Still in America...for now! (2/12/20)
Hello all!
Welcome to the next installment of Dani's travel diary - adult version (aka I have to pay for this myself now).
After a blissful 164 days of marriage, we are DEFINITELY ready for our honeymoon. Bags are packed with lots of packing cubes, bug spray, sun tan lotion, multiple meds to ward off "Bali Belly" and enough hand sanitizer to disinfect all of Indonesia (and probably all of Asia).
Our travel day is a long one. Our first flight is from JFK to Frankfurt, Germany at 8:15 pm on Wednesday, February 12th. After a quick (and hopefully smooth) layover, we will be stoping by Singapore before another transfer to our final destination of Denpasar, Bali. We are scheduled to land at about 11:05 am on February 14th. For those of you who are math savvy - yes, that is approximately 27 hours of travel, but with the 13 hour time change, we will be skipping 1.5 days of life on solid ground - and I COULD NOT be more excited!
I have no more exciting information to share...yet.
Except... my husband has already commented that I have taken a photo at every step along our journey thus far (including leaving the apartment, waiting for the elevator, sitting on the LIRR, waiting for the AirTrain, and getting snacks and coffee in the airport). To be fair, he knew what he was getting himself into!
To me, this is one of the best parts of the trip - being able to look forward to two weeks on the other side of the world with my best friend (and the person who is legally stuck with me forever).
Talk to you from the Southern Hemisphere
xoxo
Welcome to the next installment of Dani's travel diary - adult version (aka I have to pay for this myself now).
After a blissful 164 days of marriage, we are DEFINITELY ready for our honeymoon. Bags are packed with lots of packing cubes, bug spray, sun tan lotion, multiple meds to ward off "Bali Belly" and enough hand sanitizer to disinfect all of Indonesia (and probably all of Asia).
Our travel day is a long one. Our first flight is from JFK to Frankfurt, Germany at 8:15 pm on Wednesday, February 12th. After a quick (and hopefully smooth) layover, we will be stoping by Singapore before another transfer to our final destination of Denpasar, Bali. We are scheduled to land at about 11:05 am on February 14th. For those of you who are math savvy - yes, that is approximately 27 hours of travel, but with the 13 hour time change, we will be skipping 1.5 days of life on solid ground - and I COULD NOT be more excited!
I have no more exciting information to share...yet.
Except... my husband has already commented that I have taken a photo at every step along our journey thus far (including leaving the apartment, waiting for the elevator, sitting on the LIRR, waiting for the AirTrain, and getting snacks and coffee in the airport). To be fair, he knew what he was getting himself into!
To me, this is one of the best parts of the trip - being able to look forward to two weeks on the other side of the world with my best friend (and the person who is legally stuck with me forever).
Talk to you from the Southern Hemisphere
xoxo
Flying across the world (2/12-2/14)
Hello!
We boarded our first flight to Frankfurt, Germany exactly on time. We were thrilled to find out that no one else was seated in our row, so we had 3 seats all to ourselves. We were quickly greeted by the most stunning flight attendants, each wearing intricately designed dresses, and each looking like they just walked off of a runway.
We were then given a menu detailing each of the 7 (YES, 7) meals we would receive throughout our trip to Singapore. Our plan was to stay awake for the flight to Germany and attempt to sleep as much as we could on the flight to Singapore. Well, we did manage to stay awake for most of the flight to Germany - aside from a 1-2 hour nap. This was more than impressive as we landed in Germany at approximately 5 am New York time. Our time awake was fueled mostly by the (actually really fabulous) complete meals we were served throughout the flight. This included quinoa salad, chicken and yogurt/granola.
When we landed in Germany, we definitely did not need more food, so we walked around and got some steps in after being sedentary for 8 hours. We only had about a 1.5 hour layover, but this is when the sleepiness really set in.
As soon as we got to our seats on the flight from Frankfurt to Singapore we PASSED OUT. We managed to sleep about 8ish hours of the 12 hour flight! Although I would not say that we woke up feeling refreshed, I will say we felt awake and ready to enjoy our honeymoon!
Upon our arrival in Singapore, we were immediately greeted by a very large Zara and gorgeous floral sculpture of mice (presumably to celebrate Chinese New Year). We took the air train to a different terminal and it became apparent why this airport is spoken about so highly. In the approximately 15 minute walk to our gate (which was noted on the signs to your gate - like it said GateA7, approximately 15 minute walk - GENIUS) we passed multiple gardens with real flowers and water as well as nature sounds. Don't worry, Chad was only 15% surprised when i made him stop and take pictures in the middle of the airport.
We arrived at our gate and went to the bathroom to freshen up. Where again, we were amazed by the beauty - truly these bathrooms could outshine some of the nicest 5-star resorts. The gate for our flight from Singapore to Bali did not open until about 1 hour before the flight. This is because you go through security again. Good thing we have nothing to hide!
