Sun Sun Sun

So yesterday we went to Sanur to go the beach, because I really didn't want to leave Bali having not seen the ocean. We bought our tickets and it was about a 45 minute bus ride. There was some major confusion in Sanur, with some guests telling us we were in Sanur, some saying we were in Sanur but not the right part, and some saying we were in Denpasar. Plus the guys on the street were telling us it wasn't Sanur. We finally explained all we wanted to do was go to the beach. No, not Sanur Beach Hotel, just the beach. And they pointed down the street. Sure enough, 100 yards away, was the ocean.

Turns out we were in Sanur, exactly where we were supposed to be. Either way, we were happy to see sun, sand, and water. We ordered drinks at an open air restaurant and read at a table. Once a few clouds cleared, we laid out on our towels and soaked in the sun. The water was just the right temperature to cool you off but not so cold it was uncomfortable. And also not so hot it wasn't fun to swim in. We had lunch at another restaurant that didn't charge to use its lounge chairs. Yummy sandwiches and fruit for dessert. Elena finally got her Pina Colada, which she's been searching for for days.

We watched the surfers, who were a ways out because the big waves broke far from shore, and read and napped. It started to drizzle, then downpour, so we stayed on our covered lawn chairs and watched the surfers some more, many of whom came in when it started to rain. I went swimming again once the rain stopped. The water was the saltiest I think I've ever been in. It stung my eyes even when they were closed.

We had a 5pm bus to catch, so around 4:15 we started to head back. We got there a few minutes before the recommended 4:45 and found a few other people waiting for the same bus. 5pm came and went. 5:15 passed with no news. And had there not been a young boy telling us the bus was still coming, I probably would have called the company to make sure we hadn't missed our ride. At 5:45, the bus showed up down the block and we had to quickly walk to get on. The driver didn't check our ticket. It took a little more than an hour to get back this time because of the traffic.

But we did arrive just in time for dinner. We went back to the cafe we had breakfast at my first morning and ordered two different plates with samples of Balinese food to round out our time here. Delicious rice cooked in a banana leaf, potato fritters, banana mash, green salads, fried salads, tofu, and tomato sauce. For dessert, we ordered another Balinese sample plate with cooked bananas, plenty of fruit, chocolate rice pudding with coconut milk (still a favorite), and lots of coconut.

Today we both fly out. We have about 4 hours until the bus comes but have to leave the hotel, so we might head to the Buddha Bali one more time for lunch and a great place to hang out.

More to come from Malawi!!!