INTRO
This is (believe it or not) my first ever JBR.
I've been to Bali on 5 previous occasions and love reading JBRs on this forum but somehow could never bring myself to actually writing one myself.Lazy?...perhaps.I think it probably had more to do with being too depressed with Bali Blues when I got back,that I just couldn't even bear to relive it whilst banging away at a keyboard in suburban Adelaide.
I've only ever jumped on the forum on the few months leading up to my Bali holiday,never a full-time contributor like some of the true devotees that give so freely day in day out,so those weeks and months getting to know people here again are such great fun and I really enjoy the good natured (and sometimes slightly heated) banter that goes on.
Anyway,time to share.I hope you get something out of it.I hope I enjoy writing it.
WANNA GO BACK TO BALI?
It all started just before New Year's Eve when I stumbled upon a 'go fare' on the Virgin website.I'd heard Virgin had jumped on the Adelaide/Denpasar opening since Garuda pulled out in (I think) 2005.
$153 + taxes,$460 return each including taxes......You're kidding!...How cheap is THAT? I checked the dates...leave on Fri 29th May,come back Mon 8th June,9 nights back in beautiful Bali.
"Hey Honey,wanna go back to Bali?"......"Sure babe,How cheap?,WOW!" came the reply from the kitchen..."I'll ring the kids and see if they want to come too"
We hadn't been to Bali since 2004 (but talked non-stop about it) and after no more direct flights from Adelaide and then the 2nd lot of bombings in 2005 in Kuta Square and Jimbaran,we thought maybe it was time to try other places...somewhere different (Malaysia,2 cruises and Italy),at least until things settled down.
But now we were going back.YAHOO!!!
Wife's 2 adult children,daughter Bianca and fiance Matt,son Leon and girlfriend Danielle (all Bali virgins and hereinafter known as 'the kids') gave the thumbs up.
It's a go'er.
COUNTDOWN TO BALI
The week leading up was very exciting especially for the kids.
I went out and bought a Nikon D90 SLR (18-105) and the girls did the usual nails/waxing/hair/swimsuit shopping etc.etc.The boys kept hitting me with "HOW cheap are the beers in Bali?" questions.
I'd organised to stay 4 nights in Ubud at Tegal Sari although the kids had to stay next door at Greenfields (fully booked at TS) and then 5 nights in Sanur at Pondok Ayu,also fully booked so the kids stayed at Respati.
I'd finalised all my BTF Q & A stuff and had even arranged to meet up with BloodyRon (who gave me a spray about my restaurant choices here on the forum) in Sanur on the 3rd June for the inaugural SkigRon 'cultural' SLOSH'N'NOSH tour of Sanur's finest watering holes...more of that later.
I couldn't have been more ready.
THE FLIGHT
Not too much to say here.Did the usual duty free bottle of Tia Maria for sunset tipples on our balcony and pre-ordered assorted 4.5 litres of duty free for our return to Oz.
Plane left on time and by sheer coincidence sat next to the only forumite I knew that was on that flight. Hi Chrissy (and Andrew)
Landed in Bali about 10 minutes early (didn't bother with VIP VOA) and within 25-30 minutes we were through.
BACK IN BALI
I had pre-arranged to meet with my old friend Gusti at the airport who had hired a 10-seater for the drive (via moneychanger) to Ubud.
It was just great to see him again after 5 years and as I was chatting to him I was keeping an eye on the kids' silent,gobsmacked faces as we were driving through the bustle of southern Bali.Only Danielle had been to SE Asia before but the others had seen nothing like it ever, and the looks on their faces were priceless...OMG! THIS IS PARADISE?
And so begins their love affair with Bali.
coming soon...Ubud (accomodation,restaurants and dramas)