Goodbye Cambodia - Hello Bali Again!

My six nights in Cambodia went by too fast -- but I had already booked my onward flight to Denpasar, Bali.  But as you can tell from my postings about Siem Reap, I want to return -- and before I left Singapore Airlines had a special that allowed me to grab a repeat trip this coming June: a month long adventure that will start in Siem Reap and returning from Hanoi, Vietnam.  I've been told that adventure/backpacking travel is my "cocaine" and I don't disagree.  I'm definitely addicted.

Anyway -- because I am very behind in my writing, I'm going to summarize my first 11 days in Bali: arriving on September 11 and now writing this on September 22.

If you followed my prior Bali trip, you already know that I experienced SCUBA diving for the first time (4 dives) and, even more special, fell in love with the authentic Balinese life thanks to my driver/tour guide recommended to me by an expat friend living in Bali.  The driver, Made Artana (the web site I am creating for him is here) quickly assessed my interests and became a friend -- taking me to his village, meeting his parents, visiting his temple, eating authentically.  This year's trip was planned to continue that friendship -- now with his wife, Ekha, who is pregnant with their first child and to have longer time to enjoy both the culture and the tourism (more snorkeling and SCUBA).

Made and Ekha picked me up at the airport and took me to another authentic Balinese dinner on our way to my planned stay in Candidasa, where I had enjoyed diving with the Dutch-managed Bambu Divers. 

I stayed at an inexpensive "Home Stay" - motel-like accommodations common in SE Asia -- and hung out at the Bambu Divers home spot - complete with full restaurant and pool.  It was fun to catch up with many of those who I knew from my prior trip.  It was a relaxing 4 days/nights.  From there I proceeded on a "road trip" with Made first back to his village to enjoy watching his dad prepare a special spice for an upcoming Hindu festival.

And then to meet Ekha's family in a distant village -- allowing us to visit other tourist spots in Bali (popular surfing/beach destinations of Balian and Medewi Beaches.  

Ekha's family (and some of the village children who came around to join in) couldn't have been more fun and welcoming -- and soon we were enjoying a typical Balinese meal.

From there we continued around to another popular beach area: Lovina Beach where I stayed three nights enjoying many contacts with expats living there, residents and traveler's. On my last night there, Made and Ekha returned to take me to a local fresh fish restaurant where once again we picked out the fish before it was cooked.

The following morning all three of us took a local tourist boat to see the local Dolphins and I did some snorkeling.  The boat owner even snorkeled with me so that he could take me to the location where I could see see "Nemo" fish in their native habitat (made popular by the movie "Finding Nemo.")  It was a fun experience to realize that the movie had genuinely depicted "Nemo's" habitat and reclusive nature.

Then we proceeded about 2 hours to my favorite beach side location from the prior trip: Amed where Made negotiated a great deal ($17 USD) for a beach-side bungalow (video here).  I stayed there 3 nights and it was such a rewarding experience that my next posting will be about that.  Preview:  the bungalows I stayed at are called Good Karma Bungalows -- my three days there would have repeated examples of either "good karma" or "good luck."  The reader can decide.  [to be continued]