Arrived home 2.30pm yesterday after two fantastic weeks. This was my third trip this year and about 10th overall. A local restaurant worker said he rarely has a tourist say it is their first time anymore. It was the busiest I have seen Bali since the bomb. Garuda flight over and back was excellent and on time. VOA no problems. Arrival in Sydney yesterday was the slowest ever, but we had heaps of time for our connecting flight so wern't fazed by this either.
First three nights were spent at the Ari Putri Sanur, this is a good value for money hotel and brekky is good. We were disappointed with out meal at the Bonsai Restaurant. Had to remind them after waiting 1.5hrs and it was pretty ordinary despite the wait. Taxis are not plentiful in Sanur and you usually have to get the hotel to call for one or take the local green bemo along the Sanur strip.
We spent the next two nights at Villa Wayan on Nusa Lembognan. We have stayed here before and like the peacefulness of the island for a few nights. It is good value for money and the meals are good. We went to Crystal Bay snorkelling and while I thought the coral was disappointing. I saw a couple of sea snakes, one very large one and very close. This was an exciting moment and I didn't freak like I thought I would. There weren't a lot of fish either, not like off the pontoon area where there were heaps of colourful fish.
Back in Legian we stayed at the Kuta Lagoon Resort. This was good value for money and was the package component of our holiday. The pool access rooms are lovely. Air-con so cool I managed to catch a cold. The control didn't seem to want to budge off cold. Brekky here is good. I would stay here again because it is in a good location for us.
Did the Bali Buggy thing and loved it. We shared the one buggy and swapped drivers halfway through. You get so dusty doing this that when you take off your sunnies you have white rings around your eyes, and the rest of your face is a nice shade of dust. Lunch after was yum. The scenery is fantastic and driving through the villages you are greeted with many hellos from the kids that come running to greet you. If you book direct you may get a 10% discount (we did), and cost for 2 in one buggy is about $98USD, its lots of fun but the ride is quite rough, so need to be in good physical condition.
We went to Besakhi temple with our local friends who were going to pray there and take offerings. We went with them to avoid the hassle from touts, and had to organise our traditional clothes for the occasion. Had these made by a local tailor very cheaply. It was an experience praying with them in their ancestral temple and sharing their offerings after.
We made the trip up to Sobangan village for the Rotary day for the sponsor kids to receive their school supplies. It was great to meet our kids again and also their families. Lots of activities were organised for this day and it was very similar to a local school fate, with tug-o-war and races. The greasy pole climbing comp by the man normally very skilled at climbing coconut palms was hilarious to watch. Rotary does an excellent job and Noel Allen deserves a gold medal for his work with this project.
I won't list all the places we ate at because we never had a bad meal anywhere and most of the places are listed in the forum archives.
I did a motorbike ride with a local friend to Dreamland beach, Ulawatu and Jimbarun. The south of Bali is extremely dry, they are definitely hanging out for the wet season to arrive.
Shopping was not a priority this trip so I didn't really shop at all. A gong cost me 170,000rp and we are having some bigger items made and sent back via Bali Bargain Hunter. First time ever I have not exceeded weight limits but others with us had to pay for 5kg each, they were well over the weight limit and the offer of remuneration was declined by two different counters, but worked for me back in May.
Weather was great, not too humid. We managed an exchange rate of 8000rp = 1AUD one day only, but it was mainly around 7500rp/7800rp = 1AUD.
If you have a pampered pooch at home and want to spoil him/her check out the Dog Tail shop on Jl Legian just past Jl Padma heading toward Denpasar on the right. Got our Tricky Wu a Bintang singlet and he looks sooooo cute wearing it. Cost about 80,000rp and worth every rp. I think he loves it too.
We did lots more but don't want to bore you all. Overall it was an excellent holiday and was sad to say farewell to all our friends, we will return next year and stay in touch with them via e-mail and text in the mean time.
Cheers all. Robyn