Those who have travelled with me before would be aware that i love to walk all over the place and it's no exception when i was in Bali! There were so many brick and mortar shops by the roadside; i knew i die die must check some of them out before my flight back to Singapore!
Can you imagine that this Jl Pantai Kuta road (i would have called it a lane) is the only vehicular ingress for the world famous Kuta beach?! It's effectively a one-lane, one-way street and that could explain why we missed our flight later that evening.
Cute miniature pinscher spotted on the street! Dogs at Kuta were better groomed than those i found at Sukawati Art Market; unlike places like Bangkok, i didn't notice any "bombs" littering the floor.
Dreamcatchers - even though it's a native american thingy, nothing's a cultural barrier so long it brings in the dollars. Speaking of which, i have been pretty restless at night recently and maybe i should purchase one.
These snippets of heartwarming advice written on wood planks would brighten my home boring, white walls. Pity, my concept is more black and white and even if i can bring in splashes of colour, i prefer photographs shot by me and there were tons to choose from in my hard disk.
I actually walked along Jl Pantai Kuta on an almost daily basis and it's where Smart Spa and Made's Warung were located. Further down would be the place where i had my first taste of Balinese's Babi Guling and the barbershop where Alex had his haircut.
Temple or private praying grounds? I am not sure about the first one as there was a gate but the second one is most likely private property with a walled boundary.
Let's continue with Jl Legian Kaja; a notable road that stretched for almost three kilometers until Seminyak, another popular district said to be less touristy than Kuta.
Given the length of the road and the fact that shophouses flanked both sides of the road, you would be pleased to know that there were plenty of souvenir shops where you can bargain crazily. As mentioned in earlier postings, do check out the pricing at the supermarkets (e.g. at Beachwalk shopping centre) first as a point of reference for bargaining.
Mosaic bowls, mosaic elephants, mosaic skulls and even mosaic penises! I actually want to get a set of 3 mosaic bowls which wasn't too expensive until i asked about the stand which cost almost the price of the bowls.
Those in front seemed familiar? Thought they were the kind of dolls quite popular in the 1980s when i was still a child.
More dolls can be found in the shop; barbies dolls, golliwogs, teddie bears etc. I did notice one that appeared to be a demoness based on a character in the Journey to the West Chinese novel; white bone demoness (also known as 白骨精).
Wetballs?! What the hell are they? To know more, check out https://baliswetballs.weebly.com! Hyperactive kids? Consider the fidget spinners although i think the fad is already on its way out.
More cute dogs!
As a beach vacation, it's easy to get your hands on swimwear or anything that's related to the beach, the sun and the seas! You may even check out the factory outlets for Billabong and Quicksilver.
I wasn't in the shopping mood as it was a relatively rushed trip and i wouldn't want to spend my precious trying clothes and deliberating if i should buy them.
5GX Bali - reverse bungy in Bali! Main website seemed to be down but you can still find some reviews at its facebook page; https://www.facebook.com/5gxbali/
The clubbing precinct where many would let their hair down at night.
Sadly, its popularity with foreigners made it a primary target for terrorists and result was the infamous Bali bombings in 2002. Over 200 persons died in that attack and standing on the destroyed site is the Sari Club Memorial.
Need a pee after a long walk? Check out the clean toilets on level two of the Indomaret Ground Zero convenience store directly behind the Sari Club Memorial. After you are done, replenish by having a cup of the delicious rum and raisin frappe at Point Cafe in the same store.
5D studio and tattoo parlour; i am more interested in the latter. It's been a teenage dream to ink my skin and the two main reasons why i haven't done so are because it's hard to nail down a design and i couldn't decide where i should tattoo it.
Massage parlours are the norm in Bangkok; in Bali (even Batam, Bintan etc), they upped the parlours to spas as they provide more than just massages. You could get a manicure, pedicure, hair treatment, facial etc!
Clothing store, silverware shop and beachwear shop.
Want to stay along this long road? There were quite a few housing options and the one above is Restu Bali Hotel. From its agoda listing, the room was huge and the rate per night was eye dropping low.
Hookah which a water pipe for an activity known as Shisha which is now banned in Singapore! I am actually quite curious to try it.
Yogurt shop. The thing that caught my attention? The free WiFi logo.
Huffian Line - a beachwear outlet for Billabong and Quicksilver. Don't know if it is a factory outlet although the discounts outside were darn attractive.
Making our way to the even narrower Jalan Benesari after pigging out at the Black House Burgers; technically our last meal in Bali. Are those hammocks hanging from the ceiling? You think i can install one in my house?
Instead of Hooters, let me introduce you to Kooters Bar and Grill! Want to know what they sell and the reviews? Check out TripAdvisor here!
Hotel Terrace at Kuta - there must be some truth to its certificate of excellence by TripAdvisor and its review score was impressive and the room was generally below S$50 a night! Check out the Expedia page here.
Surfing is a big thing in Bali and seeing a shop selling only surfboards was hardly a surprise. However, i am curious as to how much one costs....
Pretty funny tee-shirt; imagine wearing the wear and eating a humongous del monte banana.
The Smiling Frog - not sure about the quality of food although i can bet with you that those with ranidaphobia would definitely steer clear from the restaurant.
Bali is bigger than Singapore and it might be more convenient to just rent a motorbike to get to the places you want, especially when traffic jams appeared to be the norm when i was there.
Continuing along Jalan Benesari.
Beach Bowl - i was pretty keen to try the best smoothies bowl even though i have no idea what the hell it is! Pity it was already closing for the day! I am a sucker for reviews; hence, for the benefit of my beloved blog readers, you may check out the reviews here.
Plenty of dining establishments in that small lane.
Even Korean food! If i am travelling with friends, I actually like it when there are a wider variety of food selection when i am in a foreign country; less of a headache when it comes to meals. Worse come to worse, there's usually McDonald's.
Were these new or pre-owned? Nevertheless, i guess i got my answer to the question i posed earlier on the pricing of surfboards.
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Area Covered
As above, in blue (opaque).
For the summary of my four days, three nights trip to Bali, click here.
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