This was a trip of ups & downs.
I was on the May 31st Garuda flight from Perth where we sat on the tarmac for over an hour. They ran out of wine & - shock, horror - Bintang half way through food service (didn't have any spirits at all). Not a biggie & the upside was that there were no queues for the loos.
Hubby, D, had arrived in Bali the day before (taking a 10 day break from 2 months surfing elsewhere in Indonesia)& somehow had managed to get a room at Masa Inn. It well deserves it's high reputation - excellent value for money, better than other more expensive places we have stayed at. Just about permanently fully booked & no wonder. With D away for so long & not earning, we were doing budget - but Masa & all the other places where we stayed this time felt far more upmarket than budget.
It was wonderful being with my man after a month apart - in a long relationship you tend to take what you have for granted. There is nothing like some time apart to make you appreciate each other more than ever. Loved every minute we spent together. Well, almost.
I had a busy 2 days planned before we headed off re-exploring parts of Bali. In retrospect, I had planned to do too much in too short a time so I rushed around & did things way too quickly. Learn from my mistakes!
Went to Janoko Tailor in Poppies 2 to try them out by getting a shirt & pants copied twice in black & white. Ready the next night. The black linen things turned out fine but I am sure there is no way I would've chosen white polyester. My head had been already on my next chore & I didn't pay enough attention. Only Rp14K/item so no biggie. ADVICE - when the tailor snips off a bit of your chosen fabric get one for yourself too. I blamed myself for being the dill that I am & went back to Janoko later to have lots more things made satisfactorily.
(BTW the Money Changer on the corner of the gang between Poppies 1 & Poppies 2 is honest & his rates are a tad above Kodak. I have been changing $ there for years.)
Next was a jeweler to get a ring I inherited from my late Mother-In-Law remodeled (a cluster of 1 old largish diamond surrounded by 8 newer, smaller diamonds). I had a pic from a catalogue for a band with the large diamond centre, low set, 4 smaller ones either side. Went to the very ritzy-looking place in Kuta Square (forget the name) but they couldn't do it by June 14th. So off to another place. Not going to name it until I get the ring I eventually ended up with examined by the jeweler here who valued it in it's original state. ADVICE - have your jewelry valued in Oz, ensure that the valuation includes a detailed description (colour, clarity, weight etc - the more details the better), take a pic & provide the jeweler with copies at the outset so there can be no dispute - I had these things, but stupidly didn't take them with me.
Next was Carrefore to get new reading/computer specs from the shop across from the supermarket. I only wear them at home so not too fussed about frames but got some great ones on sale, half price. Rushing again, I handed over the prescription I'd got from OPSM in Perth a few days before - come back tomorrow arvo. Carrefour was overwhelming - soo big. Great fruit flans.
D kept bumping into guys he'd been surfing with in the Indonesian equivalent of Woop Woop. Had dinner at the Night Market with 2 of them - Strawberry warung - 2 big snapper, 2 serves of squid, vegies, rice, beers for Rp35K each - excellent food, highly recommend it. If you're not there early avoid the loos & girls, take tissues. Took me back decades.
Went to collect specs the next day but they were useless - the person who tested my eyes at OPSM had written plus instead of minus grrr. ADVICE - even if you have a recent prescription, have your eyes tested again in Bali. So, more money to be paid & another trip to Carrefour & more fattening fruit flans (yes!!).
Mean while D was organising a car - a recent Taruna for Rp120K/day - from the fairy shop across from Masa. (I'd seen him going into the fairy shop & wondered if the man I've been living with for over 3 decades had hidden something from me for all those years).
We had dinner at Un's - not enough superlatives. After eating only Indonesian food 3 times/day for a month D was really hanging out for good western food & he sure got it at Un's. This place must be the best value in Bali for food of such a high standard. I'd eaten there a few times before & even though I'd praised it highly, he was gob smacked. And this is the guy who thinks Jacksons could do better!! High praise indeed.
In the morning we headed off for 6 days to Pacung, Ubud & Sanur.