yep, Grab all the way.
I despise using grab...
but I do
you're a fool not too...
the taxi mafia are really doing themselves no favours at all
understandable perhaps... never fuk with a man's lunch money and all that
that bali taxi company must have gone from thriving monopoly to barely turnig a profit...
but they've kinda brought it upon themselves
It’s actually raining ! Woohoo ! The gardens need it . Fun headhigh pulse yesterday arvo back to knee to waist high this morning. Some headhigh swell on the way with light onshore winds . I’m getting a custom bike built should be ready in a few weeks , a 1970s honda clutchless 4 speed 4 stroke. These motors are bulletproof and parts are plentiful, got some decent shocks for the crap roads that destroy the scooters . 
Supafreak wrote:It’s actually raining ! Woohoo ! The gardens need it . Fun headhigh pulse yesterday arvo back to knee to waist high this morning. Some headhigh swell on the way with light onshore winds . I’m getting a custom bike built should be ready in a few weeks , a 1970s honda clutchless 4 speed 4 stroke. These motors are bulletproof and parts are plentiful, got some decent shocks for the crap roads that destroy the scooters .
I miss my trusty old Tiger, never let me down.
Looking good, don't forget the muffler! :)
I had a tiger motor 200cc in a dirt bike and gave it to a local to restore as a project but it got knocked off unfortunately, really strong motors. Got an exhaust the other day , my friend who’s putting it together has been accessing parts from all over indo , the handle bars are original and came from java . Seat is hard to find so might be a custom job . 
. This is what we started with . 
Supafreak wrote:I had a tiger motor 200cc in a dirt bike and gave it to a local to restore as a project but it got knocked off unfortunately, really strong motors. Got an exhaust the other day , my friend who’s putting it together has been accessing parts from all over indo , the handle bars are original and came from java . Seat is hard to find so might be a custom job .
Great project!
That’s gunna look ace when it’s done
The beautiful weather and waves continue, really great pulse yesterday arvo and this morning, some overhead sets and perfect conditions .
HOw was the pulse last night, best for a while where i am
Nice!
In line with the notes? https://www.swellnet.com/reports/forecaster-notes/indonesia-maldives/202...
Yes Craig you were on the money again, keep it up . I actually waited for the arvo session as I’m only good for one 3 hour surf and timed it beautifully with tide and the increase in pulse .
Awesome!
3 Hour Session...Shitt
Vintage Expression Session
I absolutely loved 3hrs sessions, well did until I could only last 1
Bali government set to introduce a new tourist tax of roughly $15 per head, this will mean a family of 4 will now be up for $260 just to enter Bali . Thailand is again the winner here . https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/indonesia
Supafreak wrote:Bali government set to introduce a new tourist tax of roughly $15 per head, this will mean a family of 4 will now be up for $260 just to enter Bali . Thailand is again the winner here . https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/indonesia
Okay i get it
x4 VOA at $50 each + x4 Tax @ $15 each = $260
When they talked about it all before they were going to drop the VOA fee again for certain countries.
I read the tax is suppose to go towards "environmental conservation, nature preservation, cultural enhancement, and overall quality improvement,"
Which if so is a great thing, but probably unlikely it really does.
We are pretty lucky in our family im the only non Indo passport holder, and i just go through the Indo line so quicker :P
That's what i thought too Indo - scrapping VOA for new tourist tax. Perhaps not
udo wrote:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-10/ubud-bali-russian-development-hid...
Heartbreaking....
crazy thing about new tourism tax is, if you leave bali to another island and return to bali... you pay again...
so, arrive bali with family, pay tax 150k rp x family, go to gilis, 1 day transit bali, pay for whole family again...
meanwhile... piles of rubbish pile up all across bali... and big man leaders, buy another beemer...
culture is preserved...
Nothing's changed in Indonesia mate, masters of smoke and mirrors
Came in through immigration last night and kitas line was chockers , thought WTF , turned out that many people had chosen to either ignore the signs or didn’t understand. Immigration dudes were getting the shits and walked around asking for kitas holders to hold up documents. Luckily I still had a printed copy and walked past over 100 people. Decided to register my phone this time in , iPhone 13 Pro max that they valued at $585 USD so had to pay tax of 620,000rp which although I don’t agree with why they have this tax , it wasn’t too bad a sting .