From there, our flight to Bali felt like the blink of an eye. After about 20 hours on a plane, the 2.5 hour flight to Bali felt like nothing! (But don't worry, they still gave us yet another meal). We moved through the airport in Bali very quickly. Luckily, traveling on a random Thursday/Friday in February meant very small customs lines! But you'll have to look at the next post for more info about out first day!
Love you all!
We boarded our first flight to Frankfurt, Germany exactly on time. We were thrilled to find out that no one else was seated in our row, so we had 3 seats all to ourselves. We were quickly greeted by the most stunning flight attendants, each wearing intricately designed dresses, and each looking like they just walked off of a runway.
We were then given a menu detailing each of the 7 (YES, 7) meals we would receive throughout our trip to Singapore. Our plan was to stay awake for the flight to Germany and attempt to sleep as much as we could on the flight to Singapore. Well, we did manage to stay awake for most of the flight to Germany - aside from a 1-2 hour nap. This was more than impressive as we landed in Germany at approximately 5 am New York time. Our time awake was fueled mostly by the (actually really fabulous) complete meals we were served throughout the flight. This included quinoa salad, chicken and yogurt/granola.
When we landed in Germany, we definitely did not need more food, so we walked around and got some steps in after being sedentary for 8 hours. We only had about a 1.5 hour layover, but this is when the sleepiness really set in.
As soon as we got to our seats on the flight from Frankfurt to Singapore we PASSED OUT. We managed to sleep about 8ish hours of the 12 hour flight! Although I would not say that we woke up feeling refreshed, I will say we felt awake and ready to enjoy our honeymoon!
Upon our arrival in Singapore, we were immediately greeted by a very large Zara and gorgeous floral sculpture of mice (presumably to celebrate Chinese New Year). We took the air train to a different terminal and it became apparent why this airport is spoken about so highly. In the approximately 15 minute walk to our gate (which was noted on the signs to your gate - like it said GateA7, approximately 15 minute walk - GENIUS) we passed multiple gardens with real flowers and water as well as nature sounds. Don't worry, Chad was only 15% surprised when i made him stop and take pictures in the middle of the airport.
We arrived at our gate and went to the bathroom to freshen up. Where again, we were amazed by the beauty - truly these bathrooms could outshine some of the nicest 5-star resorts. The gate for our flight from Singapore to Bali did not open until about 1 hour before the flight. This is because you go through security again. Good thing we have nothing to hide!
From there, our flight to Bali felt like the blink of an eye. After about 20 hours on a plane, the 2.5 hour flight to Bali felt like nothing! (But don't worry, they still gave us yet another meal). We moved through the airport in Bali very quickly. Luckily, traveling on a random Thursday/Friday in February meant very small customs lines! But you'll have to look at the next post for more info about out first day!
Love you all!
Mr. and Mrs. Rosenzewig arrive in Nusa Dua (2/14/20)
Picking up where we left off… there is nothing better than walking off of a flight in Winter and being immediately greeted by warm air. We flew through the airport and were greeted by a man, named Adi, holding up a sign for “Mr. and Mrs. Rosenzweig.” The honeymoon definitely felt real! He walked us to through the exit and brought us to receive welcome flowers. When I saw them from a distance, I figured they looked beautiful, but I obviously thought they were fake. Nope – they were real flowers which smelled DIVINE. He then brought us to our driver, put our bags in the car and joined us for the ride. He let us know that he would be leading our private tour for our time in Bali. We then began our (short) journey to our first hotel, The Laguna.
We entered the part of Bali called Nusa Dua. It is beyond stunning. We entered through these giant ornate gates (don’t worry, I’m going to make Chad go and take a picture there soon) and drove to our unbelievable resort. We were immediately greeted in the (stunning) lobby with welcome drinks and after a check-in (leisurely set on their couches), we were escorted to our beautiful room. Our room is absolutely stunning. We have a sliding door which leads directly to private access into a swimmable lagoon. It is truly unreal.
We quickly changed into bathing suits, I grabbed my camera and we went out to explore. We walked around the entire resort, eventually landing on the beach. While laying on the beach, we dipped our toes into the Indian Ocean (AH!) and relaxed in our beach chairs. We fell asleep in the sun for a while and eventually made our way back to the room. The original plan was to have dinner at the resort’s restaurant, but after feeling tired and relaxed, we opted for ordering room service and eating it on our terrace overlooking the lagoon – not too shabby).
We then headed in for an early night sleep. So far, this honeymoon is exceeding our expectations. We can’t wait to see what’s next!
