JBR part 3(long again).
Sorry I had forgotten a couple of things in my last JBR. We had had 2 trips back to Janoko for fittings before it was all good, the 1st one was while still in Legian so we were hopeful of not having to come back but of course not LOL. Was a pain from Seminyak cos the traffic being one way means a long way around to get home but kids were actually happy to come back the morning we did to do yet more shopping in Poppies 2, they really enjoyed it there more than anywhere else.
Also on day one in Seminyak I found Syah Painting (as recommended). Had a photo of our 2 kids (with our pugalier puppy) that I wanted painted, they had some awesome examples in their studio, quoted 800,000 for painting 80 x 60cm in black/white of the kids only (head shots) or an extra 200,000 for the puppy to be in too, after viewing a massive painting of a pug (so perfect) we decided to add our beloved pet into the painting too. Of course Hubbie was against the whole thing, waste of money, it will be crap etc etc....they wanted 10 days to complete, we only had 6 so they said pick up Saturday 6pm (we were leaving Sunday).
So Day 9 (Wednesday 11/7)
White Water Rafting day - as in my previous JBR we were approached in Bagus Pub on day one regarding this and negotiated 225,000 per person for 22 of us. When we were back in Poppies 2 for fittings at Janoko we did call in and confirm that yes all 22 would be coming but I was still a bit nervous would someone turn up! Of course they did, 2 vans arrived promptly at 8.30am as promised, took our monies before we all got on board. Course it was a LONG drive, took over 2hrs to get there. Company was Dewata Adventuring Rafting (something like that), all efficient and got our helmets/life jackets/oars, told as 22 of us to have 4 rafts of 4 and 2 of 3 organised, course kids weren't all happy but bad luck. All talked into buying $4 Nike sandals to wear instead of bare feet or thongs, these were great and so glad we did. It took a bit longer to get going once down at river, our raft was the dodgy one of course, kept going flat on the bits you sit on (surely not weight related). Everyone loved it, much rougher trip than the Ayung we did 4yrs ago, actually didn't get chance to enjoy your surroundings though, constantly having to watch what was happening next, we got to half way point and I was exhausted, our raft was shocking (poor guide kept apologising for it) cos we were the ones getting caught on rocks all the time, everyone was waiting for us. But he did some work on it at this point and the last bit (not half at all) was much better. Then the 350 steps UP to restaurant, a killer but scenery behind us stunning and got some great photos. The toilets were disgusting, we were all dry-retching coming out of them, couldn't face showers so just changed and in for lunch, which was average, bought some photos which were good and back in bus for long trip home. Think it was 4.30pm when we got back, everyone had a great day and very appreciative that we had booked it for them all.
That night was take away pizzas from Pizza Club, kids got some here night before when we went to Jimbaran and loved them. 3 of us Mum's went and ordered our lot, 20 min wait, no worries, so we RAN back to Champagne Bar. Now we are all big champers drinkers and missing it dearly, we walk past this bar every day and never seem to have time to stop so we run in and order a $10 cheapest glass which comes quickly, it was to die for LOL. We are savouring it and then bring a little nibbly around and we are lamenting we have to leave....we put 100,000 down on bench and leave only to be chased down street (very embarrassing) cos we didn't allow for service charge, the one glass ended up being 120,000... course we had big plans to go back one night, never happened!
Pizzas were awesome, best I have ever had then it was Trivia Night at the bigger villa. One of the Mum's and her 12yr old daughter had been making it for months as a get to know you on first night thing but that didn't happen either, whilst all the Mum's know each other due to girls weekends away all the kids weren't familiar so this was an ice breaker. Broken into teams of 4 but no-one in your family in your team, what a great night, they had covered all bases with questions for oldies and young ones, lots of drinking in between, a draw at the end so a dance off to see winner, all very funny, course 2 ended up in pool. We all stumbled off to bed at various times very drunk after dancing and singing, lucky we had no neighbours!
Day 10 (Thursday)
So whilst I love the whole villa thing I was getting complaints now from family about how breakfast is so early each day, Maid starts at 8am & it's all ready by 8.45am so no big sleep-ins, doesn't bother me who can't sleep past 7.30am anyway but teenagers are dragging feet out every day and course maid is then wanting to get our washing/clean rooms etc, really isn't anywhere else for her to go so I can see why a resort would suit better sometimes. But I have 11am appt at Dr Rudy for teeth so I set off 10.15am down to get taxi, see you all whenever I say and leave them. Once again, traffic ok until about Carefour then all turns pear shaped, I thought I had allowed plenty of time and this time I knew which building to go to, nope, 15mins late! But they were no worries about it, nearly straight in, he does little filling in back molar then cements in the porcelain crown and assistant takes over to finish off, all very efficient, didn't need a needle for filling, $45 for that and I am all done in 20mins! So had a little wander around Matahari here, very quiet compared to Kuta one. I got a lovely cream handbag half price for $32. Then found taxi outside, that took a bit to find outside but finally did and said to Bali Rani Hotel please to pick up my gold from Ms Pak, this didn't take too long so I asked him to wait and ran in, very quick, had done my 4 little rings, handed over $50 Aussie dollars and back in taxi within 5mins, they are great, very heavy as solid gold, she gave me back a chain saying ‘this wasn't gold' LOL. Very honest lady, will use her again. Continue home, it takes forever, get back 1.30pm as the family are sitting down to lunch cooked for them, nasi goreng again and chicken satay, delicious.
