This isn't really a JBR - we got back 3 weeks ago but I've only just got into gear.
Arranged to have a holiday with two of our best and oldest (in both contexts) friends We live in Oz for 25 years now, 3rd visit to Bali, their first time. My wife Lynn was at school in UK with Pete & Mary. She was horrified when Mary started going out with Pete, told Mary it would never last. 40 years on she may have mellowed slightly.
We met up in Singapore, had a great day there then flew down to Bali next afternoon, 5th January. Love Singapore Airlines! Ron who runs Sanur Beach Villas arranged a driver with a minivan to pick us all up. All went smoothly. My timetable to Pete read ..land at 7, through customs & VOA etc by 7:45, get to hotel by 8:30, first Bintang at 8:32. He spent days trying to work out what a Bintang was. We showed him about 30 minutes ahead of schedule.
Had a couple of beers then Ron offered to take us out to a local restaurant. Our introduction to 'Kesuma's' on the beach nearby. All went wrong at first as they were full...Ron was shocked - first time he had been turned away from a restaurant he had helped to set up. Anyway, forced to spend half an hour at Wayan's bar next door till we got a table. Enjoyed all. Back at hotel, more beers then to bed.
Sanur Beach Villas a great little place. At the very southern end of Sanur, beyond the Mercure. Very small, 6 rooms, 2 villas set around a swimming pool. When we were there, Ron & Irma lived in one of the rooms, 3 others & one villa occupied by long term residents. So not a lot available. When he heard about the open air bathrooms Pete had a vision of sitting on the toilet in the morning waving regally to maids. Fortunately enclosed by a high wall so no such experience.
The truth is Irma runs the place, cooks, cleans, Ron is the businessman .
OK I like Sanur. Very quiet compared to Kuta area but with a lot of character. Suits me. Like the Trophy Bar, Bobby's & Donald's on the beach etc. Visited all on this trip. Food - ate at 'Little India', great food, Donald's, on the main drag, bit disappointing, but mainly at Kesumas. Didn't intend to but ended up there 4 times for dinner. Second time (after the visit with Ron) asked what fish they had. Boss had just got back with a catch including a 2.5 Kg snapper (all fish seem to be snapper!). Sounded over the top for 4 but OK. Fish came out on a serving plate thought that doesn't look too much after all. Then they brought out vegetables, rice, chips, sauces... then the second half of the fish. Oh my! We managed to do a pretty good job. At Rp 7000 per 100 gm = 175000 total, about $A20 for the 4 of us you can see why we kept going back. Mary's refrain throughout the holiday was 'But I don't like fish'. You could fool me!
Did a few touristy things like Bird & Reptile Parks. Enjoyed much more than I expected. The free flight exhibition at Bird park well worth seeing. NB they told us at entrance next show was 12:00 when it turned out to be at 11:00. Luckily got there in time. Have photos of Lynn holding an owl and at the reptile park ann iguana, nearly half as long as she is tall. Look on her face is a classic.
Went to Ubud, did Monkey Forest, but Mary not too keen (monkey phobia). Had a great lunch in a small restaurant 'King Tarou' down a side street. We were amazed at the value. As Pete said, his meal cost less than a packet of crisps in an English pub. Visited Orchid Park..was surprised that I enjoyed it so much.
Perhaps what would have been a highlight of the week was our visit to Uluwatu to the Kecak Dance. Utterly brilliant and very entertaining. Also very funny in parts, then so sad. The facial expressions of the women in the 'maybe' suicide scene showed the depth of their talent. Then the white monkey, coming in for a significant scene being distracted by a brooch that one of the female onlookers was wearing and trying to steal it from her had everyone roaring with laughter. Some things spoiled it though. First a Japanese girl entering into the middle of the stage area during the performance so she could have a photo taken really annoyed me. Also several groups turned up late, disrupting the action then proceeded to leave 15 minutes later again causing another disruption. They left by the actor's entrance stopping the play for several minutes. Obviously a whole hour of culture is too much for some.
Ron would invite us to various activities. On morning he asked if we would like a tour of Sanur. He was delighted when we said yes 'I'm supposed to be cleaning the pool!' . Showed me a few places I didn't know. We jumped ship at Art Market in the north. Walked back to SBV along the coast path. Needed a few breaks along the way. I found it was not advisable to walk the 4 or 5 km in new sandles. By the time we got there I had 4 blisters the size of hen's eggs. OK that's an exaggeration but it seemed that way.
Looked around the shops. Went into a small arcade 50m north of Trophy Bar. Pete liked and got on well with owner and spent a fair amount there. H e liked because the initial price asked wasn't silly. Still bargained but liked the attitude.
Lynn came one afternoon with a sarong she had picked up but she had no money with her. Shop holder (between SBV and town) insisted she took the sarong and came back later to pay. Needless to say I was there before she closed and she sold me a shirt. Over the next few days we spent a lot there. Woman was very happy as she reckoned first sales for 2 weeks. Last day in Sanur Lynn asked me to get a sarong she had been 50/50 about buying. I bargained down from price Lynn's price then she told me I was a mean bastard so had to go back to present an extra R5000.OK peanuts I know but owner loved it!!
Overall. great week, great place to stay, Loved it all.
Oh yes...I'm forgetting the wonder dog. Ron had (he said) reluctantly adopted a stray a few weeks earlier. Snowy could follow us along the beachfront for 2 km. Could steal food from starving kittens. At night would attack invaders with great force and very noisily. We knew he was successful because there was never anything to see when we looked out to see what the fuss was about.
When we left SBV Lynn left behind some medication she might have needed. We know that if she had wanted it that Ron would have attached it to Snowy's collar and he would have hurtled the 90 km to Lovina to return to lynn