Another car issue.
We were returning from shopping on Jl 66 and turned left into the lane which passes Kumala Pantai. There is a brightly coloured childrens wear shop and us Granny's ‘needed' to check out the clothes. I could only park in a driveway (with shops either side) but was told cant park there. I said we would be 5 minutes and left the car. When we returned (about 4 minutes later) one fellow said that cost 10,000rp and we laughed. All the same he stopped traffic so I could reverse out. I handed him the 10,000rp and he showed great excitement to his mates sitting close by. Win win!
Most carparks under department stores cost us 2000rp and street parking, where the attendant stops the traffic for you to reverse out, also costs 2000rp. Most reasonable I think!
Bloody rats! One room had a night time visitor for the first 2 nights. It was opening the drain cover in the bathroom and popping in and out. One night it nibbled on Trish's finger nail, it ran over Chris's pillow, they saw it in the room, it liked Oreo biscuits and nibbled on bananas. Operation deter the rat in the room meant trip to supermarket, buy pellets and sticky paper, plus they weighed the drain trap door down with water bottles. Rat moved on. Spoke to staff and they shrugged when they asked how many and we said one rat!
Lisa, nails and massage girl from Rommy shop (Jl Sahadewa) selling shoes has had her second child, this time a son. Lisa took me on her motor bike through the gangs to visit her Legian/Kuta home. Many from her village in Munti Guning live in this community. While Lisa is at work I was quite concerned to hear that a 12 year old boy cares for Kadek (6 weeks) and Putu (almost 4). On visiting their little suburbian village I was relieved to realise that although the young kids mind the babies, they appear to do a wonderful job and have plenty of adults to help if needed. They are far more responsible than our kids at home could ever be! Lisa is a very caring Mum and works to keep food in the bellies of her family. These days her husband also works in Legian. Talk about doing it tough!
They all sleep in a small room in one bed. I guess Balinese children are used to a bit of rumble and tumble from their parents.
We went to Munti Guning a couple of years ago and found locals wearing clothes that by our standards were almost thread bare. Some have said on the forum to not take clothing, boy are they wrong. Our donations are positively welcomed and appreciated.
Smudge works in this area and helps locals when they experience health issues. Imagine falling out of a palm tree and lying on bed with broken bones without care. Smudge is an ‘angel'.
Breakfast at the Samaya Resort, Breeze restaurant. Delightful! We sat under the bale near the pool, table for 8 and ate our breakfast. Most had American breakfast, where you can choose ‘free style' for main. I had a strawberry/pecan mini stack of pancakes, crispy bacon and maple syrup, with breads, fruit platter, fresh juice, tea/coffee. Cost 240000 each (Tax was almost 400000 for our 1,729,000 total bill). I believe each villa costs us$700 per night to stay.
Jimbaran Bay, Seaside café.
We drove down to Jimbaran bay, leaving Legian at 4.30. Unfortunately most other drivers also headed towards the Bali Galeria roundabout so we were stuck in congestion for 30 minutes or so. We arrived at JBay around 5.30 in time to be seated at table one, beachside. Sunset was lovely although the boats didn't seem to leave for their nights fishing. Its incredible how many planes land! We selected our prawns, snapper and squid and enjoyed our chicken and corn soup, then side serves of rice and veg (you know that green stringy stuff). Cost us 180,000rp (half kg-ish prawns)
We were serenaded by the roving quartet and paid our dues but disappointed that there are no more sellers, flashing stuff and pearls etc.
Left there at 7.30 (seemed much later) and found our way back on to the by pass road only to take a left hand turn just before the roundabout, Big mistake Miss Tina! We spent the next 70minutes stuck in traffic, but at least our two newbies got to see local life after dark, major congestion, gazillions of motor bikes, Kuta Square was alive and Kuta beach road a-buzz!
We updated our plastic kettle with a metal model at Bintang supermarket, 40,000rp. The little girl upstairs takes it out of the box and tests it.
Mr Honeyman.
I rang and he came to our hotel with samples and the eye testing goggles, he sides the different strength lens in for you to confirm. He prefers your prescription rather than visually select your lens strength.
I changed my sunglass lenses to bi-focal so I can read if necessary. (My special price was 300,000rp and the other girls who chose very bendy/titanium frames were about a million))
24 hour service for me and the other girls who ordered readers.
Double Six must/should value our patronage. We popped down there twice to buy sarongs, jewels and dresses, bags and light weight stretch jackets. (note to self, 70000rpeach). Back at the hotel when we did show and tell, as you do, lots wanted what others had bought so the need for trip 2. (Having our own car is sensational!) Denise and I love the bling and neck decorations. We sought out and found Paisal, but they wouldn't tell us the price until we had made our selections. Ho, hum, damn waste of time if they want too much when we have wasted our time selecting pieces. I bought 13, they wanted 450000, I paid 300000. Others were able to buy at similar price. Lolita's also have interesting pieces.
234 Leather in Jl Sahadewa
I ordered a medium brown longer jacket with loose belt to do it up. Cost 1,000,000rp and I am pleased with the finished product.
Ida Salon, Jl Sahadewa. Tini cut my hair for 30,000rp, then shortened it a little more the following day, 15,000rp. Eyelash tint is 30000rp.
House of Komang charged 120,000each to make half lined ¾ pants (my material, their lining) 190,000 to make dress and supply lining. Boy did I have issues dealing with them this year and in all honesty am not happy with the results. I will be trying a new tailor from now on. I took 3 tops which they made last year for Mum (zips put in under arm, not back). One top was altered in Melbourne when Mum lost weight and the zip was moved from side to back, plus taken in. I asked for the other 2 tops to be altered to match. Took 4 attempts to have the tops altered correctly! Lucky I organized it early enough. My dress made with gorgeous material I had bought at Lincraft is a disaster! I wont wear it. Komang and Ketut appear to sub contract the work out and its not working. Di also had disappointing results. I would love to return to Brisbane Tailor as their results were always great, but we found Mr Anson awkward to deal with. We could never get prices at time of ordering and then at drop off by Mr Anson, he upped and upped his prices. Damn big project to argue over prices when the clothes are finished.