I love Bali.
You wouldn't think that such a thought could be controversial . But it is.
Many people don't love Bali, in fact they proclaim to hate it. Bemoan what it has become, it's lack of purity, it's lost innocence.
Sure, I can see their point. I can't imagine anywhere on Earth that has been transformed as radically as Bali over the last thirty years. From rice paddies and coconut groves to six story discotheques . It's totally unrecognisable in the most built up areas.
But that's not what this post is about. It's about why I LOVE Bali.
I love Bali because ...
- it's still the home of an intense cluster of world class waves. Roping lefts : Uluwatu, freight train right barrels : Sanur, backlit mega tubes : Padang Padang. Rip able reefs, fun beachies. Short , slabby pits and long mellow points. River mouths and bombies. It's got the lot.
- it's still possible to get uncrowded quality waves in 2015 when it seems as though the entire planet has discovered surfing. I was trading crystal clear , rolling right walls with only two other surfers just this morning.
- it's still freaking beautiful. Watching the mist reveal Mt Agung in that unique Bali morning light from a black sand beach as the sun comes up is still special.
- the food is amazing. Walking around town building up a hunger and knowing that at any given time you are within shouting distance of fresh, exotic and delicious meals with enough variety to make your head spin is priceless.
- the Balinese are legends. Friendly, happy and always keen for a joke. Unfailingly polite and welcoming. Healthy, spiritual and decent.
- the Balinese surfers rip their waves and they still own them. A visiting Brazilian would not think twice to drop in on an Aussie local at Kirra. But you won't see the same in Bali. The Balinese surfers are treated with the respect they deserve. Because as everyone knows, if they are not treated with respect there is consequences.
- the water is so warm it's like swimming in silken angels tears.
- telling people that you are going to Bali will often elicit a response along the lines of ......"why would you go to that traffic ridden, noisy shithole ?" And then as you're kicking back with a Bintang watching the sunset over Uluwatu you can imagine them sitting at lights in their car on their way home from work in Perth. Which , for those that have never been , is a noisy , traffic ridden shithole. And this makes me laugh. Which is something I enjoy doing.
- The fruit is incredible.
- despite the millions of tourists, the fast food franchises and the Aussie over familiarity with the joint it's still exotic. The smell of clove cigarettes, the ogo ogos of Nyepi, the Buddhist offerings , monkeys , food and language are all enticingly foreign.
- there is no overreaching nanny state. You want to ride your motorbike with all four of your children and the missus on the back...whilst texting. Go for it.
- you can live like a king on a regular Aussie income. Maybe not such a great benefit for the Balinese themselves though.
- it's close to Oz. Twenty hour plane ride and a shot at developing deep vein thrombosis.....ummm no thanks. It's actually faster to fly to Bali from Perth than it is to drive to Albany. You can fly from Port Hedland in less than two hours.
- you get an opportunity to regularly witness some of the most foolhardy behaviour imaginable on a daily basis. You ever seen a man being doubled on a motorbike through traffic whilst holding a large pane of glass ? What about seeing someone hold a nail between his bare fingers while his mate tries to grind the tip off it ? It's all there folks.
- you can see people making do with not much and making it work. An exhaust system held on with a T Shirt ? An outboard motor attached to a boat with no anchoring system, just held on with a man's brute force ? Why not ? It might not work forever but it'll usually get em over the line.
- the winds can blow offshore for months at a time and when they blow onshore, well , that just makes it offshore somewhere else. It's an island !
- you haven't seen glassy oceanic conditions till you've seen Indonesian sheet glass. It's like an oil slick. And if you're ever near Benoa Harbour that could well be what it is.
- old people are accorded the respect they deserve.
- it's exciting. It's a melting pot of the world. Wide eyed villages from remote Asia, jaded techno princesses from Russia, sleek surfy chicks from Canada , your next door neighbour from Ipswich....it's a party and everyone is invited.
Including YOU. I'll see you there. You can't miss me.
I'll be the sun burnt drunk in a head to toe Bintang ensemble with hair braids and a fresh tattoo of a unicorn across my back . Don't be shy. Come and say hello.