The first 3 days upon arrival consisted mostly of preparing for competition day on the 11th October. We rehearsed and practiced on the competition mats everyday. But after competition, we holiday-ed. So without much further ado, here's a list of what we did and ate, and also sharing with you guys my competition photos as well :)
*Disclaimer: This is not an official travel guide so opinions, reviews and instructions are subjected to biases, memory lapses and the occasional side-track rambling.*
PLACES WE WENT:
1. Taman Budaya (Bali Arts Center)
** Bali International Cheer Open Competition 2015 **
Yup, our competition was open air. Thank Goodness it did not rain on any of the days we were there. In fact, it was super sunny and hot!
Rehearsal ground behind the competition ground! There was no lighting at the back at all. Some of the teams competing at a later time had to practice in the dark. Thank Goodness, once again, that our partner stunts segment was at the start!
My base and I who took part in the partner stunts category. For those of you non-cheerios out there, its just a category whereby 2 people perform a 1 minute routine yup :)
Reunion with Taiwan Monster cheerleading friends! <3
We met new friends from NDDU Team Philippines!!! They are super friendly and not to mention, amazing in their stunts and tumbling! I will be sure to visit them in Philippines if I have the chance, of course! That's the perks of going to an overseas competition! Meeting new friends! :)
One of my friends from Malaysia who was competing in the coed group stunts category (Level 5). This category requires 4 people, 3 bases and 1 flyer. Aaannnndddd yup, we both had hot red lips because she borrowed mine and we snapped a photo hahaaa >.<
My biggest takeaway from this trip was the amount of ribbons I was given by the friends from Team Philippines! The top most ribbon was the ribbon I wore for competition because I forgot to bring my own and borrowed one from Team Monster. The other 4 were gifted to me from the Filipinos! SUPER NICE AND AWESOME! The coach, one of their flyers' and the other 2 (the red and blue ribbon and the minion one) were given by this really awesome base/flyer. He made it himself. Impressive, right?! I can't make them for nuts :( Really cool to go with no ribbons at all, and to come back with 4 (and 1 more still needing to be returned!)
Getting here:
We took a taxi.
Advice:
Taxis are relatively cheap in Bali. But, please be careful! ALWAYS, ALWAYS find taxis that have the Blue Bird taxi signs whereby their drivers are usually dressed in a blue cotton shirt. They are more legit. I cant begin to tell you how many frightful stories we have heard of tourists being kidnapped because they got into shady taxis. Also, request for meter. If not, just walk away. There are plenty of taxis that are willing to switch on their meters for you. I met a driver that claimed his meter was damaged, and kept insisting that we pay him his quoted price. I took my friend by the hand, and walked away firmly.
2. Pandawan Beach
We went to this particular beach after competition, on our last day at Bali before we headed home the next day. We rented a motorbike for a day and navigated around using google maps. The trip to Pandawan Beach was long, but the view pretty awesome, as we took the road along Nusa Dua where all the villas were housed at.
We had coconut, because it was so hot! But nope, just a warning. Bali's coconuts arent very nice. So order something else! Unless you dont have a choice, of course.
Then we went kayaking because Super (yup, that's right. That's his nickname), my Taiwanese friend had never done it before hahaa. Price for kayaking is 50,000 rupiah for 2 hours. (If I'm not wrong. But can't remember whether the price was per pax or for both of us hahaa) Anyhoo, the water was so clear, you can see the bottom! :O
Getting here:
We rented a motorbike
Advice:
- Rented a motorbike for 70,000 rupiah for a day near our hotel (Average pricing between 45,000 to 90,000)
- Get an international driver's license permit, because you never know when you might be stopped by police officers asking for an expensive bribe! I had friends who drove illegally and had to pay a fine of at least SGD 50. Better be safe than sorry!
- Use google maps, but be careful when using your phone on a motorbike because there may be motorbike snatchers!
- Drive along the road Nusa Dua where villas are located at to enjoy the scenery (as seen in the first few photos) Pandawan Beach was beautiful and gorgeous, but super hot! So bring your sunblock and drink lots of water.
