A week in Bali to start my blog.


Another year has passed, although it's my first year as medical student in Atma Jaya Catholic University but the routine never changes.

And I'm start to wandering where should I go for my vacation, after awhile I got pretty excited to think about a backpacker journey like climbing up a mountain or diving in the sea. Then, I asked my big brother [ not blood related, I usually called him ko Sam because his name is Sammy @sammy_e1 ], if it's possible if we could go to Lombok if I go to Bali this time, I already calculated the price and also how to get there, it would be good if I have someone to accompany me and he's more mature than me so I should be safer. Since he said it's possible but he's not pretty sure about his schedule then I booked my flight to Bali at Tuesday, 23rd June 2015 until Monday, 29th June 2015.

Bali,
This isn't my first or second or third been here, I almost went to bali every couple month. I really love the feeling to have a short getaway like in weekend to escape my stressful Uni-life. And since it's much cheaper since I have my big bro in there, it would decrease my expense.

It's began at Tuesday
At the morning I've got Remedial for OSCE last year, since I'm not passed then I should take it again this year, and then my flight using Air asia QZ7514 [ 3.10 PM ] is boarding at 2.30 PM. I got in Soekarno-Hatta International Airpot at 1 PM.

After check in and drop my luggage,
My first stop at airport is Starbucks ( since I'm really a big fan of Starbucks ) to grab a quick bite!

[Ordered Iced Signature Chocolate and Beef Panini with cheese]



I purchased a Starbucks Card: it's Jakarta edition ( I also collecting these cards ), and waiting for my departure here. 

I began to look for some places I want to visit in Bali, I really need some nature since I'm bored with cafe and stuff but I don't know if I can go or not since I don't know about my brother's schedule. After an hour passed by, I begin to walk to the gate and it's still not boarding so I must wait for a while and thanks God it's not delayed. After 15 mins waiting the boarding gate is open and finally I'm on the plane and ready for a flight.

An hour and half passed,
I've got a really nice sleep and since Bali is one hour faster than Jakarta, It's already 5.30 PM, I took my luggage and then move out from Ngurah Rai International Airport. 

My brother is late picking me up so I waited for him at Starbucks ( again ) at the airport.

[Taking a sip from orange cup]
[That 'Oh so candid' moment]

After he picked me up, we went straight down to Renon, since it's really near from my brother's place so he could easily pick me up everyday, we find a hotel for me to stay. 

We got into this small Adikara Hotel. The room is big and very neat also clean. Since I'm staying for a week, I've got a really nice price after negotiating. 

[A peek view for the room]

And that's how my first day end and my holiday start.

[Getting Ready]

For most of the time I stay at my hotel since my brother's schedule is very packed up and I don't have any car here and also I'm kinda lazy to go alone. but let me tell you some highlight of my vacation.

[My companion for walking around]
[Get lost with the dots]

There's a nice cafe near my hotel called "The Sambas Coffee and Spa", it's known for their Hainan Chicken and I usually go here at the morning to eat before my brother picking me up. 
Another you must try menu is the Bingke cake, they served it with ice cream and have 4 choices of flavour; cheese, milk, pumpkin and potato. 

[Bingke Cake]

The traditional menu from bali is Babi [ pork ] Guling,
The most famous babi guling in town is Babi guling chandra, babi guling bu oka and babi guling pak malen. But I don't have a chance to eat at those restaurant so I only can eat it in Babi guling bundaran Renon. The taste is very nice and also delicious too in here but not as famous the others but I love it.

[One full set of Babi Guling]

And at the Kuta ( well famous for the beach ),
across the beach there's a really nice mall called Beachwalk that you can take a visit. It's not really a fancy mall but you can see the mall's concept is very nice, they have an outdoor part so sometimes the temperature is kinda high. But if you don't have anything to do, you can find something to eat or watch a movie in the cinema here.

[Chillin' around]
[Beachwalk Mall]

I was curious about this place called "Fat Turtle"
It's a famous cafe in Seminyak, and I also see some of the foodies went here several times in instagram. So I give it a try, 

[Benedict #2 and Red Velvet Pancake]
[Me and Ko Sam]
[Enjoying my cup of coffee]

I asked the waiter what's their recommended menu, most of the menu is all day breakfast and don't have a main course but I tried the Benedict #2 ( with a slice of salmon ), and surprisingly it was very nice. I give it 9.5 out of 10. And for the dessert they recommended me their signature red velvet pancake. It's tasty but not as I expected, I also didn't taste the red velvet, but the cheese cream is very nice.

