Just back from Bali on Tuesday. My 7th or 8th trip. Myself, hubby and 3 x boys: 2, 4, 14yrs.
We flew up on Saturday 31st May on the 5.15pm flight from Perth with Garuda (got choice of flights when I booked and this time suited us much better as we're in the country). Flight left ~ 1 1/4 hrs late. We boarded on time but they kept us sitting in the plane till takeoff, would much rather have waited in airport as kids were going a bit beserk by then!
Great flight, good service (so much more helpful and polite than Q!). I'm told they did run out of beer and wine but as I wasn't drinking this it didn't affect me! They do know how to bring that plane in hard though, we came in with an awful bang. I'm surprised there was any rubber left on the tyres! We took a bus from the plane to the terminal which was no trouble - I don't think I've had to do that before, maybe years ago.
Then the fun started! I was walking towards the VOA counter with the 2yr old and my husband was a few steps behind me after another group of people. I got pulled aside by an official and he said people with small children can come this way and beat the crowd. GREAT i thought! Anyone else with you? Yes. Ok, they come too. So off he took us around to the right totally bypassing the normal channel. He asked how I pay and I said I only had Aus $. He said that'll be $35 each. Pretty steep rate I thought but it was the airport. So he sits us around the corner near the xray machine and takes off with our passports and money. This took FOREVER! Meanwhile nearly the whole plane has gone past us on their merry way and we're still sitting there at this stage thinking maybe he's actually done a runner with our passports. Eventually he comes back all stamped and gives me 200K rp change and I'm trying to do quick sums in my head working out just how much he's ripped us off. I gave him $200AU. I had thought it would only be about $135AU (He wanted $35Au ea x 5). I was sure it was wrong but didn't have a clue what to do about it and hubby didn't want me to argue with him. Last year I took US $ and think I will again next time. The rate is so good at the moment anyhow and it certainly saves any sort of confusion particularly when you're dealing with kids and by this time the 4yr old was throwing a real tantrum!
Finally we got on our way and collected our luggage. Went outside and got 2 x taxi's to South Kuta at 40k ea and off we went to BGH.
We arrived around 10.45pm. Check-in was fine and we got the interconnecting rooms as requested. The lobby looked quite nice but first impression of our room was not. I don't think anything looks that good at that time of night after a few hours travelling with small children! The rooms are pretty old looking and run down. We had to go down a flight of stairs from Lobby level to reach our rooms on Level 1, #'s 173/174. Our first impression is that we would see about swapping in the am as I was worried about the kids getting out the doors which lead to a fish pond just outside. I figured we'd be better on the 2nd floor where they didn't have direct access to water, only broken bones from falling! None of the child locks I'd brought with me worked on the doors. The very nice bellboys brought us some kind of plastic bag strapping?? and my husband was actually able to tie up the security chain on the doors so they couldn't be opened. This worked a treat and they stayed like this for the rest of our trip. I just put a note on the outside of the kids door explaining that it was locked from the inside and everyone entered from our room - problem solved and I was alot more comfortable. Things did look better in the am and we decided these rooms would be as good as any. They brought us a single bed mattress which we put on the floor in our room (I tried hard not to notice how filthy the mattress they brought in was!).
We went for a walk around the pool area quickly and then came back and settled the kids into bed for the night.
There was a rather large ?generator outside our room. Now it didn't really bother me (made a nice change from the kids noise!) but it might bother you if you were sensitive to noise. Also there seemed to be some dogs/puppies making an awful racket from REALLY early in the morning just outside our front door. We are not early risers so this was a little annoying too. Could never see anything when I looked out there. Anyway.... our first night in Bali!
Will continue JBR tomorrow with what we got up to.