Finally I have some time to finish off my JBR for the Darwinites 2 week trip to bali. Just a few final thoughts and observations of our trip. Someone asked me what price I paid for my Stubbie coolers I had made, sorry I didn't answer at the time of my Jbr pt 1, it was 9500 Rpr each, I had 100 made, for those who may want to go that way, the only thing I Forgot to ask for was that they be made to fit cans of beer, they make them to fit Bintang stubbies not cans, but they fit heineken, carona stubbies etc but not VB.
Two of the boys with us Cam(son) and Jake got themselves tatoos on the last day, unfortunately for Cam as happened last time he got one in Bali his tatoo's (arm & chest) both got inflamed and became a mess of raised and red welts that required doctor visits antibiotics and creams and only now 6 weeks later are they getting better. His skin obviously doesn't handle the ink or whatever thay use and I would imagine he won't be backing up for more next trip.
We all had some clothes copied rather than made from scratch, my experience is the balinese are very good at copying an existing garment. Fiona had a number of skirts and tops made for work and going out, Steph had Tops and skirts made as well and they were both very happy with the finished products, I'm not really sure what prices they paid for each article and they supplied some of the materials themselves. I had 3 pair of long trousers copied/made from a favourite pair and I am very happy with them, they cost me A$26 each and will last for years, I'm still wearing a couple of pair I had made up in Bali back in 1998. We had them all made at Novia Taylors who are near the smaller La Monde restuarant left about 400 mtrs out of the MBR road entrance, Mr Ketut and his offsider? were very good, helpful and good prices.
We also managed to buy heaps of other clothes, I got 5-6 Polo shirts at Discovery, heaps of Bali cotton shorts at the markets along with the obligatory Bintang, Billabong etc singlets for son and I and friends back home. I also got some great clothes at good prices at Mata Hari, dress shorts, shirts, belt and shoes, they do not have many pairs for people with big feet, so choice was limited for all of us, we all seem to have a good grip on the earth though Fiona and I both found running shoes at good price at Athletes foot in Kuta Square. Fiona got the usual place mats, cushion covers and a real nice doona cover and pillow cases. Fiona had Lee both had glasses made in Kuta Square for what they reckon was a great price. Fiona found a great little bead shop just up from the Mokka Cafe~ and bought heaps of them and a few small silver bits of jewerelly and was very pleased with her purchases. Cam and I bought heaps of underwear, Calvin K, D & G etc. My Bali beach watch lasted 4 weeks which was 2 weeks longer than the one I bought in 2005, but that is part of the fun of beach bargaining.
As explained in part 1, my eating experiences were cut short for a week, but we did make La Locciola ? for Sunday brekkie and it was excellent and the hash Browns are as nice as everyone says, the view and the ambience are just wonderful.
I have been reading a lot on the BTF about people wanting the know about visiting the Monkey Forests, I will relate our tale of woe and it happened on our 1998 trip where after a wonderful day doing the elephant park ride etc we stopped at the monkey forest near Ubud , Cam at that stage was only 6 years and we made the mistake of letting him carry a bag of food. He was just standing there minding his business with the bag closed in his hand and this wisened old monkey sized him up, grabbed him by the leg as you would a big lamb bone and took a great chunk out of his Leg/Shin area. Much screaming kicking and cursing at said monkey and much blood flow later we got him to the car and our driver took us to a local doctor. Much to our dismay they wanted to stitch the wound, and the Doc assured us that there was No Rabies in Bali at that time. Anyway a day or so later infection got into the wound and Cam's trip to Bali(1998) was shot as we had to go to the local clinic each day to have it drained and cleaned, no more swimming or running around for him on that trip.
This all happened only a few days after both our kids and a friends child had nearly drowned out the front of the Melasti(but that's another story). I'm not sure why Cam even wants to go keep going back to Bali but he does. When we returned to Darwin , it was straight to Darwin Hospital where they told us what we already suspected (never stitch a bite wound of any kind) and they just laughed when we told them that there was supposedly no Rabies and said Cam had to have a course of injections( 14 in all from memory) over the next 3-4 weeks with the first one a very large thick needle of a thick substance straight into the middle of the wound...ouch doesn't come close to describing the experience.
With 3 nurses, the doctor and 2 very tearful parents holding him down our poor little boy suffered pain that I hope he never again experiences, they could Not give him a local pain killer to deaden the pain for some reason that I can't remember, but I do remember the screams and the tears and I reckon about half the patients in the emergency waiting room, up and bolted when they heard it. It happened 9 years ago but it still bring tears to my eyes when I think about it but kids are very resilient and besides the big chunk missing from his leg Cam recovered well. Moral...be very cafeful with kids and food at the Monkey Forests.
Anyway after that depressing but true story onto better things, Bali is a great place for a holiday especially for families and I'm sure we will find ourselves back in Bali before very long and anyone out there who is umming and arring about whether to go or not, to pinch a famous sporting quote ..Just Do It.
thanks for reading
pj
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