We entered the part of Bali called Nusa Dua. It is beyond stunning. We entered through these giant ornate gates (don’t worry, I’m going to make Chad go and take a picture there soon) and drove to our unbelievable resort. We were immediately greeted in the (stunning) lobby with welcome drinks and after a check-in (leisurely set on their couches), we were escorted to our beautiful room. Our room is absolutely stunning. We have a sliding door which leads directly to private access into a swimmable lagoon. It is truly unreal.
We quickly changed into bathing suits, I grabbed my camera and we went out to explore. We walked around the entire resort, eventually landing on the beach. While laying on the beach, we dipped our toes into the Indian Ocean (AH!) and relaxed in our beach chairs. We fell asleep in the sun for a while and eventually made our way back to the room. The original plan was to have dinner at the resort’s restaurant, but after feeling tired and relaxed, we opted for ordering room service and eating it on our terrace overlooking the lagoon – not too shabby).
We then headed in for an early night sleep. So far, this honeymoon is exceeding our expectations. We can’t wait to see what’s next!
Heat and Fire (2/15/20)
Well today was perfect. I woke up very early (so, we're back to our schedule) and began writing for about an hour before Chad woke up around 5. We then got ready for the day - it's very difficult to put on a bathing suit and cover-up - and headed out to watch the sunrise on the beach. We left our room around 6:10. Walking around the resort at that time was actual heaven. Everything was so quiet and peaceful (aka there were no people to bother me or obstruct my pictures). We made it to the beach and began walking toward the end of a long strip. There was a little hut perched outward toward the ocean, so we sat, snapped a few pictures and walked back down the beach. It was truly unbelievable.
After our walk back towards our hotel, we found some lounge chairs on the beach and lounged for about an hour. It was perfect, just enough sun to feel warm, but not too hot! After we started to get fidgety, we went to grab some breakfast. We thought we wanted to sit outside by the water, but learned quickly that the heat was too much to handle for a meal and went inside to the AC. The breakfast is AMAZING! Since this is a 5-star resort (apparently we're fancy), all the food is washed and made with filtered water. It is a giant buffet with all different cuisines. We were shocked to find sushi, noodles, Indian food and more (after later research, we learned that in fact, this is normal breakfast foods in many cultures. Also - I have no objection to a cucumber roll at 7:30 am- I am who I am). I had waffles, yogurt and granola and cucumber juice (among some other bites here and there)
After breakfast, we went to lay out by the pool. Since it was all of 8:00 at this time, there was still no one around. We went in the pool, which was just warm enough to not be shocking but not too warm so it felt cooling from the hot sun. (Yeah - everything is just about perfect here). Chad and I swam around for a while - just missing a personal photographer to take all of the adorable photos of us. But I guess writing about it will have to do!
After we were done with that spot (neither of us can sit for very long), we made our way back to our room and went swimming in the lagoon - which we can access from our room. (On our terrace, we have a ladder straight into the lagoon!) We left towels on a lounge chair/couch across the lagoon from our room, went through our room to swim around, then when we wanted the sun, climbed out and relaxed in the sun!
Once we were done with this spot - thank goodness I married someone who can't sit either - we changed into workout clothes and went to the gym! (Yes, I know we're insane). We worked out for about an hour, then went to grab some lunch! We sat at a restaurant right on the beach called Kulkul. We got some iced coffees, Chad got an additional lychee mint iced tea (he had never had lychee before) and we got some sushi and hummus. I know you are all going to make fun of me for getting sushi BUT Bali has incredible fish, so this was an acceptable (and not too hot) way to eat fish in the middle of the day -yes that's my story and im sticking to it.
We finished lunch at around 1:30 (yes we did ALL of this before 1:30) and went back to our room to shower and get ready for our afternoon/evening excursion.
After breakfast, we went to lay out by the pool. Since it was all of 8:00 at this time, there was still no one around. We went in the pool, which was just warm enough to not be shocking but not too warm so it felt cooling from the hot sun. (Yeah - everything is just about perfect here). Chad and I swam around for a while - just missing a personal photographer to take all of the adorable photos of us. But I guess writing about it will have to do!
After we were done with that spot (neither of us can sit for very long), we made our way back to our room and went swimming in the lagoon - which we can access from our room. (On our terrace, we have a ladder straight into the lagoon!) We left towels on a lounge chair/couch across the lagoon from our room, went through our room to swim around, then when we wanted the sun, climbed out and relaxed in the sun!
Once we were done with this spot - thank goodness I married someone who can't sit either - we changed into workout clothes and went to the gym! (Yes, I know we're insane). We worked out for about an hour, then went to grab some lunch! We sat at a restaurant right on the beach called Kulkul. We got some iced coffees, Chad got an additional lychee mint iced tea (he had never had lychee before) and we got some sushi and hummus. I know you are all going to make fun of me for getting sushi BUT Bali has incredible fish, so this was an acceptable (and not too hot) way to eat fish in the middle of the day -yes that's my story and im sticking to it.
