Bali by Wheelchair

On Tuesday 5th December 2017 my husband Neil, myself and our son Richie set off for Indonesia - Bali to be exact.  We were supposed to leave three days before but Mount Agung, one of the many active volcanoes on the island, decided to spew ash, the natural enemy of aircraft, and stopped all flights from Australia for nearly a week. We were expecting that day to be told once again that we would not be flying, but instead we were merely delayed,finally leaving Brisbane around 6.30pm. We had booked a Maxi taxi because of the wheelchair, and a few minutes later, being not far from the airport, we arrived with plenty of time to check in and spend some time in the Plaza Premium Lounge. This was a little underwhelming, with not much selection of food and drink, but plenty of space to relax. Relaxing in the Plaza Premium Lounge We're actually going!

We boarded first as we had the wheelchair, which we swapped for an aisle chair once at the gate.  We also booked Economy X seats - the three rows immediately behind business class in the 737-800 Virgin Pacific aircraft.  This gave an extra three inches leg room, which made all the difference for long legs (Neil) and transferring to aisle chair (Richie) to go to the bathroom.  They let us use the business class toilet as it was right there, as opposed to the economy cabin ones which are right at the back of the aircraft.  The Economy X cost us an extra $75 a person.  Well worth it. The arrow marks our building in Brisbane After six hours or so with only one toilet visit needed, we landed at Ngurah Rai airport in Kuta. As usual we waited until everyone else was off and they could get Richie down.  No air bridge here, just a truck with a hydraulic platform.  The rails were a little dodgy as I found out when I leaned on one! However we survived ...

The process through Customs was quick and painless,(no $50 visa required for Aussies now), and after a bit of confusion trying to find the Top Bali representative who would drive us to the Peninsula Beach Resort at Nusa Dua, we soon found Komang's smiling face. Top Bali is a transport  and luggage storage company which I contacted after discovering that the resort no longer has its own drivers and would not take responsibility if we could not find the driver they allocated to do the job. At least Top Bali has a sign and a phone number as well as clear directions. Komang had no trouble fitting us and our bags plus the wheelchair into his Chevrolet 4-wheel drive, and we hit the humidity and congestion of Kuta.  After he dropped us off in front of the resort we did not hesitate in booking him for Thursday to take us up to Ubud.  He is friendly and helpful with the chair, and he proved to be an expert in the crazy Balinese traffic. It was whilst standing at the bottom o...

We woke up well rested and had breakfast at the Golden Beach, one of the three restaurants at the complex.  You certainly never go hungry on holidays in Bali. When we got back to the room I phoned Tim, one of the managers, and organised another room. They moved us up to the second floor, accessible by elevator and no step. I would give more details about the room, but this complex is a Timeshare which we just happened to buy into for two weeks as a sort of tradeoff for not signing up when Chelsea and I were highjacked off the streets of Kuta by a salesman two years before.  Nusa Dua is full of more westernised complexes which would probably suit someone with a disability - just make sure you get all of the access details first. After breakfast we went across the road, with the help of the security guard stopping the traffic, and picked up some supplies.  Richie and Neil got there by way of the staff canteen which has a ramp.  That is what they used for the rest of ...

Wednesday nights at the complex are movie nights on the beach accompanied by BBQ seafood.  We booked for that and when we arrived discovered that there was only us and one other couple.  The volcanic activity had stopped tourism in its tracks and everyone was feeling it.  The resort was virtually empty, so we got very good service. To get Richie onto the beach the staff once again lifted the chair.  It wasn't far and there are always willing helpers in this friendly part of the world. After a very filling meal the movie started.  I moved down onto a bean bag and was there alone for the duration.  Richie, who has normally seen every movie around at the time, had not seen Me Before You, which was good in that it was new for all of us.  It was coincidental that it is about a guy in a wheelchair. At the end Neil was able to wheel the chair out backwards quite easily.

