Trying to get finished now before 2yr old wakes up from nap and it's all over!
Sat 7/6 - Took a taxi down to Legian today and went for walk around. Always so sad when you see the memorial. Lots of ?asian tourists taking photos. Is this appropriate? I don't know, I wouldn't but maybe it's ok. Seems a little disrespectful to me. It's more about a place of relection I feel. Walked along streets and eventually made our way back to the hotel. Hubby took kids to pool while I went up to Kodak shop near Dynasty and organised some photos to be developed. Whilst here I also got one of the photos cropped and put onto canvas, turned out really well. 150k - no idea if that's good or not (unframed) but had it back within a few hours, great job.
Whilst over here I either changed money at the hotel or at this kodak shop if I was heading down this way. Hotel rate over our stay was 8700 - 8710 and Kodak shop 8800 - 8850. Sometimes I just found it easier to do it at the hotel and the rate wasn't that much different.
Picked up photos later and hubby went off for another massage. We also bought some fireworks. Every night we've been here they've been letting them off near the hotel and hubby wanted to set some off for the kids.
We went to Mini for dinner again tonight - just felt like having the fish and prawns again. Also had some squid tonight - delicious! Hubby didn't confirm the prices tonight when he selected the seafood and I thought ""GREAT!"", here comes another ripoff! They were actually very reasonable though and didn't attempt to rip us off other than charging 150k for the 3 prawns instead of the 100k from last night but once we queried it they changed the price and we were very happy. Very nice place to eat and the food is good.
Kids went on a horse and cart ride tonight there and back as we'd been promising it for days now. I called in to Dynasty on the way back as I was wanting to go to Dim Sum tomorrow at the Goldon Lotus and thought I'd have to book. Turns out you don't, just turn up any time between 10.30 - 2.30pm. The new lobby area at Dynasty looks really nice - we will probably consider staying here again next time.
Back to the hotel and time for the fireworks. It was a little late but the kids were keen. Off down the front of BGH we went and hubby spoke to the security guard and he said sure just take them down the beach a few metres. The littlies and I sat on a pool chair and waited. Hubby lights one up and next thing all hell broke loose. Lights came on and motor bikes came flying out everywhere. Hubby and 14yr old flew back up followed closely by security guards and what I thought were police. He's apologising profusely and then BGH security guard is telling us to hurry up and get out of there so we did. That's a bit too much excitement for me! Hubby went back down and spoke to security guard later and he said it was Centro security and they were stopping people doing it but he didn't know why. He would try and find out and get back to us in the morning. Great! Off to bed after everyone had calmed down.
Sun 8/6 - Went into Denpasar shopping at Matahari this morning. As I took hubby, 2 & 4 yr olds with me that was as far as I got. Didn't make it to Ramayana or Robinson's. Got lots of nice clothes in there and it was 20% off. Got some Revlon too, in particular a favourite lipstick that is no longer available in Aus or Singapore so I was happy.
We then went to Dim Sum at the Dynasty. Now we didn't get there till 1.30pm and it's quite obvious that you wouldn't go at the end of the session. It was still ok but alot of the food was running out or gone and had probably been out for a while. It was 60k ++ each and they didn't charge for the children.
I went out in the afternoon and sometime then hubby gave away all the fireworks to some other young kid. He'd been back in touch with security and there seemed to be some debate whether they were legal or not, turns out it was the police there the other night and he didn't want to risk time in a balinese jail - chicken! Oh well!
Tonight we had dinner at kafe Batan Waru - Chilli Crab night - again. Very nice once again.
Mon 9/6 - Today we went to Waterbom again. Another great day. Tried 2yr old on water raft slide again and he loved it, couldn't keep him off. We left at about 2.30pm or so for some last minute shopping.
Took 4yr old down to Mata hari and got him a couple of outfits. Not 20% off here today, don't know why I didn't do it the other day, that's right - they were harrassing me that they'd had enough.
Also went to Garuda office. Confirmed flights but mainly went as I'd realised on Friday that the 2yr old had left his music toy on the plane on the way over. The man gave me a number to ring, assured me they spoke English and would understand me. Of course when I rang back at the hotel and eventually managed to get through it was in Indonesian - no help to me! Back down to Garuda but of course they were closed by now. Just about over that!
Swim in the pool and had last nights dinner at the pool restaurant. Now, of course, tonight there were fireworks going off everywhere!! Didn't seem to be a problem tonight. Kids and I stayed in room but hubby and 14yr old went and had a look. Apparently it was a group of young teenage boys doing it right next to BGH. His dad was there talking to the security guard and the boy/s was apparently very drunk, ducking around the corner to smoke ?? and carrying on. Must have a much more liberal household than mine. The kids were actually holding them in their hands and setting them off. Are they nuts? One of the younger kids apparently dropped it and it went shooting off across the back area of the lawn at BGH narrowly missing the security guard. Finally the guard put a stop to it. Wouldn't have been happy if it came near me! That was it for the night after that.
Tue 10/6 - Flying out at 12.40pm today. Had breakie and finished packing - not rushed for once! Hotel took us to airport for 50k so that was good. Bought some duty free. Note there is no longer a MacDonalds at the airport. Managed to find some fries for the kids but they were very small serving and very overpriced.
Plane boarded and left on time. Great crew - very friendly. Kids got a great meal served in a box. 2yr old slept for 1 1/2 hrs so it was a good flight.
Through customs quickly. I know they've got a serious job to do but surely they could at least smile! Luggage came through quickly and through to declare. I've always got kids food on me. They never even looked at it. Asked me what I had, xrayed our luggage and we were straight out.
We had a great trip enjoyed by all. Ten days was just the right amount of time. We're off to Phuket next March (no kids - yippee) for my sister's wedding so it will be interesting to compare the two places. (I've done a day trip to Phuket before but you don't get much of a feel from that). So, don't know whether we will squeeze in a trip to Bali at the end of next year or whether it will have to wait till the year after - can't wait though!
On a footnote, I rang Qantas on our return - they handle lost luggage for Garuda. Got a recorded message saying they'd get back to you if they find the item. They won't call if they don't even if you ask them to call you! I'm submitting a claim to our insurance company. The toy was only $50 but if they pay it then why not. I still had the box from Xmas and this is supposed to be evidence enough that you owned it. I've still got a pending claim with them from a month ago on a lost cruise out of Singapore though so don't know how I'll go. I know they're trying to get out of that one by saying it was terrorism related - why else do we have the insurance though except to cover the unforseen. Here's hoping.
Thanks for reading!