13. 4th Annual – MonoWilli&Clops – ChilLaxCation – Balangan day 11 – 13

There were three in the bed last night – not ideal but I did get some sleep.

Breaky at Livingstone bakery as it was included in accommodation. Just as great as yesterday.

Back to the room for a swim & pack up the belongings that have exploded all over the suite.

Nails getting long & annoying so barrel up to think pink right on 10am hoping to walk in. Success!

Opi gel polish manicure for me & 2 tone polish for Clops. Willi came along too but didn’t want a mani or pedi. Said he can do his own nails!!! So he sulked around reading women’s beauty magazines feeling well out of place.

My manicure was excellent. Lots of time was spent filling & painting. I’m very impressed. She did a great job & I wish my lady back at home was as good.

To willi’s relief it was all over & we could get the flock out of there.

Hotel – swim – checkout – taksi to lunch at Saltys. Not sure if the are going through a name change or if there are 2 with similar names. We were looking for the salty seagull. Anyway in we go. F&C’s for me, the worlds cutest burger for clops & a salad for Willi. The fish was yummy!

A spot of terrible table tennis but was lots of fun!

Back to kokonuts to wait for the transfer to our next destination. At 40mins late I call. Long story short he’s at the favehotel waiting despite us calling & speaking with a receptionist as well as emailing yesterday! Treated like it was our fault. Not going to get annoyed by it right now though. Anyway I sit in the front as we take off like a rocket down to Balangan beach. And then we really arrive in paradise.

We arrive at La Joya bungalows in one piece. That transfer guy was one crazy driver. We are given grief over the hotel confusion. I stood my ground as we had called to tell them as well as emailed regarding the hotel change. Anyway the stress slips away as soon as we are shown around.

It’s absolutely amazing here!!! Breathe taking. We checkout our bungalow – wow.

Then it really is time for a swim. We find a huge lounge in the shade with a great view & stay put until sundown.

 

A vodka & strawberry caprioska & several many Bintangs later we order sate ayam – sate ayum! It’s now dark, the sun set behind clouds & we didn’t even notice the mountain until the next morning. Back to room. No TV!!! Oh no. Have a chat, play on our phone. Fall asleep very early.

Now when I booked this hotel I was fully aware of others reviews regarding the local farm yard animals & dogs BUT bloody hell when you’re trying to sleep through it it sucks! Then clops had some night terrors (which she suffers from at home) so ended up in with us. Then our resident gecko chirped up. Then several motorbikes roared past. Then another dog fight. Then cock a doodle diooooo! Sigh, at least I’m in Bali 🙂

We are all up before breakfast so creep out of bungalow, through the beautiful paths & down to the beach.

  

It’s beautiful! Surf looks big & difficult to me. Clops & I walk along to greet the cows.

We sus out the warungs for lunch then climb the 74 steps back to breakfast.

 

Mie goreng for me, croissants & fruit for the kids. Coffee is awful! But the mixed juice is lovely.

Time for a swim so in we go. Beautiful. There are so many young families here – at least 5 families which is both good & unusual. Clops makes some friends 🙂

I go to the spa for a facial. In case you hadn’t noticed I don’t really like getting treatments so don’t but the sun & lack of a proper beauty regime has taken its toll. 100.000 for an hour. I really enjoyed the first & last 15 mins but hated the middle! I get bored plus there’s something about a stranger touching me I just can’t enjoy lol!!! Back to the pool for a swim

Thirsty, hungry, antsy we walk down to the beautiful beach.

     

Walk north, walk south.

 Amazeballs! It’s high tide & very very pretty. The waves look like blue glass & look just as fragile.

We choose a warung & take a seat. Bintangs & toasted sandwiches later me’s happy.

Ice cream man is here. Clops wants one. The warung lady has a daughter about the same age as clops so I ask if we can buy one for her too. Yes & big smiles. Ice cream man wants 20,000 dollars! Oh no I say I only have 20.000 ird. We laugh (I know I paid too much but I truly do not care, I made 2 girls very happy and maybe one man feel very smugg).

It’s beautiful here. We should have come down on Monday. Yes, yes we should have could have would have. Bliss!

 

Back up the 74 steps to the pool. A little trick we like to do – wearing swimmers out cause getting into then when you’re all hot & sweaty sucks 🙂

We check out the 2nd pool at La Joya now – Swim swim swim.

Back to room for a little cat nap then back up to pool for a drink some dinner & hopefully a sunset.

Chatted to a lovely group of parents Clops had made friends with. Dinner was yummy – sate ayum for Willi, pasta for clops & an amazing prawn & spice soup for me. I had a cocktail or two too 🙂 back to room. Had a bit if a tidy up ready to leave tomorrow. Now I’m hoping for some good sleep as won’t get any until sat 9amish if I’m lucky. Pass me my ear plugs please.

Cock-a-doodle-dooo! Good morning for the final time in Bali for us for about 15 months.

Bed is the comfiest of the trip. Breakfast then to reception for fresh pool towels.

It rained overnight so our towels were drenched. So receptionists here aren’t very lovely like the rest of the staff. Again the girl brings up the transfer/hotel misunderstanding! I had a burst of anger overwhelm me & I had to say something! I told her it was la joya’s fault not mine. I called & spoke to John. Willi & I both spoke to him! Arghhhh. I make mistakes all the time & I own up to it. But to have it brought up repeatedly & it wasn’t my fault I’m am finding rude!!!

Anyway, swim, swim, swim.

I disappear back to the room to begin packing 😦  Clops plays with her little friends 🙂 Willi falls asleep in the sun Back to pool for lunch. Yummiest club sandwiches ever.

A very restful & relaxing final day.

Check out time & I finally meet John! I say “ohh, John… you have got me in trouble this whole stay over the mix up with hotel pick up!” “ohh, no it’s not my fault, I wrote it down, it’s the drivers fault!” At this point I lost interest in the whole ordeal as finally it had been admitted that we did call & did let them know.

We got a local guy to take us to the airport. It was a very interesting drive through the townships. Beautiful.

Into the airport way too early but are encouraged to check in & move through security, immigration, etc. Airport really is sparkly! I can see there are issues with seating & I did need to wait in the toilet line but our timing was pretty good so got a seat to wait. Boarded the plane & zoomed home. Holiday a thing of the past we are now discussing a mini break in November if I can get time off mid wedding season!

Thanks for reading. As always I get my inspiration from this forum & the wonderful reviews people take the time to write.

Thanks again 🙂 Love Mono

12. 4th Annual – MonoWilli&Clops – ChilLaxCation – Umalas day 9 – 10

I’m baccccckkkkkkkkk!!! Thanks for the wonderful feedback & love! Here’s the next 2 days…

 Day 9 – Had the best sleep last night – cocktail coma lol. Heard the rain storm in the night & it felt so cozy.

Breakfast was at grocer & grind. A big space where you can sit in or out. Service quick & friendly. Food good but we’ve had better eggs benny.

Down to money changer then the heavens open & we are drenched. Felt great really. Tropical rain is so delicious! Sydney rain, not so much.

Off to Samantha Robinson to see what I could buy – closed!

Back to hotel for final swim. Then I remember Sam robo so out I go for my 1st solo time of the trip. Sam was packed but no one bought anything including me. I love the look of it & I appreciate the pretty prints & quirky shapes but the pieces are just so expensive to buy in a whim. Maybe when I’m next in double bay I’ll drop in there & see what tickles my fancy. Off I go back to the hotel.

Packed up, checked out & grab a taksi. But where are we off to? 3 mins later we hop out at our hotel up on jalan petitenget. We can’t check in as the room is still occupied so off we go for a quick walk & lunch at livingstone cafe & bakery.

Our first family trip to Bali in 2011 included a stay at the Kokonut Suites which just behind the new livingstone. Actually the kokonuts restaurant was on this site. It’s a massive & great improvement. This area has changed tremendously.

Juices & the deep fried, salty goodness of French fries – we chillax. The place is great & has so many yummy cakes & breads. Really pretty fit out too. Light & airy. I have a feeling we will be back for a Breaky 🙂

Check out this amazingly beautiful view… What a stunner…

2pm so back to the hotel to check in to Favehotel Umalas & chill out.

I choose this hotel based in the area, the nearby restaurants & the pool area. Not disappointed but it isn’t as great as the last two places but I’ll reserve judgement until after we spend the night. Bed seems more comfy though. And clops has her own room, balcony & bathroom as the rooms are teensy, tiny!! All good, only 2 nights.

Tonight’s dining delights are at Barbacoa which is directly across the road from our hotel.

The security man stops traffic to let us cross & we all laugh when we just walk into the restaurant. We don’t have a reservation but they can fit us in. The table is not a good one so I do my usual sweet talk… Can we please have a better table & we will leave by the times it’s booked for? Certainly can! Excellent, thank you very much 🙂
Seated in back terrace overlooking a crop I cant quite recognise but it’s very pretty. Setting is beautiful. Cocktails & tapas is becoming our theme here in the island of the Gods.

Delicious food – TOPS!! beetroot, goats cheese & walnut salad, smoked tuna sashimi, snapper cerviche, beans in anchovy butter & char grilled octopus with fried polenta & chorizo. TOPS!! Every mouthful divine.

The kids shared a honeycomb ice cream sandwich while I looked on with a margarita.

The service was excellent. Friendly, welcoming, professional, delightful. Restaurant stunning. Loved every minute of it. Owned by an Aussie woman – will be looking up her Sydney restaurant ASAP.

Out we go, Clops is being farewelled by name! The girl had been looked after had been given a tour by our lovely waiter. A great touch.

Traffic is stopped, we cross & walk right on into the hotel. Nightie night

Day 10 – Right-e-o then!! Terrible nights sleep. Our rooms are right at the elevator. People come & go all night. Chairs are scrapped on floors above (tiled floors), staff chat on the driveway below. Doesn’t worry clops. I put my ear plugs in so it’s not too bad. Willi doesn’t sleep at all. It’s a really uneasy feeling all night for me. Doors are obviously locked but just having so many people around us that are keeping very different hours to us leaves us feeling very unsettled. So as mesmerising as the view is we can’t stay another night sadly… that beening said we try to contact our next hotel to see if we can check in a day early but they aren’t answering their phone!!!

  We need coffee so go for a walk along Umalas 1 to the Nook. Doesn’t look very good so we hang a left to see what we can find. Such a beautiful walk.

I love this area. I love the compounds mixed in with rice paddy fields & then a luxury villa. Very pretty. So on we walk thinking we’d eventually join batu belig. Walking, walking. I notice there’s hardly any traffic at all now.

Walking, walking. And then the road ends! Lol. I thought Willi was going to blow his stack but he just laughed!!!

Clops gets a piggy back all the way back up to the nook then we walk up to moose espresso bar.

