Back ground info - we're all from perth; there were 6 of us this trip - me (jess, 26, 3rd trip); gav (my partner of 10 years, 3rd trip); my sister, Bj (2nd trip); her boyfriend, scott (1st to bali though he has travelled most of indo surfing); and my parents, mum (57) and dad (62); it was probably about their 10th trip. We were unfortunate AP ticket holders so this was a trip we had to make the most of!
Day 1 - TUESDAY 27th DECEMBER 2005
Its Bali day!!! I hardly slept a wink last night knowing we would be in paradise by lunch time today. I woke up at about 4am, out of sheer excitement setting the body clock way too early. Laid there until 5 when it was time to shower and pack the last minute toiletries. VBG
Our mates, Belle and Rachie, were right on time, and we were on our way to the airport by 5:30. The butterflies were buzzing and we were so ready for the adventure to begin. The girls dropped us out the front at 6am and we were left there in the early morning sun as the other kids, Bj and Scott, were late as usual. Due to Bj's peeing habit no doubt, she always has to go 20 times before she can leave the house - TMI.
The four of us checked our bags and boards in and headed up stairs for a little champas to celebrate before take off.
Security at Perth airport had really increased from last year with what seemed like a dozen separate passport checks and a new substance scan swab test. All very reassuring at the Perth end. We got four seats in a row which left me on the other side of the isle which wasn't so bad. I read a couple of magazines which got me through most of the 3 hours. Now I was totally devastated losing my money to AP, but atleast you could never fault their flight service. We coughed up again and flew Garuda and the food on the plane was absolutely s**t as was the service in general really. It was nice to get that first cold Binnie into me though, especially after one of the hostesses spilt apple juice in my lap which made for a damp and rather sticky end to the flight.
Got the usual intoxicating hit at the airport - that great Bali heat and smell - I love it!! We were all a little pissed off to see the Air Paradise planes on the tarmac and were acknowledging each others disappointment when one of the bloody things taxied out and took off. The boys were absolutely furious and it took a while to convince them that the plane had probably just been leased by another airline. We still asked a few people to make sure and they all said that Air Paradise wasn‘t flying under their own tree.
The drive to the hotel from the airport was really quick and the streets even then didn't seem half as packed with cars as the same time last year. Dewa, our transfer guy from East Tours was great and kept us all entertained. He was very appreciative that we were there and kept reminding us to tell everyone in Australia how lovely Bali still is. With my face stuck to the window of the van, absorbing the sights as quickly as I could, it wasn't long when it hit me that I hadn't seen one western tourist yet.
We checked in to the Legian Paradiso Hotel (JL Legian)- drink on arrival, our double beds as requested - a very smooth intro to Bali for Bj and Scott. The LPH isn't quite as glamorous as the photos on the web (they never are VBG), but that's to be expected. Our rooms (3205 and 3206) were at the back of the hotel grounds and were quite private and very nice and clean. Everything worked and the gardens were absolutely beautiful.
We sorted the passports and money out into the safe, had another Binnie to cool off and all got excited and decided to head out for a stroll and show Bj and Scott where we were in relation to everything. It was hot, not by Bali standards, but after all the average Perth weather we were sweating!
Straight down Jl Legian, we were hit by the first time-share dude at the end of the LPH driveway. The streets were very quiet, we only saw about half a dozen westerners. Every Indo that came up to us (there was many, VBG), were offering their goods @ only 10,000rp. Which I later learned was a 'catch' price that only referred to 1 particular little item, everything else was far more expensive (...). I learn a new game every year!
All the locals were very friendly though most seemed very desperate for the sell. Everyone we spoke to told us how quiet Bali has been - far worse than after the first bombing apparently, after October and bloody Air Paradise.
We plodded along to Poppies 2, showing Bj and Scott the memorial and the 1st site. We changed some Aussie into rupiah at our favourite Kodak shop, with the same cheeky guy behind the counter. The rate was 7100 which was far better than the 6040 on offer at the Perth airport.
We walked down Poppies 2 to the beach then turned right and headed down Kuta Beach to the Southern Cross and to try and find Herman and hopefully our friend Alex/Gede - who's mobile number hadn't been working and we hadn't been able to speak to him in over 6 months. He had no idea we were coming and we couldn't wait to surprise him. When we finally got there we were disappointed to find that it had closed down and was being 'renovated'. The guys working in there spoke pretty average English and our Indo wasn't much better, but we sadly gathered that Herman had passed away (stomach cancer - we knew he was sick last year but we didn't realise just how sick). They recognised Alex from our photo but had no idea where we could find him either so it was a sad way to start our first adventure in Bali.
So we couldn't have lunch at the Southern Cross and we were hot and in need of another Binnie. We headed a bit further along and stopped at Pappa's (I think that was what it was called) restaurant for lunch. It was very expensive by Bali standards, 438,000rp - 4x Binnies, 2x Nasi Goreng, 1x Brushetta and 1x club sandwich. The 21% hotel and government tax was a bit rich and way too over the top for us - won't be eating there again. Our bags were pretty thoroughly checked though before we sat down.
Onwards we went, down to and up Jl Melasti, and back to Legian and the LPH - time to hit the pool. The pool wasn't too bad, a little smaller than I thought it would be but pretty and the pool bar was not to be complained about. We found that there wasn't many people around and we had it basically to ourselves. 4x large Binnies - 125,000rp, again with the 21% hotel/govt tax, they were nice and cold though. Day one had flown and after the large Binnies and a little sunbaking it was nearly time to shower and duty free before dinner. The boys headed off to the Circle K for some supplies - 2x 1.25L coke, 1x 1.25L lemonade, 2x lge Aqua and 1x carton of Binnies, all for 150,000rp, much better deal.
We showered and moved Bj and Scott's furniture onto our balcony, and got stuck into the duty free. The rain decided to hit and it absolutely poured!! Yep, this is definitely the rainy season. It was still very warm and the rain felt great.
We decided a cheap meal was in order after today's lunch and headed out - in the rain. We caught a Blue Taksi to try and not get so wet but there was the usual early evening traffic jam down Jl Legian, and we just got out and walked back towards and down Poppies 2. The rain was actually really nice and we all vowed not to worry about walking in it again.
Down Benesari Lane to the Warung 96, it was as quaint and ambient as I remembered. Great food and service - 4x Binnies, 1x Nasi Goreng, 1x Club, 1x Pizza and 1x stirfry chicken - 122,000rp - and way more delicious than lunch!!
With dinner done it was time for some cocktails. We headed back down Jl Legian towards the LPH and stopped in @ Double D's Sports Bar. Good music, soccer on the tv, and cheap/potent cocktails. The boys were very excited to find out that they could watch the cricket here on the big screen, so close to our hotel.
After that it was a quick trip to the Circle K for some aqua (lge 2,500rp) and a Gatorade for tomorrow mornings hangover (22,500rp). It had been raining all night and the streets were so bloody slippery! Leaving the Circle K, Scottie's double pluggers gave way and his butt felt each step to the pavement below. Poor bugger! Bj took a little tumble after him trying to save him, but Scottie won gold for the best stack of the trip on day 1!
That was it for us for the first day - we woke up in Perth @ 4am and we went to bed in Bali @m 9:30pm. What a day - I love Bali!