At 9 am, I arose, preparing for my journey to Ubud and my stay at the lavish Suly Resort & Spa. After a night of revelry, I was anxious to gauge the extent of my hangover upon waking. Surprisingly, it felt as though I had merely blinked my eyes open. Thankfully, I felt remarkably well—no signs of a hangover whatsoever! Given the previous night’s alcohol intake, this unexpected state of well-being was a pleasant surprise.
I hastily prepared myself with no time for a shower or any fancy rituals – those would have to wait until my return. My sole mission was to retrieve the hard drive. At the hostel reception, the girl behind the desk inquired about my origin and whether I would be checking out that day. I mentioned Holland, and in response, she handed me a small Dutch flag. Suddenly, she revealed a camera and swiftly snapped a photo. I managed to muster a smile just in time. To my surprise, she added me on Facebook and later shared the picture. Upon seeing it, I couldn’t help but express genuine amazement at how good I looked after the previous night’s alcohol indulgence.
Smile Computers in Denpasar
In the morning, I made my way back to Denpasar effortlessly, reaching the shop around 10 am. Initially, I hoped to borrow the hard drive and take it along, but that wasn’t permitted. Instead, I was instructed to copy my files back to my old laptop. Unfortunately, the transfer process took longer than anticipated, stretching to a duration of three hours. Realizing I couldn’t afford to wait that long, I informed the girl that I had to depart for Ubud that day. I had a scheduled pickup for the laptop in Gianyar at their store at 3 pm!
In an effort to expedite the process, I proposed to the girl the idea of borrowing the hard drive. I assured her that I would return it when leaving for the airport. To build trust and as a deposit, I offered her money along with my international driver’s license. Initially agreeing to the arrangement, she later returned my money and license, explaining that the mechanics needed the hard drive for their work and lending it out wasn’t feasible.
Now, I found myself having to copy my files once more, and I was grateful that I had brought my laptop along. Thank goodness I hadn’t left it at the hostel; that would have been a nightmare and would have disrupted my plans for the day. As the most crucial files were being copied, I made the decision to skip some older pictures taken with my phone.
While the transfer was ongoing, I seized the opportunity to grab some breakfast from Holland Bakery and a drink from a small supermarket across the street. Upon my return to the service center, I observed that the copy process had gained speed. Encouraged by this, I opted to copy all the files. Luckily, by 11 am, I could leave the shop as all the files had been successfully transferred.
A Cab to Ubud
Upon returning to Kuta, I began packing my belongings and bid a swift farewell to everyone. Given that in the next few days, they too were heading to Ubud, chances were high that our paths would cross again. I requested Yulia, the girl from the hostel, to arrange a Bluebird cab for me. The cab arrived promptly around 12:30 pm.
My driver, a friendly and hospitable man, unfortunately, got lost in Ubud. He had to seek directions to the resort multiple times, but eventually, we found our way. The experience brought back memories of my cab driver’s struggles upon arriving in Padang a month ago. I reached Suly Resort & Spa at 2:30 pm, realizing I had only 30 minutes left to reach Gianyar for the laptop pickup.
Suly Resort & Spa
Feeling the pressure of time, I experienced frustration. Despite tipping the cab driver, I made the decision to travel to Gianyar on my moped. The taxi fare turned out to be more expensive than expected (275,000 IDR). As I explored the premises, I quickly fell in love with Suly Resort & Spa. I discovered that the resort was actively involved in on-site training for numerous Balinese students. Adjacent to the resort, there was a foundation dedicated to providing service education for these young individuals.
The resort buzzed with employees, and every person I encountered displayed kindness and hospitality. Perhaps appearing like an impatient guest due to my urgency, I was solely focused on securing a moped. However, the staff diligently followed their hospitality protocol for guest arrivals. I was offered a welcome drink, and they took the time to explain everything. While under normal circumstances, I would have thoroughly enjoyed this experience, my current eagerness was centered around reaching Gianyar, haha.
In due course, they guided me to my remarkable room. It boasted amenities like a refrigerator, air conditioning, a TV, abundant ambient lighting, numerous power plugs, and a spacious closet. I was enamored with the room, and the value for the price was truly exceptional. I had the pleasure of meeting four different staff members, each exuding sincerity and genuine warmth—truly delightful people.