But it’s too hot in there & they didn’t welcome us in with open arms or even a smile so we skip it & head back to livingstone cafe & bakery for a good coffee, French toast & fruit.

Then Willi declares we shall move to the Kokonut suites for the night.

We stayed at the Kokonut suites a few years again & had walked through yesterday. We enquire at front desk for a room for three, yes they have one for 950.000 inc breakfast. We’ll take it Willi says & whips out his credit card so fast the moths fly out too.

Back to favehotel & we race around throwing our stuff in the suitcase like we were leaving town in a hurry. We decide to explain our leaving & ask for our money back. I’m bagsed to do the talking (eye roll). I just explain the noise all night & that the sheet on Claudies bed had blood on it & not from her! I only discovered this when she showed me after breakfast. Vomit! Anyway they were very good about it & didn’t make me feel bad (which made me feel bad). Money refunded we were assisted with a taksi to take us 30m down the road lol. Kokonut suites or coconut sweets (lollies) as clops called it 4 years ago welcomed us with open arms and here we are relaxing by the pool! Alls well that ends well.

Feeling at home we have a swim & reminisce ’bout the old times. Clops can’t remember staying here at all. This is where she finally swam without a bubble.

Hungry & emotional we walk over to lunch at Sardine. Beautiful place with lovely staff. We are keen to enjoy an old fashioned al a carte plate of food not tapas. Willi has mahi mahi with a rice salad & I have some divine grilled white fish with a pearl barley & squid salad. We enjoyed every mouthful so much!

A glass of prosecco each x 2! Dessert I had apple caramel ice cream, clops vanilla & Willi black current gelato.

We have a frolic amongst the fields of Bali.

It’s a beautiful spot – we blank the hotel next door.

Floating out of there and back into the throng that is in this area of Bali was a strange feeling.

Around to a money changer. I hand over 4 hunge (heading south to Balangan tomorrow so need money as no changers down there). He does his thing then puts the rupiah into counter machine & tries to give us 50 x 100.000 notes!!! I say no no we only gave you $400!!! Oh sorry, sorry he says & gives us the right amount! I’m too honest, I could never have ignored his mistake. Then grab supplies & head back to the hotel. Swim then we are now watching space balls hence my journal is being written.

Tonight I wanted to go to Charlies just over the road but sadly Willi did not. So being the ‘good’ wife that I am I let him have his wish so we ended up at Naughty nuri’s on batu belig.

It was fun & yummy. I had ribs & they had hot dogs. Couple of coronas each & a chat to the couple sharing our table & we are happy!

 

Back to Kokonut Suites for sweet dreams.

11. 4th Annual – MonoWilli&Clops – ChilLaxCation – Seminyak day 5 – 8

JBR Day 5-8 – Seminyak

Day 5 – Up not so early & with a slightish hangover but feel great all the same. Breaky at the hotel then a long morning by the pool. We made friends with another family who are lucky & come to Bali about every 3 months for business. Oh how I wish!

11am we are packed & checked out. Farewell Legong Keraton. A quick taksi ride down to seminyak. We arrive at our next hotel the Mutiara Bali resort which is in behind seminyak square & eat st. Check in not until 2pm but the room was ready so they welcomed us in 🙂 we have a family room on the 2nd storey with balcony overlooking the pool. It’s pretty & the pool is pretty big. The room is generous & cool. Bathroom seems open air but is covered in. It has a good vibe!

Is feeding time again so we walk out of the hotel & turn right, right again & then right again onto jalan Laksmana or eat st & there we find our destination – ginger moon.

We loved this last year & it lived up to it again. Quick service, fresh quality food. Delicious!!!!

We had a sneaky cocktail just to take the edge off our little hangover 🙂

Lunch done we go up to Sem square to have a look in the book shop & change some money.

Across the gang to have a look in frokk. Sweet things but just not quite my taste & pretty $$$ if you only wear it once. Looked in all the shops along there including hobo, kody & ko. Bought myself some mimpi mannis shoes! & a sweet little purse.

Back to hotel for a swim & now having quiet time before tonight’s adventures.

Head on out to meet a very old friend of Willi’s. Paul is opening up the ‘Corner House’ on the old corner store site. We head into khaima for a quick bevo.  They were chefs together back in the day & had fun catching up on mutual friends. I loved hearing about life in Bali, the local security gangs who run the streets & his plans for the new place. I had a glass of Hattons rose. Was nice!

Catch up over we walk the gangs to motel mexicola for drinks & dinner. But on the way we find Samantha Robinson so go in for a squizz. Beautiful pottery & I will return in the next couple of days to bent the credit card. Willi thinks he discovered it! Lol.

MotMex was heavily booked but they had room for us at 5.30pm! Whilst waiting for the drinks I went across the road to the 4 boutiques in search of something, anything to buy! Nothing tickled my fancy so back to my family I went.

2 passion fruit/pineapple cocktails later we float into the main dining area.

Last year we didn’t make it thus far because our credit card wasn’t accepted there & our drinks took our cash but thankfully wasn’t the case tonight! Dinner was nice, we liked it.

They stuffed up our order & remade our drinks from outside. We both can’t stand anything being wasted so we drank the 2nd round before ordering the house cocktail – the mexicola. Spicy, alcoholic goodness that it is, hick!

We sat & enjoyed the vib. Clops danced & had a ball. Finally we paid & walked home quick & easy. Hotel is in a very good possy. So it seems I need to do my Panadol & big glass of water trick to try counter the hangover. Oh well, I’m on hols after all!!!!!!

Day 6 – So our bed sucks! Not as bad as Legong but pretty close. Oh well.
A slow morning. Clops catches up on regular show which we both like too. Ah snap! Legong only had local TV, Mutiara has cable so her beloved Cartoon Network is back.

Out we go down eat st. It’s so quiet. No throng of bikes, no other pedestrians. Past Corner House to anomali for coffee & Breaky. It’s really industrial in its fit out. Coffee is goooood! I can see the cook making the hollandaise sauce fresh for my order – I am very hopeful now 🙂

Yum – it was perfect!

Oh no – alls not well in paradise. Clops has turned nasty. Sour look on her face, cranky pants eyes. She’s not happy. Won’t eat her breakfast & is showing all the signs of a teenager. I threaten to call a nanny, I tell her no swims today but she still back chats & refuses to eat. FFS! I look around at all the other diners… All child free… So we ignore her then slowly she starts to eat. It’s been bumpy but I think we’re through the tantrum. Sheesh, there’s only enough room for one diva in this family & their names Willi! Lol

Meet up with Paul & get the grand tour of Corner House. It’s really nicely fit out. I can see it being quite a popular place. Good for him.

We walk down jalan drupadi to see what we can see. Walking, walking, walking.

Checked out a couple of shops & bought a doggy door stopper from a very cute shop called mahana. They only take cash which I told her was a shame as if they took credit card I would have bought a whole lot more. I liked the look of almost everything in there. Oh well, we only have $100 cash per day so I have to suck it up.

Walking, walking, walking & then we get to jl raya seminyak so head to a money changer then on to bintang supermarket for a proper look around.

I stocked up on some coconut soap & some presents for Clops’ class mates. Taksi back to hotel to drop shopping off. I spy my old school friend who I knew was in Bali with her family at the same time thanks to FB. As politely as possible I scream out the window to her! Sorry my friend. Thrilled to have seen her! We were in year 7 together. I hope well catch up in the next day or two.

Hungry now we walk around the corner to sisterfields which is in the group of shops with frokk & kody ko. Cute, cute spot. Juices were delicious.

Lunch great too, I just chose wrong. I had a soft shell crab wrap kind of thing, Willi had a beef baguette. Clops a chicken snitzel. They loved theirs. I panicked & ordered mine even though I don’t really like eating a whole animal in a sandwich. Oh well!!!!

We will go back for Breaky for the juices alone. Back to hotel now for a marathon swimming afternoon. Catch youse later.

We had a lovely swim & lazy by the pool. Thirsty we head out to U Passha a hotel on eat st with a rooftop pool, bar & BBQ with views to die for. Up we go, looks awesome. Clops & I both have our swimmers on ready to dip. We head up to the enticing pool – so pretty! Ask for the towels, explain we are drinking & eating but not staying in house – big mistake. They will let you spend your money in food & bev but won’t under any circumstances let you use the pool. Fair enough I suppose by they lost us as customers.

Thinking, thinking… Swimming pool cocktails & food… Where to go?????

The W of course.
I’m wearing my mumpy mantis new shoes (is that what they’re called ladies? Lol) so we get a taksi. We chose to walk the driveway so he drops us on street. What a lovely driveway.

The hotel is pretty non Balinese in anyway shape or form but quite impressive. In we walk like you are in house guests. Choose a lounge, order a cocktail & slip into the pool. There is quite a bit if eye candy here & I’m enjoying this view. Have a little chat to a cute chap then thinks to myself I’m not his cup of tea & not just cause if my husband & child if you know what I mean! There are lots of beautiful people to look at. Willi & I settle in!

More cocktails & some yummy tapas we manage to spend 1.3 mil!

Apparently this is how we roll in Bali! Sun sets, I’m in wet swimmers with no spare undies & we are still hungry.

Grab a taksi back to eat st & roll into our firm favourite fun family food establishment – ultimos! Pizza, rocket salad & their yummy cheese sticks later we are full as googs. A quick stop off at quickie mart & were home. I don’t want this holiday to end!!!!

Day 7 – Up early & out for our morning walk through the back gangs & around to sea circus for breakfast.

Last year we dropped in only for coffee & I got serious menu envy so we had to come back this year. Loved the quote my coffee came with. Moved me to get a tear in my eye which was quickly reversed by yet another clops melt down!

Breaky was lovely. Toast for me with lemony crushed avocado & a side of bacon. So good! Willi had a bugs bunny juice & me a Mary poppins. Yum yum!

We walk around back to seminyak square looking in shops along the way – nice home ware shop called satunama but very expensive.

Stopped into deus where Willi stocks up on tshirts. I bought an outrageously expensive tea towels but justify the expense cause they will be art somewhere/somehow in the house. We also grab matching deus hoodies just like Japanese honeymooners lol!

Back to hotel for a swim!!!

Tummy rumbling we head out. We duck into the white peacock & manage to buy a dress, purse & 2 bracelets.

On we go to Manos sea side beach club in the hopes it might be a hidden treasure. Turns out that it is not.

Out we go & over to La lucciola for an absolutely great lunch. Prosecco x 2. Spaghetti, prawn, chilli for me – molto bene! Willi had a spatchcock salad which looked amazing too. Clops had chips.

Chatted to a family from Hong Kong who’s daughter was at the beautiful 10 month age – all smiles & just crawling. Lovely. I asked to swap but they declined for some reason??? We even had dessert – I am so full now! Taksi home & into the pool.

