Thursday 5th July
Up at about 5.00am again, why can't I get up this early at home??? Son wakes up and husband takes him down to the beach to watch the sunrise. Picked up at 10.00 by Dewa's brother Made. Off to Bengal BuddistTemple overlooking the lake, beautiful gardens, sellers very persistent in the stalls here. We them head to Git Git Falls. Made says a local guide should cost 20000 if we wanted one. We are greeted by a guide at the top he says he will take us for 50000, I say no thanks I'll give you 20000, he smiles says no problem. Was good to have the guide as he pointed out what all the trees were, like nutmeg, clove, vanilla pods, etc. You could do without a guide, you just follow the steps, but ours was a nice guy and 20000 isn't much money anyway.
The waterfall is beautiful, even though it is the dry season it is still beautiful. The sellers are very persistent here also, and so are the kids selling necklaces. We ending up buying heaps of them coz who can say no to kids. Be careful though as some of them are actually made from grass seeds and will be taken off you at customs, no big deal they are only 1000rp.
Off to the Melka
Motel looks great, we quickly check into our rooms and get changed into bathers, Made waits for us and then takes us to the hot springs, more desperate sellers, we buy a Gucci towel for 30000rp, don't know if that is too much but it doesn't matter, we wanted a towel.
Back to the motel, say goodbye to Made and thank him for a great day, he will come back on Saturday to take us back to Legian.
The Melka is pretty impressive, our rooms are right at the end of the pool, bathrooms are huge! Kids are excited as they have there own room. We have a look around find Benny the bear, and Blanko the orangutang, spend time shaking hands with him, daughter was wearing a shell bracelet, Blanko decides he wants it, he grabbed it off her wrist then starts teasing us with it, no way we were getting that back, oh well it's something for him to play with. There was a lot of work going on while we were there with new enclosures, which is good to see, as it seems the animals are well cared for but some of the cages did seem a bit bland, by that I mean there were no plants or trees in them or much to occupy the animals. I must say I did feel very sorry for Benny. He had plenty of water but there was just a big tree trunk in the enclosure to occupy him, I'm sure he would get sick of walking backwards and forward along it.
Food at the Melka was very good and very reasonably priced.
Had a great day, saw heaps. Glad we are staying at Lovina instead of trying to see it all in a day from Legian.
Friday 6th July
Booked a wake up call for 5.30 shouldn't have worried wide awake at 4.30. What is going on!!!! Captain picks us up at 6.00 to go see the dolphins. Very excited, we walk down to the beach, still dark, beautiful morning, really warm, no wind ocean very calm, head out on one of the fishing boats, watch an amazing sunrise, still heading out to sea, maybe we won't see any dolphins this morning. Doesn't matter, it's worth the 170000rp just to go for the boat ride and see the sunrise. We tell the driver we are ready to head back to shore, he looks confused 'no dolphin no worries?' No worries, we turn around to go back then he takes off , we found some dolphins, only a couple but at least we saw some. It then turns into a game of chasy, one boat takes off with people pointing and all the boats head in that direction. The dolphins arc out of the water a few times and then take off. No chance of catching them. We end up seeing quite a lot. Some hang around for a bit others arc once or twice and are gone. Finally time to head back in.
We get back to shore and are inundated with beach sellers selling dolphin souvenirs, would carvings, photo albums, pearls, necklaces. Great morning glad we decided to go out.
Had a massage in the spa 70000 for 1hr great! Daughter has manicure 40000rp.
We also swam with the dolphins at the Melka. I don't want to start a flame war over this so I will just say we did it and thought it was fantastic. I know some people get quite heated in their discussions over the dolphins so I won't say anymore about them.
The kids also got to hand feed them.
The owner came and spoke to us that afternoon as they were doing some work near our rooms and he wanted to know if it was annoying us. He also showed us some of the new enclosures that are being built, there is also an aviary and butterfly enclosure being built. He spoke to us each day to make sure we were happy with everything. There are a lot of trainees at the motel so sometimes there is a little trouble understanding, but there was always someone close by to help. They make the best fresh pineapple juice blended up with ice 9000rp, would have paid double that sooo nice.
