Hi all
Well we decided to take the kids to waterbom, thought we would just stay half a day which was plenty of time. We arrived about 5 minutes before it opened so we where first in and not really busy in the morning. We paid $66 usd for family of 4 then paid to hire a locker and a gazebo so we had a meeting point. I got one right in front of kids play ground water park. Was very central and easy. Had to pay extra for the water bom game and bought some icecreams, gelato was 5 star. Kids went on all the rides, my 7 year old even did the smash down. Braver than me. I liked the one where you float around on the tyre. Kids had a ball and hubby, they did every ride there and then went again. No queues to speak of, a great family day. After 4 hours of water fun we were all worn out so caught a taxi back to the hotel. Chill out and have some lunch. Those club sandwiches were fast becoming a favourite.
We went to 56 in Padma Utara to pick up our fabulous paintings. The guys packed them well in cardboard and string so we could put in fragile section on plane. Also stopped at Tommy's in Padma street to pick up my fab new green leather handbag. I just love it. I have bought a few bags there, some will say expensive but compared to home cheap as. I paid 600,000 for the bag with o clip, really soft leather and well worth the money.
I booked hubby a lomi lomi massage over at green garden so he could have some time out, he really enjoyed it.
For dinner decided to go to queens of India again, we enjoyed so much decided you can never have too much indian. A great night again, plently of cold beers. Had a wonder through centro after dinner. Picked my self up a second Hermes - bali style wallet, as you can never have to many wallets. Kids decided it would be horse and carriage again for the trip home. The kids liked the haggle bit and after agreement we had a ride. All piled in and back to the lovely holiday Inn baruna.
Ok with only a few days left a trip to the safari park was arranged. Out driver made made the booking and picked us a up at 8.30 kids where all excited that we would be able to hold a baby orangutang. Drive took maybe an hour or so lots of road works and lots of poeple heading back to there village as tomorrow was Galungan (hope I spelt that right). We arrived nice and early so not busy no queues, we walk straight upto the counter. Cost us nearly 200 AUD from memory but what a day. This place is well organised and easy to get around.
We got the bus to main part of the park and decided to do our upclose and personal with the animals early before it got busy. We headed upto to see the cheeky baby orangutang wow. She ran over and tried to open my bag and then tried to get something out of the bin. She wasn't too happy when the handlers stopped her. They cleaned her up and ready for a cuddle. I went first. OMG she is so cut and so human like. Then my kids had a turn.she sat on their lap and put her arms up around their neck, to cute and the kids where smiling ear to ear. I think my daughter would have liked to take her home. We then saw lots of other animals but made our way to the baby tiger. We had to pay extra 50,000 each for a photo with the tiger but well worth it. During our family shot the tiger got quite active looking around flicking his tail and then settled back down to sleep. My son loved this my daughter was a little scared. It was so enjoyable we gave tiger a nice pat and moved on. We then did the safari ride through the jungle animals, this was a great way to see the animals up close and personal. The hippo's where fab. The kids had a camel ride, extra cost butit was minimal. We went to restaurant up at the safari lodge and there was a huge lion asleep next to window in the ladies. I am thinking you would never see this in Australia so how lucky we were. After seeing all the animals and lunch we headed to the water park where the kids enjoyed the slides for an hour before heading home. It was a long but a fantastic day and I would recoemmend this as agreat family day trip, don't foget your swimmers.
When we got back to the holiday inn the drummers where playing at envy so we had a few drinks and pizza overlooking the beach again. What a fabulous day something we will always rememeber.
As wednesday was Galungan (sorry I know probably spelling this wrong, right up with the rest of my spelling)we decided to take it aeasy, had a swim and relax by the pool. Interesting day with young russian girl at hotel there with her much older BF was sunbanking in her g string topless. Didn't really fit in at this family hotel. I don't normally mind this each to their own but the she turned her sun chair around and sunbaked with her legs spread in her g-banger facing us. Couldn't quite make out what she had for breakfast but she was oblivious as long as she was tanned in the right spots. My hubby ended up with a sore neck from trying to look the other way. Hard to beleive I know but true...
We then decided to take a walk upto centro, has a quick look around and then lunch at cafe batun waru ( I think that's the name) lovely lunch, even had kids meals and the nasi goreng was fab. Then we wondered upto matahari. I had never been here before, left hubby and son at Gloria jeans where they had the biggest milk shakes ever. If I didn't have to go back and meet up with them I could have stayed shopping for hours. WOW this place is huge, like david jones or myer bali style. Did a quick shop some revlon nail polish $4 and some lovely disney pj's for $9. I knew we had to come back still more shopping to be done.
My kids have never had a massage so we all went to green garden for a massage before bed. Cost me about $80AUD for the 4 of us, me and the kids 1hr each and hubby had the 1.5hrs. The kids really enjoyed and went offf to sleep peacefully that night.
Wow it is our last day already, where did 10 days go. We decided to hit matahari again. Hubby bought 8 ties and some cuff link for about $120 very nice indee. Son found some trendy sand shoes $14 and cap $9. I did a mad grab through the kids dept t-shirt form $3 to $10 all great quality. love this place, so much shopping solittle time. Had to stop and buy a bali bag for the last minute shopping and son wanted a few more flat tops he was really getting into this shopping thing and the last of his money was burning a hole in his pocket.
Now we had to fit all this in the suitcases. We did the final pack, squeezed it all in. I weight the suitcases and amazingly we are not over weight. This is good news with all the shopping and fun tours no money left for excess baggage. Last dinner at envy and relax until we head to airport at 11pm. Made our driver picks us up and takes us the 5 minute drive to the airport. The car is loaded with bags, suitcases and the paintings. We decide to get a porter at the aiport 50,000 and well worth it as I have had an operation and can't lift over 10kgs, no way hubby was going to manage all this on his own. they took us through xray and to the queue for check in. Must mention this queue was huge. I am not a fan of denpasar airport so really just wanted to get on the plane. After many queues and security check we finally borded. I have mentioned on the forum that we are one of the unlucky poeple who booked a direct flight home to sydney and virgin chnaged to via melbourne. Must say it put a damper on the end of the holiday as we where all exhausted by the time we got home. Plane was freezing so kids didn't get much sleep. Then the clear customs at Melbourne to board domestic flight was a nightmare. our luggage took forever they had to hold flight and we still nearly missed it. My daughter vomited in customs due to being over tired and still having no breakfast at 10am, nothing offered which i thought strange for an overnight flight. Despite the vomiting we had to run to domestic and then run to the gate. Flight home to sydney was fine, didn't get seats upfront on any of our 3 flights with virgin despite requesting them so a little dissapointed. They didn't seem interested that changing our flight when travelling with kids was really upsetting me. I think I will stick with jetstar in future as never had any problems with them in the past. We had a limo drive us home which was good as all so tired. Got home at 2pm next day and we all crashed ater 15 hours in transit.
We have been home over a week now and everyday still thinking about the fab time we had and all the special things our children got to experience. Even hubby who hadn't wanted to got into all things "bali style" and still cracks a few jokes about you want taksi etc etc.
Hope you have enjoyed our story. We hope to go again one day and the kids are still talking about it everyday.....until then.....