We finished lunch at around 1:30 (yes we did ALL of this before 1:30) and went back to our room to shower and get ready for our afternoon/evening excursion.
We met our tour guide, Adi, in the lobby of our hotel at 3pm. He and our driver, Riki, then explained the plans for the afternoon. We headed toward a clifftop Hindu temple called Uluwatu Temple. He explained that this temple is significant as it was visited by one of the high priests of Hindu. He came to visit and then his body disappeared. Therefore in one of the parts of the temple (the head - to be explained momentarily) there is what looks like a casket; however, there is no body inside since his body disappeared.
As I began to say before, Adi explained that there are 3 parts of the temple, which translate to the head, the body and the legs. Tourists are not allowed to enter the head as it is for praying only.
As we entered the temple, Adi advised us to remove our sunglasses as monkeys roam the temple and steal loose objects. Therefore, Chad placed all of our objects in a backpack that he held (thankfully- being married is fun). We also we're all asked to cover ourselves. Everyone else wore the same purple sarongs they give out at the temple, but our travel agency gave us Blue and Red sarongs upon arrival, so we got to be different and original (ish).
Adi walked us through the temple and served as both a fabulous tour guide and the third person we needed to take photos! The views were indescribable. We were standing on top of a cliff and all you can see is the Indian Ocean for miles and miles. There are no words to describe the views.
After our tour of the temple, Adi allowed us to walk around by ourselves while he waited online to get us tickets to the Kecak Fire Dance (talk about travel agents allowing you to not think about a single thing). We met him back 15 minutes later where he escorted us through the line and recommended the best place to sit.
As I began to say before, Adi explained that there are 3 parts of the temple, which translate to the head, the body and the legs. Tourists are not allowed to enter the head as it is for praying only.
As we entered the temple, Adi advised us to remove our sunglasses as monkeys roam the temple and steal loose objects. Therefore, Chad placed all of our objects in a backpack that he held (thankfully- being married is fun). We also we're all asked to cover ourselves. Everyone else wore the same purple sarongs they give out at the temple, but our travel agency gave us Blue and Red sarongs upon arrival, so we got to be different and original (ish).
Adi walked us through the temple and served as both a fabulous tour guide and the third person we needed to take photos! The views were indescribable. We were standing on top of a cliff and all you can see is the Indian Ocean for miles and miles. There are no words to describe the views.
After our tour of the temple, Adi allowed us to walk around by ourselves while he waited online to get us tickets to the Kecak Fire Dance (talk about travel agents allowing you to not think about a single thing). We met him back 15 minutes later where he escorted us through the line and recommended the best place to sit.
The Kecak Fire Dance is a traditional Hindu dance performed every night from 6:00-7:00 pm, aka at sunset. In the case of this temple, the dance is performed in a stadium overlooking the water (the views really suck - I don't recommend this trip to anyone). Adi recommended we sit at the top of the stadium on a specific side to get the best view of the dance and the sunset. And holy moly, he was right, but I'll get to that in a little.
We arrived at the stadium about an hour early to have our pick of seats, and DID NOT expect it to fill up as much as it did. The place was PACKED. Chad had only 4,000 panic attacks about being so close to people, but he managed to survive (not without multiple comments though).
Going into the dance, we learned a bit about the significance. The dance is the only Hindu dance that utilizes no music or instruments but a choir of 50-70 men. It contains the most dancers on stage at any one time of all of Bali’s famous dances. The main dancers, who play the most significant roles and perform countless dance routines, typically include around 10 to 15 dancers.
The dance narrates the story of Asia’s most famous epic, Ramayana. In the "Sanghyang" (trance dance) dance a person in a state of trance communicates with the dieties or ancestors. Using the dancers as a medium, the deities or ancestors convey their wishes.
Due to a prince of Ayodya Rama the legal heir to the throne of Ayodya, was exiled from the ralm of his father Dasarata. Accompanied by his wife Sita and his younger brother Laksamana, they went into a forest called Dandaka. While they were in the forest, the demon king, Rahwana, found them and lusted after Sita. Accompanied by his prime minister Marica, they made a plan to kidnap Sita. Using his magic powers, Marica transformed himself into a golden deer and succeeded in luring Rama and Laksamana away from Sita (Sita asked Rama to capture the deer for her, and then sent Laksamana to check on Rama when he didn't return). Rahwana made use of this opportunity and kidnapped Sita, taking her to his palace, Alengka. After realizing Sita's kidnapping, Rama and Laksamana set out to rescue Sita using an army of monkeys under the command of their king, Hanoman. Rama ultimately succeeded in getting his wife back safely.
