This may be a little bit long-winded but please feel free to scan over things, just thought I’d get it all out there.
Two things I will say, we were so busy we only went in the pool once and I did not one bit of reading on the holiday apart from on the plane, that’s how full our days were!!
Oh, and another thing, the Balinese people are just so nice and they remember your names and it really seems like they do give a damn.
So here we go …..
SUNDAY
Arrive about 11.30PM or so at our hotel, Bali Garden Beach Resort. Spacious room with our own balcony and a very comfy bed. Went for a walk around midnight, had to buy supplies for the room, loads of water because you go through so much over there because of the humidity. I think we went to bed about 2AM or so. I will also say here that when you drink alcohol at lunch, as we did, you sweat it out so fast it’s like you haven’t drank a thing, it’s crazy!
MONDAY
Woke up about 6AM, just excited I guess to get down for banana pancakes for breakfast. Did most of handsome partner’s (HP) shopping this day, also went to Nusa Dua to look at a hotel, the one we most probably will get married at. Put in our DVD list and picked up later in the arvo, ended up with 450. Had dinner at our hotel, we had a restaurant right on the beach and it was just divine and so were their cocktails!
TUESDAY
My day to shop today. Went to a fixed price market shop, so glad we did this, it gave us an idea of what we should be paying for things on the street. A few years ago I went to Bali with my sister and her then boyf and we had lunch at this fantastic little restaurant, I wasn’t sure if I could find it again but I did and HP and I had lunch there. I was so excited that I found it!! After shopping went and sat in the pool with a Bintang. We both had an hour massage, this was a tester to see if we’d like them and if we’d want more on our holiday – the answer was yes, yes, we did!! Had dinner at a really nice Indian restaurant and after dinner went back to hotel to organise tours for the rest of the week.
Also in the morning I was kinda freaked out a bit, this day it was 1 month since the bombers’ executions and I was sitting on the balcony and could hear all this music and noise and then saw all these people marching next to our hotel and down onto the beach. I had to go ask the front desk what it was because I thought it was some kind of protest or something but it turned out that it’s a ceremony they do to bring the soul back from the water. After cremation they let the ashes out to the sea and a month later they go back to the sea to invite the soul back to them and then they get placed in their temple at their home. It’s really fascinating their religion, I love it.
WEDNESDAY
6:30 wake up call, 8:30 pick up, today is white water rafting day!! I was a little scared the days leading up to this, I’m not a very actiony person but this was one of the best days ever. So to start with you have to go down a huge amount of steep stairs and they’re slippery because it’s been raining, it’s slow and steady wins this race and also the knees and thighs begin to wobble. Jump in the raft and off we go. First few rapids I was getting my feel for them and after that I was like yes, bring them on baby, it was just soooooo much fun! We had a really great guide and he kept on joking there were crocodiles (which there aren’t) and splashing us with water and stuff. I think our stretch of the river went for about 9 kilometres with about 27 rapids and nearly 2 hours long. Afterwards there are more steps to climb up to the restaurant for a really good buffet lunch. Along the river they take your photo and also a dvd recording which we purchased at the end of lunch so we always have that memory. The dvd is really good stuff, after they show our group for about 35 mins or so they put some footage of Bali on there as well, like dances, cremations, teeth filing (they get this done when the boy’s voice drops and the girl begins her period).
Okay, so back to the hotel, legs a little sore but nothing compared to what I will feel in the days to come. In fact this morning is the only time I haven’t felt any pain! I learnt I am actually quite unfit this holiday so am looking forward to next year with many goals ahead.
Oh, yeah, back to the hotel, little bit more shopping then dinner down by the beach again. We had the most bestest pizzas ever, absolutely divine and of course cocktails. Please presume cocktails were consumed at all times whilst eating.
THURSDAY
Please note that this day I am extremely sore and it is very very hard work to go up and down the stairs to breakfast, the spa, et cetera.
Quads and buggies ride today. The drive out there was about 2 hours, about 1 hour 40 on the way back. Sometimes the driving is a bit of a drag and by the third tour we were over it.
