RTW TP Run in Jan 2026: Day 11 – Early Morning in Denpasar, Bali

By Nige on January 28, 2026 at 12:59 pm
Type: Post
Story: Round the World Tier Point Run in Jan 2026 Category: Travel
Tags: Denpasar | Hilton

It was a struggle to get to sleep. I felt really cold, primarily because the air con was directly above me. I had concerns I might wake up with a stiff neck!

I could have done something about it, but I didn’t want to get out of bed. I obviously fell asleep in the end, but overall I can’t say it was a great night’s sleep. The bed was comfy though!

I woke at around 2am, so I did dome blogging and planning for the day. That included some ironing to try and get my first t-shirt dry, otherwise I wouldn’t be going anywhere!

Early on there was a monsoon-like downpour. If I had still been asleep, it would have woken me. The weather forecast was a bit bizarre really.

It looked consistent all day and all night: thundery showers, rain and humidity. The temperature difference between night and day was about 2 degrees c, and when at night it was 25 deg c, an extra 2 deg doesn’t really make that much difference.

The TV was lousy when I watched it briefly last night. No SVU, no NCIS, no Castle etc. The best I could muster was BBC World. Not the most exciting of watches.

There were apparently three Starbucks’ around the airport: one was supposed to be open 24hrs, the other two were supposed to open at 5am.

Every day that I wake when I am on holiday and there is a Starbucks in the local vicinity, I have to go. So, that’s what I did.

I downloaded the Grab app and ordered a taxi to rake me back to the airport. I would have walked but it was still dark and it wasnt worth the risk.

The Grab taxi cost me about £1.50. At just after 5am, the airport was very quiet, but very serene. It also didnt feel that hot. But it felt humid alright.

I found Starbucks at Domestic Arrivals, but it was closed. So I walked into Domestic Departures, but couldn’t find the Starbucks which was supposed to be open 24hrs.

So, I walked to International Arrivals and spoke to a guy who was opening up. Both stores would open at 7am. Helpful but frustrating at the same time.

It was time to head back to the hotel for breakfast, which started at 6:30am. A Grab taxi would be 10 times as expensive to go the same distance but in reverse.

Consequently, my rebellious side kicked in and I walked back. It was completely safe, but my t-shirt needed washing again by the time I got back!

I sat in the breakfast area having a latte from one of the machines used for breakfast. There was still 20 mins before breakfast was due to start, but the staff allowed me in.

Breakfast was good. There was an excellent selection, a mix if east and west, but the baked beans were definitely not Heinz!

By the time I was done with breakfast it was time to head back to the airport for my much-needed Starbucks.

I walked back this time. Vehicles seem to be quite at ease avoiding pedestrians walking on the edge of the road.

I thoroughly enjoyed my real coffee. In my mind, that’s the only coffee that really matters.

I walked back to the hotel. I was confident now; I knew where I was going and what the traffic was like. Saved me £10 each time and I added in about 1,500 steps!

Most of the touristy places were north-east of the airport by about 10-15km, but that equated to about £5 in a Grab taxi. So, that wasn’t going to stop me from getting out and about.

I came up with a meaningful plan for the day: take a Grab taxi to Big Garden Corner, then on to Bajra Sandhi Monument for a bit of culture and finally lunch at Level 21 Mall.

No such luck on the Panda Express side. The one confirmed location was just a bit out of the way. Much too far north east for local tour.

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Round the World Tier Point Run in Jan 2026