Flights to Hong Kong and BaliSunday started much the same as the other days we were at the WA. I went to shul at 8:00 am and met DW and DD at breakfast. After a final breakfast (at which the soft pretzels were quite stale), we went upstairs to pack a bit.
We then went back down stairs to the restaurant to meet up our friends from LA. It was nice seeing both of them (he’d been sleeping on Shabbos) as well as their baby. We didn’t have that much time, but DW got to spend a bit longer than I did since I needed to check out.
At 11:00 am I had a car service pick us up and take us to the airport for 170 Shekel. The driver, a frum man, arrived on time, loaded our things into the car and off we went. We didn’t encounter much traffic and arrived at the airport around 11:45 am.
The check-in hall had a huge line for the counters we needed, but we quickly found the business class line and were through to check-in in a few minutes. The check-in took a really long time, as the agent at first assumed we were Israeli and was asking for our visa to travel to Indonesia. Eventually we were all set.
We walked to security (we couldn’t find a business class line) and immigration. At immigration they were encouraging people to use the automated system, even those people like us who were waiting in line to speak to a person.
I figured I’d go and try the machine, and after my great experience, I had DW go as well. We waited for the person at the counter for DD since she was in her car seat and we didn’t want to take her out of her car seat. Around the corner we went, and as we were about to go through the gates, we couldn’t find DW’s ticket.
At first she became very mad with me, saying how I must have lost it somewhere, and how could I do that. She then proceeded to have me—then her—go through my entire bag to find it. She went back to speak to the agent about what to do if she lost the paper, and he said it would be a whole mess and would take quite a while to sort out.
As DW gets back to me, exasperated, we all walk back to go begin the long process we’d have to go through, we lo and behold there’s DW’s ticket sitting on the floor right where we’d been standing when we were at the window for DD’s customs! We picked up the paper and were off.
Because of the long time it took them to check us in, the wait at security and the whole mix up at customs we were running a bit late. We decided to skip the lounge and head straight for the gate. We got to the gate about 15 minutes before the actually started boarding. Lucky for us there was a kids’ play area right nearby that we let DD run around in to get some of her energy out. Before we knew it, it was time for boarding and we got on the plane.
Our flight to HKGWe got on the plane and were directed left towards business class. We were seated in the middle section in the 2nd row while the 1st row remained empty the entire flight. The rest of business class was full.
Lots of leg room on CX’s new A350It took a bit to get settled, but once we were everything went smoothly. We left a few minutes late, at around 2:15 pm, but the reset of the flight was smooth. As it turns out, the dean of her seminary was on the flight a few rows behind us, so she introduced me to him. We took turns eating lunch while the other person held DD, who was just OK for the flight. They let us bring the Doona on the plane and put it in an empty seat, but DD was not allowed to go in it.
I slept well during the flight. After the meal when it was time to sleep, I did just that: went to sleep. DW and DD slept well too, but upon landing had a hard time. When we were landing (in HKG in the summer), the rough air was a bit too much for DW. I held DD while DW puked her guts out into the provided bag.
Dinner on CX
Breakfast on CXOnce we got off the plane in HKG we went through security and made our way to The Wing lounge to rest. Turns out the business class part of The Wing lounge, while they might have nice showers, didn’t have a nice area to wait. We were both very tired, so we schlepped all the way to The Pier Business Class lounge. Once there, we went to the very end, to the quiet room, and just slept.
Well more specifically, DW & DD slept. I went to shower. After my shower, I davened and lied down on another recliner for about 45 minutes. About 10 minutes before we needed to leave the lounge I woke up DW & DD so they could get ready to go. Our gate, number 33, was a few minutes from the lounge, and by the time we got there, they were about to start boarding.
Our flight to BaliThe plane we were on to Bali was not as nice as the plane to Hong Kong. The seats were almost lie flat, and there were 3 seats in the middle section. We were on the window section with just two seats, which ended up being fine. They did take DD’s car seat away to be returned in DPS.
The flight was short and sweet. DD was in a great mood for the flight spent much of the flight in our laps and on my seat. Before we knew it, we were landing in Bali. After a short taxi to the gate, we were among the first off of the plane, only to have to wait until nearly everyone was gone to get our car seat.
Food on the way to BaliWe then walked to the customs hall, where we proceeded to wait for about an hour until we finally got through to get our checked bag. We waited again to go through customs though oddly we didn’t see the line for things to declare, so we just went through the regular lane. I was bringing in tuna packets which I declared on the customs form, but ultimately no one was there to give us any problems and we went right through.
The next thing we needed to do was find our guide. I’d hired someone to pick us up at the airport, drive us around for 2 days, and drive us back to the airport all for a grand total of US$115. Right when you exit customs there are loads of people holding up signs for people who they’re going to meet. It was a bit overwhelming, at first, so we just walked around behind them to try to find our guy. I was texting the owner of the company, who said the guide was there. After a bit of back and forth and a lot of hashgacha, I ran into him. His name was Wayan (surprise) and he took us straight to his car.
He had a great attitude, spoke English very well, and was a pleasure to deal with. We sat in a bit of traffic leaving the airport, and even more once we got on our way because it was around 5 pm and rush hour.
I mentioned about an hour in that I needed to stop to get cash at an ATM. Around that time Wayan must have wanted a cigarette, so he pulled over and I took out some cash. He spoke to the owner of the Airbnb we were going to in order to find out exactly where it was. The owner told him, and about one hour and 45 minutes after we left the airport we arrived at our Airbnb.
The owners of the Airbnb, a Norwegian married to a Balinese woman, were actually visiting from Norway for 3 weeks, so she met us at the car and showed us around the place. We got settled, had dinner, and went got ready to go to bed.
Our place in Bali:
All of a sudden, all the lights went off. Not only was DD scared, but it was pitch black! Within 30 seconds of the lights going out, there was a knock on the front door. It was the owner with a lit candle she was giving us to light all the other candles around their place. No sooner did we light all the candles and get a romantic mood going than the electricity came back on.
Apparently, this was the first time in years that they’d lost all power, but at least it was only for 10 minutes or so. We finished getting ready for bed and went to sleep. It was a long and exhausting two days, but we were finally in Bali.
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