The dodgy Chungking Mansion.

While in Hong Kong not a while ago, I decided to stay at a frugal hostel that I booked through Agoda. It was called Lucky Hostel, located in the old Chung King Mansion. Well, don't be fooled by the word "mansion" because it basically means a flat in HK. I have seen the building on my previous trip before, so I thought I'd give this a try since the location is very central and convenient at Tsim Sha Tsui.  From there I could just walk to the Avenue of Stars, wandering along the promenade overlooking HK's beautiful skyline.

It was easy enough to arrive at the building, but then the nightmare started. I noticed there were a lot of immigrants in the building, and some backpackers like me. There were 3 "blocks" in the building, each block has 2 lifts ; One that stop at odd-number floors, and one that stops at even-number floors. There was a long queue all the time. After a few dramas with the receptionist searching around for my booking, I was put into another hostel, after having to walk up and down the steps (full house for the lift!)

Well I knew for what I paid I couldn't get much in HK, but this was really pushing its limit. The room was literally smaller than a prison cell! I opened up the door, and my single bed is right next to the door, with all 3 the walls around the bed. There was no window, just a small tv, AC and ventilation fan. I regretted my decision there and then, but I didn't want to break my bank by searching for a new room elsewhere. So I dumped my bags, went out and only came back to sleep for nights. I was heading straight to Bali from HK, so I had something else to look forward to.

The lobby. Yeah right.

Long queue at the lift. Yawn.

The teeny tiny cubicle.

Yes Darrlingg, you shower over the toilet.

So that was my experience at this really dodgy place. Don't go there unless you are broke, or just curious and adventurous-type! Upon check out, I was more than ready to leave for Bali, especially because I had already booked a business class ticket on Cathay Pacific. Just to experience the exaggeration of life, a little.

Green fingers : Reap what u sow.

I brought some seeds with me to grow, thinking that would be an ideal pastime in this remote jungle/village. So gardening was what I did all this while, I quite enjoyed it. I only used cow manure to fertilize them, taken from the Balinese family's small farm. So today the very first long beans are ready. I didn't know I have green fingers. Now reap what u sow, so they say.

My mini organic garden.

Pak Choy y'all.

Where's my watermelon y'all.

A new lappie.

I picked up a new Toshiba laptop (Satellite C600) at Carrefour in Denpasar to replace my old Toshiba netbook yesterday. Back at home in KL, I preferred to use my desktop. But I had to leave it behind when I came to Bali, so I was only using a netbook. Now, try using a small netbook everyday from 9am to 9pm, then couple it with super-slow USB modem that takes 30min to download a 7.5mb file. You get the idea how frustrating it is. So when my Balinese  friend offered to buy my netbook, I jumped at it and I snapped the lappie I've been eyeing at Carrefour all these while. For RM1263, I don't think I can find such a bargain in KL.

Uluwatu & Tanah Lot Day Trip.

Recently I arranged a car with the family I'm staying with for a trip to Uluwatu and Tanah Lot temples. I've been there before when I first came to Bali many years ago, so I thought it's nice to revisit. The family wanted to pray/make offerings at the temples so we all went fully decked in traditional attire. Because I'm with them, I was allowed to enter the section that was off-limit to tourists. I didn't even have to queue up and buy tickets like before.

Leaving the house at 6am. Yes it's already bright at 6a.m here.

Uluwatu.

Watch out for the monkeys! That monkey grabbed my friend's earring right after we snapped this pic. We had to bribe him with a pear in exchange of the stolen earring.

Tanah Lot.

At the end of Semarapura.

I was driving through the trunk road from Sibetan to Ubud and came across this huge river. I want to bathe there.

Halo.

There was an unusual halo around the sun yesterday at noon. It was so huge even my camera couldn't shoot the entire halo into one frame.

Getting an extension. No, not hair extension.

I woke up at 5am today for another long 2 hour ride from Jungutan to Kantor Imigrasi Ngurah Rai to have my photo and fingerprint taken for my visa extension for another month.