Monday, January 21, 2008

Surfing Lesson at Surfer Girl Surf S’cool

I got an invitation for the soft opening of Surfer Girl Surf S’cool to learn to surf. I saw a lot of surfer everyday and arrange lots of surfing lessons for my guests but never think that I want to larn to surf. It look dangerous and look scary. All the negative feeling always come to my mind first. What if the waves are strong, what if I can’t handle the board, etc..etc..

The invitation looks fun, so I call them if learn to surf is dangerous and what will they teach me and how will I do that. They told me that it is safe, fun and there will be professional instructors teach me to stand on the board. So I ask my friend if she want to accompany me to learn to surf, but everybody refuse. Too many negative feeling as I have. When I desperately look for company, the assistant manager pass by and I ask her if she want to learn to surf? And she said she’d love to. Then the next morning off we go.


First they ask us to change with rash suit that already prepared with very girly color available. Off course this school are only for girl. They also ask us to put safety helmet and a high SPF sunblock for our face, arms and legs. The instructors are female too and they are so friendly and 2 male assistant for back up.


The instructor give us the theory to read the waves, paddle to the sea and ride on the waves. Well I cant wait to practice it. When it comes to practice, we practice first on the sand then to the water. Well it is not to difficult, paddle and ride the waves. We are not stand on board yet. Just paddle and ride the waves but I feel it is so much fun that I wont stop.


The second lesson is about how to stand on the board. This one is difficult. We practice it on the sand. And I can’t even stand fast. The sun is already too hot (it is only 10 am) and I feel exhausted because I got too excited on paddling on the waves. When we have to practice it on the water, Oh my god , it is so difficult. The waves keep me down whenever I tried to stand. I even hit my friend while trying to stand on my board. On one occasion I stand…. Oh yes.. I STAND… I can stand on the board while riding the waves.. Yahoo..! It is only like 1 or two second before I fell again because I can’t balance myself on board. But I feel so happy. I can be a surfer girl someday…. Hehehe..


The lesson finished at 11 am. It is already 2 hours we were on the water. All of us look happy and exhausted. All keep telling each other how it feels when they stand on the board.. My friend even ask me to do it again next time so that we can really really stand on board and ride the waves like a pro..


The Surfer Girl Surf S’cool gave each of us a certificate with our name on it mentioned that we have ride waves and stand on board. They even gave us a goody bags full of Surfer Girl Stuff, like Surfer Girl calendar, Surfer Girl Keychain, bags and lots more.


Sunday, January 20, 2008

Holiday in Ubud

One day me and my husband decided to have a one day holiday to run away from our busy life to a quiet and peaceful place. The choice is Ubud. It is only 1 hour drive from Kuta and we thought we should entertain ourselves sometimes, stay in a hotel, eat in the restaurant and enjoy the hotel as a guest. Since we are hotelier we only enjoy our hotel as a staff.

We went to Ubud early in the morning as we have to do some inspection to some hotel near Ubud center to fit our budget before we decided to stay.
The first hotel we went to is Tegal Sari hotel. Their room are nice, large and have a beautiful view of the rice field. The standard bungalow priced Rp. 350.000 per night including breakfast and tax, but unfortunately the hotel is fully booked. L

The next one is Panorama hotel. Their room is nice too, Deluxe room is only US$ 35 and standard room US$ 30. the room have a ricefield view too. I kinda like this hotel but my husband don’t. He don’t like the way some staff look at us like we are coming from outer space. Yes, off course I understand. We are hotelier, we know what they think about us and my husband don’t like it.

So we move to the next hotel, Green field hotel. This is a nice small hotel too. They have a new villa build in the middle of rice field. We saw the villa which is very nice Balinese style villa. The price is US$ 85. In Kuta or Nusa Dua area a villa like this could cost you about US$ 200. So this is villa is cheap with a 5 star facilities inside the room. However it is still too expensive for our budget. The receptionist then offered a standard room on the second floor which is cheaper at only US$ 25. We saw the room which is ok for a standard room and we have the rice field view too from our balcony. The room has aircon, minibar, shower, telephone, tea and coffee maker and a queen size bed. So I think this room is fine. We decided not to waste the time to look for another hotel again so that we can walk around Ubud center or just relax at the pool.

We have lunch at Warung Enak, just next to the hotel. We sat on the second floor to enjoy the view. The service here is like 5 star. They gave us a cool towel upon arrival and complimentary crackers for starter. We ordered our meals and enjoy the crackers. My husband even ask for more because the cracker is good. Eating here is cheap. For two plus drink we spent only Rp. 66.000 (about 7 USD). We decided just to stay in the hotel to relax, my husband have a nap in the room while I went to the pool to enjoy my spa. There were nobody at the pool except the therapist who was waiting for me. The therapy massage I choose is just good (plus cheap, only USD 10), the massage bed is open air and have the view to rice filed which is soooo relaxing.

At night we went for dinner at Bebek Bengil, one of the famous restaurant in Ubud for Balinese food. The restaurant is just perfect, set in a secluded garden and rice field view, plus torch light along pathway, make it look romantic. We sat in a private table and ordered their signature dish, Bebek Bengil. It’s a crispy duck served with rice and vegetables. We eat until we feel so full. The duck is crispy and soft and delicious too.

We don’t eat any dessert because we want to try another restaurant. We have our dessert at Lotus CafĂ© at Ubud center. The restaurant is surrounded by Lotus pond, lots of Lotus. The ambience is very nice but I think the food and the service is just so so.. nothing so special.. My husband don’t like it, me too. We wish to have a drink at the bar, but most bar seems empty so we decided to go back to hotel.

The next morning, we have our breakfast served at their restaurant. With a full view to the ricefield that is so calming makes our breakfast special, because we usually eat breakfast in the rush at home with no view. After breakfast we take a walk to Ubud art market before checking out from the hotel. On the way home I thought, what a short vacation. I need to do this more often, beside I don’t have to go to far, we have all we need for holiday here in Bali.
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