Now back to our experience... at around 6pm, a group of male performers, wrapped in black and white checkered garments, came onto stage singing, “cak…cak…cakcakcakcak…cak…” before sitting, cross-legged in a circle. (Some say the noise they make to the sound of a group of monkeys, while others claim it is just a sound that is produced to scare enemies). The dance moved through several scenes, with each the scenes being easily comprehended despite dance being the only medium. The most exciting part of the dance was when the king of the monkeys (the white monkey- played by a real human in case that was not clear) was held in captivity and was encircled by fire. (At this point in the dance, the White Monkey King tied up while his men prepare the wood and fire to burn him alive. This is where the nickname of the Bali fire dance came to fruition) He then began kicking the fire around the stage with his bare feet. I was shocked and amazed and could not take my eyes off of it -who would have thought I would be so enamored by a religious dance!
The dance was beautiful and also surprisingly funny towards the end. At around 6:30, it began to drizzle lightly. This cleared out about 25% of the stadium and cooled us off - so the rain was welcomed. Also, the fact that it only drizzled for about 5 minutes was lovely.
The dance finished up with a giant circle of fire around the white monkey, with him kicking the fire around with his bare feet. It was amazing. We then headed towards the center of the stage in attempt to get a picture with the characters, but there were too many people and Chad was about to lose it, so I settled for a picture of the sunset over the Indian ocean instead - poor me.
We arrived at the stadium about an hour early to have our pick of seats, and DID NOT expect it to fill up as much as it did. The place was PACKED. Chad had only 4,000 panic attacks about being so close to people, but he managed to survive (not without multiple comments though).
Going into the dance, we learned a bit about the significance. The dance is the only Hindu dance that utilizes no music or instruments but a choir of 50-70 men. It contains the most dancers on stage at any one time of all of Bali’s famous dances. The main dancers, who play the most significant roles and perform countless dance routines, typically include around 10 to 15 dancers.
The dance narrates the story of Asia’s most famous epic, Ramayana. In the "Sanghyang" (trance dance) dance a person in a state of trance communicates with the dieties or ancestors. Using the dancers as a medium, the deities or ancestors convey their wishes.
Due to a prince of Ayodya Rama the legal heir to the throne of Ayodya, was exiled from the ralm of his father Dasarata. Accompanied by his wife Sita and his younger brother Laksamana, they went into a forest called Dandaka. While they were in the forest, the demon king, Rahwana, found them and lusted after Sita. Accompanied by his prime minister Marica, they made a plan to kidnap Sita. Using his magic powers, Marica transformed himself into a golden deer and succeeded in luring Rama and Laksamana away from Sita (Sita asked Rama to capture the deer for her, and then sent Laksamana to check on Rama when he didn't return). Rahwana made use of this opportunity and kidnapped Sita, taking her to his palace, Alengka. After realizing Sita's kidnapping, Rama and Laksamana set out to rescue Sita using an army of monkeys under the command of their king, Hanoman. Rama ultimately succeeded in getting his wife back safely.
Now back to our experience... at around 6pm, a group of male performers, wrapped in black and white checkered garments, came onto stage singing, “cak…cak…cakcakcakcak…cak…” before sitting, cross-legged in a circle. (Some say the noise they make to the sound of a group of monkeys, while others claim it is just a sound that is produced to scare enemies). The dance moved through several scenes, with each the scenes being easily comprehended despite dance being the only medium. The most exciting part of the dance was when the king of the monkeys (the white monkey- played by a real human in case that was not clear) was held in captivity and was encircled by fire. (At this point in the dance, the White Monkey King tied up while his men prepare the wood and fire to burn him alive. This is where the nickname of the Bali fire dance came to fruition) He then began kicking the fire around the stage with his bare feet. I was shocked and amazed and could not take my eyes off of it -who would have thought I would be so enamored by a religious dance!
The dance was beautiful and also surprisingly funny towards the end. At around 6:30, it began to drizzle lightly. This cleared out about 25% of the stadium and cooled us off - so the rain was welcomed. Also, the fact that it only drizzled for about 5 minutes was lovely.
The dance finished up with a giant circle of fire around the white monkey, with him kicking the fire around with his bare feet. It was amazing. We then headed towards the center of the stage in attempt to get a picture with the characters, but there were too many people and Chad was about to lose it, so I settled for a picture of the sunset over the Indian ocean instead - poor me.
We met Adi back at the exit of the dance. He brought us to our driver and explained that they were driving us to our pre-planned, set-menu dinner at Jimbaran Beach. There was a significant amount of traffic leaving the temple, so we arrived at the restaurant at about 8:00 (about an hour drive). The strip of restaurants looked like a stalls of a food market, so we were a bit... not concerned... but concerned. Adi led us through the inside of the restaurant to a beautiful table set on the beach with candles (and an address that indicated the restaurant was from the Four Seasons hotel in Jimbaran). All of our concerns quickly faded into laughing at how silly we were to ever be concerned.
