Arrived back in Kuta staying at the Hard rock hotel. I booked this on the internet direct with the hotel, rate Aust.$53 per person, per night. Included breakfast and late checkout until 6.00pm on last day. Great price! Hubby being a musician loves this place.Fantactic pool. This hotel has a musical theme, if that's what you like. Room 5412 in the 'PoP' wing third floor. No problem with noise just like the other 4 times we stayed here. The only mishap was on the second to last day when you receive a note under the door reminding you off 12 noon check out the next day. I booked a mid week package which included late checkout, so not happy Jan.! On the phone straight away and all fixed! We have late checkout.
We spent the last 4 days shopping for last minute bits and pieces. I bought a lovely gold 18ct chain at 'Dewi Shinta ' gold shop Jl Hasanudin no. 33 Denpasar. Aust $75. I have purchases other jewellery from this shop and find the quality is good. Bought Revlon lipsticks $4 ea at Matahari, Kuta square. Bought 2 flags for the garden at Rp.15,000 ea.
The weather was beautiful with a lovely cool breeze blowing. Still hot in the sun though. We took all our laundry to Divas café in Poppies 1. Good and cheap.
We ate at many restaurants and the food everywhere was superb. Very tasty, even a plain steak has flavour in Bali...lol
Restaurants we ate at - some of our favourites
Ours Jl Suhadawa Legian
Divas poppies 1
Food court Bali mall very cheap
Bennos Sanur
Swell poppies 1
Dirty duck diner Ubud
Tegal Cafe Ubud
Tropical Bale Ubud
Lotus Lane Ubud
Crackers Bar Pacung
Tanjung Alam Lovina
Nusa Indah poppies 1
Uncle Norms Jl. Melasti
The Legend Jl. Suhadawa (great entertainment with yellow band and hilarious floor shows). Great staff
Billy's Jl. Suhadawa Great staff, a lot of fun, Pheonix band and Renegade band were fabulous. Hubby sang a few songs with them both.
Yummy food too.
Siluet band were great as usual. The other bands that play at Hard rock hotel get too loud and play all the same thing. Siluet play a variety of songs to suit all. The guitarist, Zul is now married to an Australia girl from Sydney and they live in Bali with their 9 month old daughter.
The last day I had a hair cut at a salon in poppies 1 costing Rp.25,000 ($3.15). Great price and a really nice job. There were a lot more tourists around now which is great for Bali. Not as many Australians but more Europeans. Johnny Howard was there when we were so if its good enough for him its good for us too. With more people came more smokers in restaurants. Being non smokers it bothered us a little bit but that's ok. Nothing will keep me away from paradise.
A big thank you to everyone on this forum for information I gather during the year. I hope I have given back info that may help you too.
Photos are on webshots including my custom-made pendent and mosquito net. Sorry they are all jumbled up but I'm not good with computers...lol
Kay
http://travelDOTwebshotsDOTcom/photo/2247723470080297474dzulOi