Well, what an experience! We have come back from Bali bomb checked, drug checked and well learned... Paul had done his research so was mildly aware of what to expect, but I was going Bali blind!
My worldly experience began at the Melbourne airport, where at a Marino Wool shop right next to our gate we spotted 'Outback Jack & Natalie' shopping!! It was so funny. I never thought I'd be one of those star spotters, but I jumped out of my seat like there was no tomorrow, just to get a glimpse. Nothing too exciting really, just two people shopping that happen to be famous. After a delayed wait we finally boarded our Air Paradise plane, 6-½ hour flight to Bali. We had pretty good seats with lots of legroom and Trev and Lizzy weren't too far away. Taj was great, slept a bit but mostly just played on the floor in front of us. We arrived at Denpasar airport at about 4pm Bali time (they are 2 hours behind) where you get off the plane on the tarmac and onto a bus that takes you to the terminal. We were warned of the humidity change, but to be totally honest, it slaps you in the face. The airport was fairly quiet and regimented. You go through a couple of what reminded me of like jury boxes and get your passports checked, pay your arrival tax and so on, then finally get to collect your baggage. I must admit that while going through customs the whole drug thing was racing through my mind, even though I knew there was nothing, it was still a little frightening. But we got through a-ok! You walk out the exit doors and there are Balinese men everywhere holding signs with names on them, quite overwhelming. We found our driver, loaded up our bags and headed off for the resort.
The airport scene was quite deceiving with its large spaced out area then the first corner we turned, bang. Dingy little shops, dirty, crammed, mad traffic, scooters everywhere, no road rules, I could go on - my first impressions. Out of my comfort zone, I was a little nervous not knowing where I was or where I was going, not even having the slightest geographical idea of what direction I should even be heading, but Paul jumped straight in!! He had the video camera out, chatting away to the driver. We arrive at the entrance gate of the resort where security is still in force, they check the little van for bombs and anything suspicious then we drive on. We stayed at the Ramada Bintang Resort in Tuban. Big open foyer area, friendly staff, very tropical, little ponds everywhere with fish in them, waterfalls, all that good sounding, and good smells stuff to make you relax. The room was lovely but not that big. Considering Taj is used to free roaming at home it was a little caged for him. But it wasn't like we were living in the room, so it was all good.
We went for a wander around the resort and checked out the facilities. The resort backs onto the beach, which isn't your standard white sand but grey but still nice. The pool was great with a sunken bar, restaurant/eatery by the beach and you didn't even have to leave your baking lounge to eat or drink!! All good. Went for our first wander 'up the street' and had our first haggler experience. If it isn't taxi's beeping at you for transport it's the street sellers wanting to make a few bucks. The exchange rate is unbelievable and we literally lived like kings during our stay. I wasn't keen on the whole bartering experience, but Paul was pretty good at it, as you would imagine. It is amazing how they survive while we walk away with our arms loaded and bellies full.
Over our ten day stay we experienced shopping in Kuta, went on a day trip to Ubud, Jimbarun Bay for seafood on the beach and Balinese life in general. Lots of sleeping, lounging by the pool, reading and eating. Not any late nights, with the humidity, doing nothing, full tummies and a few beers, you were yawning your head off by 8.30-9.00pm and off to bed!! The locals are so friendly and would do anything for you. Taj was like a little celebrity over there. They would squeeze his chubby little feet and legs and give him hugs and kisses. The Japanese and Chinese would stop and have their photo taken with him, it was pretty funny and he loved it!! We brought everything and anything imaginable. Clothes, jewellery, watches, wall paintings, shoes, DVDs, CDs, loads of stuff. We had to buy another suitcase just to bring it all home. Trev got onto this leather and tailor shop just across from our resort. Paul had a cashmere wool suit fitted and made for $110!! And I had some leather shoes made for work for $40. Just madness!!??
We visited the bombing sites of Paddy's Bar and the Sari Club. It was a pretty surreal experience. It didn't cross my mind that I would be so drawn into the whole 'bombing' thing, but standing there at the memorial site gave you goose bumps all over. To stand there and visualise what it must have been like and to see the sites for yourself, was sad and heart warming all at the same time. Even though their tourist rate isn't back to normal, they have gone back to every day life, just trying to survive and to see the tourists still making every effort to have the Bali experience is pretty amazing. I was quite shocked at what my perception from the news and reading Jason McCartney's book gave me about the sites as to how it actually looked. I was expecting large areas of destruction, but the two sites where only small blocks of land. And to see the size of the street, like half the size of our roads but still two way traffic, and the way they absolutely pack everything into the shops and what space they have, it actually surprised me that not much more damage was done. They have rebuilt Paddy's Bar just a few shops up from the first, but not the Sari Club. I hadn't really thought about the whole terrorism/bombing thing until after seeing the sites and the memorial. It wasn't like totally taking up my thought space but every now and then it would pop in there. I sort of think what was the purpose of it really? People still want to go to Bali. We spoke to a semi-retired man who was on his 21st trip to Bali. He has been going there since 1986.
Trev and Liz got onto this fantastic driver, Norman. A young guy with a family, the funniest sense of humour and very clever. He was great value. He took us on our day trip to Ubud and Trev and Liz had him take them a few other places. It was great to have someone that you could count on and feel comfortable with. He didn't hassle you to go places you didn't want to go, he just took us where we wanted. When we wanted to eat, he always knew someone and we ate excellent food at some fantastic restaurants.
We sampled as much of the local cuisine as possible. I love food and there wasn't one meal that I ate that I wouldn't rate. We ate at most of the highly recommended restaurants, somewhere different every meal. Our second last night, Paul picked a place called Kori's in Kuta. As much as I didn't want to pack up Taj and have to get a taxi and complained before we even sat down, this place was by far the best. Everything about it was great, but my favorite part, the food, was 5 star!! Yes, I must admit, my husband did good. The presentation was excellent, the meat melted in your mouth and I couldn't possibly have fitted another thing in! What an excellent way to finish an already fantastic holiday!! Even though it took me the first 5 or 6 days, I eventually came around and admitted that I would definitely like to make Bali an annual visiting destination. Even with the haggling, bombing and drug thing, there is just something at the end of a day in Bali that sits cozy and relaxed that captures you.
Now all I had to get through was a nine-hour flight home with a 15month old son and a stop over in Sydney. Our flight didn't leave until 11pm, way past my bedtime, but we just had to deal. Now that it's over, it really wasn't all that bad. Taj slept most of the way so we didn't have to keep him entertained. Next time though I'll be a little more prepared and have one of those blow up neck pillow things. Trying to sleep on those seats is an unachievable event. We finally got to Melbourne, collected our bags and got through customs no dramas and made the 2-½ hour drive back home. Oh, it's always nice to be home!! Even if it's 9 degrees and like ice outside. I'm sitting here at my computer in a jumper and tracksuit pants and I feel like I'm being strangled after 10 glorious days in my bikini and next to no clothing. But it's nice to be home.