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| We attended the buffalo races. |
“Sightings on the Beach in Bali”
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| Balinese people certainly take advantage of using their heads to carry heavy or cumbersome loads. |
After nearly four months of living in Sumbersari, Bali today, we’ve uploaded our final post for this location and also for “Sightings on the Beach.” Perhaps down the road in future posts we’ll be able to have a similar feature depicting special scenes we embrace each and every day.
With an exciting future ahead of us, we certainly have no doubt there will be many of those types of scenes. We look forward to seeking them out to share with our readers each day. On the upcoming 33-night cruise embarking a week from today, we’re discussing possible feature photos we’ll include comparable to “Sightings on the Beach in Bali,” of course, related to the cruise experience.
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| Workers in the rice fields. |
I know, you may be thinking…”How in the world will they possibly hold our interest while they live on a ship for 33 days and nights? Won’t it be more and more of the “same old, same old?”
This presents a unique challenge to us, one we’ll adopt with the utmost enthusiasm to ensure you’ll be intrigued to see what we’ve discovered each day. As we meet other passengers, we’ll ask for their assistance as well in spotting particularly interesting photo ops.
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| Nature at its finest on the edge of the infinity pool. We spent hours watching this praying mantis. |
Today, as we’re uploading this final post for the villa in Sumbersari including the final expenses, we’re excited to continue to share the last of the favorite photos during this extended period on the west end of this island.
It was highly unusual for us to return to Bali after a two month hiatus for the Mekong River cruise through Vietnam and Cambodia, a one week stay in Singapore and six weeks in Phuket, Thailand. In the future, we only have one country planned for a return visit in 16 months, South Africa as we mentioned in this earlier post.
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| A working well at a neighboring home. |
Unfortunately, from June 1st on, I was suffering with the spinal injury resulting in a considerable portion of this period spent distracted by the discomfort and an amount of concern that it might never heal.
Alas, here we are almost five months later and once again, I’m my “old” self, pain free and again delighted for the many plans on the horizon as well as reveling in the joys of the moment, reminded to always “Love the One You’re With!”
As you read this post, we’ll already be on the four or five hour harrowing drive from the villa to Denpasar to the hotel we’ve booked through the week, departing at 10 pm on Saturday night for the red eye flight to Sydney.
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| “Rustic” residence on the beach. |
It will be a relatively easy few days as we lounge by the pool, walk the neighborhood and if we feel like it, grab a taxi to check out the area. But, Tom’s aversion to traffic may prevent us from venturing out when the Kuta area is so congested it takes 30 minutes to get to the airport that’s only a kilometer from the hotel.
Kuta is not necessarily known as an area suitable for sightseeing of any major consequence. In a way, we don’t mind laying low in air conditioned comfort for a few days after six months of scorching heat and humidity, day after day. The only time we’ve been cool has been at night when we finally headed to bed to turn on the AC. It may prove to be a welcomed relief.
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| Frangipani flowers blooming in the yard, aka Plumeria in Hawaii. |
As for the expenses for Bali, we’ve decided to keep these last two months from September 2, 2016 to October 24, 2016 separate from the first two months we spent in Bali from April 30, 2016 to June 28, 2016.
We’ve made the calculations based the 59-night stay, although we’re leaving a few days earlier since we’d already paid for 59 nights in full. (We’re not receiving any compensation for leaving earlier nor do we expect it. It was entirely our decision).
We considered each of the two stays in Bali as individual stays when the expenses varied for the time we spent at the resort in Lovina. If you’d like to review our expenses from the earlier stay, please click here.
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| This appropriately muddy pig posed for our photo. |
Expenses for 59 nights: US Dollar to IDR Indonesian Rupiah
Vacation Rent: US $ 4,648.03 IDR 62,330,082.30
Transportation: US 759.13 IDR 9,909,557.43
Visa Extension: US 54.63 IDR 713,130.98
Tips/Laundry: US 389.00 IDR 5,077,941.65
Clothing & Misc. US 1,144.88 IDR 14,945,074.12*
Groceries: US 947.00 IDR 12,361,981.33
Hotel & Meals: US 739.49 IDR 9,653,180.12**
Total: US $ 8,409.16 IDR 109,771,783.48
Average Monthly Cost: US $ 4,335.23 IDR 56,587,713.48
Average Daily Cost: US $ 142.53 IDR 1,860,442.65
*The above total includes the pants we purchased at Lovina when long pants were required at the immigration office.
**The above total includes the entire bill for hotel ad meals for four nights in Lovina during the visa extension process.
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| Recent photo repeated, nonetheless a favorite with Tom dressed in traditional Balinese/Hindu attire. |
Although our previous stay in Bali was less costly, the addition of the shipment we received with many supplies including Tom’s new phone, iced tea, clothing and shoes and, the hotel in Lovina, the average daily/monthly costs increased exponentially. Another traveler may spend comparable amounts shopping while on such an extended trip.
We’ll post the upcoming hotel stay expenses when that period ends as well. With the low cost for the hotel room, the included breakfast, with dinner as the only add-on, most likely the total will be reasonable.
Tomorrow, we’ll be back as usual with more photos and updates. Thanks to all of our loyal readers for hanging in there with us during this relatively quiet time spent in Bali. We appreciate each and every one of YOU.
Be well!
Photo from one year ago today, October 24, 2015:
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| It was a cultural day in Fiji one year ago when we visited this modest village. This structure is used in ceremonial rites and kava drinking. For more details and photos, please click here. |