 A slow old afternoon with plenty of pool time. Happy child, happy holiday – that’s the theory anyway.

We have a reservation at salt tapas within the Sentosa resort tonight. The Mutiara where we are staying is very close by so we risk walking in the back rather than the main entrance around on jl petitenget. Success – it might be the staff entrance but in we go all the same. We walk through the service driveway & don’t really see anything other than the private villa walls & pretty gardens.

We get there & are made very welcome.

We choose a lounge near the shallow, kiddy pool area & order cocktails.

They are made & served so quickly it’s great. Clops has a swim as we peruse the menu. Willi worked with Luke Mangan 20 years ago in Sydney & recognises some dishes they did back then!

We order pork sliders for the child & the following for us to share: cured salmon with ginger, tuna tartare (beautiful), scallops with polenta & shiitake mushrooms (yum!!) & chips with truffle & Parmesan (omg yum!).

 

Lovely service but the place is empty! We have another cocktail & chillax but there’s no one to people watch. Clops splashes around & I’m happy to let her because there’s no one to annoy!!!

We have the liquorice parfait for dessert (Willi used to make 100 a week back in the day). Omg it’s gorgeous!!!

A great place to eat, food amazing. We highly recommend it for food & service. Atmosphere was a little flat but worked for our needs. Fun over we cab it back to hotel just in time for the formula 1 qualifying – oh the joys!!!

Day 8 – Mothers Day! Had a great nights sleep. Willi & I slept on each others side cause it just happened that way. Bed still not very comfy but I’m tired from the walking, swimming, sunning, cocktailing & eating.

Monsieur spoon for breaky. I liked it. The French butter was great as was the strawberry jam. Coffee & juice – we’ve had better. The croissant & baguette were lovely.

Had a little walky to the deli in Sem square thinking maybe we could buy some weetbix for Clops (the past 3 years I have brought them with us & she hasn’t eaten them!). They didn’t. Off we go just walking cause it’s early & not much traffic. No shops open so we head back for a swim.

Today being the last full day in Semmy I need to get down to jalan kunti to have a look. We walked there & had a look at shops along the way including bomba where Willi finds a Keith Richards tee shirt – so now we have a tee shirt with matching tea towel. Lol!

Into a bead shop for some little bracelets for Clops’ teacher. I couldn’t help but buy some green glass stars made from bintang bottle to hang somewhere. I love anything repurposed. The bag he put them in was even recycled paper from a magazine!!!

 

We walk up & down kunti until we are hungry. We like the look of the rolling fork. Glad we did. Food was delicious. Willi had insalata, clops a burger & me a handmade pasta which was amazingly yummy!!!! Seriously I wished I could have licked the plate 🙂

Grab some dvds for my brother who’s been looking after our doggy then grab a taksi back to hotel.

4.30pm reso at Mozaic beach club up on batu belig – my all time favourite experience of a bali restaurant in 3 trips. High expectations!!! Arrive, given the royal treatment as I’d been emailing back & forward to make sure my Mother’s Day experience was perfection. Turned out to be a bit of musical chairs but all good.

Seated next to ankle deep pool as it was a scorching day & we needed the shade. Clops has an unsatisfactory swimming experience so daddy lets her swim alone in the deep pool (eye roll, father of the year not!).

Not. Happy. Jan. Divorce imminent I insist we move up to the deck so the pool is not a temptation. Up we go & the mood shifts, praise The Lord!

Order more drinks & food, people watch & enjoy the beautiful sun setting over the Indian Ocean.

Food arrives – yummy. Crispy squid, baby octopus, tuna salad & Japanese crispy chicken. Delicious-ness-eses.
More cocktails. Then a cow entertains us by frolicking beach side. Adorable.

Smokers move in & it really gets up our noses so as the sun has set we move down to the bar for dessert – valrohna chocolate bar for him & a magnum mosaic style for her. Me? Another cocktail of course. So great spot, can’t recommend enough. Want to be here the day I turn f.f.f.f.f.fooorrrtttyyyy.
Owner came over while we waited for taksi & gave clops some fish food to feed the gigantor goldfish. Had a chat as you do. Was lovely. Fun is now over, grab a taksi home for yet more motor sport. Ear plugs!!!

Thanks for reading so far… xxx

10. 4th Annual – MonoWilli&Clops – ChilLaxCation – Canggu, Berewa Beach days 1-4

JBR Day 1- 4 – Canggu, Berewa Beach

Hi! Sorry I haven’t contributed in a long time. I have been lurking though. I hope my JBR’s make up for the absence.

I want to thank ilab & livecanggu for their kind assistance with my questions about Canggu – very much appreciated J I also have some close friends help me too – thank you <3.

Mono – me, Willi – husband, Clops – 7 yo daughter

Day 1 – An easy & quick trip over Syd -> Denpasar with Jetstar in a new Dreamliner. Love that we can now have a window & all sit together! The new terminal is big & shiny. VOA easy & quick. Immigration was like cattle lining up but surprisingly quick to get through. Customs a breeze even though we had ‘nothing to declare’. We are staying for 4 nights at the Lengong Keraton (as suggested by rockterrigal, thx!). Our beautiful Made from the hotel is waiting in pick up area with a big smile.

 

Day 2 – Up before the crack of dawn this morning! Walked on the beach south from Berewa to Batu Belig. It was just glorious!

Breakfast at Watercress Café – a favourite from last trip. Coffee strong & delicious. Breakfast to die for & an excellent start to the holiday. Loving life!

After breakfast we changed some money & walked to hotel back along the beach. The morning was spent swimming in the pool – valuable family time spent together.

Then we were hungry so we got a hotel driver to drop us off at Bintang Supermarket – 70.000 IRD.

Walking north away from Bintang we looked in shops but bought nothing. Lunch was at Fat Gajah which is run by the same people as Chandi which I love. Menu read really well but I actually didn’t like my dishes very much. Nothing wrong with them just not to my taste I suppose. Willi liked his. Clops only had ice cream (such bad parents!). Cute set up though.

After lunch we walked further north to eat street. Bought Havianas x 3 (panic at home packing – over weight suitcase, ditched the 2^nd pairs of thongs!). Bought a cute jump suit for Clops in indigo & rose. Nothing for me! 😦 stopped in for some DVDs – who knew how great downtown abbey was until 3 weeks ago? Me! Doh. Got all 3 series. A quick drink at soho – Albens cider if you don’t mind. Taksi home for another swim, chat to other guests & a bintang. Perfect!!!!

Returned to the room for some r & r. Willi had a cat nap, clops watched a DVD. I checked in with some friends on FB.

Tummy grumbling we walk north along the beach in search if the Berewa Beach Tavern for a chilled out sunset, Bintangs & burgers. It was a beautiful walk. Got to the tavern… Looked at each other… Shook our heads & went back to our hotel Legong Keraton. Tavern looked pretty chilled on FB but in real life it looks like a run down salmonella shack.

It was a lovely evening with a mojito & classic old school hotel food.

Sunset started out promising but ended up behind some clouds. So we were all in bed & asleep by 7.30! I kid you not! We had been awake since 4.30am though!!!

Day 3 – Slept in until 6.30am – that’s 11 hrs sleep. We must have needed it!

Hotel breakfast today. Overlooking the waves with the sun on our backs. Very average fare but the house made jams were delicious. Papaya, pineapple & a coconut one. What a pleasure.

A quick 40 min (eye roll!) swim then into a van to raya pantai Berewa in search of Bungalow Living. Hotel driver didn’t know it at all so we drove well past it. Stopped twice for directions then decided we had had enough so paid & hoped out. Hungry bird cafe was on my list so we stopped in for a refreshment. Willi had the best coffee if the trip so far. Clops a banana smoothie & I had a piña colada juice. Pancakes & fruit salad also! Ketut, our driver comes back to tell us he found BL – what a sweetheart! It’s about 100m back toward where we’d come from.

Off we go after breakfast no. 2 to have breakfast no. 3. God we’re pigs! No bb king much to clops disappointment. Coffee was ok. I had a spinach quiche which was good. Kids had a slice of lemon meringue pie. I bought the worlds cutest coat hooks which I love with all my heart & will bring deep joy to me each time I hang my coat.

Grab a taksi & head back for an afternoon by the pool! I’m going to win the family diving comp.

Afternoon by the pool diving & splashing! Several other children here so it’s not just my child giggling & squealing, annoying the child free crowd. Back to the room to chill out. Perfect!

Made drives us to La Finca for dinner. Made is a lovely, quietly spoken man who I’ve been emailing to book hotel. He also picked us up from hotel & is just a lovely, hardworking man.

La Finca has been expecting us thanks to my FB messages with Thomas the manager. It’s tequila Tuesday so what other choice do I have than to guzzle a pineapple margarita??? Was a great twist on the original.

Kids (I have 2 children it seems – one I birthed, the other I married!) are hungry so we leave the pretty garden bar for the dining room. 4 plates of tapas & a burger each for them later & we are sorted. Food was divine which is what everyone who’s been has been saying.

We fell in love with 2 tiny kittens who blessed us with their attention. So sweet, could we get a kitten? How would our beloved doggy cope? How would I go with my horrendous cat allergy? No…

It was a lovely dinner, service was friendly & efficient. The setting was gorgeous & very inspirational for our garden at home. Taksi back & here we are. She is in bed, he is snuggled up beside me. I love Bali!!!

Day 4 – Well we have done so much today already! Up at 6am, walked south on beach to lvl8 hotel which I thought we might have a sunset cocktail at tonight as the beach club pool is stunning! Hotel looked empty & quite run down – I thought it was newish.

Walk along the prettiest of gangs to get to Canggu Deli.

There was a crowd outside waiting for it to open. Grab supplies & some Bali products for me to savour at home.

Hungry now we retrace our steps home.

Breaky at hotel was croissants with papaya jam & fresh fruit. Yum!

Clops & I go for a swim while Willi reads. There’s a wedding being set up. Perfect spot for it under the shade of the palm trees with that gorgeous blue sky & water behind.

 

Feeling like another walk we head out of hotel inland. Another gorgeous road through Canggu. I love this area. It sort if reminds me of the walk we did last year to cafe pomegranate in ubud. I was totally spellbound by the pretty gardens & compounds & normal Balinese life going on away from the tourism.

It gets hot, clops is suffering so we lob into a local road side cafe – the ones only locals eat at? We buy water and have to sit. I had to mime that I wanted 3 waters & that we needed to sit. Paying was an ordeal. She had to mime to me what she wanted me to pay! We were the strangest thing these locals had seen in a long time but they looked after us 🙂

Snagged a taksi & headed into pantai Berewa & to green ginger for lunch. Dropped off too early so we walked. Had a sticky in Edith’s shop & bought 2 enamel signs that had been made into trays. Perfect for somewhere on our new deck at home.