Seated on the beach, right next to the ocean we were brought a plate of grilled seafood and rice. Calamari, clams, a fish and grilled prawn. It was so fresh! We were given watermelon for dessert.
We then headed back to the hotel. Arriving at about 9:30, we were POOPED. As we walked through the hotel, we thought we were going to be cool and walk around, maybe grab a drink. But opted to go to the room, shower and go to sleep. Well needed after a full and exciting day! Looking forward to the next!!
Seated on the beach, right next to the ocean we were brought a plate of grilled seafood and rice. Calamari, clams, a fish and grilled prawn. It was so fresh! We were given watermelon for dessert.
We then headed back to the hotel. Arriving at about 9:30, we were POOPED. As we walked through the hotel, we thought we were going to be cool and walk around, maybe grab a drink. But opted to go to the room, shower and go to sleep. Well needed after a full and exciting day! Looking forward to the next!!
And on the Sabbath (and by Sabbath I mean Sunday), they rested (2/16/20)
I woke up this morning around 6:30. Until this point, I had been eating because I knew I needed energy, but haven't really been hungry. Don't worry - hunger or not, I have still be eating A LOT. This morning, on the other hand, I woke up STARVING. As soon as Chad woke up, I decided we needed to go for breakfast (luckily breakfast is included every day and it is a giant buffet) and did not stop annoying him until he was ready and food was on my plate. I ate SO much including coffee, cucumber juice, waffles as well as yogurt and granola. Then I was back to normal (or whatever normal for me is).
We then went to lay out by the pool. Being that it was 8:30, there was no one by the pool... my favorite! We relaxed, swam and tried to lay for as long as we possibly could. I only started to get antsy around 10 - so impressive ... for me. We relaxed for another hour then had a meeting at 11:00 with someone from our tour company.
She was very sweet and wanted to make sure we were happy with the program thus far. That meeting lasted all of 10 minutes and then we were back to our day of rest!
After our exhausting 10 minutes of talking to a human that wasn't us (just kidding, she was really sweet and it really was fine), we headed towards the beach. We got one coconut (just for the coconut water) and one with the coconut water mixed with a drink! It was fabulous! We relaxed by the beach (not without an entire photo shoot of us with our coconuts) with our butts in the water, switching our coconuts back and forth.
Once we were done with that spot (attention problems) we went to the lagoon by our room. We swam and got some drinks - Chad: alcoholic, me: teas and mock-tails. At around 4:30, we went inside to relax. We showered and laid down to rest. I woke Chad around 7 and we got ready for dinner.
We went to a restaurant right on the beach. We each had a drink - wild, I know - I had a lychee mint Bellini, Chad had a mojito and we had a lovely dinner.
We then went in to go to sleep for a busy day tomorrow!
We then went to lay out by the pool. Being that it was 8:30, there was no one by the pool... my favorite! We relaxed, swam and tried to lay for as long as we possibly could. I only started to get antsy around 10 - so impressive ... for me. We relaxed for another hour then had a meeting at 11:00 with someone from our tour company.
She was very sweet and wanted to make sure we were happy with the program thus far. That meeting lasted all of 10 minutes and then we were back to our day of rest!
After our exhausting 10 minutes of talking to a human that wasn't us (just kidding, she was really sweet and it really was fine), we headed towards the beach. We got one coconut (just for the coconut water) and one with the coconut water mixed with a drink! It was fabulous! We relaxed by the beach (not without an entire photo shoot of us with our coconuts) with our butts in the water, switching our coconuts back and forth.
Once we were done with that spot (attention problems) we went to the lagoon by our room. We swam and got some drinks - Chad: alcoholic, me: teas and mock-tails. At around 4:30, we went inside to relax. We showered and laid down to rest. I woke Chad around 7 and we got ready for dinner.
We went to a restaurant right on the beach. We each had a drink - wild, I know - I had a lychee mint Bellini, Chad had a mojito and we had a lovely dinner.
We then went in to go to sleep for a busy day tomorrow!
Island Time (2/17/20)
We set a wake up call for 5:50am. I naturally woke up around 5:40 and then the phone rang at 5:50, luckily Chad was already up as well. We woke up with just enough time to begin getting ready and then our "honeymoon benefit" complimentary breakfast was brought to us at 6.
They placed an entire table of food outside including yogurt, eggs, fruit, pastry basket, juice and coffee. We ate breakfast on our terrace as the sun was coming up. Casual Monday morning.
We finished up breakfast, finished getting ready and met our driver in the lobby at 7:15.
