Balangan and Uluwatu (The Bukit Peninsula), Bali

Traveling around South America was a very different experience to traveling in South East Asia. For one thing, we were hyper-organised for South America and knew where we wanted to be and when we needed to be there. Since we have arrived Indonesia however we have been going with the flow and deciding where we want to go next at the drop of a hat - and I love it! We would literally be lost without our Lonely Planet book though and I can't recommend it enough. So with the help of The Book we decided to take a trip to The Bukit Peninsula, which is renowned for its beaches and surfing, as well as the Temple of Uluwatu. But another big difference between here and South America (where you could get a bus to absolutely anywhere at any time of day or night) is that public transport in Indonesia is basically nonexistent. So we booked a transfer from Kuta to Balangan with our hotel, and most likely got ripped off!

We had booked accommodation in Balangan (The Balangan Inn) and wondered why our driver found this so funny. All became clear when we arrived and realised that where we were staying was quite... rural! So when we checked in the guy at reception gave us 2 keys, one to our room (a very romantic little bungalow with a 4 poster bed) and a key to our very own moped, which we both stood and looked at blankly for a moment. The moped was only 70,000RPH for the day and by far our best (and only!) option for getting around. So after a 20 second lesson we were handed an expired Indonesian driver's license and 2 helmets, given directions ("that way"), and off we set down winding roads to find Balangan Beach.

Thankfully we found it easily enough and it was drop dead gorgeous, as well as jammed with surfers who provide the entertainment on the massive waves.

We spent a few hours sunbathing and watching the surfers and then set off for Uluwatu. The best time to go to Uluwatu temple is around 4.30pm to have a look around and then watch the Sunset Kecak Dance performance at 6pm. Also, be forewarned warned about the monkeys who are terrifying, thieving bastards!

It quickly became apparent that Karen had nerves of steel on the moped while I just had regular nerves, so she was nominated to do the half hour drive to the temple. It was a bit further than we thought in very busy traffic and we had a few hairy moments but it was all worth it when the temple came into view perched right on the edge of a sheer cliff with waves crashing all around.

 

We had a wander around and managed to avoid the monkeys (did I mention they are huge and have fangs and steal from children?!) and then took our seats for the Kecak Dance at sunset.
It was like nothing I have ever experienced, I will remember it forever.
First, a fire is lit in the center of the arena.

Then the chanting erupts from all around as about 40 men and boys burst out and sit in a circle around the flames.

  

I can't do it justice to describe the performance, it's almost like a trance as the relentless chack-a-chack-a-chack chant never stops or quietens and female dancers move and swish around the flames portraying ancient folklore stories. You become completely mesmerised, almost dizzy as you watch and listen. And all the while the setting sun is the backdrop.

HOWEVER! As the sun got lower and lower in the sky we began to realise that would be driving home in the dark, on a moped, with one headlight and no directions. Crap. Things started off very well though, we bought petrol out of a vodka bottle from a stall on the side of the road for 70,000RPH (45c!) which felt promising:

And we even managed to find our way back to the main part of town for a little pitstop to calm the nerves! Then we found the road that definitely led back to our hostel and we knew that in 10 minutes we would be back from our adventure. An hour later after driving down at least 7 pitch black roads, on the verge of tears having been chased by a pack of street dogs, we were lost. It was luck that got us back to the hostel, no idea how we found it again, but we were badly in need of a drink and a hug! 

Our vow to never, ever get on a moped again if our lives depended on it was short lived as we rented it again the next day to see Padang Padang beach. This was one of the main reasons we came to the Bukit Peninsula as we read that it was "small but perfect", "paradise", "a surfer's dream", "the Bali you always dreamed off"... 

What. A. Let. Down. 

The best thing about Padang Padang beach is seeing people's reactions when they realise that they are actually in the right place and this is Padang Padang beach, everyone is disgusted! It was tiny, not even room to put down a towel, and crowded with sellers and cigarette buts. It wasn't even that pretty and the current was too strong to swim. We sat in disappointed silence for about 10 minutes before we decided to head back to Balangan Beach which is a million times nicer. 

After a day of sunbathing we were lucky enough to find a small crowd of people doing yoga on the beach at sunset. The teacher is there most days and the class is free but you can give a donation at the end. I have never done yoga before and had to suppress a serious case of the giggles every time he told us to "keep our spineys straight". At one stage I thought he told us to "be avare of our food and coffee", but he was actually talking about our "foots and calfeys" - that nearly send me over the edge! But I thoroughly enjoyed it and he was a very knowledgeable yogi. He invited us to jam with him later that night too, but due to lack of jamming skills we politely declined! 

Next Stop: Nusa Lembongan, Southern Bali

Ilha Grande, Brazil

It was an early start as we left our hostel in Rio and drove 2 hours to the port of Angra Dos Reis to catch a 1 hour ferry to Ilha Grande. 