Green Ginger – what a breath of fresh air this great little cafe is. A gorgeous little cafe with eating areas out the front, inside with ac & in the side garden. Staff so friendly, smiling & happy to assist you with menu requests (not that we had any, just said so on the menu which I liked being a mum if little miss fuss pot).

Menu is 100% vegetarian which is so not like me! Ordered a ginger & lime fuzz, vanilla milkshake & a coffee.

Lunch was rice paper rolls, gozya, fried rice, salt & pepper tofu & a vege salad.

It was totally, 10000% tasty, fresh & a joy at every mouthful!!! They don’t charge tax or service fee & do take credit cards. We tipped them generously because it was so good. We stood around outside waiting for a taksi. The girl cane & offered to call one for us. A great dining experience when we least expected it. ❤

After lunch we grabbed a taksi home & here we are killing time until we can crash the wedding. I love weddings, I work arranging weddings & I can’t miss a sticky beak at a Bali wedding.

Ok, wedding time! I stalk it by choosing a sun longer with the best vantage point. It’s a beautiful day, big blue sky, lots of dappled shade over the wedding guests. The Groomsmen are in white shirts & beige shorts, most bare foot. Bridesmaid & the cutest little flower girl in the history of flower girls walk out, around the pool & over to the guests. Then another bridesmaid. Then The Bride with her father. It was beautiful just as every wedding is! I had a little tear in my eye watching. Also I wasn’t the only non-wedding guest watching. Quite a crowd of hotle guests (in their swimmers!) had assembled around the pool to enjoy there ceremony 🙂

After the wedding we got dressed & a taksi to kakilmas in batu bolong.

What a pretty place this is. Restaurant area with picnic blanket area & tables on the grass overlooking the sun sinking into the ocean (again not the best sunset tonight but still flipping gorgeous).

Menu is tapas plus BBQ – reads really well, presents really well & tastes divine.

With a pitcher (2 to be truthful) of rose sangria we had a blast.

Such a pretty place. Service was friendly & good. Nothing out of place. Quite expensive as it came to 1.4 mil rupiah but we ate well & I came home singing so certainly drank well. A great night!

Driver home cost 2k more than it should have but it’s less than $2 so I’m too pleasantly (presently) pissed to care. Got back to hotel to find inxs blaring but only about 20pax still here for the wedding. I sang my way to the room much to the embarrassment of the kids. Pfft. We can hear the music in our room now. Doesn’t matter at all as we are asleep by 7.30pm? lol. Another beautiful day in our paradise.

9. 18th May 2013 – Part 4 – Nusa Dua

3rd Annual MonoWilli&Clops ChilLaxCation 2013

Part 4 – Nusa Dua – Well worth the trip. No, really! – The perfect way to end our perfect holiday

Day 12  continued… Saturday 18th May, 2013

We pack after breakfast then head up to check out. Will this driver show up???

No, the driver didn’t show up! But he sent a wonderful replacement. Turns out the original driver we spoke to had to attend a ceremony –but he arranged for his friend who was wonderful & we will use him next time.

We enjoy him & our drive down to Nusa Dua which takes just on 2 hours.

I loved seeing the street vendors with their watermelon & corn.

 

 

We say the signs & development for the new bypass roads to Sanur.

 

Clops sleeps on my lap.

 

It’s 1pm as we drive into the resort area of Nusa Dua. It’s pretty & well looked after but after everything I had read I was expecting a little but more wow.

We are delivered to The Grand Hyatt & ushered to reception even before we could oh & ah at that gorgeous view. Check in was a rude disappointment I have to say. After 3 exceptional hotels & their wonderfully welcoming reception staff we were stood at the desk & given the cold towels & standard orange juice. I noticed others were taken to the nearby tables & chairs to be checked in whilst enjoying the view. Not us. The girl was unengaged & not what I would have called welcoming. Our room wasn’t ready which we kind of gather by the swift way we were dealt with. We were told to come back at 3.30pm! So off we go feeling like the most expensive, luxurious & most chillaxed part of the trip was going to be a disappointment.

 

The resort is stunning & we are in Lurve.

 

Down to Salsa Verde restaurant for lunch. It’s just next to the pool & it’s very busy poolside so many a person was watched.

Service was strange at this restaurant too. The waiter even said to us that she knew we had already been in Bali because we were brown (???). As we haven’t been checked in yet we can’t room charge so we pay, or try to with our credit card but due to a recent lightning strike their lines were done so they would room charge after we checked in that afternoon – we must have looked trustworthy because they let us leave : )

 

We go check in & are led to the worse room in the worst block – disappointed much? Yes. At least it’s ground floor I tell myself as we notice the view out of the back patio is directly into the conference room!!

The room itself is gorgeous & I soon turn happy again : )

It’s pool time! Little one is beside herself with excitement – there’s a water slide!

  

The river pool is a delight. It’s huge, surrounded by gorgeous gardens & the temperature is tropical. We take no time to dive in.

We swim directly across the pool to the stairs to the slide.

Then weeeeeeeeee… splash!

Willi discovered that if you went down head first it was much more fun & I can tell you what – it was!

 

I felt brave so I too went down head first & it was delicious fun. Seriously, it was the kind of fun you really only know of when you’re a child. That giggle your head off, wet yourself, laugh until your stomach hurts fun! It was wonderful & the lady at the top supervising thought we were hilarious. All three of us continuously went down the slide, got out, climbed the stairs then weeeeeeee’d (not the yellow kind!) down the slide. It perfectly filled in the afternoon as was probably the funnest thing I think I have done since… well ever. I wish there were pictures on me!! Sorry but there ain’t : )

That done we head back to the room to get changed because tonight we have a reservation at Kendi Kunning. We grab a taksi who wants 20.000 rp for the 10.000 rp trip so we say no, use the meter but give him the 20 anyway – he was very happy.

We are welcomed into Kendi Kunnings like long lost family. All staff including Ann-Marie greet us with great warmth that we immediately feel the stress of the Hyatt checkin & lunch disappear. We are shown the fresh fish in the eskys.

Before we sit down with our feet in the sand over looking the water.

 

The light gently fades as we peruse the menu’s & Willi orders us a Long Island Iced tea – yum. They serve us an amuse boushe of the most delicious fish in the amazing smokey sauce. Oh I can still taste it!

The food is delicious. Clops has chicken patties with chips (I tried them, so yum!). I had the nicest tuna seared with sesame seeds – gorgeous. Willi has a beef salad – he raves about it.

 

For mains Willi has what I think is a main version of the amuse. I’m jealous : ) I have ordered another entrée – calamari – was great but I was full.

 Putu come over to say hello & we feel so welcome. Putu & I had emailed for the reservation & to find out he is the owner & that he takes the time to come & say hi is wonderful. Soon after the lovely Ann-Marie comes to say hello. Actually when we arrived I admit that I thought she was a guest not the owner. Turns out she is an Aussie who had meet & married Putu 20 odd years ago. They had had their children in Melbourne before returning to Bali. I love these stories!

Putu offers to drop us back to the Hyatt & by the end of our beautiful conversation he is offering us that if we ever need anything in Bali call him. A beautiful night, a beautiful man.

 

Willi returns to the room to be alone with his motor sport so I take Clops to the Kadak dance performance at the hotel.

She LOVES it! & sits mesmerised for the 60 mins.

They let us have our picture taken with the dancers after wards which Miss loves even more.

The performance is wonderful & I also really enjoy it.

Turns out there is some love in this hotel – the fabulous lady who did our bill only charged for me not clops even though she should have. We had a little talk with her afterwards – she was very sweet.

Back to the room to watch Tom & Jerry : )

 

Day 13– Sunday, 19^th May, 2013

We venture back to Salsa Verde for breakfast & the buffet is excellent, really excellent.

We have worn our swimmers so can go directly in for a swim.

Must to Clop’s disgust we head to the ocean for a quick dip before walking North for a squiz.

Clops & I have a beautiful swim in the ocean while Willi heads south for a look.

Then we head back to the beloved waterslide. Again we go crazy & amuse everyone around us with our joy. It’s so much fun. We have a good swim around the river pool & it’s just amazing. We hop into the yellow, I mean other pool but it’s like a bath – too hot so we hope out & get back into the river pool. The river pool & slide we think would be the only reason to come back here but they are very good reasons.

For lunch we head to Bali Collection. We need to change some money & think that the convenience the Bali Collection offers is too go to resist.

Money changed (92.000 – lowest of the trip) we head in search of the least scary restaurant in the place. We find Aromas which has a few people in it so pick there.

 

Yummy – avocado iced mocha coffee! Affagato me thinks. (We didn’t order this – pictures are just to illustrate how wrong this gorgeous dessert/coffee can go when lost in translation : )

We have local food & deep fried stuff to be safer (?) & enjoy a couple of Bintangs.

The cycling is on here too – lucky us!

We check out Sogos where I buy a cute gecko soap dish & some more soap.

We head into the coco Supermarket & I grab some last minute things such as more ginger tea, ginger sweet, etc then head back to the room for a rest. This picture is my total stash of Bali food goodies – wish I had got more.

  Then it’s back for more sliding!!!

That afternoon we venue out to the Salsa Bar at the Hyatt.

We enjoy being the only guest there, our cocktails, the view & our cocktails.

It’s gets dark & we get hungry but instead of having dinner somewhere like Meads or Bumbu Bali we have room stinky service. Boring : (((

Day 14 – Monday, 14^th May, 2013 – Our last day in paradise (oh say it isn’t so!)  & I’m so sad : (((

Breakfast we head to the Garden café & it’s even better than Salsa Verde. We really enjoy our breakfast.

We feed a squirrel.

Then head to the beach for another delicious swim.

I leave the kids to it & sit in the shade panicking – oh no, holiday almost over, what will fill my every thought from tomorrow onwards? Panic.

Back to the slide.

I don’t write in my journal today so I’m not sure what lunch was but feel it was room service whilst resting in the room.

We swim & rest & pack before checking out & heading to Nampu, the Japanese restaurant at the Hyatt for our final meal.

We love Japanese food & enjoy this meal very much.

It’s very expensive though but then we did have sake. Cheers & smile!

Black sesame & green tea ice cream later we begrudgingly pay & grab a taxi to the … boo, hoo… airport. The traffic is bad but we expected that.

Into the airport to wait but the time flow by. Onto the plane & back to reality.

So, I’ve already been doing rough planning for the next trip despite that fact that we had said no more until 2015 (my 40th). BUT I got a text today from Willi asking if I’d booked Bali for next year yet! Yaya I’m taking that as permission (as if I need permission – crazy) to book as soon as I see an airfare I like!

