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Rough Guide to Bali

Penjor "Hey I am coming to Bali, can you recommend me things to do?" I got that question a lot. I get it, I live in Bali so people would think that I master everything about Bali. Well... 50:50. I happened to travel around Bali since 2017. So it wasn't wrong to assume me knowing Bali. But I am also a lazy traveler so I don't always do many things in one place.  That is why we will call this a rough guide to Bali.  First thing first, define your style of traveling. Because we all know that Bali is an island. Not a city. So it is quite big, you know. You can not explore all of it in two weeks. Well you might be able to do so, but probably not immersing enough of it.  So... what is your style of traveling? Bali offers you some cultures, quiet normal life, party hotspots, quiet beaches, busy beaches, temples, and so on.  Mt Batur West part of Bali (Canggu, Seminyak, Kuta) If you enjoy partying, you might want to spend your time more in the west part of Bali like Canggu, ...

What An Amazing Desert Tour


My husband always want to take me for desert tour. He did it once but he said it will be a different one.  I don't know how because this was my first time to do it. I can't wait for that. But first, I actually never imagine that I will be here in the desert. I mean when I was younger I never imagine that I will go to the desert. It will never on my mind till we made it last month. 

I was hesitate... Will it be fun? Will it be ok?

Then the guy pick up in the hotel. That guy look so familiar, if I was not wrong he is Moroccan (I think so). We went from hotel (around downtown) together with one family (dad, mum and a son) from Germany so it was like 'I am the only one who cant speak your language guys'. It took around 45 minutes to reach the desert. We change the car there, from a comfy cool car into a jeep, open car (this look better than the jeep to Bromo but Bromo jeep much better because it has airco inside haha!).

 
the guide

  
this one is extremely expensive

 
it's kind of herbs

They gave us a scarf, I mean scarf for the women and sorban for the men. First I thought it was for giving you the feeling of how become like arabian, but it has a real function. Covering your face from dust and storm while you are in desert. Let see our transformation here 😏

 

He took us to some place like a hill or something, a bit higher, we need to climb a bit. It was so hard because it there was storm (well actually it was only a windy but in desert, felt so difficult for me). I was thinking like 'should I give up? will it always be like this till the end of this tour?' It was hard for me haha.

can you see the wind?

The tour agent, they are really professional. They have photographers who are ready to take your photos (and seel it to you later which is a bit cheaper than Dubai Aquarium, it was AED10/photo), there are guys who take our video by drones, and really helpful friendly staff. They are all men!  Only 3 women there but they stay in the camp ( a woman who make something like prata, henna woman, and hair dancer woman).

 

After we took some photos and enjoying the stormy desert there, we continued the tour. We saw a white animal that only in the desert (they said) but I don't know what animal is that (don't even know the name) 😃. Then we are gathered in a place to see a falcon show. It is a place that they give you a fresh drink, fresh towel, and you can take rest a bit. Well yea, my ass is sore after taking a bumpy road. And also, you saw HJ talking Pashto with the staff. The falcon show during sunset and what I can get from that show is : falcon fly so fast!

don't know what it is called

Pashto speaking scene



This is what I am waiting for, dinner! They took us to the camp. Their camp is quiet nice, cool, so desert and still windy haha! They have camel btw, once in a life I tried it and it soooo amazing. At least once in a life I have this experience riding the camel! Ok there in the camp, there are women who are working for making bread (like prata), henna woman, and hair dancer woman. They set up the place so nice.

 
ride this camel for 10 seconds

 





They have cooking demo, like presentation to explain you the emirate cuisine. First presentation was about cheeses. They asked us to differentiate 3 kind of cheeses made from cow, camel and goat. Who can guess it right? HJ of course. As he so proud and said 'I am Dutch!', the rest was like 'Ya of course lah you are Dutch!' 😂


Second presentation, they asked us to guess what is the ingredients for that tasty shrimp cooking. It was sooooo tasty, I came over with one purpose. Eat the shrimp! I dont care about the ingredients but I can't say no for shrimp hahah! And then, a little girl who came over together with me guessed it right. I can only guess paper and salt, but she did more than I did. Her mum also said 'she always do good for cooking'. That maybe 8 years old girl. COme on! And all I know just eating haha! Well I am not that bad in cooking actually 😜

Then the third presentation telling us about how to make a great camel stew. Ahhh it soooo soft, tasty, always want more. Really. Taste good.

The surprise is not end yet. They serve us for the appetizer, then main course which make us like 'I think we had enough appetizer', and a hair dance performance during the dinner. They also have shisha, anyone can try it. I didn't try it, I never get along with any smoke except sate smoke.

a sleeveless little girl is so smart, she beat me!

We had enough for the desert tour and leave the camp around 10 I believe. Arrived in hotel around 11 and so tired. Extremely tired, with sandy clothes, glasses and everything feel so sandy. But amazing trip! Desert is not as bad as I thought. It was great and give me some lessons in life 😀

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