Got transport up to the dolphin monument and walked back to the motel. We wouldn't have wanted to stay much longer in Lovina as there is not a great deal to do and there were very few tourists, but we are glad we spent the time seeing some sights on the way to Lovina and having a bit of a rest while we were there.
Saturday 7th July
Time to pack up and leave the Melka and head back to The Jayakata in Legian. Today is
Kuningan, so Made picks us up at 10.00 so he can get back for the celebrations. Was great to see all the decorations in the streets and on cars and motorbikes, people all dressed up. All the temples were fully decorated, it was a great day to drive back down to Legian to see all the decorations. There was heaps of traffic as everyone was heading to their villages for the celebrations. Paid Made 350000 for the first day and 325000 for the return trip. It was well worth it, he paid all the parking fees, we paid admission fees to the temple, about 10000rp for 2 adults and 2 kids, the springs was 9000rp for the 4 of us, is was so easy knowing he would be ready and waiting to go where and when we wanted.
Arrive at the Jayakata at 1.30, took just over 3 hours. Check in got the rooms I had requested 291 & 293, interconnectin. Very happy with the rooms, they are very close to the pool and the restaurant, we can sit outside our room and watch the kids in the pool. No worries about getting a pool lounge. I actually sat laughing as I watched people go out there at 6.00 in the morning to reserve a lounge, then go back to their rooms and not even use them.
Go to the photo shop outside the Jayakata to get some photos developed, still 1500rp per photo and 30000 to put them on a disc, bargain!!! They will be ready at 6.00pm, even better.
Head up to the Bintang supermarket to get some supplies. It is a fair way up, but not too bad.
Had lunch at The Flying Piano, yummo! Football is on so Husband and kids very happy. Go back to check out the beach, surprised to see how many people are there, good to see. Back to the Jayakata to swim, we watch the kids from outside our room and have a few drinks, it feels great to be back, feels like we were here yesterday, not 18 months ago. It also feels like we have been in Bali for weeks and there is still over a week to go!!!!!! Fantastic!
Had tea at Topi Koki just outside Jayakata, we all love this restaurant, we ate there a few times last time we were here and the food is still good and the prices are excellent, it's a shame to see no one else in the place.
We found having two rooms so much better than the apartment we had last time we stayed here. The rooms are bright, clean, the bathroom is cleaner and newer than the ones in the apartments, The kids also like have their own room.
Sunday 8th July
Breakfast excellent, just as we remembered, huge choice, all hot, not just warm. We then caught the free shuttle to Kuta Square. Walked down to Bali Brumby to check how our stuff is going, it's all good have to go back Wednesday or Thursday to pick it all up. Stop at a few shops on the way back to Kuta Square, Oneil boardies 25000rp, Chanel glasses 30000, skull buckle and leather belt for son 40000. Finally get to Dolce & Gabbana, I LOVE this shop, zip up D&G hoodie 325000rp Louis Vitton umberella 65000rp, Prada silk scarf 40000rp, Calvin Klein trunks for the boys 45000rp. Next door to Versace, LOVE this shop too Victoria Beckham jeans 240000rp for me Armarni jeans for husband 400000rp some D&G tops 90000rp- 11000rp, Armani silk tie 180000. Stop at the roxy shop buy thongs for daughter90000rp, kids have been great, no whinning so we let them have Maccas for lunch. Head back to the motel to let the kids have some pool time. They meet some other kids there and they all end up having a game of rugby in the kids pool. Organize for Gede to come to the motel for a fitting for the leather stuff, then book white water rafting for tomorrow afternoon.
Had tea at Blue Ocean and watch the sunset. Good food again. Back to the motel, there was a cabaret night, we can see it from our room, glad we didn't pay the 100000 per head for dinner and show as it looked pretty ordinary.
Next instalment white water rafting and more.................