Thanks for reading & commenting. I’ve loved it all. And thank you all for your answers, questions & reviews – without then our little holiday would not have been anywhere near as awesome as it was. : )))))))

Mono xxx

PS> I just want to thank my Husband, Willi & our daughter, Clops for letting me take endless pictures not only of our holiday but of their meals! Seriously thank you – it must have been horribly annoying to hear Mono say ‘stop, I’ve gotta take a photo of that!’. Much love to youse xxx : )

8. 15th May 2013 – Part 3 – Ubud – EAT lots, PRAY we’ll be back, LOVE the place

3rd Annual MonoWilli&Clops ChilLaxCation 2013

JBR part 3 – Ubud – EAT lots, PRAY we’ll be back, LOVE the place

 

Day 9 continued – Wednesday, 15^th May, 2013

Today we finally get to experience Ubud. We have both been before – Willi first came to Ubud in 1992 on his first Honeymoon (pass the sick bag!).

I have also visited before back in 1999 with an ex boyfriend. I arrived on the 29th May & left 2 days before the first election after the collapse of the New Order who I believe had been in power for 20 odd years on 7^th June 1999 (someone tell me if I’ve got that wrong!). It was very exciting & uncertain times & I think I remember the Australian Government issuing a travel warning but I went anyway as you do when you’re 23. I flew Ansett which cost $299 return from Brisbane (I remember because my work got a fax advertising the special) & the plane was empty as were the streets of Kuta. There had been rioting in Jakarta I think making Bali very quiet.

This is me at 23 years old in the Monkey Forest – I so wouldn’t do that these days!

Anyway the day I took a trip up to Ubud we checked out the volcano, monkey forest, silver & wood carvers & the rice fields. On the way back down to Kuta we got stuck in a political rally & our car was surrounded by car & truck loads of young men all in red having the time of their lives! We weren’t scared just amazed by the spectacle. Here are the pictures I took.

So back to 2013 – Today is election day in Bali & we really have no clue of what to expect on our transfer from Seminyak to Ubud considering my memories of elections in Bali. This is one of many polling booths we saw.

Actually it has a really great effect – there’s hardly any traffic once we are out of Seminyak & there’s none about in Ubud which gives us a wonderful first impression of how easy the place is to get around!

This is just how quiet it was… Was nothing like this the following days.

We check out & wait patiently for Dewa to arrive. After the airport transfer disappointment I’m quietly concerned but I should have been as Dewa arrives right on time. His car is good but he’s an odd fellow – we won’t use him again. I think I completely put him off by offering my hand to shake his before Willi did (that’s just my way but isn’t the way of the world & perhaps I should have known a little better). I think I pronounced his name incorrectly too as he corrected me in a way that said he was displeased. He drove quite fast, weaving in & out for traffic is a manner that I didn’t think was that comfortable but I just zoned out & watched the scenery change from urban to magic!

 

Dewa loosened up a bit & relaxed into the drive. He filled us in on the election & who he wanted to win & it was very interesting. He took us the back way which was the quickest way because Clops doesn’t travel at all well. The trip took about 1 hour, 20 mins.

Oh how I wished we had booked him for a half day & we could have taken our time. I dream of going back & taking pictures of anything that interests me. These pictures are taken through the back seats tinted window of a moving vehicle. The land scape is heaven on a stick. Pretty soon after we leave we travel through a really pretty town that has beautiful gardens & roundabouts – is this Denpassar? I should have asked.

So we arrive at Wapa di Ume on Jl Sueta, Banjar Sambahan & are treated to a cool towel & welcome juice.

The hotel is beautiful & we are made to feel very welcome.

The room is a great size & has a lovely bed set up for Miss.

Our room is the closest you can get to the pool which is very pleasing to the little one.

The big one makes a stunning discovery – there’s no TV! I know I say, I did tell you about this when I booked. Oh well he says. (he’s missing the Giro D’italia – he lives for cycling)

It’s past lunch time & we are starving so we jump into the free shuttle. This free shuttle proves itself to be very useful & 100% reliable so we use it every time we need to go into town.

We are dropped at the Palace & make our way around to MFR before hooking a left at the football field heading for Café Havana. We find it without difficulty & take a seat for lunch.

I love Jl Dewi Sita & can’t wait to have a little wander.

First things first – lunch.

Food is good & tasty.

The service is friendly & the waitress lets Clops feed the fish.

Finally lunch is over so we take a stroll down the hill & chance upon a ceramic shop called Ubud Ceramics & woodcraft. We go in to have a look. I buy a cute leaf/lilypad dish for my Mother in laws salt.75.000 rp. I spy lots of cute little paths this way & that I wish I could have a wander along them… one day

Then we head back up to Jl Raya Ubud for icecream.

It’s almost shuttle pick up time so we have a nosey in the palace. Actually we had just missed a rather spectacular Royal funeral procession which happen yesterday. The palace is pretty & we enjoy our look around.

The ‘Wapa’ car arrives & we pile in. Clops affectionately calls the shuttle “Wapa” from now on.

We have a snooze but I am awoken by the rain & boy does it rain. In fact it sheets it down.

Wapa has a complimentary afternoon tea daily so Clops & I make the dash back up to the restaurant while Willi rests – he’s still all achy.

We are welcomed in & given a table on the floor right on the side so we can take in the gorgeous view. Tea & hot chocolate and sticky, sweet Balinese cakes later we are happy.

We take a quick walk north on the road to see if there is any convenience store or laundry but there is not. We walk back through the hotel grounds with the gently rain still falling. We check out the pool but no swim today.

Back to the room to rest & see how Daddy is. He’s not well so we have room service tonight. But it’s a great treat.

Day 10 – Thursday 16^th May, 2013

We awake to sunshine. The view from our room is lovely & over looks rice fields. Unfortunately they have just been harvested but it’s still a great outlook.

Up to breakfast – it’s a la carte here & we really enjoy the quality. Finally hot & crispy bacon.

Willi has a bad head ache so he goes back to rest while I take the girl for a swim. It’s iiiiccccccyyyyyy cold but it does stop her. Willi joins us at the pool & dives in. He doesn’t swim long.

We grab the 11am shuttle into town & go in search of Café Pommegranite.

We walk down Jl Raya Ubud as I have a vague idea of kind of where it is but alas I fail & we keep walking away much further than I think the turn off is.

 

We walk & walk basically giving up on Café Pommegranite for today. We look at the sights & ignore the women begging with babies. It’s all very interesting.

Then I spy a red star, a red Bintang star. We have found the Bintang supermarket in Ubud. I had only just asked about supermarkets on the forum yesterday & here we are finding one!

We go in for a look around.

The veg section we find very interesting & look in there for ages (it’s air conditioned!). I buy some more sugar, salt & soap.

A guy just offers us transport & as we don’t have a ride down to Nusa Dua on Saturday I ask him if he’s available which he is. We discuss price & look at his car & exchange details of pick up & time & it’s done. Simple as that. I choose him because he looked clean, neatly dressed with neat hair & he looked a like a family man.

We head back to Ubud & stop at Bridges but we don’t feel like anything too formal so we walk back into town & find Casa Luna. I have a whole list of restaurants to try in Ubud too but the plan has gone out the window for today so we settle for this great family place.

We sit downstairs at the back overlooking the big gorge. It’s cool down here.

Lunch is great & we enjoy our Persian sandwiches very much until 2 smokers are seated right next to us.

Anyway I have spied a great homewares shop just next door so we go over for a look. The windows are dressed really well as the inside is a disappointment. I buy nothing.

We have time to kill before the shuttle so I coerce Willi into the new markets. Actually I just wanted to have a look so I knew what it was all about. It looks great although I have no idea of what it was before. We walked around, in & out & back around again. The market ladies were all smily & polite, accepting our no thank yous to their you look my shop. We bought nothing. Itch scratched I was happy.

Ubud is a buzz. There are large groups of tourists coming in & out of the palace. Traffic is very heavy. Totally different to the day we arrived.

Back in the Wapa car for a mummy/daughter swim. Still cccoooolllldddd. Willi rests – he must be sick or has a secret tv to watch the Giro.

 

Dinner tonight is at The Three Monkeys Ubud. We walk down MFR in search of it. I know it’s a fair way down but not its exact location. I have to ask someone. A lovely fellow offering us transport is my guide. He is very happy to help us & turns us around & onto the opposite side of the road. He gives me a big smile & it’s genuine.

Success – we walk in to The Three Monkeys. Menu is the same as in Sanur doh. Willi has his Tuna, I have steak, Clops has spring rolls.

Our table is right on the pond which is really pretty as dusk falls.

We enjoy some Preseco & dessert. Yum.

Walk back up to wait for the shuttle. We meet a lovely local guy called Wayan who’s offering transport. Actually he used to work at Wapa and stands with us chatting until the shuttle arrives. He is just a lovely guy happy to have a chat. I take his card for next time. The Wapa shuttle driver says he was a very well respected employee at Wapa so that’s a good reference. I kind of wish I hadn’t already arranged our transfer on Sat. Back home to watch a DVD before we drift of the non nighs.

Day 11- Friday 17^th May, 2013

It’s another beautiful morning.

Breakfast is a delight – brioche looks a little rude this morning don’t you think?

Stevie is that you?

Clops has a swim then we head into Ubud via the Wapa Shuttle.

Money changed we head off to find Café Pommegranite.

I have done some proper research & think I know where it is… fingers crossed. We walk up a steep, gravelly & windy road & around to a foot path that has a sign – Café Pommegranite 800m. Off we walk.

It is a beautiful walk. Amazingly beautiful. The best walk of the holiday. I love this little path.

We past normal Ubud life for people who don’t revolve directly around tourism. It’s a delight! We leave urban behind & enter rural passing an egg plant

A chicken

A bike

Some rice, lots of rice – we give clops some to eat.

A scarecrow

Some ducks

And then we are there.

It’s a great place & the staff are gorgeous. View is beautiful. I feel amazing.

Food is kind of got a  Japanese flare. It’s delicious.

Clops orders Miso soup with rice & Willi & I order a tasting plate & a selection of dips that we can share. Oh and a Bintang.

Clops horses around. Now you see her, now you don’t.

 

After a long while we slowly retrace our steps back in to town. It’s gorgeous!

We notice lots of local ladies all dressed up & walking in small groups passed us. I wonder what’s happening I say to Willi. It’s another funeral procession. We don’t really know what to do so e stop walking and watch out of respect. Not sure taking a photo is respectful but I did anyway.

I spy where Ibu Oka is but doubt very much we will eat there this trip.

The Wapa Harley. No further comment.

Bo Derrick turns into Robert Plant.

I have a 4pm massage at the hotel as part of the package. The Spa is so beautiful & serene. I relax into my massage & it’s very good. Toward the end I can hear squeals & think of well it is my child. Massage over I head to the pool to ssay hi only to discover the squeals are from a fully grown woman being indecent with her husband/boyfriend. Yuck!