Had a test drive on the quad to begin with, realised there’s no way I can control this thing so hop in a buggy and have absolutely no confidence in myself so tell the tour guide to drive me. We ride behind HP who’s on a quad and knows exactly what he’s doing and looks great doing it. I really saw a different and wonderful side to him on the holiday. We go through the bush and back streets, up and down hills, through water. The ride went for nearly two hours. Definitely not a terribly easy drive so I’m glad I opted for the saftey of my guide.
Back to hotel for a 90 min lulur scrub. Ahhhh, this is a massage, full body scrub, bath with rose petals at the end with a yummy cup of tea. We both loved this and when we got back to the room had sorted what we wanted for the next day, rang to book in and they were fully booked – how dare they!! So next visit to the spa, and unfortunately the last, was on Saturday.
FRIDAY
5:30 wake up call!!! This day was fantastic, we got back about 4PM or so and everything was included for a measley $50 each.
Bali Bintang Bike Tour today. It’s a 40 kilometre ride through the villages in the hills, about 3 hours. Start off walking through their spice garden, get to taste some really nice tea then off for morning tea at a small restaurant overlooking a volcano.
Might I just say here that I have not ridden a bike in about 15 years and never one that has gears and brakes on the handlebars or the handlebars being flat, I had no idea what I was doing!!! Also my left leg was in a spasm for most of my ride, my hands hurt, I felt I couldn’t control the bike so …. I rode for the first 7 kilometres then hopped in the van. I will be re-learning how to ride a modern bike this summer! It was great being in the van though because the tour guide explained so much. Oh, and of course there’s HP riding with no hands – show off!!!
As you go through the villages you see heaps of dogs, a couple went to bite us or at least scare us but there is a rumour about rabies going on over there at the moment so we were very cautious, also see lots of kids who shout out hello. It is truly, I can’t even find the word for it, just absolutely wonderful to see the REAL Bali. Stopped at a compound, they all have the same in Bali, it’s just a matter of the richer have bigger, the poorer have smaller. I am fascinated by their compounds, they have a little section for everything, a section for their dead to lay before cremation, which is usually about a month, a section for their own temple, a section for ceremonies and for the bridal couple who are not permitted out for 3 days before the wedding except to go to the toilet, a section for their rice, it’s really truly amazing.
Ended eating in a compound for yummy lunch then back to the hotel and yes, we had pizzas again. Come on, once you find a good thing why change! Also said goodbye to some of our favourite serving staff, gave good tip and took a couple of pics.
Phew, I’m getting tired here, anyone else??? One more bit to go, I promise.
SATURDAY
No wake up call!!!!
Bit more shopping in the morning, said goodbye to one of our favourite sellers (that doesn’t sound right but I can’t think of another word), had lunch at a restaurant right next door, HP had chicken panini and it was THE BEST, so good we decided to share one for dinner!!!
Here’s what we had been waiting for all day, 3 o’clock to roll around. At 3 o’clock we both had facials, HP a sports massage, myself a neck and shoulder massage and a manicure. Totalling just over 3 hours of body work for me for around $40!!! Ah, heaven!!!
Off to next door for dinner for yummo panini and can you believe one time no alcohol with the food – we’d loaded up at our room with our duty free beforehand and also were watching the dosh because it was the last night. Worked out great though.
SUNDAY
Time to go home, boo hoo 😦 Actually it was nice to come home and definitely left us wanting more and we will go back.
Now, before I went I did quite a bit of research and found some beauties to help our holiday go a bit more smoothly, one of the best was at the airport. Instead of waiting in the general airport lounge and having to use dirty toilets and be in the heat I took us off to an executive type lounge, cost about $15 each, all you can eat, drink, internet, showers, clean toilets, air-con – we pretty much had this place to ourselves and I will always use it in future travel to Bali.
On our drive home from the airport it felt super strange, everything was so flat and boring, no colour. In Bali it’s all colour!! Even yesterday when I went to pick up Karri (our gorgeous Labrador) I was still getting used to it and also driving – oh dear, they drive like nutters in Bali and I had to tell myself no, you can’t just pull out there in front of that car and Mandy, brake!!!
So that’s our holiday in a nutshell – LOL – a huge huge nutshell.
Hope I didn’t bore anyone and if you have any questions please ask away.
THANK YOU FOR READING :O)
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