Day 15, Bali: Sunset on a great adventure

Today was an awkward one in our original planning. We would have to check out by noon(ish) but our flight did not leave Denpasar until 2:20 the following morning. What to do with the rest of the day and evening? And what to do with all our stuff?

On our trip to the beach several days early, Dewa actually solved the problem for us. He suggested we get an inexpensive hotel near the airport to use for the afternoon and evening, and then heading out to catch our flight at around midnight. After a little searching, we settled on the Vira Bali hotel in Tuban Beach, just five minutes from the airport and with free shuttle service.

First, though, there was an Indonesian cooking class to attend at Laka Leke. Originally, all three of us were to participate, but with a bad head cold, I felt it best not to be coughing and sneezing in a commercial kitchen. Chris and Allie, though, enjoyed the experience, which included preparing a five-course vegetarian menu of:

• Gado-Gado
• Glazed tofu with sundered shitake mushrooms
• Vegetarian curry
• Tempeh manis (sweet tempeh)
• Kolak pisang (banana in carmel sauce)

Welcome drink 

Ingredients ready for the class

Peanut sauce from scratch, with mortar and pestle  

Watch those knives

Vegetarian curry

Meanwhile, I rested, packed, and followed the Blackhawks game via the iPhone app (win!) and then joined the cooking class (which also included three visitors from Australia) to sample their finished meal.

The meal

After lunch, we reluctantly checked out, and Dewa drove us to our hotel in Kuta. There isn't much to report from here on. We wandered around Kuta a bit. There are some nice beach areas and wonderful sunset views, but we were happy to have been based in Ubud. We found a quiet and low-key restaurant (yes, there are a few) to watch the sun set over drinks and a light dinner.

Sunset on Tuban beach