sorry this is late as we have been laid up with the flu and will get through all 19 days but it may be a bit slower than usual....
I hope I don't bore you! Okay here we go................
Sunday 15th July
Well today is the day, off to my beautiful paradise......up at 4am, picked up at 5.45am by a friend, arrive at airport at 6am, check in okay but already overweight by 12 kg's, Garuda wanted to charge excess baggage but I smoothed it over by telling them one case was full of donations for the orphanage and after some rearranging of the baggage we were allowed through without any payment.....Whoop's I forgot to tell them I had 6 bottles of champagne as well (more about that later).
Plane left dead (sic) on time at 8am and after a smooth trip arrived as scheduled at 11.40am, very orderly and quick through VOA and customs.. now.. I declared all my champers and had some rupee ready for the payment and to my surprise the customs officer looked at one bottle and said have a nice holiday, I couldn't believe it but hey I wasn't going to argue!!!
My son Tony and my 2 beautiful granddaughters Jessica (14) and Madison (9) were waiting for us with there driver Elvis to take us to Puri Raja. As I stepped outside I knew I was home as soon as felt the warmth of the Bali sun hitting my face and the sweet aromas only those who love gods country can smell...I knew this is where I want to be more than anywhere else in the world for the next 19 days.
We all packed into the mini bus and meandered through the streets, they seemed much busier than they were 12 months ago and it was a beautiful sight to see so many tourists wandering the streets, in the markets and on the beach, this only means one thing and that is that things are picking up, the tourists are returning and that is all good for my friends and their economy.
Check in at hotel was okay, staff very friendly although we were given a room on the 1st floor and had booked a ground floor close to the beach pool, the staff were apologetic and promised to move all of us downstairs tomorrow. After a quick change of clothes we were off to the Stadium to watch the Dockers only to see them lose again, my team is the Eagles but Tony is a mad Dockers fan so he and Ross (my Eagle fan hubby) drowned their sorrows with a few too many Bintangs, then back to the hotel quick shower, change and off to Legends for dinner. A friendly, bobby little place with a live band suitable for all ages and to my surprise Ketut (Manager) and Mardi are old friends who used to be at Bali Rock Café 7/8 years ago in Peter Jones days, so a nice reunion was had by all.
Boys had a few more Bintangs and on the way home dropped in to say hi to Peter at Posers, a few more Bintangs and then a wobbly walk home for a well earned sleep.
Monday 16th July
Woke early this morning at 5am, I mean who can sleep in paradise, as I sat on my balcony soaking up the aromas of freshly dewed frangipani flower which lingers in the freshness of the morning as the mustiness of Bali rises to meet the frangipani, I thought I must have died and was in heaven for a brief moment when the girls greeted me from across the balcony only to hurry me down to breakfast, nice breakfast, you can have American or anything from the menu which adds up to the same price, a swim in the lovely pool which has a great swim up bar then off to change some money, took Tony and the girls off to our Italian shop where they all bought some fabulous jeans, shorts, t/shirts etc.
Supa Nova next stop, lunch at the food hall for us all (5) with Bintangs and soft drinks was only 100000rp, then into buy my Martha Tiller products, got all 6 products for $57, I can't wait to start using them.
Back to the hotel by 3pm to meet Iluh who used to be our baby sitter for about 10 years on all our trips to Bali, Iluh is now 31, a widow and rearing her 5 yr old daughter Rikha.
Change of rooms as promised, we went to room 119 and Tony 106 a bit closer to the front, our room is great, plenty of room, huge wardrobe and nice bathroom with bath, very happy.
Dinner at Zanzibar, food was excellent, Bintangs cold and an early night tonight for all.
Tuesday 17th July
7.30 rise this morning, another tasty breakfast at Puri Raja overlooking the ocean with the sound of waves breaking on the shore is just bliss and now to seek out more bliss, checked out some spas and decided to go for a hot stone massage at Melasti Spa, always wanted one and now they are on 50% off we booked in for 10am.
Wow I can definitely recommend, I feel ssoooo fantastic and I think I may even go another one before I leave.
Spent the rest of the day relaxing around the pool and got a little burnt especially the legs, I need to pay more attention instead of chatting to others you know the drill, get to know others, where there from, how many times in Bali, yep be the friendly lady from WA.
Dinner at the Indo National, it was okay certainly wouldn't rave about it like others do on btf, my hubby's steak was about as thick as cardboard and tasted like it, I always tend to go for Indo/asian and mine was okay.
Home and poolside for a few cocktails, the pool bar closes at 12pm and the pool at 1pm so there were a few others also enjoying a nightcap or three, in particular a young girl called Prue who had been downing copious amounts of Illusions and she thought she must now be immune to them because she had no reaction..we said yeah right, I will be looking for her tomorrow for the final reaction!!
Bed around 11.30pm.......more tomorrow