Day 1&2...Bali, I’m Here! Sleepless Flights, Busy Streets, and First Impressions
Day 1... or Let’s Call It Day 1 & 2
If an Indonesian newspaper had covered my arrival, the headline could’ve easily read:
“German Zombie Leaves Plane and Enters Bali.”
And honestly? That would’ve been spot on. I was dead tired.
Guess what? Little Tofu (that’s me) didn’t sleep a minute on either of the two flights. Instead, I fully explored the rather excessive Emirates in-flight entertainment system—movies, documentaries, TV shows... the whole buffet.
I don’t know why I can’t sleep on planes. I love flying, I’m relaxed, not anxious at all. It must be something else entirely.
Jet Lag Strategy & Unexpected Ants
A good friend of mine recommended something called “Avatar”, a self-development course guided by trained facilitators. I’m usually skeptical about things like this—I'm more into Big Bang theory, physics, chemistry… practical stuff 😄. But hey, if you don’t try new things, how will you grow or see the world differently?
She did the course in Orlando, Miami, and - wait a second, OMG - a humongous ant just crawled onto my flip-flops! Welcome to Bali, I guess.
Anyway, back to Avatar. She might even be my guide, which could make it interesting. Let’s see.
Despite the sleepless night, it’s not a bad thing. My body crashes in the evening, and I wake up fresh without jet lag. This trick worked in India and California, and so far, it’s working here too.
Arriving in Bali
I had arranged a pickup from the hotel, just to avoid haggling at the airport.
At arrivals, I spotted my name among ~200 handwritten signs. I told the driver I’d grab cash at the ATM and come right back. Clearly, he didn’t understand a word I said - next thing I know, he’s standing next to me inside the restricted arrivals area at the ATM.
The ride to the hotel was smooth. Classic Southeast Asian chaos on the road - families of four on a single scooter, scooters going the wrong way, scooters carrying rice bales, hay, you name it.
Oh, and the constant symphony of honking. Nothing surprising, but still… always a spectacle.
The hotel is about a 15-minute walk from Ubud center, but the walk itself is... let’s say adventurous: a very, very, very busy road, no sidewalk, barely any street lights. After sunset, it’s pitch dark.
Coco Supermarket & Sunset
After checking in, I quickly unpacked, changed, locked my door, and headed to the nearby Coco Supermarket (approx. 2 km away) during sunset.
Note to self: When you're near the equator, sunsets are fast. One minute you're walking in twilight, the next it's like someone switched off the sky. I nearly had to feel my way back.
Sleep, Birds & Broken Promises
I passed out by 9pm - literally asleep in seconds. I woke up a few times but overall, not bad. By 6am, the birds were already singing their morning songs.
Today’s plan?
Breakfast
Explore Ubud
Rent a bicycle from a shop I found online
I made it to the shop after another “very, very, very” busy walk… and, surprise - the shop doesn’t exist.
The internet lied to me. 😅
Plan B: Still No Bike
Back to the hotel. Did some Googling and found another bike rental near Denpasar that offers delivery.
Messaged them.
Waited.
...Still waiting.
It’s been 8 hours. No response.
So, I booked a car with a driver for tomorrow to start exploring Bali a bit more efficiently.
Vegetarian Food & A Mini Challenge
Ubud looks a lot nicer under the sun, but the traffic? Still intense.
I headed back into town for lunch - had a vegetarian Bami Goreng. Not bad, but I’m pretty sure there are better spots around.
I do have two goals for this trip though:
Eat vegetarian for 30 days
Get back in shape – I’m doing a personal 30-day challenge:
100 squats
50 push-ups
50 sit-ups
This morning I managed 60 squats (not too shabby after a long flight), and I’ll knock out the rest before hitting the shower after a quick dip in the pool.
Sunset Views & Volcano Vibes
Around 6:30pm, the daily ritual begins—sunset in Indonesia. From the hotel, I have a stunning view of one of the nearby volcanoes. With a few clouds in the sky, it might just make for a picture-perfect moment.
More tomorrow...