I started feeling better around dinner time our last night in Bangkok so we at least got to visit the Patpong Night Market and keep the day from being an entire waste.
Big shout out to my friend Joe from law school who was so kind and helpful in giving tips from when he and his wife travelled to Thailand. He warned us about Ping Pong Shows at the night market and sure enough we weren’t even out of the taxi before people came up offering tickets to said shows. Had we not been warned, I would have at the very least looked through the pamphlet being shoved in my face (and seen horrors of which I could never unsee, I’m sure).
We aren’t big shoppers and the whole haggling over prices thing doesn’t excite me or Josh the way it does others, so we didn’t stay long – but I’m very glad we went. It was definitely a different atmosphere than the day time fruit and flower markets we visited.
I was thankful to be well again for our early morning flight to Bali, Indonesia yesterday. It was through Thai Airlines and I don’t think I’ve ever had better service on an airplane. The flight attendants were incredible despite the turbulent ride and had the best uniforms I’ve seeeen – purple everythng.
When ourr plane landed at the airport in Bali, our intention was to call an Uber for transport to the hotel. We walked past the aggressive wall of taxi drivers to a pick up lane just outside the main entry to the airport. One particularly aggressive taxi driver followed us out there. He asked if we were getting and an Uber and we didn’t answer. He saw the Uber app. pulled up on Josh’s phone, I guess and told us “Uber isn’t coming. I’ll give you a ride for the same price, come with me .” We moved a little further away but we couldn’t shake him. He kept harassing us and then a friend of his walked by and he called him over. The new guy asked if we wanted a taxi. Josh said no. He started to leave but then came back and said he wasn’t sure if we knew it but taking an Uber is illegal in Bali and he didn’t want us to get in trouble with the local authorities (he pointed to the soldiers at the airport entrance). He told us to come with him and he could get us a taxi and no one would know we tried to break the law. We ignored him.
When this tactic didn’t work he said “Your Uber won’t pick you up.” Umm ok. Except he was right. Our Uber pulled in, we started walking toward it and then he and the other guys ran in front of us screamed things at the uber driver and literally chased his car away. It was then that we realized we were right in the middle of a Local Taxi/Uber Driver war we’ve heard about where the local cab companies band together to keep Uber from undercutting their prices. These wars can actually get pretty serious – people get killed.
We were stressed, hot and tired. Surrounded by angry taxi drivers who were not going to let us get any car but their own. While Josh wanted to hunker down and call another Uber, I put my foot down. This was not our fight and I just wanted to get to the hotel. I insisted we go back into the airport and find a taxi office and take a reputable taxi (not from these guys). As we were walking back inside the airport, the taxi guys dispersed except for one – who I think felt bad. He showed me an exit where we could leave the airport and call the Uber, he said no one would bother us outside the airport. I did not share this info. with Josh who was still Team Uber and angry I was “letting the bad guys win” by making us take a Taxi.
Once we finally got to the hotel, all was well again. The hotel is incredible and I’m obsessed with the infinity pool that overlooks the beach. Sanur Beach is a smaller, less commercialized fishing village and I’m so glad we chose here over the touristy area of Kuta Beach.
There is a board walk right along the beach outside our hotel with shops and restaurants (Mom and Dad, you would love it). We opted to go inland a little ways and have dinner at CharMing – delicious choice! We opted for the tasting menu or Rijsttafel (Dutch for Rice Table). We got to try about 15 dishes including a chicken soup that was to die for. Other than the soup, my favorite was a prawn (or shrimp) saute dish and Josh liked the ox satay best. It was probably the best food we’ve had the whole trip.
Today, we were up early to see a special production the hotel was putting on in celebration of 50 years on Accor Hotels. A group of school children but on a play with song and dance and other kids playing instruments. It was actually REALLY good even though we had no idea what was going on because it was in Indonesian. It was a fun start to the day.Next, we called an Uber (no problems with getting one from our hotel!) to take us about an hour north into Ubud to see the Sacred Monkey Forest. This is one of the things I have been most excited about the whole trip. The forest surrounds a really old temple and is a habitat to wild, but peaceful, monkeys. Well, peaceful if you leave them the heck alone and don’t have any food in your bag.
We walked around the park for hours watching monkeys play and wrestle. We followed all the rules and we didn’t have any scary run-ins or monkey attacks.
There were many signs up in the forest telling you how to behave around the monkeys (no eye contact, if one jumps on you, don’t scream, just keep walking, etc. . .). Many of the monkeys carry rabies and everything we read online says if you do get bit you should got immediately go to the hospital and begin rabies treatments as a precaution.
You know people though, and LOTS of people were breaking all the rules. When someone brought out food, it was like a monkey wave. They would fight each other, crawl all over people, unzip their bags. We stayed far away from that mess.
But we did see two people get bitten. One was a toddler who I feel bad for because he really didn’t know any better and his parents weren’t watching him. His parents had let him out of the stroller to walk around and were preoccupied with getting photos of the monkeys. I saw him chasing a little baby monkey. It was showing teeth and I thought to myself “that monkey is going to bite him.” About 20 seconds later it did, right on the hand.
The next bite we didn’t actually see. But we were standing next to a park ranger when a couple rushed up with the guys wrist wrapped in a ribbon – he was gushing blood and completely pale. The park ranger escorted them toward the entrance and that was enough Monkey Forest for us for the day.
Trying to leave, we encountered the Taxi Mafia again and had to walk several blocks (it’s hot here but less humid than Bangkok) to get to a secluded enough space to secretly call an Uber. I’m not opposed to taking Taxi at all, however, I am very opposed to walking off with a strange man yelling TAXI TAXI at me from across the street and getting in his car.
Our plan for the rest of the day is to spend time around the pool and boardwalk near the hotel. Tomorrow, if the weather cooperates, we will be visiting some beaches.
Married To Travel 