16-22 March. We Arrive. Our Five-star Day.
My first JBR so please be kind. Note, I had to take out the names of a few places to be able to post this. Left Perth 7 am on Virgin travelling with my sister in law. Flight only 2/3 full, uneventful, arrived on time. VOA. SiL paid with $50 US and got USD in change. Through immigration in about 10 minutes, changed some $ (rate 9700) found our driver from the Ivory Resort Seminyak and away we went along with another Perthling who was there on a photography trip. This is my 2nd trip to Bali but the 1st was spent mostly at Lovina and Candi Dasa with a couple days in Legian. SiL hasn't been here since 1997.
I've already tried out my Indonesian and am pleased that people understand me and even reply, unlike our last trip to Jakarta where my most of my efforts met with blank stares or laughter as I channelled Yoda in my terrible accent: 'Hungry, I am'.
We arrive at the Ivory but my room isn't ready so we have a late breakfast at their restaurant Flapjacks, omelette with toast, sausage, beef bacon and chips plus cappuccino 60k, very nice. The Ivory is small - 19 rooms & 6 villas - and a bit faded but very pleasant with a flower-lined path leading to the rooms which are well away from the road and very quiet. Each room also has a small private courtyard with a daybed. We book a manicure/pedicure at the spa and retire to clean up and relax. I stretch out on my daybed enjoying the warmth, birdsong, sound of the fountain splashing and the unique Bali aroma...next thing I know it's 2 hours later! We repair to the spa for the mani/pedi, nothing special but OK for 210K.
Time to head for Garlic Lane to see Leon Tailor. I'm familiar with GL from my previous trip and the cab driver laughs when I tell him where we want to go. 'All Aussies go there!' He turns out to be very pleasant and points out Potato Head, Ku De Ta and other spots along with mini-reviews of the various hotels. At Leon's I actually manage to converse in Indonesian for a full minute, mostly along the lines of 'hello - how are you - my name is - this is my friend - her name is', but still. We arrange for some slacks & a skirt to be copied and then wander around. SiL spots a bright-looking place which turns out to be a well-known Aussie owned place so we have dinner (gado-gado and an ice-cold Bintang - at last!) and listen to the very good singers. Just as we leave it starts pouring rain, teams down all the way back so it's an early night for me.
The next morning we have breakfast across the street at Honeybees, nasi goreng, juice, fruit and kopi 22k. Bali kopi is a bit much for SiL but I love it. Also the waiter asked if we want the egg turned which I really appreciate because I find the usual 'sunny side up' undercooked. A bit further down the street is Jemme café & jewellery so we book in for dinner. Today we have a 3.5 hour package at Prana Spa, a deal I saw on TA and booked online through an agent. Their driver came for us at 12:30.
Once at Prana I feel like Crocodile Dundee - 'that's not a spa, THIS is a spa'. It's a mini Taj Mahal, everything is gilt and carved wood, scalloped archways, chandeliers and soft music. The service is superb. We have a mud scrub and steam room, then massage, Shiro dara treatment and facial all in a private room. Pure luxury, though I probably wouldn't bother with the shiro dara next time. The package cost $67 US.
Dinner that night continues the indulgent theme. Jemme is an elegant little café, again lots of chandeliers, framed jewellery, smoked mirrors and wonderful service. I have a tomato & bocconcini salad, babi guling, then mango meringue with ice cream plus Bintang, approx 400k. All beautifully presented and delicious. The jewellery showroom is to die for, whether you want to spend a few hundred thousand or millions of rupiah there's something for you...I loved a gold bangle with pearls and coloured stones but at 5.5 million decided to wait for the Lotto cheque. SiL can't decide between earrings or a bracelet so we vow to return then head home for some DVDs and bed.