Ilha Grande is an incredible island surrounded by paradise beaches, waterfalls hidden away in the cover of the rainforest and a sleepy fishing village with boats bobbing around on perfect turquoise water. It's hard to image that the island was once a leper colony (hope they rinsed it down since then) and then a penitentiary where political prisoners were held alongside some of Brazil’s most violent criminals. There's no sign of the island's unsavory history to be seen however, just beautiful tropical beaches and virgin Atlantic rainforest. The only transport around the island is on foot or by boat - and we did plenty of both.

We arrived early and the sun was shining so we decided there was no time like the present to visit one of the island's main attractions Lopez Mendez beach (currently voted the 7th most beautiful beach in the world). 

The water was a lot choppier than expected and we were bounced around on the boat to the island but it didn't take too long to arrive at a tiny beach. It was pretty but we were a bit disappointed... Until we realised we had to trek to the other side of the hill to find the actual Lopez Mendes, phew! After a short hike (in which we somehow managed to genuinely lose Johnny for a while in the woods), there was no doubting that we had found the right place. Lopes Mendez was stunning. 

A million miles from any beach I have ever seen before, no deck chairs or umbrellas, just wide open sand and crystal clear water crashing in every direction. 

I actually "frolicked". 

I would have spent a week on that beach but as the clouds rolled in a few hours later it was time to head back. The next hour and a half was spend on a tiny fishing boat being absolutely battered by the biggest waves I have ever seen. As the driver resigned to turning the engine off and letting the waves crash us around, there was an eerie silence on-board as nobody wanted to admit that we were all equally terrified. When we finally reached dry land with shaky legs and green faces we were told they what we experienced was not the norm and that there was a storm rolling in. We were on other boats in the days following and they were a lot more tranquil, we were just very unlucky that day. But sure look at me, here to tell the tale! 

The next day we decided to skip the boat and hike through the rainforest in search of Feiticeira Waterfall. The trek was 2 hours but didn't feel that long as we walked through bamboo forests, stopped at small lagoons and spotted monkeys playing in the trees. 

 

It was (as one may expect of a tropical forest) feckin' ROASTING though and we were glad of a dip when we arrived at the waterfall. Iguazu Falls it was not, but very pretty all the same!

Johnny spent some time channeling Peter Andre in the Mysterious Girl video (which has since become our Ilha Grande soundtrack!) and then we walked a further 20 minutes to Feiticeira Beach. This one was much smaller than Lopez Mendes but just as gorgeous. 

Later on we ended up at a bonfire on the beach until 3am. When we realised that the fire-starter guy was throwing wooden chairs from a restaurant onto the fire, we chose to believe him when he said they were broken. We also made friends with some street dogs.

The next few days were cloudy so we spent them chilling out at the hostel willing the sun to come back. One afternoon Karen and I rented a kayak from an absolute lunatic with a whistle and the most fabulous head of hair, but it was a little much like hard work in the end! 

The little town itself in Ilha Grande is teeny tiny but there are lots of fab restaurants there, infact some of the best food we have had in Brazil (we visited the crepe restaurant in particular more than was necessary!). There is NO ATM however which was a pain in the butt. 

We stayed in El Misti Hostel again. It was a great place to meet people and very chilled out and they give you cake for breakfast - winner! But I did go to a party in Che Legarto one night and had definite hostel envy as it looked much more modern. But nevertheless we extended our stay in El Misti hoping to chase the sun for a little longer. We left after 4 nights a little browner and very relaxed. If you get the weather, Ilha Grande is absolutely a little slice of paradise. 

Next Stop: Paraty 

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

As we boarded a massive plane in Iguazu to fly to Rio it began to sink in just how mental that tiny tin-foil plane we got from the Pampas was in comparison. Even now when I look back at pictures of the stuff we have done and the places we have been it feels like a dream! 

We were picked up on the other side in Rio de Janeiro by a guy from our hostel (El Misti) and it was so cool to spot Christ the Redeemer looking over the city as soon as we drove in. We didn't even care how bad the traffic was, we were so excited to be surrounded by sights that somehow felt familiar, probably from seeing them on TV with the World Cup. 

As we arrived on a Friday we were persuaded to head to Lapa for a night out (because it's a sin to miss a Friday night in Lapa!) but we made a pact to be home by 2am because Karen's boyfriend Johnny was flying in the next day. We got the metro with a gang from the hostel and soon realised that Lapa is absolutely nuts! The streets are lined with vendors selling drinks and crowds of people drinking caipirinhas on the pavements and outside petrol stations (classy!).

Once everyone is sufficiently merry on cheap street drinks, the crowds move to the nightclubs where girls get in free and guys have to pay. We went to a salsa club called Lapa Loca which played really cool dance tunes before a live salsa band started. Let's just say we missed our 2am deadline!

The following day we went to the airport to pick up Johnny. Karen hasn't seen him in almost 10 weeks so when he finally came through the gate I felt like I was in Love Actually, how cute is this?! 

On Sunday we went to see Christ the Redeemer. We weren't very organised and didn't realise that going at 2pm meant that we would have to queue for hours. It's definitely worth getting up early to skip the crowds, a lesson learned. 

