I hope that I can write a JBR worthy of this trip.
It was so varied that I think for some parts I will need to put it into different headings, ( Spas, Food, Shopping,Activities,Orphanges, Illness accidents and Traumas,Partys,Drivers,or should I say, The GOOD, the Bad and The ugly .Accomadation, and it may take me awhile, please bear with me ( or I guess dont read LOL)
Although I am a fan of short to the point JBRS, I have also gained lots of great information from you all, mostly from the longer JBRs.
Please feel free to ask any questions, I am more than happy to reply.
OVERVIEW:
I have been to Bali four times, always with my husband and children, or with a group of friends. Shortest stay 1 week, longest stay 2 weeks.
This stay 33 days ( Yippeeeeee !) Ok I know it is after and the excitment should be beforehand, but I am still on such a high !
15/8- First Week - Mission Triple 21st.
23 family members boarded Garuda, we stayed at Bali Garden Beach Resort Tuban.
Most of the people had not been to Bali before, so that kept my hubby and me on the hop.
We did the tourist thing, hired a bus and went to the Volcano,Rice Fields, Monkey Forrest etc, I had not been looking forward to the day, but seeing it again through new eyes was actually quite fun.
We also did Waterbomb, motobikes,Canguu Beach and of course...shopping.
We had the kids 21st Party at Legend,in Sahadewa Street, Legian
(known as Garlic Lane). ( Thanks to BTF recomendations). What a night,Balanese Dancing, Elvis Parsley, Michael Jackyson, Drag Queens, great bands and they decorated the tables and arranged a cake, had the kids up on stage to sing and skull, but more about that when I can figure out how to link photos to a JBR, what this space for plucka duck photos :)
22/8- Second Week- Mission Our Friends Arrive
Still at Bali Garden Beach Resort.
With about 2/3rds of the family gone, we had 8 of our nearest and dearest friends arrive, 6 had been before and 2 Bali Virgins, which is always good fun seeing them go through the paces.
We went to Waterbomb, did the Quad Bikes ( for sons 21st), Hired motobikes and went to Jimberan Bay, did the Bike trip from Ubud.
We had a girls day ( for daughters 21st) at Tanah lot day spa, did the sunset package (She gave it the Best in the World award, she is a 3rd year apprentice at the Australias best day spa).
Hired a driver and did a mini shopping trip.
Tried lots of new places to eat.
Again I will review some Drivers but the absolute winner is : BUDA
(Nyoman Budayasa) Mobile : 0813 382 50 300.
He was a genuine person with a heart of gold, did all the local shopping things but also stayed outside the hospital all night, came to the Orphanges with me, ended up donating some of his fare for food at one place we visited, sent me credit on my phone when I ran out and was homesick and too far from anywhere to get it, played with the disabled kids with a passion ( not in his job description)
Also took some friends of our around and they thought he was very trustworthy. He is a young guy about 30 ish, married with a two year old girl. Does not have a new car but it was air condioned and clean.
He came on another day with his Motorbike so the guys could follow him around to some beaches and places to see.
I could not recommend any other driver as strongly as this young man, he was very respectful and spoke english, he was happy to interpret for me in the remote areas. He has worked in NZ fruit picking so is pretty savy with Western Ways. ( See Driver Report later)
29/8 Week three Mission: Get out of Holiday mode and into Volunteer mode
Spent a couple of days after the kids went back debriefing ourselves.
Cocktails report to follow :)
Also threw in a healthy dose of Spas, some combination of everyone went to a spa on every day we were there, so I will review them seperately.
However, I am compelled to mention Murano Salon and Spa. Jl Dewi Saraswati (Kunti 11) Seminyak.
They came and picked us up and dropped us off from Kuta, no charge, all treatments were 80.000 rp ( (TEN DOLLARS an hour)
The place is new and looks fabulous, staff were great, treatments were wonderful. Overall for everyday spa purposes this is the WINNER.
(Thanks again to BTF for the heads up)
Middle of the week saw everyone else fly home, except my friend of twenty years, who is a Uniting Church Minister ( we dont hold that against her though :) We were staying behind to go and stay in an Orphange.
Felt a bit weird, never been away from hubby, except an occassional night for a conference, so staying o/s withough felt strange, but we were on a mission to learn mosre about the social welfare structure in Bali, so it was heads down, bum up, time.
We arrived in Untal Untal,at the Widhya Ashih 1V Orphange. We were staying there in the Guest house, this will need its own JBR, watch this space if interested.
I ended up visiting three other orphanges during my stay and did some time on the Healthcare truck, I will also write about them.
11/9- Week Four - Mission other Orphanges, Community Projects, Debrief :)
After visiting three othe orphanges and spending some time in the head office in Denpasar, it was time to wind down.
My days had been starting at 5am and my earlist night was 10pm.
With a very full head, lots of notes and an aching body ( who forgot to tell me that somewhere over the last 20 years I have turned into a fat old fairy that like fluffy pillows !!!!!!!!) We went to sort the sh*t from the sugar before we returned to Sydney.
We stayed a Dyhana Pura in Seminyak for a couple of days, slept, swam, ate more than rice, walked the beach and sorted through what we now needed to do.
While we were there we met up with people from America and Perth who within 24 hours we had linked them into a community project at the Orphange, which resulted in a 1,000 piece order for a conference and a 140 piece uniform order, we thought that was great as we were only supposed to be there to wind down, see who said you cant network in the pool :) More to follow in the Orphange report.
17/8- Week five Mission Back Home.
Well we flew back home on a direct flight with Garuda,and I was very happy to see my husband. Who I had just lived without for a couple of weeks, but realised that I dont want to EVER live without him.
I have made a pack that although we are back, it is not forgotten, so I will continue to write the JBRS as I can, probably only once a week, due to the work load, and I am in touch with our partners in Bali to continue to assist with the projects.
We have done some amazing things, met a truck load of Fabulous people and it has all made us desperate to return....
Bali, once there, alwyas in your heart.... To be continued :)