Kuta, Lombok

We took a 2 hour private taxi from Bangsal port in Lombok to Kuta, Lombok and arrived mid afternoon (Bluebird Taxi/ $300,000idr or $30usd). Kuta is little surfer town, extremely hot and humid with a bunch of locals that speak a different type of slang compared to the other regions we had visited. "Hey man, what's your name, yaaaa brotha!," etc. There were more kid hawkers than we had ever seen and each one had learned special bargaining tactics from their parents and older siblings. 

As we searched around for a place to stay that night, we were confronted by two very outgoing kids, one eight years old and the other, eleven years old. They were each selling bracelets, but before trying to sell them to us they helped us find a place to stay since they were so familiar with the area (all part of their tactic). The eleven year old girl was wearing a sweatshirt in the 100 degree weather and sweating profusely so I asked why she was wearing the damn jacket. She said "because I want skin like yours you knowwwww ya!" Well I wanted skin like yours I responded. 

We finally checked into hotel "Kuta Baru," which was ($170,000 idr/ $17usd per night including breakfast) and had an amazing infinity pool, cute little bungalows and clean rooms. 

After we checked in, we realized that we were starving since we had only eaten a tiny bit that morning due to the food poisoning epidemic, so we grabbed a few appetizers at "Coffee House." We ran into the eight year old hawker boy there and after twenty minutes of hard bargaining we finally bought two bracelets from him.... 

Bruschetta and hummus: 

After snack time we walked around the town (never made it to the beach since we didn't feel well) and stumbled upon the hawker children AGAIN at "Warung Jalla 1." 

 

Some water buffalo hanging out:

  

This time the children were in full sales force, especially the eleven year old and her friends since we didn't purchase bracelets from them. They were like flies and wouldn't leave us alone even while we were eating, and with soooo much attitude. Despite the fly like children, we enjoyed some yummy food from a hilarious menu and sat laughing and almost in tears the entire dinner. 

We ordered chicken fried rice and chicken soup...Check out the menu below.

Fried chicken village and rice= local chicken... I had to ask

How about chicken shop and rice?: 

The children:

After a night in Kuta, Lombok we made our way to the hugeee Lombok Airport (it was mini) and passed a local morning market on our way out of town. Since it was so congested and rainy, our driver laid on his car horn the entire time, it was pretty comical. 

Street market: 

And then we got on our airplane and saw this... So typical in Asia...

A sleeping man: