Indonesia!

We have made it safe and sound to Bali, Indonesia!  We left Auckland in the wee hours of the morning  and boarded Malaysian Airlines for our 15hr journey.  We lucked out and got emergency exit seats which wasn’t quite as luxurious as our business class experience but we were extremely thankful for the extra space. What we were most impressed by however was the food.  Not only was it tasty but we were trusted enough to use real forks and knives! Even the little standard dinner roll that usually makes a hollow noise when tapped with my plastic fork was fresh and delicious.  Take note North American airline companies that it doesn’t reflect well on your services that it only takes some descent cutlery and a fresh roll to impress me, just putting that out there.
 

We arrived in Bali to a humid heat and light tropical rains.  We made our way to the overly touristy area of Kuta and found a cute little hotel in a small side street.  This town is bustling with tourists and people selling things to tourists but has it’s own charm as colourful religious offering appear on every street corner and doorway.   
 

After growing up eating quite a bit of Indonesian food (the Dutch colonised Indonesia from 1800-1945 bringing Indonesian food into Dutch kitchens) I ate my first Indonesian meal in Indonesia!  I’m not quite sure it was an authentic experience as I was surrounded by white people and “Bryan Adams Live in Concert” was stuck on repeat on the speakers but it tasted great!  Indonesian food is dominated by fried rice and noddle dishes and usually accompanied with copious amounts of glorious spicy peanut sauce. 
 
We have spent the last couple days strolling the beach, swimming, eating and making a bit of a game plan for the next couple weeks. Tomorrow we’re headed to Ubud, a cultural hub in Bali before heading to the coast for some snorkeling destinations!
 

R