Warning - LONG....Legian/Kuta only (more to come for Sanur LOL)
This time I did my homework extensively and new exactly where I was going, what I was buying.
First day hit the ground running & to Total Cushions in Legian, had new cushion covers made for outdoor lounge and 6 small cushions. $100 all up, this was 3 small back cushions which we took one of them with us, the 2 larger cushions (one being a chaise) we did measurements for and not sure who was at fault but I am blaming hubbie not measuring properly (of course) but one came back 60cm longer than needed. But no biggie (other than we had moved to Sanur, more on that), they fixed for nothing.
Then to Merry Collection for suits/leather...they needed 6 days & we would be in Sanur by then but thought it would be no probs to come back and get them (sure). Husband got suit jacket and 2 pants in lovely wool fabric, $120, I got cream leather blazer style jacket, $100 and some sandals copied in full leather for $30, I had them with me and said he could use the buckles otherwise he wouldn't be able to do them. all these things came back perfectly and very happy, however daughter ordered a tan leather jacket, she is a size 8 at most and still $100, no probs, but when picking it up it was the most disgusting brown colour, NOTHING like she had picked, I even grabbed the samples to put to it and they tried to tell me it was the same colour, not even close, we didn't take it, she wasn't with u s and I knew she would hate it, we said we would bring her back to look but with the traffic nightmare (more on that later) we couldn't face another trip back to Legian.
We had done all this by 11am and most proud as last time I reckon it took us 2 days of wandering aimlessly! I came out of Melasti looking for laundry with the 2 biggest bags (as we had 3 days of winter clothes from Perth stay) all dirty and this guy comes up and says ‘you looking for laundry'...not sure what come over me but was so rapt to get rid of it I just handed it over! Would be ready next morning he said...then I didn't sleep worrying I had handed over all these clothes to some stranger LOL. But of course it was fine, next morning hubbie and son go out front and my son said that is man Mum gave washing to! All done, $12, I LOVE getting my laundry done in Bali, we used him a few days later again too.
Geneva Handicrafts - FANTASTIC, why didn't we go last time my daughter said. We got the taxi here after Waterbom, traffic horrendous...but loved it, could have spent hours and lots more money had my husband not been with me LOL. He kept saying ‘how is this all getting home?'....Daughter had a ball getting all friends presents, flowers for hair etc...a definite must next time too.
Kreshna Jewelley - Miss Pak - what a gorgeous woman. Tried to find her 2yrs ago with no luck but this time left family at Waterbom and walked up to Bali Rani in few minutes, found her in jewellery shop just past lobby, she was so nice. Had my little pile of old ‘gold' pieces, I actually wanted a snake chain made and showed her one in the many Aussie jewellery catalogues but she can't do chains, so I sat going thru things, she ended up doing a heart pendant and put a few cubic zirconia's in it and I wanted the 5 rings of friendship to put on chain but when we returned 5 days later she didn't have enough gold so only did 3. This cost 1 million rupiah...I couldn't be happier other than if I had known I would have got the 5 rings done and a smaller heart pendant but no biggie. She gave me back the crap that she said wasn't good enough to use, very honest lady, wouldn't hesitate to use her again either.
Bagus Watches - another favourite from last time. Walked one morning along beach from Legian to Kuta, up to Starbucks for a drink in aircon then onto Bagus. Spent up in there, got a Gucci watch $30, daughter got one too...then upstairs - hell why didn't I go upstairs last time either! Got Tiffany necklace, earrings, Guess bracelet, manicure sets, yada yada...chanel scarf from MIL...love this place too, my husband's Tag Heuer is still going 2 yrs on from here, course he didn't see the need for another watch when the one he had still works, unlike me...
Mataharis - got the Revlon makeup, lip gloss etc, yes cheaper but the women were quite pushy and it was so time consuming I wouldn't bother again, didn't get anything else here.
Animale - very disappointing this trip, a lot of linen in flowy styles & seemed more expensive or something, bought quite a few pieces last time so was looking forward to it but didn't buy a thing, only came to Kuta for that & Bagus really.
Silverberry (Legian) - wow, great shop. Hadn't found it but going past in taxi I saw it one day so went back next day. Daughter got some lovely rings, I got Pandora bracelet, 6 charms and 2 spacers for $100. Will be interesting how they last!
Joy Jewellery (Seminyak) - went here for a friend, she wanted 2 bracelets, I probably would have too but had just bought the Pandora and feeling guilty at my spending as it was, they would only take cash so be prepared, course I didn't have 2.5million on me so go looking for a money changer,2 of them, yes 2, tried to rip us off, snatched my money back & ended up at ATM, which wouldn't convert to English so I didn't know what it was asking & would only give me 500,000 at a time..had to do it 3 times LOL and hot as hell that day, Miss 16 wasn't impressed LOL...was too hot to go looking in other shops, but my girlfriend very happy with purchases, let her know it was a pain in the a.... though LOL!
TOMMY's - found this on last day in Legian, wanted 600,000 to copy leather bag and 5 days....said they would post to Aust for 250,000 but I left it, didn't really like anything they had on offer, actually didn't find any leather bag anywhere that took my eye sadly.
more to come...sorry if boring everyone! But these are the type of tips etc that helped me spend so much!