Ho hum dinner is Room Service not Laka Leke : ( Food is beautiful though.

Day 12 – Saturday 18^th May, 2013

I am first awake so I noisily sneak out of the room to catch a sunrise. I am joined shortly after by my daughter then Willi.

So much for quiet solitude first thing in the morning.

Willi has a massage this morning – only his 2^nd ever.

We pack after breakfast then head up to check out. Will this driver show up???

As we check out today & I am feeling sad. We have only slightly scratching the surface that is Ubud. I think I missed many a great thing & we couldn’t possibly have explored Ubud in 3 days! I would like to come back & stay 5 nights & do a new walk each day as well as really explore the towns around. I would love an afternoon by myself in Ubud town to really explore the little lanes & shops. Oh well folks, you know that can only mean one thing… planning another visit soon.

To be continued…

7. 10th May 2013 – Part 2 – The Food Lovers Guide to Seminyak

3rd Annual MonoWilli&Clops ChilLaxCation 2013

The Food Lovers Guide to Seminyak

Day 4 continued – Friday, 10^th May, 2013

We bid farewell to our Hyatt & jump into a taxi bound for Seminyak.

Traffic is fine until we hit the west side of the island then it’s terrible. The taxi driver keeps apologising which is sweet & so unnecessary. We thank him & tell him it’s not his fault & we knew it would be bad. Still it doesn’t take too long ‘til we see HOTEL VILA LUMBUNG ahead of us on Jl Petitenget. I love this area of Seminyak (Kerobakan really) & choose Hotel Vila Lumbung based on location, price, reviews & facilities.

We are checked in & led to our downstairs bungalow in no time. The Bungalow is great as it has a separate 2^nd bedroom for Clops & a lovely outdoor bathroom including shower which we all ohh & ahh at. The room is well equipment, clean & cool – I’m very happy!

We are hungry so head off for a walk around to see what we can see. For months I have trawled the forums, reviews & wonderful JBRs to compile a full list of restaurants, cafes & bars for this section of the trip that I MUST try. I have also found Little Miss Bali on Facebook to be amazingly inspirational & have noted many places from her posts – thank you LMB.  Actually there are more places to try than meals in the 5 days we are here!

We find SEA CIRCUS first & walk in all smiles to find the place in pitch black. I lovely smilie girl greets us & tells us they are closed as there is a black out! Oh no : (

On we walk & it’s a very hot day. We finally chance upon CHANDI & they have a generator! In we pile to the air conditioned room for lunch.

Probably if we hadn’t been so hot & hungry we would have sat out in the main restaurant & I could give you more detail on the ambiance & street view but alas my need for cool air won.

Bintang ordered for us, spring rolls ordered for Clops then the real fun begins in our menu selection.

WillEYE orders a chicken wrap dish which he adores. I go slightly more upmarket & get a gorgeous combination dish with 4 different dumplings & it is amazing. I enjoy each & every mouth full, taking my time to savour the experience.

We even have dessert which was also good. CHANDI has given us the best meal of the trip so far (and stays up there in the top three of this trip).

Fully fed & watered we cross the street & buy some DVD’s. Buy 10 get 5 free. Clops happy. Into a cab & we ask to be taken home via the back way. The Taski driver says it’s not a good way to go & we say oh, ok but he takes us that way away. He wasn’t wrong, it was a very bad way to go. The road was full of ridges & pot holes but it was very interesting all the same. I did feel really sorry for asking to go that way & hope his Taxi was ok.

We get back to Lumbung to find a group of English men sitting at the pool bar completely slaughtered & carrying on being noisy & generally drunk. Willi comments that this is how you drown on holidays. We have a quick swim in the main pool – Clops makes a friend. Back to the room for some down time. I unpack, Clops hides in her new room watching her new dvds. Willi watches motor sport so we are all happy.

At 6pm we grab a cab to ULTIMO!

We LOVED this restaurant the last 2 visits & have always had an absolute hoot just the 3 of us being silly & happy.

This time my daughter isn’t happy, can’t find anything to eat & is a misery guts.

Willi & I manage to have fun & enjoy our pizza & drinks.

We get back to Lumbung to find the English men are still at the pool bar, still noisy & even more drunk! Oh God I think but it turns out we can’t really hear them from our room so I giggle thinking how sore their heads will be tomorrow.

Day 5 – Sat 11^th May, 2013

Poor Clops has had a bad night with a nasty cough so ends up in with us! I half sleep, half lay away with knees embedded in my back. Poor girl.

Breakfast time & we head over the short distance to see what it’s like… it’s a good buffet with all things you’d want such as an egg station, hot items, cereal, fruit & PANCAKES! She might eat something today. I make my selections & sit down to tuck in… it’s cold : ( oh well.

The ‘lads’ are all there looking a bit dishevelled – looks like they are golfing today.

The kids go for a swim while I take our laundry just up to the place opposite the driveway of Lumbung. It’s called Cahaya laundry on Jl. Lebak Sari no.1. The lovely lady who has to pick through our smelly cloths is a sweet heart but looks tired & over worked. I feel for her. She is sweet & says she will deliver to the hotel just after 5pm the same day – great I say, thanks so much. It’s 50.200 Rr for 25 items! I grab some water then head back to the pool.

It’s coffee time so we barrel into a cab & head back to try our luck at Sea Circus. Success, lights are on & the place is busy. I have a Mary Poppins watermelon frappe & it’s delicious. Willi ordered a double shot flat white but it’s not strong enough. Clops has a vanilla milkshake. We sit in the cool fan & watch the world go by.

The guy next to us was having the most scrumptious eggs benedict my eyes have ever seen & I had horrible menu envy.

We grab a cab & asked to be taken to the site of the Corner Store please. Taxi drivers says it’s not there anymore. We say we know & that we wanted to have a look at the state of it. It is completely wreaked & being demolished. So sad to see as it was a favourite of ours. Still I hope that what it’s replaced with is even better – no doubt it will be.

We walk back to Ginger Moon for a really fabulous lunch.

 

We did my favourite thing & ordered lots of little dishes – prawn rice paper rolls, corn fritters with guacamole, salt & pepper squid & bubi guling half moon dumplings – delicious & I took my time enjoying every mouth full of this lunch too.

Yes, we had dessert – we had to really with a dish called a caramel volcano!

Back ‘home’ for a lay down & then swim. I opt out early & head back to de-chlorinate my hair & have a Clops break. Phone rings – it’s the laundry!

 

Bunnings Bali style?

Tonight I want to go to Potatohead. It’s not far from Lumbung so we walk. It’s a long driveway before we get to the massive building that it is – very pretty with its old shutter cladding.

We walk around to the entrance where we see a queue of people waiting to get in! Well I’ll be blowed if it isn’t Saturday afternoon and we can’t just walk into a hip & happening club (derrrrr!!). We look at each other & say no way – we are too old to line up at some club! Off we walk back along the driveway : (

We walk past their carports & notice a red Ferrari parked there – Willi is shocked that someone would have that much money to bring such an expensive car to Bali with the roads & traffic as bad as it is! He thinks it’s stupid (jealous much?).

There’s also a very cute Potatohead car!

 

We grab a cab to Motel Mexicola. It’s so fun, the drinks are awesome. We have a Mexicola which is very nice. Then we have a Margarita verde – the girl warns us they’re spicy & she wasn’t wrong – but so good.

We sit a long while waiting for them to open for dinner at 6pm. Finally it’s 6pm & they ask us to settle the bill before moving in – no problems & I give them my 28 degrees Mastercard & turn back to the streetscape to wait. Oh no, there’s a problem, our card has declined – my worst fear. They try again, and again. I even have a try. We try swiping all the time all staff are staring at me like I was a petty criminal. I was rudely asked if I had another card. No I don’t on me. Well pay cash was their answer. Thank God I have just enough cash to pay & we are OUT OF THERE. Such a pity as I would have enjoyed my dinner there but I did not appreciate the way I was treated so I will never grace them with my presence again. I’m still thinking about how I will word my review.

We swing by ‘home’ to grab some more cash & head to Naughty Nuri’s Warung on Batu Belig. We are greeted warmly & given a good seat in the middle of all the action.

The place is pumping. We hear a commotion & watch nervously as 2 waiters start to shout ‘shake, shake, shake’ as they shake some cocktails! Funny & a lot embarrassing for them!

Willi orders a burger, Clops a hot dog but I get the ribs plus some ‘porn corn’. Yum! It’s great as we all enjoy it & the vibrancy of the place. A great night.

Day 6 – Mothers Day – Sunday, 12^th May, 2013

 

Happy Mothers Day Mummy! Such a lovely way to start the day. There are no gifts as this holiday is all I ever wanted.

 Over to breakfast. I have toast (eye roll) but the bread is gorgeous so I have more toast. Yum. I also have cold bacon with chilli sauce – YUM.

It’s Mothers Day so I get to do what I want to do (not unlike the whole holiday really!). And I want to go to Potatohead & be granted entry successfully this time. Off we go in a cab cause my child is whingy. Out we hope & greet security & try to walk in… sorry but we don’t open until 11am. Oh God! Will I ever get into this place?

 

Off we walk down to the Petitenget temple & cut through to the beach. We walk south having a good look at everything we walk by. All the fancy people in their fancy beach side hotels. 

We walk to Ku De Ta & drop in for a …. Cocktail! 2 peach Bellini’s & a milkshake later we are sorted. It’s really enjoyable just sitting & watching the water. There’s a table with 2 loud, American women smoking & hair flicking which we take great pleasure in watching.  It was like one of those Bravo show like “Extreme cosmetic surgery gone wrong”.

Off we go shopping to Indigo & Rose where we by the same dress in 2 sizes – oh God! I make her promise that we will take it in turns to wear each day & never at the same time except at home where we can trick Daddy. Ok she says & she was very good the rest of the holiday.

 

It’s hot so we walk into SoHo for a beverage.

 

I try the Albens cider – it’s not bad. I have it with ice in a glass but think it’s better from the bottle – less watered down.

It’s lunch time & we fell like Mexican! Into a cab & around to Taco Casa which had good great reviews from memory. Cabby didn’t know where it was but I did & I gave him directions – well that felt good knowing a little something about My Seminyak that a local didn’t : ) Clops & I have build your own tacos & Willi has the biggest burrito we have ever seen! We know what he’ll be doing later. Food was great, service was lovely, daughter actually ate something – win/win.

 

Back to the room to watch Skyfall (James Bond). OMG it was a great movie. I really, really enjoyed it very much. We aren’t big movie watchers – apart from kids movies the last movie I saw was the Da Vinci Code when I was pregnant!