After the staff had finished guiding me to my room, I quickly dropped my bags and hurried back to the reception. There, I inquired about the possibility of renting a moped. They quoted a rate of 70,000 IDR per day, a figure I found steep. Attempting to negotiate, I proposed a rate of 40,000 IDR for several days, but they remained firm. Swiftly, I opted to rent their moped for a single day, planning to find a better deal in town. With the clock ticking past 3 pm, I promptly emailed Kadek to notify him of the potential delay at the shop. Seeking directions, I approached the girl at the reception.
A Short Visit in Gianyar
Finding Gianyar from Ubud was straightforward, but upon reaching the town, I had to seek directions from locals multiple times. After some inquiries, I located the Smile Computers shop, a journey that took me approximately 20 minutes. Inside the shop, a lively group of girls greeted me, their amusement evident as they chuckled upon my arrival. I proceeded to explain the situation to one of the girls behind the counter.
She gestured for me to follow her outside, and somewhat bewildered, I complied. The girl led me across the street to an Acer shop. There, they presented my new laptop and demonstrated the installed Windows 7. Satisfied with the outcome, I took a few photos of the shop, the girl, and us together. She was incredibly charming! If I lived in Bali, I might have mustered the courage to ask her out, haha. The girls at the shop appreciated my grasp of Balinese and Indonesian vocabulary, leading to some enjoyable moments of laughter. Wishing them all the best, I left with my brand-new laptop.
Unwinding at the Resort
At last, a functional laptop! Moments later, I reached Suly Resort & Spa, just as a downpour began. It was one of those moments when I sensed a guardian angel watching over me. Once settled in my room, I proceeded to copy the files from my old laptop, repeating the same process as I did in Jimbaran.
At around 8 or 9, I successfully placed an order for dinner at Suly Resort’s restaurant. Opting for spring rolls as a starter and a club sandwich as the main course, I thoroughly enjoyed the delightful food and impeccable service. During my meal, I utilized the laptop for internet research and to plan upcoming activities. Finally, I could unwind, reassured that my new laptop was functioning seamlessly.
An Enormous Spider on the Wall
I returned to my room at 11 pm, entering to find a black spot on the wall above my bed. My gaze fixated, I stood there, startled and petrified. To my dismay, a gigantic black spider remained motionless above my left cushion—a sight both unnerving and hideous. While my instinct would typically urge me to capture such an unusual encounter on camera, the fear of the spider escaping prevented me from risking it. The idea of the spider eluding capture would surely have kept me awake tonight.
I composed myself and began searching for my sandal while maintaining my position in front of the door. I couldn’t afford the risk of the spider noticing me and scurrying away. And in case it decided to make a swift escape, I wanted to be aware of its chosen direction. Proceeding with caution, I slowly approached the bed, keeping my eyes fixed on the spider to ensure it didn’t escape. Although I’m not inclined to cruelty, this menacing creature was undoubtedly destined for elimination.
I located my sandal near the desk, tiptoed around the bed—keeping a safe distance from the spider perched above the left cushion—and positioned myself on the right side. Preparing for the decisive moment, I thought, ‘This is it, here we go.’ With all the power and agility I could muster, I attempted to strike the spider. In a split second, it darted down, narrowly evading my hit! SMASH! It was an unbelievable turn of events. I had been confident I would land the blow, but the spider’s incredible speed proved otherwise.
The Room Escape
Now, I voiced my frustration in the room, shouting loudly, ‘NO NO NO NO, you’ve got to be kidding me!’. The spider had scurried beneath the bed, leaving me in a dilemma. After contemplating for 10 minutes, it came down to a choice: either endure three more nights sleeping in the chair or take action. There was no way I could close my eyes while lying in that bed. Resolute, I opted to go to the lobby and request a room change, undeterred by the potential loss of face with the staff, haha.
Unfazed, I returned to the lobby of Suly Resort & Spa without shame to request a different room. Explaining my spider predicament to the staff, I was reassured that the spider was non-poisonous. Thankfully, they accommodated my request for a room change. A colleague guided me to the new room, where I transferred all my belongings from the old one. As I surveyed the new room, I couldn’t help but exclaim, ‘Hot damn,’ while gazing out of the window. Positioned on the fourth floor, it offered a breathtaking view of the rice fields! Despite the darkness outside, I anticipated the beauty that awaited me the next morning. With my bag unpacked, I retired to bed immediately, concluding what had been an incredibly stressful day.
