Thanks for the support guys, much appreciated. Feeling much better as we have decided to squeeze a trip in, in April as well as August, just waiting the prices!
Anyhoo, on with the epic!
7/8/05
Up at 7.30am, 9.30 at home, so a sleep in! LOL Down to breakfast, saw more old friends, more hugs and a great breakfast. Anyone having breakfast in the Rama Bridge restaurant, give my regards to Jack, you wont miss him!
Before leaving home I had booked our normal driver, Jerry, to pick us up at 10.00am for a trip up to Ubud. I've done the tour before, but like to head up there on the first day as I find the market there a lot cheaper than Kuta and easier to bargain. Gets me back into the swing of things.
Jerry arrived at 9.45 to that now warmly familiar greeting. We had taken along an Aussie slang dictionary as a gift for him, in a hope he could understand our fellow countrymen. He was totally blown away by it and I lost count of the number of times he thanked me over the next 2 weeks. Gr8time and her better/lesser/other half Paul, joined us.
Did the normal stops on the way, missing a couple we had no interest in and adding on another silversmith we had learnt about from Jack, as my better half Amanda began her chase for silver beads!
Now as I give you my prices for things I bought, I better fill you in on my philosophy; If I'm happy with the price I paid, I got a bargain! Simple as that. Also I will put in the price I bargained down to, as sometimes after agreeing on the price I will add in 5,000 - 10,000rp, especially if the person as been fun to bargain with. It's just the thrill of the kill!
At the first Silversmiths we bought a cross set with 6 (3 across, 4 down) red/brown stones. Amanda saw it and just had to have it, you know how it can be ladies! cost, 220,000rp. At the 2nd silversmiths Amanda found 4 beads that suited her gifting needs and we paid 80,000rp for the 4.
Next stop was Mas and the woodcarvers. Paul and Gwenda went for a look at how it's done and we skipped straight to the chase. I was looking for a Buddah. Not the smiling chubby variety, but a traditional one that I had seen last August. At the time, I had looked at it, loved it, but thought I would look around and could always come back before we left. WRONG! Kicked myself for months. Not this time, found him, grabbed him and proceeded negotiations. 150,000rp later and the 15cm tall mahoganny Buddah now resides in my living room!
We were going to skip the Monkey forest, but as it was Pauls first trip, we stopped off for a look around. Did the normal thing, bought some bananas, strolled down awaiting the masses of greedy little buggers. Was this the same place???? They hardly moved. We had to approach them to give away the bananas. The only excitement they showed wass when one silly woman walked in with her bag of shopping! Hello and thanks for the bickies! As we left the carpark I noticed Jerry hand over 5,000rp instead of the usual 1,000rp. He explained that as there was a policeman sitting in the carpark, he must pay 4,000rp to the policeman and 1,000rp parking!
Lunch time was the general murmur running through the vehicle so it was off to Casa luna. Jerry joined us and had his normal Nasi Goreng. I went for the Balinese style seafood Paella for 50,000rp. One word, SENSATIONAL!!!! Amanda had the Pumpkin Ravioli with pesto and lemon grass, 25,000rp. Fantastic!!!! Washed down with some very cold Bintang!
Now for some shopping! "Amanda, Slow down. no, no,no, there's no need to run, yes this is the right way..... wait wait wait, I better go in here and change some........it will only be a minute" Changed some AUD$ to Rp, 7450! Nice!
Ubud market.
I got 2 Billabong (whispered) t-shirts, 15,000rp each.
Amanda restrained herself and only bought a photo album, 10,000rp.
Scenic way back Via the rice terraces. Back to the hotel, paid Jerry the agreed 300,000rp and headed up to the room.
Down to Optik Seis in Kuta square to buy some new glasses.
Mine were 786,000rp for frames and lenses. At home I paid approx $400 for similar. I took my script from home but Amanda had hers checked there at no cost. She got a new pair of Kipling frames and lenses for 830,000rp, She also got new lenses for her old glasses as her script had changed, 150,000rp.
This is getting long and I'm getting tired, Still a fair bit to cover on day 2 so I will resume this tomorrow.
Cheers And thanks for reading