Pool time so I go get a 30 min back, shoulders & neck massage at the hotel. It’s 88.800 Rp & was really good. My therapist was an older, wiry, tiny women who somewhere along the line straddled me during the massage! There’s a first time for everything!

   

Tonight’s Mothers Day dinner is at The Slippery Stone along Butu Belig – once again I needed to assist the cabbie with directions : ). I had selected this restaurant based on reviews, location & the fact they welcome children for dinner. Plus the pictures of the place looked really lovely! We had made a reservation & were made very welcome upon arrival.

We are led to the front lounge overlooking the whole place. It’s better than the pictures & I am well pleased.

We order cocktails of course & mine is wonderful. It’s a caramelised apple one & it’s gorgeous. Willi orders one that comes with a personal visit from the wonderful barman which is great. He takes the time to explain that Willi’s might need some sweetening as the passionfruit it’s made with is quite tart – Insert a joke about Willi & a tart : )

I take a walk through the place to check it out & take many a picture. I am getting inspiration for our garden at home & hope Willi can see where I’m coming from. There are several lounge areas all with tropical plants planted in a circle around them leaving only a gap to walk through. They are beautiful & I’m sure I can see me getting one planned at home.

My wonderful husband isn’t feeling very well but bless him he keeps on keeping on for me ‘cause he can see how much I’m enjoying myself.

It’s time to be seated for dinner & we order.

Willi orders a fillet of beef, Clops orders mash & fish fingers (they are real fish, crumbed & perfect!) & I order the famed pork belly.

Willi’s & clops is gorgeous, mine is good in flavour & presentation. The top is beautifully crispy as pork skin should be but the belly isn’t like I’m used to at home – it seems Aussie pork belly has more meat on the belly, Bali pork is a lot more fat & I just can’t eat it & I feel sad.

We need to go as Willi is really at the end of his tether. A taxi is ordered but not before they present me with a yummy pineapple cake with “Happy Mothers Day” piped in chocolate on the plate. What an amazing thing to do for me – I wish we could have stayed & had a coffee.

I would also really like to mention that service her is very slick. From my email reservation dealing to having the manager (Why didn’t I write his name down????) taking special care of us, to the bar & the kitchen with the cake it was just so well done & totally 5 star. I tip that this place will be the next biggest thing & rightly so. Thanks for having us & making it so special Slippery Stone.

Home & to bed for us all especially Willi & his sickness.

Day 7 – Monday 13^th May, 2013

A typical morning of yummy bread toasted for breaky, money changed, laundry checked in & convenience store shopping.

We bump into folk we have made friends with at the pool. They have two babies under 2 – yikes & best of luck! I tip my laundry lady cause it was Mothers Day yesterday & I reckon she’s a mother who’s working really hard & deserves my 50.000 rp – I feel great with her smile.

Pool time then a dvd then lunch…

We are off to Drop. The coffee spot but Mantra next door looks more interesting.

We have gormet (not gourmet) rolls & they are delicious.

Back ‘home’ for a rest as Willi not the best – not Bali Belly, just lethargic & achy.

It 4pm & Clops is having a crazy conniption – something about ‘we are fogging up or something. We ignore her until we realise what she’s panicking about & help her close the doors – Hotel has scheduled insect fogging at 4pm each Monday & Friday – whoops.

Tonight I have to see a Bali sunset over water. With only 5 nights on the west coast I’m so annoyed we haven’t seen one yet. Tonight we go to Mozaic Beach Club & it’s awesome!

Of course we have cocktails & order from the bar menu.

Clops has mac & cheese & it’s better than Daddy’s! He was a Chef for 20 years so that’s really saying something.

We order this tuna & seaweed dish to share while we peruse the rest of the exquisite menu.

The sun is setting but the clouds are there. It’s still very pretty.

 

The tuna is divine so we order another one each along with an amazing lobster dumpling & tempura prawns. Nom, noms.

The best meal in Bali ever! We finish with a glass of Proseco & are ‘home’ by 7.15pm. Oh and our laundry is waiting for us God love her.

Day 8 – Tuesday 14^th May, 2013

Our final full day in SeminyakILoveYou…

Up & over to breakfast where we see the little friend Clops has made sitting alone having her Bfast : ( Come join us Misha so she does & it’s lovely. She’s almost 10 & could talk your ear off but we all enjoy the chat. Her Mum’s taking care of her step Dad who’s very sick.

This morning I finally get my wish of having a walk along Batu Belig & I can’t wait. Took us about 30 mins from Lumbung to find what I was looking for but we found it!

Kevala ceramics (Thx LMB)! Oh I love this shop & enjoyed checking it all out (Willi’s eyes were just as glazed as the pottery I was collecting to buy. It’s not cheap but it’s so good. I collect a pile & the lady tally’s the bill…830.000 Rp. Willi rolls his glazed eyes. I hand over my 28 degrees Mastercard then we hear that dreaded noise they make again!!!! Argh! Ok, I say noting the Matahari machine she has, I will just take the milk jug & sugar bowl & pay cash, sorry. She is lovely & doesn’t make a fuss as she gently wraps my beauties.

We leave the shop happy when I spy Watercress Café across the road. Just in time for some refuelling we go inside.

Coffee, caramel slice & juice later we grab a taxi back for a swim.

Today is our 12pm Biku reservation. We’ve never been before so am very excited. We walk & it doesn’t take long. Pretty cool little place & I fall in love with all the reindeer statues & keep finding bigger & bigger ones. I don’t buy one though which I regret.

The food was a real treat. Willi had English high tea, Clops had kids high tea & I had Asian high tea – we were all really pleased & enjoyed it all.

I had my tarot cards read at 1pm. A lovely lady from Melbourne does it – she’s lived in Bali for 28 years though. She said may interesting things & I enjoyed the whole experience.

Lunch over we say bye bye to Daddy who gets some time to watch sport in his undies.

Girls Spa crawl Afternoon Part 1 – We take off in a cab to Carla’s Spa just near the Junction. It’s fish foot spa time. I have had one each year but still think it’s the weirdest sensation & have to not look at then for the first couple of minutes instead imagining my feet are in a big glass of fizzy Coke. So I plunge my feet in & wait to see what Miss will do.

Those poor fish are teased & teased with tasty little toes being dipped in & out, in & out, in & out until finally she’s brave enough to leave her feet in. Then it’s time to take our feet out – it’s always the way!

Girls Spa crawl Afternoon Part 2 – Into a taxi & around to Bodyworks for a manicure for me & flower polish on her fingers & toes. We are asked to wait for 5 mins then we are taken into the ‘nail hall’.

All the customers sit around the outside of the room looking at each other which is kind of fun. There’s a lot going on with ‘Shalack’ dramas next to us & across the way. Also I try to politely explain why I man would be getting his nails done : )

Why don’t they make you pay first rather than after when your pretty nails can get all banged up like mine did! Only one nail is slightly wreaked.

Girls Spa crawl Afternoon Part 3 – it’s rained really heavily as we are having our nails done so when it’s time to move on to the next spa we have to make a run for it! We race around the corner to the spa next door to have Clops hair braided. Her Dad doesn’t want it done – I think he think it’ll last until we get home & he be all embarrassed. She wants it done so I get it done.

The girl is lovely & it takes about 45 mins & costs 100.000rp but I tip 50.000 rp cause the girl originally wanted 150.000Rp but I haggled her down then I realised how long it took & what a neat job she did & thought that actually I wouldn’t work for 45mins for $10 so she was due $15.

Back ‘home’ to find Daddy pacing around the lobby… maybe we had taken longer than he thought we should have. Anyway the look on his face was priceless. A mix of relief that we hadn’t been sold into slavery & shock/disgust at the bogan child.  She is so happy with it & I keep catching her doing head wobbles to feel the braid move on her shoulders. So sweet.

We have a Bintang on the balcony of our room before walking to the nearest, most boring restaurant we can find for a quick & fuss free dinner. We end up at The Deck & it’s fine for pizza & pasta which makes them happy. I would have been happy with Potatohead : (

The Cycling is even on so Willi doesn’t have to talk to us.

A taxi home & it’s such a short fare I give him 10.000 ($1) & he jumps out of the car & rubs the note on the roof for good luck! It’s was so sweet.

 Day 9 – Wednesday, 15^th May, 2013

The holiday is starting to gain speed now & I am starting to panic. One week done, one week to go! I have tried to savour each & everyday but once the holiday starts it’s going to end just as quick.

 We are checking out today & heading to Ubud. We are staying a fair way out of Ubud proper so I want to change a couple of days of money & grab some supplies so head up the road. Back to the room to finish packing then check out & wait for Dewa the driver I have arranged (hope this one turns up)…

To be continued…

 I ❤ Seminyak! Mono’s Food Lovers Guide to Seminyak restaurant ratings…

Out of the many wonderful places we ate here are my top 4 rated on food, service & ambiance

1. Mozaic Beach Club – Food amazing, great flavours, well presented. Cocktails, very good. Service great, Ambiance amazing

2. Biku – food a real treat, well presented. Service really lovely, ambiance lovely

3. Chandi – Food was really, very, very good. Service good, not too fussy. Ambiance – I wish I had eaten in the main restaurant rather than opting for the coooool ac.

4. Ginger Moon – Food was a real treat, great flavours, looked great. Service was really good & friendly, ambiance was good – would have like to have been there in the evening.

Honourable mention – The Slippery Stone – as above food was really good (not my pork belly but the flavour & presentation were 100%), cocktails amazing, service slick, 5 star, ambiance – oh I wish I were there right now.

6. 7th May 2013 – Part 1 – My Sanur

 

3rd Annual MonoWilli&Clops ChilLaxCation – May 2013

Sanur 7th – 10th May 2013

Mono – me

Willi (pronounced Will-I not Will-y) – my wonderful husband

Clops – our funny, clever, beautiful & amazing daughter aged 6 & three quarters

Day 1 – Tuesday 7^th May, 2013

2am & I am wide awake. Must have a little something to do with the fact that the count down is over & today is the day we return to our beloved Bali…

GARUDA – Having only flown with Jetstar in the past I didn’t know what to expect of Garuda. Everything at the airport is the same as Jetstar with the exception of us lucky Sydney folk paying for our VOA just after checking in. $27 AUD each.

After take off we are served nuts & a drink – as it’s after 10am I feel a Bloody Mary is in order.

Movies in the head rest is great – selection is ok. Lunch is served but I can’t get another Bloody Mary as they only have wine & beer on the trolley – it’s for the best me thinks : ) Lunch is not good. Soon enough the VOA officers come around to stamp the passports. The drink trolley is not offered again. We land about 30 mins early which is awesome & all disembark onto the tarmac where a bus takes us to the terminal (It’s hot & I’m in jeans & a jumper!!!). We all just leisurely walk past VOA, around the corner & straight to the baggage carousels – EASY AS & the only real reason I can see for flying with Garuda again (& it’s a great reason!). Another reason would be the arrival time of 1.30pm local time as opposed to Jetstar at 9.30pm.

