Thursday Sept 25th to Saturday Sept 27th, 2025

Thursday – We won’t bore you with hanging out at the resort and pool activities. As mentioned before we are across the street from the beach but not much beach swimming due to the undertow. Just this week a young guy from Britain got pulled under at the beach up the road and did not survive.

There are 2 pools at the hotel. A large long pool with a couple of different levels to it and chairs and umbrellas along the side but then there is a side garden pool which has lots of shade and not as crowded so that is the pool we use.

Part of the garden pool

We did have an interesting experience in the afternoon. We had gone back up to the room at 4:30 and we were watching a show on the iPad when the room started to shake. It did not last long and nothing fell and then there was a brief after shake. We listened for any alarms or screaming and everything seemed normal. Since we had never experienced an earthquake before we were not even sure that was what it was. Soon after Michelle called to check on us and she confirmed that it was an earthquake but said we were good since no tsunami warning. So that was a first for us. We did go on line and found this. I would say another bucket list item checked off but I don’t think that was on our list.

Our location is the blue dot.

There was no damage and several people did not even know there was an earthquake so not as exciting for them as it was for us.

We had dinner at one of the restaurants at the resort, sitting on the patio overlooking an infinity edge pool overlooking the beach. Merv & Michelle continue to pick wonderful places for us to try.

Friday – I went diving again which meant another early morning. I was picked up at 6:30 and this time we had 2 more stops to pick up 2 more divers both solo. One from the Netherlands who is doing her open water check-off so she can get on a dive live aboard with her boyfriend out of Komodo and a girl from Hong Kong who is desperate to see a Mola Mola (sun fish) and get some photos of them. When we got to the dive shop we each had our own dive master. We checked out our gear and then loaded up into the van for our 1 plus hour drive to the dive sites at Padang Bai beach.

I circled where we are staying in Kuta beach and the blue dot is where we went for the dive site.

When we got to the beach the Dutch girl and myself and our 2 dive guides got in one boat and the Asian girl got in another boat. She was going out to a rock cropping far off shore where Mola Mola are known to hang out. They like deep, cold water so unsure why they are called “sun” fish.

The beach and all the boats that take snorkelers and divers out to the dive sites. The island in the back ground is Nusa Penida where we go to see the Manta Rays.

The first dive site was not the best. Lots of mud and they have put some structures on the floor bed to attract the coral and fish. The second dive was a little better with some healthy coral. I had a great dive master, Rizal, who uses an underwater board to write all the fish and coral names. Although I knew some of them it was nice to confirm or learn something new.

After the second dive we went back to the beach and you had picked out what you wanted for lunch prior to going on your first dive so they served you that. Instead of packing a lunch like they do for Nusa Penida you sit at the beach restaurant and have your lunch. The restaurant has nice facilities for changing and also fresh water showers. They also have wild monkeys that will take your stuff if you are not careful. Their favorite thing to do is jump on the shower head and bounce up and down while you are showering off. If not expecting it is a bit of a shock as the Dutch girl found out.

We went back out for our 3rd dive and it was a wall dive. There was a bit of a current but lots of healthy coral and fish. Nothing spectacular but nice.

2 types of eels I have never seen before. A Ribbon eel that is bright blue with his yellow mouth.

A Snowflake eel.

Of course more clown fish but these are actually “false” clown fish. You can tell because the black lines separating the white and orange coloring is thinner on a false clown fish. Whether true or false still my favorites.

On the ride back to the dive shop all 3 divers and 3 dive masters fell asleep. Due to traffic it took 90 minutes to get back to the shop and then another hour from the shop back to the hotel. I did check and the girl from Hong Kong did not see a Mola Mola so she has 2 more days to try and see one, fingers crossed.

Kathy went back to the spa and had a manicure and then worked out in the gym prior to spending time at the pool.

Got back to the hotel in time for a quick shower and then dinner at a beach front restaurant.

Saturday – After breakfast we watched the FSU / Virginia game and while an interesting game (double overtime) we were disappointed in the loss. Maybe this will fire them up enough to beat Miami who is doing very well this season.

We had no plans for the day so we went down to the garden pool and Kathy read while I slept. I would say “napped” but it was more like sleeping. I could not wake up. I probably slept for 3 hours. Michelle came by twice to check on us but did not want to disturb me so she waved at Kathy from a distance.

Took a taxi to an Asian restaurant and while the restaurant is not far it is too hot & humid to walk very much . Taxis in Bali are very cheap and usually runs 30,000 IDs which is 1.80. I don’t think in the states you can even step into a taxi for under 5 dollars.

Tomorrow we will do some touring with our friend Kadek who has taken us around the last 2 times we have been to Bali on a cruise ship.