Day 12: Bingin Beach, Bali

Another great day waking up in paradise! 

We decided we would both go to the town and get food together. I was starting to get a little stir crazy from a very routine two days. I was ready for some cars and streets and different people. BUT I didn't want to be gone too long because I did love it down there @Bingin. 

The next 5 pictures were of us once we got to the top of the cliff. Then we had another good mile before we got to a place where we could rent a motorcycle.

Just hangin out with my cows. NBD.

Okay this is a CRAZY story! We were on this path and passed a laundry store (where the people working the hotels and those that lived on the top of the cliffs get their laundry done) and asked if they knew where we could rent a motor bike. They couldn't speak english. But we did see some locals on a bike and figured if we just keep walking that way, we would eventually find a place, or a city. We were lost basically. 

Then we see a man on a motor bike and we stop him, asking him if he can point us in the direction of a motor bike rental shop. He stops, looks at us, and points at me to get on the bike. Drew didn't even hesitate! He just tells me get on! Right after i put my arms on his shoulders, bracing myself for the ride, I realize that this could be the end of my life. Here I am on a bike with a complete stranger who doesn't speak english (but understood motorcycle rental?) and there is Drew, yards and yards behind me. I literally was in panic mode. He was driving SO FAST and so far away from Drew. I just remember chickens and roosters on the side of the road as we turned onto what looked like a main road and somewhat civilized. Still going very fast, I was memorizing every street name and paying really close attention in case I had to get back to where we were, especially if I lost Drew. I was really scared. I can't really explain it but everything was moving in slow motion even though we were driving very fast. I was picturing myself on the TV show "I Survived..." where they tell of real accounts that have happened to them and how they survived (attempts at murder, rape, abuse, held at gunpoint..) 

Well. Turns out he just wanted to drop me off and then go pick up Drew. I realized this when he starting slowing his bike down to drop me off at this shop. Didn't say bike rentals, but was like a drug store. So I just wait, figuring that he didn't want to just drop me off and leave me here, but he's going to get Drew! AH HA! I felt a bit sheepish for jumping to conclusions, but a little proud of myself for being so attentive in such a scary situation. I really could have got back to where we were in case he did leave me in a ditch to rot & die.

Drew meets me at the place, kinda giggling because he too was freaked out and knew I would be too. So we go on our way with our $15 bike rental for the day (I think maybe even less!).

The above photo is at the gas station. Awesome right? Old vodka & wine bottles used to contain the gas. Someone just sits there all day and naps until a bike or car pulls up.

I was on a search for a water camera because I stupidly left mine at home in Ca! I was SO BUMMED because we were in such a beautiful place with water temperatures up in the 90s and I didn't bring my water camera??? Well, the only water cameras they had were like $30! I was really bummed. They know that we would buy one, but I didn't! So there!

We got back with our treats and sunscreen...only to return to our favorite place. I had a cut on my foot from the day before, so I couldn't surf. I wrapped up my foot with my head scarf I had brought so it wouldn't get infected. Meanwhile, I read a book and watched Drew surf. There isn't much sand to sit on, so I found nooks in the rock that felt like a reclining chair. It was fun!

The locals each morning would be in the water before us visitors. They knew exactly where it would be peaking before we did and would go right to it..then all of the sudden the most amazing would show up. That's when the rest of us would grab our boards and get in the water. It was funny. The boys down there, their life is literally surf, maintain hotels and spear fish. It's really radical.

The above photo is of this woman that would roam the beach each day asking if we wanted sarongs and jewelry. We never did, but the day before this day, we were really sunburned. I mean imagine it..we literally just came from Provo Utah where we had been for so long! No sun for us! So we were baked. We asked her if she knew of any sunscreen or aloe vera nearby..even if we had to walk up that hill. She mumbled something and booked it to the top of the cliff. She came back 15 minutes later with aloe branches and lathered them all of over our bodies. Drew was shy, so I finally just said, he'd love some too. Then THIS day (of this blog post) she brought stuff from her home that was supposedly really good for sunburns. Drew had some crazy bumps that was like a heat rash on his arms, he thinks from playing his guitar in such humidity. Anyways- that's why she's holding that bottle. Then those are her twins that would hang out all day long with people, and asking for things like money and clothes. Haha.

The sunset was UNREAL. You can't tell here because of my stupidity and only having our cell phones down there. But it was so beautiful and loved just sitting there in peace & quiet. Well actually, it wasn't quiet for too long because pretty soon, our hotel's dining area had music blasting of Justin Bieber, only one of his songs. It's his most famous one. We were dying laughing because we were in the middle of no man's land, and Justin's music is blasting? So funny.

After the sunset was "BBQ" time. Each hotel would do it and basically just set up plastic chairs with fold-out card tables on the sand. So we'd go from surfing and laying out, to putting a shirt on and getting some grub. It was perfect. My kind of day. It reminds me of my birthday each year and how we'd go to San O and surf from sun up-to sun down, then eating some of Grandma's quesodillas and BBQ, then cake & ice cream and then leaving when the park ranger tells us to. 

I did leave to go get my iPOD because I couldn't handle the only one Justin song- on repeat. Literally. The hotel we were staying in were owned by an Australian family that had this 12 year old son. He is the one that brought the CD with the one song on it. Needless to say, they loved my music. We played some Sharon Van Etten and Middle Brother- my favorite albums at the time. They were seriously LOVING IT! They (the boys that maintained the place) were bummed when we left dinner to go to bed and I wanted to take my iPOD with me.

See below picture. Above the BBQ sign is the dining area if you didn't want to be on the sand. And we'd have to walk up those stairs on the right. It was quite the stairs because they were poorly built. I'm sure they're slowly eroding from the ocean touching it each night. But I loved it! And that white bucket down there is water to dip your feet in so the upstairs wouldn't get sandy. I never dipped it because it kinda grossed me out.. and Wayan and Iyuma would always get so mad at me! Flicking their finger at me.

Each night you go into the cooler and choose a fish you want them to BBQ. They season it with who knows what, but it was quiet amazing. And you basically just pick it apart in the dark. Haha I think they may have had some sort of fake candle but I remember thinking, I can't see what I'm eating, but it's really good! And each night, the fish was only $10 ! We would get shakes and sodas all night. Just rackin up the tab.