The afternoon we need to go BACK to Legian to get daughters leather jacket & sandals from French Leather, I had seen Geelong pillowcase I wanted across the road for my nephew so Miss 18 and I head off - never a chance to relax LOL! She goes to put jacket on and can't get hands thru, it's all sown up, pretty funny, he makes phone call and says it will take 30mins so what do we do, shop of course! Takes a bit but I get pillowcase for 100,000, its all padded and so nice, I want another and he makes the customary phone calls & promises me in 10 mins it will be here, so off for another visit to Ketut's in case we missed anything! Finally they have the Elwood t-shirts in XXL in black in, my husband is 6'5' and ‘larger build' and he can't buy authentic Elwood here but we can buy 'Bali authentic Elwood', now he has 3 of them. Few more little gifts in there and I finally get a silver tree of life, not sure why, just like them and some incense sticks. Back to my pillowcase man, he is making more phone calls & thinks a Collingwood one should suffice instead but NOOOOO...in the end he concedes he can't get one, I am spewing, I have not seen these anywhere else and don't either. Back to French Leather, jacket is duly delivered on a motorbike a few minutes later, it's great, she had given him her Just Jeans cream one (2yrs old) to be copied but sleeves and body a bit longer, its perfect and the loveliest soft black leather, the sandals are great too and I see a red leather purse already made for $20, just had to have it. We are back in taxi quick smart for the crawl back to Seminyak, course I have bag at Tommy's to pick up but no that is tomorrow damn it.
Tonight is La Plancha night! I had researched on this place too & wanted to get there, we had friends staying in Kuta that wanted to catch up, I wasn't sitting in that traffic to go down there for tea so suggested we both walk up the beach and meet halfway here, mention to all our friends and yep, they all want to come too so all 22 of us head down there by 5pm to ‘get a beanbag'. It only took about 10mins from Ku De Ta along beach, a bit breezy this night and very overcast was a shame. We find it easy enough, bit confusing the ordering of drinks thing, bit of a language barrier I think we go up and order but 2nd drink they came to us. Great place, our friends from Kuta were late coming but all good, we all got beanbags easily, what a great concept. We ordered heaps of tapa's, thinking ‘this is tea' surely....but by 7.30pm the whole place cleared our pretty quickly, kids whingeing are we going for tea now! What the! This is tea.... few families leave, we stay a bit longer, course the bill couldn't be split, all very messy and of course we get lumbered with the ‘balance' after everyone offers up what they think their family ordered. We head off back to Seminyak with one family and kids are starving of course, so we go into Seminyak Square to Black Canyon, had already had coffee here before & it was good so kids all ordered more French fries and milkshakes and parents had coffee (must have had enough grog night before I think). Walk home via dvd stores, again....still can't get good copy of Ted though!
Day 11 (Friday)
So this morning kids are nagging, surely we are not spending a day here around pool (I am thinking that is exactly what I want to do) but they did that yesterday while I was out all day and I plan that for the next day so after consultation with family of 5 we decide we will hire a mini van and the 9 of us go snorkelling somewhere, we did it in Sanur 2 yrs ago and loved it but we decide to go to Benoa & do some water sports too, I ask our maid about transport and she organises someone to come at 10.30, which turned out to be nearly 11am. One other family have gone to do dolphins and another one to Safari Park (they didn't like it, expensive and not what they thought, I think prices have gone up since our visit 2yrs ago, we loved it but each to their own). So we head off in the bloody traffic again....I am sick of this intersection near Bali Galleria I tell you, feels like I am there every day. Driver takes us to dunno where but we finally negotiate snorkelling for all of us for $100 pretty much, it was good but nothing on Fiji and he gave us bread which only gets soggy and wet trying to carry that, last time guy gave us a bottle of fish food that was much better. It was very choppy too out in ocean but we all enjoyed it. Came back and then they bombard us wanting to eat there and buy stuff in stalls, I am over all of this, we say to driver take us into Nusa Dua for lunch, I have never been there and gee it was lovely, reminded me of Fiji all the resorts on the beach and proper footpaths and lovely gardens, couldn't believe we were in Bali really. He took us into centre of town, NO-ONE around, we pick a quiet little restaurant, it was awesome, so peaceful, we ended up sitting enjoying it and time was getting away, 3pm and we think oh we will go do some parasailing and kids can go on banana boat, back to Benoa and different spot he takes us, we negotiate $10 each for hotdog ride, 2 x Mum's go in the boat for the ride, great fun, they loved it, then Miss 18 is dying to do the Flying Fish, looks terrifying to me, $25 each, probably got ripped off, she did it with Miss 12 and they have them strapped in and off sooo quick and they only do 2 uplifts so they are disappointed. Then we find out WHY they do it so quick, we had arranged for 4 others to parasail for $10 each, but all of a sudden they say oh too late now sorry. They are crushed so driver says we will try somewhere else, we mucked around for 45 mins trying 3 diff places, each one had just packed up when we got there, in the end we say oh take us home, via a Circle K for some drinks for the journey!
Course that journey took a LONG time, didn't get back to villa until after 6pm, one family is leaving tonight & they have gone to dinner, I am disappointed we missed going with them so we quickly shower and go down street ‘looking', we decided on Rumours for dinner and find them in Ultimo's having last meal so got our goodbyes in. Rumours was awesome, was just the 4 of us, $50 for high quality steaks and only couple of bintangs, one glass wine, couple of soft drinks, highly recommend.
Last 2 days to come, thanks for reading, hope I am not boring you!