If you visit Bali,
you must know the best pork ribs in town is Naughty Nuri's.
I've tried naughty nuri's in Batu belig and Ubud. but Ubud is very far from the town, so I go to the other one. It was a shock that it's not Naughty Nuri's again, but they changed it to Hog Wild ( I think the franchise contract has ended ). This place is serve pork ribs as well.

[Pork Ribs and Pork Satay]
[Overview look at Hog Wild]
[Daylight]

The pork ribs is still the same like before and the sauce is same too but somehow it has a different taste. much prefer the Naughty Nuri's. ( I really love naughty nuri's por ribs ).

Gardin Bistro,
located in petitenget has one of the nicest ambience in Bali, This place have a really nice atmosphere and become one of my fav spot everytime I visit Bali, but I don't have a chance to take a photo because it's so crowded the day I come and I'm very busy to take photos for my brother's work, he sells premium gadget and I help him took a nice photo for his iPhone 5s 's ad. 

[Helping my brother's work]
[Random artwork from Starbucks wall]

For the last day, I went to Mykonos.
It's a Greek themed cafe and serve Greek food.

[Santorini is behind my back]
[Table setting]
[Details for the lamp]
[Risotto Posaidon]

For the food I choose Risotto Posaidon since it looks nice on the menu and yeap, my feeling never goes wrong. It was super delicious, and how they sauced the squid on the top of risotto is amazing, I can feel it up in my tongue until now. 
It has a Greece atmosphere somehow, the blue and white coloured the place and you can see a really nice hand-painted Santorini on the wall too.

[Another wefie in Mykonos]

After Mykonos, me and my brother split up.
he should drive his father to Ubud for some work thing and we'll meet again in the evening at the airport because I place my luggage in his car because it's too heavy.

He drop me at Buro ( upstair of living stone, Seminyak )
It's been my second time here. It's a concept store that sell many good stuff and have a coffee store
for my first time visit I cannot took so many photos since it's so crowded, so I just order a Taro latte and it's my first time falling in love with this store despite the nicest ambience and so lovely place they've got. The latte was amazing, I'm lost of words.

[Taro latte]

For the second time I've got a really nice space to sit, with amazing and breathtaking atmosphere, I also ordered my fav Taro latte and now I choose some Cheese Lemon cake to accompany me.

[Afternoon's chill]
[Cheese Lemon cake from top]
[white chocolate shaped like an egg]
[Couldn't resist myself to take a pict]
[Lovely view]

After 2 hours enjoying my me time in the Buro,
I walk down to the place I've known before called Home Mate for about 5-10 mins.
It was my last stop before going to the airport. 

Home Mate is a nice small cafe in petitenget that serve all day breakfast menu.
I tried their ham and cheese croissant and also a pot of tea.

[Ham and Cheese Croissant]

What could I say, it's super yummy and I couldn't resist to buy another croissant to take away for my gratitude to ko Sam since he's always take me wherever and whenever I want. I'll give him later at the airport.

Since it's already 6 PM, I go outside and start to look for a taxi,
My flight is at 8.30 PM using Airasia QZ7533. From here to the airport is not so far away, only takes for about 30 mins. 

At Ngurah Rai International Airport,
I go straight down to the Starbucks to buy a drink for ko Sam and I packed it really nice, but he never showed up. I'm very scared that he might didn't come at time and I'll miss my flight back to Jakarta. 

It's already 7.50 PM and the boarding gate is closed 10 more minutes and he's not showing up. At the moment I think I would give up waiting for my luggage and go to the boarding gate since it's already final call. but suddenly he came up. With a very fast movement I took my luggage and give him the croissant and starbucks coffee, and say goodbye to him. I ran so fast until my heartbeat goes wild and thanks god I made it.  

[Packed for Ko Sam]

It was a really enjoyable week in Bali and on the plane back to Jakarta, I'm thinking about making a blog for my daily life and here I am, a day after Bali, posting my first post on the blog. 
I really have high expectation for this one, even I have so much mistake ( especially on the grammar ) but I hope you guys can enjoy it.

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