When you finally get to the top, Christ the Redeemer seems so huge after seeing it from afar so often throughout the city.

It's hard to get a good photo with hundreds of people standing around with their arms outstretched but we did our best and  took a million selfies.

The whole time I was there I kept thinking of Karl Pilkington in An Idiot Abroad who thought that Jesus had a really big chin and then felt like a plonker when he realised it was a beard! 

The view from the top is incredible too. 

The next 2 days were spent soaking up the sun (finally!) on Copacabana Beach. Yet again I almost felt like I had been to the beach before because the view is so recognisable. But what I wasn't prepared for was the amount of women with massive bums and men with tiny underpants, as well as the sellers who walk up and down the beach screaming all day! It was a cool place to be but not your usual beach experience as you spend most of the time people watching. 

One of the best things we did in Rio was a tour of one of Rio's 1,000 favelas. A few years ago it would have been completely unheard of for a tourist to risk entering a favela, but since the announcement that Rio would host both the World Cup and the Olympic Games a project was set up to pacify at least some of Rio's favelas by driving out the gangs and replacing them with armed police. Santa Marta is one such favela which is now deemed safe, but it still felt quite edgy walking around. I couldn't believe that this is normal life for millions of people who live in mazes of tiny brick houses on steep hills with thousands of steps and narrow alleyways. Our guide explained that the minimum wage in Rio is about half of what a month's rent is, so for the majority of people a home in a favela is their only option.

Football is such a huge way of life for people in Brazil, kids especially. We even heard that schools were closed for the World Cup because they knew nobody would show up. There was one area of the favela which was really cool and colourful. A paint company had sponsored a project for the World Cup to paint the houses and it had been going really well, but apparently when Brazil were knocked out people were so distraught the project went by the wayside!

Santa Marta is also the favela where Michael Jackson shot his video for "they don't really care about us". The locals are very proud of the fact and have a life-size MJ statue and a little gift shop where you can watch the video. At the time, Santa Marta was completely under the control of a Ganglord and the police wouldn't even attempt to enter. So instead of asking the authorities Michael Jackson's producers got permission from the gang to shoot the video there, and the gang even provided his security! 

 I have since watched Ross Kemp's documentary on drugs in the favelas and read a lot about it and realise just how sheltered tourists are from the problems of the city. I felt safe the entire time, but so much happens there that we don't even comprehend. 

On Wednesday night we went to the Maracanã Stadium to watch a match where the World Cup final was held. Even with 4,000 people there the stadium looked empty (it can hold almost 75,000), but my god did those 4,000 fans create an atmosphere! There was drums and chants and huge flags, and there was devastation when Fluminense lost. I can't claim to be a football fan but here I am doing my best! 

The weather wasn't on our side for the rest of our days in Rio. We couldn't do the sunset on the Sugarloaf because it was so cloudy we wouldn't see anything, and it was lashing on the day we had planned a walking tour of the city. We did go to Ipanema beach even though it was quite blustery, and it was actually very cool because there were loads of surfers taking advantage of the waves, and Karen taking advantage of the pingpong!

It was a pity the weather wasn't on our side more as I would have liked to explore more of the city, but nevertheless we left with a salsa beat in our ears and caipirinhas in our veins! 

Next Stop: Ilha Grande 

Paracas, Peru

I heart Paracas!

We just spent 3 days in this sunny little town, right on the beach and in the coolest hostel, Kokopelli. 

We couldn't have asked for a better place to stay. Kokopelli not only looks cool, it's super clean, amazing showers, a great place to meet people and has a very fun bar! 

On the first night we arrived after a 4 hour bus journey from Lima and decided it was only right to sample the local drink, a Pisco Sour. This somehow lead to the 4 of us taking part in the bar's "Power Hour". One backpacker from Israel explained the rules: 

"Take a shot of beer every minute for one hour, 60 shots... and everyone will puke". 

He wasn't wrong. But it was great fun while it lasted! 

There is such a cool relaxed vibe at Kokopelli and the beach is just a few feet from the doorstep. You can rent paddle boards and kayaks too. 

We were a little worse for wear when we woke up, but we somehow convinced each other to go on a BOAT tour to the Balestas Islands. What could possibly go wrong?! 

The islands and wildlife are incredible and we felt like David Attenborough... But a boat + choppy water + a hangover does not equal a particularly fun time. We are glad we soldiered on and didn't miss it though. 

We spent the rest of the day chilling out and lying in the sun on the beach. We are still the palest people in South America, but working on it! 

Other bits and pieces: 

The local vodka is very strong. Won't be doing that again. 

Pisco Sours have egg whites in them, just FYI. I would have liked a warning.

Food in Paracas is not fantastic. But we did find a pizza place called Venicio on the promenade, it's run by an Italian guy and we had some great pizza and fun there. 

If there was an ATM we didn't find it, so make sure you have enough cash for your stay. 

There was warnings of a sandstorm in Paracas while we were staying there. It did get quite windy and we were all covered in a thin veil of sand, but it passed quickly and was no biggy. 

Next stop: Huacachina