February 10, 2016

All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Adventure

• ATV Fee: 750,000 IDR (~55 USD)

For this day, we did not have any arranged tour with Johnny. The whole of Bali was celebrating the Galungan and Kuningan Festival. In this festival, they normally slaughter pigs (babi in Malay) for communal feasts and while we were on the road one day, we caught some guys carrying a very healthy pig in preparation for the feast.

Johnny told us just a few days before our arrival that he won’t be available to drive us. My brain quickly tried to find an alternative activity for this day and during the course of the trips from the previous days, I came to know about the famous ATV ride. Johnny, as a tour guide, has some contacts so he booked the activity for us.

The whole adventure was around 2 hours full of challenges, both physically and emotionally. Physically because we had to have the full control of the wheels in order to properly turn or twist it to the correct direction. Also because we had to pull or push our ATV with all our might whenever we were stuck somewhere (Poor Daddy, he suffered full body ache after the ride, mostly from rescuing his ATV).

Emotionally challenging, too, especially for my friend Mikee, because she broke her phone when trying to go down the slope which required a fast drop. While she was controlling the ATV, her weight, and her direction, she held on to the ATV tightly and to avoid toppling over, she had to support her body with her arms and her hips. Because of the drop, it made her stand up a little bit and her left upper leg, where the phone was kept, smashed with the handle. Crrrack! The phone screen was broken.

Important Tip: Never ever put anything in your pocket when you go for ATV adventure. =)

Moreover, we needed to use the proper speed in surpassing the bumps, mud, and slippery slopes. The good thing about NOT being the first in the line is that you get to see how the guys in front of you face the challenge. Then they can advise you on how to do it.

By far, this ATV experience has been the best I have ever tried because it allowed us to really feel what it is like to ride and use the ATV. In the past, some offer just a 15-minute ride in a small ground.

In spite of all the pain, body ache, minor injury, and broken phone, it was well worth it (right, Mikee?)!

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