My last morning in Ubud, time to go back to the coast. Since Grab car drivers were not welcome in Ubud (there were signs banning share car services), I had to hire a regular taxi or take a shuttle. I asked the guesthouse to arrange a shuttle for me. The earliest one could come was 12:30.
I went looking for lunch in the town and explored the east end of the main drag. Not much there except this fancy roundabout.
Eventually I found a small warung on the same lane where I had bought a postcard at a bookshop and sent it off at the post office opposite. It was run by friendly women and made small meals. I ordered some spring rolls with a bottle of a local tea soda, Tebs. The rolls didn't disappoint, they were freshly made on their tiny stove.
Durians always generated mixed feelings. I was pleased to see them but sad that I could not buy and consume any. I had no way to open them and they would be unwelcome in any lodging.
As it turned out the shuttle was about 45 minutes late, probably due to arriving passengers. While waiting outside the guesthouse, I watched this lanky chicken saunter all over the street and help itself to some water from the flower offering outside the premises.
The ride to the lowlands was unremarkable. I was dropped of in the centre of Kuta where taxi drivers immediately swarmed around me. I had a cool ice coffee in a nearby café and on leaving, called a Grab car to take me to my chosen hotel.
I had arranged to stay 2 days in Sanur, 2 in Ubud and finishing up with 1 day in Legian. According to traveller information, Sanur is a beach area with an older crowd and more laid back than the areas on the west coast, such as Seminyak, Legian, and Kuta, in order of touristiness.
Due to the timezone difference I woke early about 0600, ate a müsli bar I had brought, and walked to the ATM on the main road. The night before I had failed with my chosen card so fell back on a secondary card. I thought maybe it might be a matter of credit versus savings in the dialogue. It wasn't. Then I realised that I had not set the PIN since receiving a new card. I went back to my guesthouse to use the WiFi to set the PIN using my smartphone because I didn't have a local SIM yet. The second attempt worked.
The guesthouse's breakfast was small but adequate as a second breakfast. The beach was about 10 minutes walk from the guesthouse. Beachside restaurants were open for business. Some of them were attached to resorts but accepted other clientele. Breakfast, nap, swim, nap, lunch, nap, swim, nap, dinner, what a life. Most tourists used the hotel pools though.
I then turned my attention to the inland road running parallel to the beach promenade. Sanur's shops are situated here and also the road entries to the resorts.
Along the way I visited the local supermarket to try to get a SIM, but no vendors there.
I explored the small market. The usual collection of fruit, vege and meat stalls.
It was nearby that I found a shop that sold me a data SIM for a couple of dollars, with far more quota than I could possibly use. Having the Internet on my smartphone was very useful for checking maps and tourist information.
For lunch I decided to have a late breakfast at Luhtu's. An "American" breakfast was very cheap. WItty one-liners decorated the counter. Their coffee was lauded on the Internet but I didn't find it compelling. Perhaps I was more used to other blends back home.
This pigeon coop was constructed by the Balinese to provide the birds with a home.
Water and flowers are used a lot in Bali. Every morning you will find small religious offerings of flowers on the doorstep of shops and homes.
Mid-afternoon snack was a fried chicken wrap with salad including avocado at a warung (stall) just outside my guesthouse. It was tasty and cheap.
A garish decoration outside a nightspot. I detected tourists from all over the world. The ones that came from further away were staying longer. A Dutch couple at the warung were spending 3 weeks on Bali.
I returned to my guesthouse to nap until my guide for the evening food tour picked me up.
