We were invited to our friend S's home village in Ubud for a tooth filing and wedding of her cousin. S normally lives in Australia but was on holidays for 3 weeks . We have known and visited her family over the years and made to feel part of the family. The tooth filing took place at 6.30am but we decided to give it a miss arriving at 10am. We had to dress in traditional outfits which we love doing. WOW! what a fantastic day.
S was telling us the story of killing the pigs for the offerings. They don't stab them anymore but take them down to the river and drown them. One got away, started running down the river with S yelling out 'LET IT GO' then couldn't stay to watch anymore! Her family thinks she is too westernised now! Lol On the way back to Kuta we stopped at Jonnnies restaurant in Ubud for a drink. Lovely place over looking the rice fields.
We sponsor an 18year old girl named Trifena who lives in an orphanage in Denpasar. She finished high school in June so we organized for her to study at University doing a 2 year diploma in Tourism. It sounded easy to organize but with lots of back and forth to Uni and banks and Trifena jumping onto a bus to Singaraja to get help from her uncle to organize proper ID, we got it all finalized in the end.
At Matahari in Kuta square I had the fish doctor treatment for 20mins. This is where tiny fish nibble at your feet and legs getting rid of the dead skin. It works a treat and feels a bit like pins and needles or butterfly kisses.
Met up with Siluet band at Hard Rock Hotel. We have become friends with the boys over the years so were shocked to discover the bass player had a stand in. He had a serious motor bike accident and is still recovering from head injuries. Two people were killed in the accident. Very sad.
NOW THE GRIPES
Satriya cottages confirmed our checkout but 2 days earlier than what we had in our email. NOT HAPPY! Once I showed Ketut (lovely man) my confirming email he said ok not your problem he will sort out. I don't know what he did but we were able to stay in the same rooms for the 2 extra nights! (well, not extra nights really according to me) We checkout on the correct day, move to the Hard Rock Hotel, did all the checking in procedure then the girl disappeared and the supervisor appeared. Hmmm! What's going on here I was thinking. Yep, the super informs us the internet system has overbooked by 30 rooms!!!! And did we book by internet? Yes I answered. So!! They are shipping us off to a beach front hotel for 1 night!!( We are only staying 3 nights!!) NOT HAPPY!!!! To keep us happy! They offer free ride to Holiday Inn Tuban and back, US$120 to spend on food and drinks any where in Hard Rock Hotel, free transfer to airport on departure, I quickly ask for late checkout, he says 3pm? I come back with 6pm? He agrees. (This is our 5th time( I think) at Hard Rock Hotel and sometimes they won't give you late checkout. So I was half happy to get this). I then asked for an extra ride back to poppies lane 2 where I had to meet my friend and her tailor. It was very inconvenient to be so far away at Holiday Inn (last hotel at the end of JL Kartika Plaza Tuban when we had organised to meet people around Poppies lanes 1 & 2. Hubby was not happy! He loves staying at the Hard Rock Hotel( being a musician himself) and one less night was devastating for him lol
The Holiday Inn is a big flashy Hotel with small noisy rooms and lacks that Balinese feel. Just my opinion. Did not like it at all.
We arrived at Holiday Inn and the Hard Rock has booked us one room with 2 single beds in it for 3 adults!!!! (myself, Hubby and son) Staff soon realized this will not do so they rang Hard Rock and organized an extra room! Hooray! We tried to make the most of it, the boardwalk is lovely but walking that front road is horrible. It made me realize I don't ever want to stay way down that end of Tuban. That's just me.
Next day back to Hard Rock Hotel where we do have a room!! YAY! (I booked the three of us in the same room seeing as it was only 3 nights) We go in and what do we have? One king size bed with a small single bed rolled in for our son jammed up next to the lounge thingy!! I booked for a room with 2 queen size beds for 3 adults!!!! Is this the trip from hell!!! No, these things are sent to test us!!!! Lol ok we are over it by now and just relax and unpack.
A couple of hours later we were getting ready for tea when a staff member rang to ask what time we would like airport transfer which C told him then proceeded to tell him he's not happy sleeping in a small single bed when we booked a room with 2 queen beds!. The staff member informs C we have a room like that available and would we like to move? We all looked at each other.....Oh Yeah!!!! They will be up in 5 mins to move us!! Geez, we have never packed so fast in all our lives....LOL we were out of there.. While we are still on the Hard Rock Hotel they have a new entertainment manager and NO ONE is happy. The new format is the band starting at 8.15pm finishing at 11.20pm that's not so bad but the bands have to keep it low key and play slow music!!! It's lost the atmosphere and is sooo lame. The new name getting around is the Soft Rock Hotel! Patrons are not happy, bands are not happy!
WE WERE DISCUSSED WITH THE WAY WE WERE TREATED!!
Last instalment coming...