JBR 24July -04Aug
Where - Puri Raja & Beach Melati Apartments (legian) 95-100% full
Puri Raja - this was a great hotel, although we had tried to pre-book adjoining rooms this did not eventuate but they did have the rooms next to ours - so no real problems.
This hotel and grounds had been refurbished last year and the changes were a great sight. Bed was a little firm for my liking though. Here I liked getting up early 6 - 6.30am and walking down to the beach through the hotel where the frangipani flowers fell like snow flakes and littered the path in a blanket of white yellow & pink
Great friendly staff & good restaurant, excellent position right on the beach- keep an eye out or the pool lounge hogs tho, they like to get up very early and take prime position around the beach end pool. The pool near reception was a quieter alternative and always seemed to have lounges avail so no real problems. The blokes would often go for an early morning walk as we didn't need the beauty sleep (or it wouldn't help!!!) It was here we were offered a different type of 'transport' by a lovely young girl on a motor bike - BUT declined the offer graciously
We ate at a few new places this time for us, some of our favourites - Lanai (twice), Restorante Italie (part of Kumala Pantai Hotel). Also ate at Uncle Norms, Legends and Bubba Gumps (for the kids - expensive for Bali and not that flash).
Favourites we seemed to miss out on this trip - Koris & Goshas, don't know where the time went..
Shopping - gee does the wife like to spend or what !!! She was in a frenzzie , Surf shops were hunted high and low looking for fantastic gear at a great saving compared with home. Some shops had discount days at up to 50% off you just needed to look.
At Centro's she got a Guess bag for A$50.00 this was in their 50% off sale was she chuffed or what... Revlon make up at Matahari's 1/3 of the price here in Perth. Did the usual trip to Geneva's and Daun near the art markets in Kuta. If you're a smoker don't buy them duty free you can get them off the street and in the shops for 10000r a pack A$1.28 ea
The girls did the day spa whilst the guy's went to Bali Buggy and raced around the hills and villages having a ball. But you won't get two big blokes in 1 buggy they just don't have the power, sunglasses are very important as it does get dusty and hard to see. We went White Water Rafting and this was a hoot, the kids love it and have now been 4 times, this time though we went over a 4m drop right at the end but great fun and the water was very clear. A great day out. You can get great deals from the tour booths in the street offering up to 50% of list price, we paid about A$38.00 each, and list price was US$65.00.
We moved to the Beach Melati Apartments for the last 2days and 1 night as we had changed our flight and our hotel could not get us in (we needed 5 rooms). This is a fantastic place, I had checked it our earlier in the week but had not told the girls what it looked like until we moved. You would not know this place existed until you walk through 'The coffee shop'. We rented 2 x 2 bedroom units and 1 x 1 bedroom - the décor was fantastic, the kids lived the pool and the DVD players where they watched DVDs for a short while during the day or just before bed. I had been worried earlier before we arrived as I had not seen these other than on the web - which does not do them justice, so if they were not up to standard me head was gone... Gee was I a lucky boy... if you get chance try them. The girls all said we should have spent our whole holiday here, ours 205 had this huge private balcony with 2 lounges on - just bliss and it's for sale too ...
Well I've rambled on for long enough - please feel free to ask any questions