Sanur (C) PJ Croft 2014

1230: OK, I’ve moved hotels and I’m in my new room trying to cool down. But besar problem: this room is far too noisy. It’s on the ground floor right next to the pool and pool bar, and there’s pounding disco music, non-stop. I’ve been back to reception and said I need a different room. I’m here for six nights and I think they’re finding it a bit hard to find another room for six nights. “Please wait, sir.” I could probably put up with one night in this room if I have to, but no, no, no! The music is incessant and too loud, right outside my outside door.

The room boy was at pains to show me the pool and that there’s a bar right next to the pool (right outside my bloody door, actually). “Would I like a drink?” Not in the middle of a hot day, mate. Not yet, anyway.

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The internet is fabulous, though. Far faster than I get at home. Things happen instantly. At the Oasis Hotel I was fuming – waiting 5 – 10 mins (yes, really) for pages to load. Then having it drop out after 10 – 15mins or so. Hopeless!!! That was a crap hotel. Just not up to standard. They’ll get a bad review from me.

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Boy, it’s warmer and more humid today. Captain Sweatpants.  The taxi fare here was Rp.50,000 – that’s $5. That’s very fair. This seems to be a very vibrant area … I think. I’ll wait until after lunch before I explore, though. Hot day.

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1430: Aaaaah, this is more like it! I’ve moved to a new room on the first (2nd) floor, facing ???SE I think. But this is what I saw on the internet when I booked:

Much nicer! I have that balcony, with two wicker armchairs and a table. The floor of the balcony is artificial lawn, quite nice. This is Singapore standard (so far).

A proper bathroom, modern standard, where I can swing my cat.

This is the best hotel I’ve had so far, although the Aquarius was quite OK. But the Aquarius was $55 a night and this is much better for $64 a night. Four stars vs one star.

Now for some light food and a little shopping for beer etc. Aaaah.

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I’m going to have to insist on a fan tomorrow. There’s just not enough air movement in this room. I’m too hot, even though I’ve set the air-con to 16ºC. The air-con is around a corner from the bed and it’s not effective.

I tried again to have a swim in the pool, but it’s a small pool and it’s just too crowded, even at 6.30pm. I couldn’t find a pool towel or a free seat, so I gave up.

There’s a Circle K (mini-mart) just 30m from the hotel entrance, so that’s good. I’ve just spent Rp. 110,000 ! Wow. But that’s A$10.57. Not too bad.

Then I discovered there’s a refrigerated case in the lobby that sells Bintang and Smirnoff Ice. The Smirnoff is even a 2 for 1 offer, ie two 330ml bottles for Rp.50,000 or $2.40 each. Hah.

Sanur 2014 (C) PJ Croft 2014, 2015

I think I’ll go into Denpasar tomorrow to look for a specialist in SD card readers. I’ve got to solve this problem. The camera is capable of acting as a wi-fi transmitter to send files to my PC by wireless link, but although I’m studying the manual, no luck so far. It’s got to work. Press on.

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Oh, fer cryin’ out loud. 9pm on a Sunday night and the angle grinder has started up again 25m across the courtyard outside my room. Grrr.

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I said goodbye to my Melbourne friends at the Oasis this morning. They’re off to Lovina for a week. They asked for my email address, which I found quite flattering (i.e. it wasn’t just See ya, buddy.)  Their daughter was with them with her Balinese husband, a trained chef. They live in Melbourne. Quite a nice bloke – mature and sensible. I got along OK with him.

But all the Bali mates were along too, about four of them, and the whole bloody group were smokers — parents, daughter, two husbands and all the Bali boys. At one stage I was in a group of six smokers in the restaurant. KOFF! KOFF!