We got up early(ish) to have breakfast then meet Komang at 8.30.  We drove up to Ubud, calling in at the Barong dance on the way.  The road outside was busy as usual, but with Komang's help we got across, and found our way in, using the concrete ramps provided.  Richie sat near the front, which was quite ok. Navigating the ramp Made while you watch the show  Mt Agung Komang's car

The Monkey Forest in Ubud was not nearly as busy as my last visit with Chelsea two years before.  The monkeys were still around, but the tourists weren't.  This made getting around ok, apart from the very steep ramps which Neil managed with the wheelchair, going backwards most of the time. An electric wheelchair would have no trouble, but a manual chair with no-one to push it would struggle. Going down backwards

After all that exercise, especially on Neil's part, we asked Komang to drop us up near the Royal Palace on Jalan Raya Ubud, as I remembered a nice restaurant I visited near there. We could not find the restaurant but instead negotiated the footpaths (never an easy thing to do in Bali) and ended up at the Coco Bistro, which was accessible. Royal Palace (just a couple of steps up) After that Komang drove us through Petulu, a village with trees full of herons, to the rice terraces at Tegallalang. Neil and I left Richie in the car while we negotiated the steep steps going down and then up to the terraces.  I realised then how unfit I am!  It was with great relief that we arrived back at the resort to have a swim followed by a meal at the Jacaranda Restaurant (we were the only patrons).  All in all it was a huge but awesome day, well worth the $80 we paid Komang.

After yesterday we decided to have a relaxing day at the resort, which we spent eating, swimming, sunbathing and watching movies. For tea we went across the road to another Coco Bistro, which again was accessible.  There I discovered the Two Island Sauvignon Blanc, from South Australian grapes, frozen then bottled in Bali.  Very nice, and an alternative to my Bintang Radlers. At 9.45pm Komang picked me up to take me to the airport to meet Chelsea, who was arriving on a Jetstar flight from Brisbane.  We stayed the night at a hotel in Kuta she had booked, the Bounty, in Poppies Lane 2.  It was incredibly busy on the roads (when is it not?) and we missed the turn so had to go around again through Legian.  It was pumping as usual with mainly Aussie revellers.  We finally arrived close to midnight and had a late snack in the restaurant.  The music was going off around the pool, which was right near our room.  It stopped around 12.30.  As far ...

Komang picked Richie and Neil up from Nusa Dua and then collected us from Kuta, to go up to Tanah Lot. I believed from our last visit that this was relatively wheelchair friendly, but I was so wrong! After the usual traffic chaos we arrived at the temple to be greeted by 39 degrees C and total humidity.  Not a good start.  We perused the market stalls on the way down the road to the actual view of Tanah Lot, and noted what would be a good restaurant to come back to and have lunch under a fan later.  Then the fun began ... Tanah Lot is definitely not wheelchair friendly, with many steps leading down to the viewing platform.  However if you have a strong helper you can go the long way through hilly laneways and end up there with everyone else.  It was good for Richie to see this, but I doubt that he or Neil would take it on again. After a reasonable time to catch his breath Neil then wheeled Richie back the way they had come.  It was with some relief that...

This was supposed to be a full day tour, but after Tanah Lot we were feeling a bit tired and wondered if we would manage the second half, to Uluwatu. We soldiered on, as Komang had committed to taking us, and on the way we parked at Legian right on the remnants of the Sari Club bombing site.  Interesting that the locals are charging for you to park there. Chelsea, Neil and I walked over to the memorial to the victims of the 2002 bombings.( Once again there were steps, hence Richie staying put.)  It doesn't seem that long ago that it happened. Sari Club carpark Back in the car and we began our drive down to Uluwatu, but Richie began to feel sick and Neil had a bit of the dreaded Bali Belly, so we stopped at a supermarket to use the toilet.  Therein lay another lesson for young players - squat toilets are not practical for people in wheelchairs!  Having said that though, the staff there were awesome in helping Richie access the facilities, an...

I don't know about the others, but I slept for nine hours.  Most unusual.  And then I woke up to rain.  This is the rainy season, but I have not encountered any on previous trips.  It was nice because it came in bursts, still giving you a chance to do things inbetween. Chelsea and I did some clothes shopping across the road and then we all relaxed until 5pm when we got a driver recommended by the resort to take us into Kuta to Bubba Gumps Shrimp Company restaurant.  I had tried it two years before whilst waiting for Chelsea to get a tattoo done, and had the best MahiMahi, not really available in Australia, so I was keen to go back.  It was relatively accessible, with only one step, and once inside it was no problem. I think everyone enjoyed the experience, as the staff are so vibrant and welcoming.  It is a fun place to eat. Made, (pronounced Marday) or Mr Long as he calls himself, had us back to the resort by 7.30.  I had earache which...