They placed an entire table of food outside including yogurt, eggs, fruit, pastry basket, juice and coffee. We ate breakfast on our terrace as the sun was coming up. Casual Monday morning.
We finished up breakfast, finished getting ready and met our driver in the lobby at 7:15.
He drove us to the harbor in Sanur. We arrived and checked in to our fast boat by 7:45 and waited for our departure to Nusa Penida at 8:30. The dock for the harbor was stunning at that time as the sun was not fully up yet. It was quiet and peaceful, until...
This Canadian man walked over to us and said, "Are you guys American?" It seemed innocuous at first - North American man looking for similar people. However, it quickly spiraled into "get this person the f*** away" when he proceeded to talk to us for the next 45 minutes... non-stop. Well by "talk to us," I mean talk to Chad as I rudely stared at my phone and typed this post.
At 8:30 we boarded a "fast boat" to Nusa Penida - Chad was impressed that it had six "above board" engines - or something like that, I don't know and didn't care enough about the engines to inquire further. We managed to find a seat around all other seats that were taken, so chatty Candian man was forced to make new friends with people from the Netherlands. Byeee friend. We sailed through the Indian ocean and were able to take in how beautiful the sea is. We looked around in the middle of our journey and realized there was nothing but sea for miles. Chad is looking over my shoulder as I type this and for some reason would like me to say "kilometers" so there. (P.s he is now smiling) (P.P.S re-reading Dani is realizing that he probably wanted me to say nothing but sea for kilometers.... in the moment I was confused, now I realize...I am silly)
Anyway...
The fast-boat dropped us off at Nusa Penida. We were brought to a little hut where we were divided into groups by the color of the wrist band we were given at the dock. And just like any good comedy, our Canadian friend happened to buy the same package. Just when we thought we were screwed, the coordinator let us know that we "requested" a private car (and therefore a private tour). Thank goodness for our amazing travel agent. We were brought to meet our driver who took us to the first stop... Crystal Bay. We drove on EXTREMELY small roads that 100% were not big enough to be two-way roads, but still managed to be anyway. The roads were winding, but surrounded by green in every direction. It seemed like the only developed part of the island was the roads, everything else was natural forest. Truly breathtaking.
We arrived at Crystal bay which was a small beach between two large rock formations. We were told that we would be there for one hour. It was actually a cooler, cloudy day - which was perfect for a day outside (with no break). Chad and I went from end to end exploring, playing in the water, and of course, taking lots of photos.
This Canadian man walked over to us and said, "Are you guys American?" It seemed innocuous at first - North American man looking for similar people. However, it quickly spiraled into "get this person the f*** away" when he proceeded to talk to us for the next 45 minutes... non-stop. Well by "talk to us," I mean talk to Chad as I rudely stared at my phone and typed this post.
At 8:30 we boarded a "fast boat" to Nusa Penida - Chad was impressed that it had six "above board" engines - or something like that, I don't know and didn't care enough about the engines to inquire further. We managed to find a seat around all other seats that were taken, so chatty Candian man was forced to make new friends with people from the Netherlands. Byeee friend. We sailed through the Indian ocean and were able to take in how beautiful the sea is. We looked around in the middle of our journey and realized there was nothing but sea for miles. Chad is looking over my shoulder as I type this and for some reason would like me to say "kilometers" so there. (P.s he is now smiling) (P.P.S re-reading Dani is realizing that he probably wanted me to say nothing but sea for kilometers.... in the moment I was confused, now I realize...I am silly)
Anyway...
The fast-boat dropped us off at Nusa Penida. We were brought to a little hut where we were divided into groups by the color of the wrist band we were given at the dock. And just like any good comedy, our Canadian friend happened to buy the same package. Just when we thought we were screwed, the coordinator let us know that we "requested" a private car (and therefore a private tour). Thank goodness for our amazing travel agent. We were brought to meet our driver who took us to the first stop... Crystal Bay. We drove on EXTREMELY small roads that 100% were not big enough to be two-way roads, but still managed to be anyway. The roads were winding, but surrounded by green in every direction. It seemed like the only developed part of the island was the roads, everything else was natural forest. Truly breathtaking.
We arrived at Crystal bay which was a small beach between two large rock formations. We were told that we would be there for one hour. It was actually a cooler, cloudy day - which was perfect for a day outside (with no break). Chad and I went from end to end exploring, playing in the water, and of course, taking lots of photos.
After Crystal Bay, our driver took us to lunch. On the way to lunch, it began to rain. It was a beautiful open restaurant. Other people from our tour were given a menu and began ordering. I was starting to think about what I would get based off of their orders (they were Australian). Then, we were told that our agency prepared our menu for us and brought us a whole coconut (for coconut water), and a plate of mixed Balinese food including: chicken tofu, tempeh, and a whole fish! I was so happy to have not ordered myself! I would have never ordered what was given to me, but each part of the meal was fantastic!
