Getting More Drinks

Kuta and Seminyak are areas in Bali that I tend to avoid, not just because of the crazy crowds, but mainly because I'm no longer comfortable with these sides of Bali.

There used to be a time when I loved the wild parties in these areas. Those were the days, I suppose, of getting drunk on cheap alcohol, ingesting magic mushrooms and bobbing through brainless music. Bali provided that sleazy party vibe which was still perceived as slightly classier than Bangkok, Koh Samui or Phuket. Now, I'm wary of these destinations. I'm very mindful of the 12 Oct 2002 Kuta bombings and that it could be very well repeated in Seminyak where the damage would be tremendous.

I'm not even fond of Nusa Dua, save for the fact that the best restaurants in Bali are often found in the area, so I still check it out once in a bit. It's rather telling when the internationally acclaimed restaurants in Bali serve modern European and Australian cuisine, not Balinese or Indonesian.

I had early drinks at Ku De Ta. The cocktails are well mixed. Damn, they're very good. Do I like this place? I hate it. I disliked it then and years on, I'm still not enamored with it. Ku De Ta feels so contrived and poser-ish. Everything it stands for clashes with every aspect of the island culture. It's unfortunately, the most obvious and well known meeting point. I'm not sure if I should feel safe with Ku De Ta's blatant display of security presence. There aren't just vehicle checks. There're bag checks at the door. Security officers are stationed all over the premises and even along its beachfront.

Is it a sign of age? If the friends and I want to party and get drunk in Bali, we'll do it in our own private villa with loads of DFS liquor and spin the music we like. Of course if any one of us is looking for hook-ups or to get laid, we'd have to get out to the clubs, strut about and preen. It's a meat market. I can't say that the idea isn't attractive. We've been there and done that, and it doesn't have to be Bali. :D One would probably land a fairly good romp for a couple of days. What that translates into, will be entirely up to our individual decisions.