3. COCO SUPERMARKET SEMINKYAK
There's nothing much here except that this supermarket sells a lot of local produce. Also, its surrounding area is like a mini shopping village where there are a few shops like Ralph Lauren and SOGO, other restaurants and bars. The things there are expensive, but if you really need to buy something 'touristy' or local snacks to give to your friends and family back home, then this place will suffice.
Expensive, and oh-so-average. :(
This was just ice-cream! Super sweet and yummy! :P
Getting here:
By motorbike and google maps
Address:
Jl. Laksamana No. 65-67, Kuta Selatan, Kabupaten Badung, Bali, Indonesia
Opening hours:
Daily 7am-12am
4. SKY GARDEN CLUB
As I mentioned this place, I MUST tell all of you about the terrible ordeal that I had to go through. I WAS PICKPOCKETED right after I got out of Sky Garden. I was clubbing with my overseas cheerleader friends and I made sure someone was always looking out for our belongings, even when we headed to the dance floor. Before I left, I checked to make sure my wallet was still inside my bag, and it was. But as we headed out, a swarm of taxi drivers surrounded us. I think it was around that time that it got stolen. But I wasn't careful enough, so my sling bag was facing at the back rather than in the front. I lost my wallet which consisted of my debit card, driver's license, some cash, an amulet and my student card. I only realised it was gone when I reached back at our hotel. I was devastated because losing my student card meant I lost ALL my student privileges which, you know, a graduate student abuses at least for the next 2 years or so and the amulet which my grandma gave to me since I was young. *sobs* I immediately called the bank to cancel my card, but the pickpockets had already used it (about SGD 60). Till now, the bank has yet to confirm if I can claim back this amount though... Well, I guess I'm still considered quite lucky because my passport and phone werent taken and I separated my cash in advance, so I didn't lose all my money. Goes to show, you can NEVER be too careful!
Either how, the club had about 4 floors whereby each floor played a different genre of music. The top floor is open air and is the most crowded (and hence, most stuffy) and the most fun of all the floors! They had more dancers dancing on top of the bar at this level too. Overall, it was still a fun place! Though the drinks were a tad expensive as well. To get a table to open one bottle of vodka with mixers, each person had to pay about SGD 40? (I cant remember the exact price) and we had about 10 people.
Getting here:
Taxi/walk
Address:
Jalan Legian No. 61, Kuta, Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Opening hours:
Daily 5pm-3am
Advice:
- Known to have a lot of pickpockets! You can NEVER be too careful.
- Bring just enough cash for the night, and make sure your friends look out for you.
- There is not a need to bring IC/Passport, they practically let anyone in as long as you pay. - - No dress code, you can go in with slippers if you want.
FOOD WE ATE:
1. Lia (Jimbaran Beach)
The seafood was good and awesome! And the restaurant is located ON the beach. So you can watch the sunset while you are eating. And when night falls, you get to enjoy romantic dinners and even walk by the beach with waves crashing at your side. The first 2 photos were at Lia whilst the last photo was at another restaurant with a similar concept at Jimbaran Beach. I would recommend Lia because its cheaper and the food is of greater quantity. However, the place is super dark at night (like really, you cant see what you are eating. We had to use our phone lights LOL) without as much lighting as the other restaurant. Hence, I suggest going to get your dinner sometime before sunset to catch the sunset and to be done with your food just as the place turns dark yup. (:
Getting here:
We took a taxi.
Address:
Jalan Pemelisan Agung, Jimbaran, Kuta Selatan, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Opening hours:
Daily 11am-10pm
Advice:
Written on top.
2. Dim Sum Inc
So yup, I was craving for some Dimsum so we decided to come here to have a few dishes. I could not remember what I ate, except for this black pao with salted egg yolk. I guess the dishes must be pretty average for me not to have much of a memory of what I ate hahaa. The good thing is that this place opens 24/7 though. So you can have dimsum anytime you want! We came here to eat after shopping at the nearby huge Carrefour. You can check out the Carrefour if you want, its really quite big!
Getting here:
By taxi
Address:
Jalan Dewi Sri no. 101, Kuta, Bali, Indonesia
Opening hours:
Daily 24/7
Advice:
Drop by Carrefour, which is nearby! A 5 minutes drive or a 20 minutes walk.
3. Bali Blue Karma
We went for a massage and wandered around the area, turned a corner, and saw this place that seemed like a hideout. It turned out to be a place where you can do spa, swim and dine. I think there are people staying in the villa or guesthouses nearby too, kept away from sight by doors. Food was pretty delish, but it was quite expensive though, considering that Bali food is relatively cheap.
Getting here:
By taxi/walk
Address:
Jalan Raya Seminyak, Gang Bima No. 2, Seminyak, Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Advice:
Dont quote me on this address as we simply found the place. But this was the place's name and according to Google, this was the address provided.
4. Angel's Essence Restaurant
The place was breezy. A great place to chill out and seek shelter from the afternoon heat. The service was slow though, but as the ambience was good, we did not mind waiting for our food.
Getting here:
We were walking along the stretch near Kuta Beach and spotted this place.
Address:
Jl. Pantai Kuta, Kuta, Kabupaten Badung, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Opening hours:
7am-11pm (Weekdays)
7am-12am (Weekends)
Advice:
Come here to chill, not a place to go to if you are in a rush to go somewhere. Shop along the streets as there are plenty to see!
5. Citadines Kuta Beach Bali Hotel
This was the hotel I stayed at! And the buffet spread every morning was pretty good! Worthy to eat and the hotel stay itself wasnt too expensive either. About 100SGD per night for 2-3 persons.
Address:
Jl. Pantai Kuta, Kuta, Badung, Bali 05103, Indonesia
6. Dobile Babi Guling (Roasted pork with rice)
Roasted pork with rice turned out to be a bit too dry for my liking. But it was recommended on a travel guidebook, so you might wanna try them. We also saw a lot more locals here, and it can get pretty busy and hard to find a table. The service was really fast and it is payment after eating.
Getting here:
Motorbiking/taxi
Address:
Jalan Srikandi No.9, Nusa Dua, Bali 80361, Indonesia
Opening hours:
Daily 9am-4pm
Advice:
To be honest, I thought it was average. But for some of you folks out there who like dry meat, then this dish may suit your palate better.
7. Corn
Corn that you can get off the streets. The one I ate was just average. Later, my friend told me only the ones at Jimbaran Beach are the nicest to eat. So maybe you can grab one as an appetizer before your seafood meal by the beach!
8. Ice-cream rolls
Ice-cream rolls that I got off the streets as well! Cookies and cream is the flavour, if I'm not wrong. I got it near the club Sky Garden that we went to.
MY PERSONAL AFTER-THOUGHTS:
PEOPLE: The people are generally nice and friendly. Sometimes, a bit too friendly as they keep on pestering you to patronize their shops or buy their services. Also, it is a place known for corrupt officers who will ask you for money if they think you a foreigner driving a motorbike illegally (Bribe is usually about SGD 5-20. Anything more, you are super unlucky), pickpockets (so please be careful) and shady money-changers. My friend got cheated off SGD 50 when money was being changed. Shady street money-changers have fast hands. At first, they would make you think that what you exchanged for was a good deal. My another friend and I had a personal experience whereby we wanted to change money at one of these streetside money changers. He kept trying to ask us questions such as "where are we going later?" to try to distract us. But, I did not once take my eyes off the money. We counted again when he gave it to us, just to make sure, and found out there was a short. He took it back, recounted, and I saw him slip the money that he took out back into the pile as he counted. What amazed me was I did not catch him taking the money out in the first place! SCHEMING! So guys, really, just go to those official money-changers with the authority stamp etc. Just be safe. Other than all these dishonest folks, the people there are welcoming and some of them even know a mix of languages!
WEATHER: HOT AND SUNNY! It did not rain when I was there, but it may. So bring your umbrellas, sunblock and shades!
PRICE: For 'touristy' souvenirs, seafood, or anything catering specifically to tourists will be expensive. However, Bali food in general is relatively cheap, and their hotels and villas are cheap as well!
SCENERY: The beach scenery at Pandawan was gorgeous! On another note, we did not manage to go to further places like Uluwatu and Waterbom Park at Kuta Beach. I heard they are worthy places to visit so do consider them when you go to Bali! :D
Thanks for taking the time to read this post about my trip to Bali! :DD
xx
Loves,
Nices
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