My visa run to run to Singapore today saw me catch a Bluebird taxi (0361)701111, pre-arranged, from Seminyak to the International Departure terminal at Ngurah Rai, for 43,000rp. The journey took about 15 minutes due to no traffic and a race car driver.
Arriving at the airport at 5.25am (my flight leaving at 8am) I was unable to check in (that starts at 6am) so walked around the terminal for a while. The new Starbucks located in the parking area opens at 6am, but the staff did invite me to sit for a while.
When the airport got going, checking in was super fast due to the low number of people ahead of me, just 3 Aussie surfers carting board bags, all wearing their new Billabong gear. Large signs at the X-RAY machine told travelers to be aware of the latest banned goods such as liquid and gel containers. At the airline check in desk another small sign advised people against bringing knives, multi-tools or other sharp instruments onto planes, warning they will be confiscated.
Ngurah Rai really seems dead in the early morning. The whole time I was waiting for my plane, young Balinese staff were arriving carrying their motorbike helmets, about to start work. Duty Free was not open until 6.30am am, either was the snack shop. Still Ngurah Rai is a non-threatening place and people are quite friendly. There is no police state mentality here and you don’t have to worry about getting ripped off here.
About to board the bus that carries passengers from the terminal to the aircraft, I had to hand my departure tag to an airline employee. Attached was a folded sheet of paper that I assumed was put in by the immigration consultants in Kuta. Opening it up I was surprised to see it has a photo of a western guy attached, with his name and details filled in. They had accidentally given me someone else departure tag and info. Fortunately my visa papers were in order, so this trip hasn’t been in vain. Hope the other guy is allowed to leave.
Riding the plane today and hanging around in airports (Bali, Jakarta, Singapore ) reminded me of how chilly it can get in these air-con environments. Always bring a sweater, even in the tropics.
My flight was routed through Jakarta, arriving in Singapore at 12.25pm local time.