We then moved on to Angel's Billabong and Broken Beach. We arrived first at Angel's Billabong, which is a beautiful natural pool created in crater of mountains by waves coming in. We stood on each side of the crater to take photos and take in the unbelievable views.
We then traveled on a path to Broken Beach. Similarly, this was a beach in between large craters. However, on one side, there is a large crater which forms an arch beneath it. Of course, I made Chad stand on one side and I ran (literally ran) to the other side (p.s not a close run) so I could get a photo being the only person on the bridge. (I am my father's daughter). It was amazing - I am truly running out of adjectives. I dangled my feet off the edge of the (very high) cliff and took in the view from every angle...and probably took a photo from every angle is well.
We then began the walk back to Angel's Billabong, where we met our driver who drove us to our last stop, Kelingking Beach. Once we arrived, he began walking us to the entrance, which he had done for each stop. However this time, he said, "no come all the way down, follow me." And so we did. He brought us all the way down the path, where there were far less people, and said, "I'll go in the tree and take a photo." It was perfect. Gotta love nice people. We then spent the next 40 minutes taking in the view, and of course, taking more photos, before heading back to the harbor.
We waited by the beach at the harbor for 45 minutes. While waiting, we saw a European man drinking a Bintang, the local beer. We thought about getting one, but we both decided that we have been doing so well with our stomachs and didn't want to risk it now. So instead, we relaxed on the beach and looked out to the water. Then, a small boat arrived, which drove us to our fast boat, parked about a mile off the shore (because the water near the beach was too shallow for the big boat). We then sat tight for the 1.5 hour trip back to Sanur, where Riki, our driver was waiting for us. We were supposed to arrive back in Sanur at 4:30, but did not arrive until 6 - still unclear where the delay was. But Riki was there waiting - poor guy, he is so sweet!
On the boat, me and Chad had discussed heading to the beach to watch the sunset. With the delay, we did not think would make it for the 6:45 sunset. We arrived back to the hotel at 6:20, so I said let's just go to the beach and grab a beer and watch the sunset.
Here is where the story takes a turn. Chad claims that it is because I was "cool" and was rewarded for my "coolness"
We arrived at the Kulkul bar right on the beach and ordered 2 Bintangs, the local beer. (Something about it being from our fancy hotel made me feel more comfortable. It was happy hour, so it was 2 for 1 beers. Our server, Panur, was so kind. A couple of minutes into our beers, he brought us a drink and told us that it was complimentary for our honeymoon. He also stated that he wanted feedback as him and his friends were having a cocktail making competition. The drinks were fabulous! Within our conversation, he let us know that the fire dance would be performed on the beach at 7. While normally, we would have drank our beers and probably left, we watched the sunset on the beach, and then had 3 people (2 girls, 1 man) in front of us performing a beautiful dance with fire! But we were the only people on the beach! It was so cool! After the dance, Punar suggested we take a photo with them. It was amazing!
After the dance, we went into our room to get ready to check out in the morning. Neither of us were too hungry after the drinks (and bread sticks and nuts that came with them - thanks Punar) so we ordered some room service for dinner.
What was already an amazing day, turned out to be an amazing night. It felt like everything went right. Looking forward to tomorrow!
On the boat, me and Chad had discussed heading to the beach to watch the sunset. With the delay, we did not think would make it for the 6:45 sunset. We arrived back to the hotel at 6:20, so I said let's just go to the beach and grab a beer and watch the sunset.
Here is where the story takes a turn. Chad claims that it is because I was "cool" and was rewarded for my "coolness"
We arrived at the Kulkul bar right on the beach and ordered 2 Bintangs, the local beer. (Something about it being from our fancy hotel made me feel more comfortable. It was happy hour, so it was 2 for 1 beers. Our server, Panur, was so kind. A couple of minutes into our beers, he brought us a drink and told us that it was complimentary for our honeymoon. He also stated that he wanted feedback as him and his friends were having a cocktail making competition. The drinks were fabulous! Within our conversation, he let us know that the fire dance would be performed on the beach at 7. While normally, we would have drank our beers and probably left, we watched the sunset on the beach, and then had 3 people (2 girls, 1 man) in front of us performing a beautiful dance with fire! But we were the only people on the beach! It was so cool! After the dance, Punar suggested we take a photo with them. It was amazing!
After the dance, we went into our room to get ready to check out in the morning. Neither of us were too hungry after the drinks (and bread sticks and nuts that came with them - thanks Punar) so we ordered some room service for dinner.
What was already an amazing day, turned out to be an amazing night. It felt like everything went right. Looking forward to tomorrow!