Preparing for Bali

Sometimes it's the silly things in life that make me smile. We will be traveling 11, 050 miles, departing from and landing on 3 continents, stepping foot in 4 countries, and crossing the equator for our trip to Ubud, Bali. 

For our 14th Wedding Anniversary we decided to go big so we are staying at The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah. The reviews are phenomenal and this is great but also difficult because I'm trying my hardest not to set my expectations too high.

We have decided to hike Mt Batur. We are taking the early morning trek which leaves around 3:00 am in order to summit for the sunrise. The heights and narrow paths are making me a little nervous but I am going to get out of my comfort zone and just go for it. We are also going to go on a bicycle tour of Bali. Hopefully this will allow us to see the real life of Bali. Our third tour is going to be of the amazing Temples on Bali, especially Tanah Lot. 

I have been spending some time lately researching restaurants. Here is a list I've come up with so far (not including the fabulous restaurant at The Chedi Club):
Alchemy
Jalan Penestanan, Ubud, Bali 80571, 
Clear Café
Jalan Hanoman, Ubud, Bali 80571, 
Bali Budda
Jembawan 1 | Padangtegal, Ubud, Bali, 
Ibu Oka
Jalan Suweta/Tegal Sari No. 2, Ubud, Bali, 
Bridges
Jalan Raya Campuhan, Ubud, Bali 80581, 
Mozaic
Jl.Raya Sanggingan, Ubud, Bali 80571, 
Bodag Maliah (Sari Organik)
800 m up into the rice fields of Subak Sok-Wayah 20 min walk from downtown 
Café Pomegranate
Jl Subak Sok Wayah, Ubud, Bali, 
Fair Warung Bale
Jalan Sriwedari 6 | (1 min off Jl. Raya - main road), Ubud, Bali 80571, 
Warung Saya
Jl Gautama 8, Ubud, Bali, 
Melting Wok Warung
13 Jl. Gootama, Ubud, Bali, 
Putu’s Wild Ginger
Jalan Jro Gedung | Br Kutuh Kelod, Ubud, Bali, 
Warung Schnitzel
Jalan Sriwedari 2 | 20 metres from Jl Raya Ubud, Bali 80571, 

I am also using my Travel Tips which have been updated. I have added some snacks (healthy, dairy free, and easy to travel with), emergency supplies, etc. Here are some links to my new additions: 
Pure Bars http://thepurebar.com/
Kopali Organics http://www.kopaliorganics.com/
Simple Squares http://simplesquares.com/
Whistle / Compass http://www.amazon.com/SE-5-1-Survival-Whistle/dp/B002OEKU0A/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=5FDVDQKVBMYM&coliid=I1EPUC0504O62A
Water Tablets http://www.amazon.com/Potable-Aqua-Water-Treatment-Tablets/dp/B001949TKS/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=5FDVDQKVBMYM&coliid=I1KMPP9OD4MHOL
Light Sticks http://www.amazon.com/Cyalume-SnapLight-Industrial-Chemical-Duration/dp/B004NBZLJ2/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pdT1_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=5FDVDQKVBMYM&coliid=I100FNLSXTTH96

​We are a few weeks out from our trip so this is when I start double checking travel plans, items needed, and start organizing stuff to be packed. 

Thanks to Tripadvisor I found a forums post about bringing prescription drugs into Bali. I had no idea that there were rules about this for customs and immigration. I was able to print a prescription and have the matching bottle for ibuprofen so that should be fine. I have also contacted our travel clinic to get a letter for our antibiotic prescription. According to the forum you should declare that you have drugs with you and show them the bottles and letters. . Unfortunately, I won't be able to take  sudafed, ibuprofen, and other common items that I would normally pack. The forums did state that most of these items are easily found at drugstores (Apotik) in Bali.  

I was also able to find a great map of Ubud online from Mappery. The map showed several places we are interested in seeing and it was easy to add more to it (hand written). 

I love unique yoga and dance clothing . In Bali I will be checking out Ompure and Kismet for clothes. 

For more about preparing for Bali (including travel tips) you can read my earlier post h