July 10th - arrived from Adelaide after o/night in Malaysia -this flight made the trip possible at short notice and within required time frame. Malaysian Airlines very good but rather go straight to Bali. This trip - myself, son who turned 24 on day one and his fiancee 23 (The Kids).Also did a few trips with another family of four. This was my fourth trip,the most prior was four years earlier and noticed a lot of changes - food was even better and not a lot of change in prices, bands at lots of cafes in Sanur now and Kuta - Legian a traffic nightmare.Son had been twice as a small child and he noticed the absence of the chained up monkeys at lots of cafes - another improvement I think.
Checking into Bumi ayu Bungalows at Sanuar all was good but the start of a recurrent assumption - that my son and I were the couple and his fiancee was our daughter!! He does look a little older than 24 and she definately looks young but it was a little cringey when it happened so often, even some Adelaide girls commented one night that we were probably on their midnite flight home and when I said we had a few more days they thought we had to get back for the 'daughter' to start the new school term!!!
Bumi Ayu wasn't our first choice as Ive liked the Griya Sanatrian in the past but we will definately stay there again, we had the mid range rooms and they were spacious, clean and great.Staff great. Pool great. Hotel is a quietish one, not a lot of kids and more an older clientele of returning regulars. The food was excellent and very cheap and it was a shame that they don't get much walk in business as they are a little down a lane off main street.Room service food no extra charge and at 3ish each day free coffee, tea and a snack by the pool.The Kids looked at the Griya but preferred the Bumi also.
We took about 60k between us of clothes and gifts, much of it for carryforkids.org medical orphanage and dropping that off and meeting the kids was very special, we also took medicine purchased in Bali from a list I requested - my workmates collected several hundred dollars towards this gift. Another drop off place was BumiSeyhat in Ubud which helps with birthing and new mums and we had lots of baby clothes to leave there.Our third lot of clothing was taken to Tulamben (when we snorkelled) as I find it a very poor area and the last to families around a new school I heard about at the Kuta rubbish dump. Before we left we found a lot of friends had good secondhand clothing to donate and our own luggage took up our carryon bags only. (on the way over that is - we filled them up on the return trip!)Carryforkids.org has drop off places at some hotels which makes it easy and worthwhile.
Our other highlights
Had a great birthday dinner at Jimbaran Bay - chose Lia's from this forum advice and not disappointed, son got a lobster as his gift from me and our party of seven thoroughly enjoyed our huge, well priced and not overdone seafood.
Day on the Bali fun Boat - all good and great snorkelling in clear, calm, warm water was terrific for beginners,probably do an overnight at the island next time.
Bali Safari Park - I never knew I wanted to pat a lion and a tiger but it was quite an experience and the pics are cool,one of the kids wanted an elephant ride but when a baby elephant wrapped its trunk around her legs her elephant desires were happily sated.
Im a fan of the snorkelling at Tulamben, bit of a drive and not always calm but can see an amazing array of creatures and hand feed large schools of large fish bananas.Also great pics. A trip to Tulamben takes in a lot of cool scenery and a stop at Goah Lawah is worthwhile - its a temple with many bats. The women at the front race to each new visitor with a 'gift' of an apple seed necklace (as I'd been before it was fun to watch the newbies) On leaving the temple the race was on to sell postcards and other trinkets to the recipient of the gift.We worked out later that the baby and toddler were the offspring of all the women - "you buy for MY baby" all harmless and amusing.
Dolphin hugging experience at Serangan Island near Benoa Harbour was a thrill for me and Ive never seen myself look so happy in a photo before, but as the kids say - mum if you have a photo with a dolphin anyone looks good.
Did a different bike ride this time = Bali Bintang and although it was a lot longer than the stated distance it was an excellent day.
An adventurous young boy near the end of the ride had a different version of the high five most kids do as you ride by - he looked like a high five was coming and then gave the boobs a brush of several of the women riders to the squeals of his mates. Im still puzzling over the question asked of me at the meal at the end of the ride "did I order vegetarian?" I replied no but that I should have as I was a vego. No problem and a great meal arrived, the curious thing was no one else was asked and I'd said nothing about my eating habits - just a bit more of that Bali magic.
Enough for one read, part two about shopping,fave restaurants in Sanur, tailor, dancing, etc soon.
Only 5 more weeks and I'll be back! I got home and within a week had a rush of spontaneity and booked another trip. Love reading this forum and making plans.