Out we go after customs (if you can call it that) & into the heat. We expect to see Eddy the driver I had arranged standing there with our names on a card but alas he is not. We give him the benefit of 5 mins then go to the taksi stand. There is no queue, we tell them where we are going & we are led by our taksi driver to his car. 95.000 rp from airport to Sanur.

 

The new airport buildings look like they are coming along well… just like Christmas…

 

A quick drive to our beloved BALI HYATT.

I’m super roasting hot in my jeans but the cool towel & welcome drink see me right.

We are checked in and escorted to our room a short while later. We are in the Bougainvillea court which is the furthest  block away but our room is on the side so we have water & beach glimpses. We are on the 1^st floor this year as I hadn’t bothered to request a ground floor.

The room is just the same as I remembered them from 2011. It’s great to be back at this hotel & I really hope their planned renovations don’t totally destroy the beautiful feel of this hotel that welcomes so many of us.

 

It’s pool time! My super excited 7 year old squeals her head off & can’t seem to keep her voice down – sorry everyone relaxing around the green pool… We move her to the blue pool but there are no sun loungers so we end up sitting on the bridge from the pool bar…

speaking of the pool bar we order our first Bintang of the trip. Arrrgghh does life get any better than this??? No it doesn’t my friends. We stay a while.

 

Dinner is at LA PLAYA on the beach path just south of the Hyatt. We sit & take in the view while Clops plays happily on the beach. We feast on chicken & pork sate and some chilli prawns as some local kids splash in the shallows of the water.

 

With dinner done we head back for a quick splash in the blue pool – or is that the yellow pool? We notice the same bikini clad, pink tinged bodies that were there an hour earlier. Owww, I don’t go in : )

 

It’s 7.30pm but we are too tired to stay up any later so hit the sack happy!

 

Day 2- Wednesday 8^th May, 2013

So hitting the sack at 7.30pm also means waking up at 5am! So we went in search of a sunrise but it was a bit overcast.

Onto the best buffet breakfast in the land! YUM – the buffet has really improved in my mind.

Shitake mushrooms, Canadian smoked bacon, hash brown, chipolata & a beautiful Balinese roll & I’m sorted. A plate for fresh fruit & a sticky pastry & I know I’m on holidays!

Swimmers on & we head to the green pool – no one is there so Clops can splash & squeal to her hearts content. I buy some costume jewellery from the lady at the Hyatt markets. It’s so much more expensive than it would be outside  the Hyatt but for some reason I don’t care.

We get changed & head out to Hardys for supplies. We have a lovely slow walk taking it all in & enjoying recognising shops & changes from last year. We get to Hardy’s but it’s closed! Damn us & our early rising… the only thing for it is to have cake!

We lob into CAFÉ BUTU JIMBAR. What a treat! We are looked after by a lovely man & we enjoy a gorgeous date slice, coffee & Clops has an ice cream (bad parents I know!).

We drop into THE PANTRY next door & I buy some Plaga Rose for 162.000 rp. I also grab some Bali salt which will make a great gift for my Mother in law (I get one for me too!).

HARDYS is now open so we buy my ginger tea – I clear the shelf actually. I grab some soap too & Clops gets some little thread bracelets for her classmates. Oh I also get some brown sugar & some sugar rocks that I can smash up for special sugar at home (anything to have a glimpse of Bali in my normal life at home!).

Back for another swim! I tell you we can pack a lot in a morning when you get up at the crack of dawn.

I order a young coconut as we’ve never tried one. 55.000 Rp well spent not! “I don’t like it” she said. Actually it was lovely but I didn’t want to go over board with the whole fresh fruit & juice this early in the holiday if you know what I mean.

Now it’s time to walk south of the Hyatt & have a good look around.

We dropped into the Kamulea for a squiz. Looked nice & I’ve noted it as a possibility for next trip – the staff were very friendly & helpful. It was a little too intimate for me as I like to have a bit more space between me & the other guests.

It was very hot so I remembered reading on TA that the locals all huddle in the ATM booths cause they are air-conditioned so that’s what we did! Then I noticed a couple of local girls giggling at us! So we hopped out : )

We walked as far south as the Mecure. We had a look in here & visited the facilities before cutting through to the beach path.

Further south we walked in search of the infamous KESUMAS BEACH CAFE.

It’s pretty rustic but we sit down anyway. We sit at a table with our feet in the sand. Bintangs ordered we look over the menu.

A medium snapper, squid & prawns ordered as well as a chicken sate for the wee one. Took a while for the food to be served but the squid was delicious! They also served some sauces – a spicy tomato one, a chilli & eschallot one & a garlic butter – all were really good.

The snapper was quite nice but a little over cooked. The prawns I am sorry to say were terribly over cooked & not nice. Also the service disappeared & we had to walk in to ask for another drink & again for the bill. Still it was very relaxing to sit & watch the world go by with a coldie & your feet in the sand.

We head in search of a Taksi & notice quite a number of gorgeously expensive motor vehicles in this area – a fancy expat area perhaps? A stunning CLK Mercedes turns ahead of us, a gorgeous Black BMW passes us. Nice we say.

Taksi got we head back to Hardys but I can not for the life of me remember what for? I do remember we had ice cream before walking back to the Hyatt for a cat nap.

I wake first so grab my journal & the chilled bottle of PLAGA ROSE & head to the balcony for some tropical air. Now I bought Rose as the other options were a red & a Chardonnay neither of which I felt was appropriate for me in Bali. Rose was more in line.

Plastic cup in hand I glug in a generous amount before sniff at it & take a gulp into my mouth. The first mouth full of any $16 bottle of wine is ‘interesting’ so I hurriedly take another gulp. It’s not bad at all in the context of my plastic cup, cat nap breathe & love of crispy Margaret River whites. 7/10

Then it’s dinner time. I have made a few reservations this trip so it kind of forces us to go to certain restaurants rather than being lazy or over it & eating anywhere. Tonight is our first time at CHARMING where I had made a reservation a month ago & had reconfirmed last week. We walk in & are greeted. I say we have a reservation, they say we do not. Not to worry as they have room for us anyway.

We order 2 moijitos which are quick to arrive & very good. Clops orders kids fish & chips – the fish is perfect & delicious.

Willi orders a seared beef to share to get us in the mood – it’s delicious!

For mains I order the duck confit & Willi orders the seared tuna rare. My duck confit is gorgeous & I especially enjoy the Lynaise potatoes – yum!

 

Willi’s tuna was cooked perfectly & he enjoyed it very much. He said the sauce was not a good match for the tuna & the white bean base was a bit boring but he ate it anyway. We ordered 2 classic margaritas.

Willi orders the 7 chocolate petite fours but it’s sold out so he gets the sacher torte instead & an espresso which he enjoys very much.

Then it’s time for Clops to check out the bathrooms – and boy did she check them out! I loved the black & white photographs of the Balinese beauties.

When we get back a jazz band has started & they are very good.

We are also given a cold shot of a mandarin liquor which is very nice & almost tips me over the edge but I somehow manage.

We walk back to the Hyatt and unfortunately the pool is closed (yay!).

Day 3 – Thursday 9^th May, 2013

After a sleep in we wake up at 5.50am today. Over to breaky then we have a family fight so they go their way (to the pool) & I go my way…

I walk up to Hardys & take my own sweet time checking it all out. I buy some nail polish & little presents before walking back south & trying my hand at bartering for a pretty blue dress I saw. I hate bartering and have only done it once or twice & have been a sucker each time. I end up buying 2 dresses – one is silk & the other a full length blue dress – both are very pretty. She says 75k, I say 40k (remember I suck at this). She says 70k, I say 50k! She says 60k, I say ok 55k. I have no idea if I got a good or bad price, what I do know is that I got 2 very pretty dresses & she was a joy to talk to. And $55 for 2 dresses – I am fine with that… just don’t tell Willi ok?

I head to BALI DELI for a Diet Coke & just enjoy being alone & out in my Bali. I watch the world go by and it’s great.

I figure I had better head back to them. I had been gone a while & they had no idea where I was. I heard the cartoons even before I opened the door! Further words were had before we decided to get over it & go for a walk north this time.

Off we go north. It’s hot & we are thirsty so we stop by the WICKED PARROT for a Bintang.

On we walk until we reach La Tavera. We cut through to have a squiz as a potential place for another trip. It’s pretty but I tell you what the Hyatt is just so spot on I can’t imagine being happy anywhere else in Sanur. We head out onto the beach path & continue north.

I am looking for the Turtle Conservation hut just south of Jalan Pantai Sindhu but of course we walk past it so have to turn around & really look. There it is Willi says. We go in for a look. It literally is a hut with a lot of baby turtles sitting in a couple of inches of water in their own individual plastic ricotta baskets.

 

It seems sad but then it doesn’t seem sad – I’m torn. Other people come in and join us then quickly go again.

My daughter is in love & wants to bring one home.

We head to LUTHU’S COFFEE HOUSE for lunch. It’s excellent.

We sit a long while all the time with a snoozing dog under our table.

I have a jaffle & the kids have hot dogs. The view is great & it’s very relaxing. I just wish we weren’t surrounded by smokers – yuck! We taksi it back for a quick sleep then back to the pool for a long swim.

Dinner tonight is at my favourite place from last year – THE THREE MONKEYS. I had also made a reservation here & when we arrive the beautiful staff greet me by name & it felt abit funny but very sweet.

We are seated in the non smoking balcony area which has a good view over the restaurant & street. We order cocktail & Clops’ dinner & settle in to peruse the menu.

Willi has a rocket, pear, blue cheese & balsamic salad & I have a cured salmon & rocket salad – both are delicious.

More cocktails then for mains Willi has the same tuna he had last time (He raved about the tuna from last time!). I have some gorgeous zucchini fritters & some ricotta & something ravioli – I wasn’t hungry after my salad but I soldiered on with Willi helping me finish. Delicious! It rains lightly for about 2 mins to freshen everything up – we watch the folk down stairs help the waiters move tables & chairs undercover. We had dessert too but I can’t remember what it was. The service was amazing. I really liked the food but this visit didn’t live up to my memory of last year – always the way right? Into a taksi & back to the Hyatt for a solid last sleep at our Hyatt : (

Day 4 – Friday, 10^th May, 2013

Up not so early today. We arrive at breakfast at about 7.30am. Child eats nothing and no amount of bribery or threats of missing out on the pool changes this.

I try the scrambled eggs this morning – OMG yum! Can you tell I live for food (& cocktails)? We sit still we think Clops can stand it no more – off to the green pool for our last, sacred swim.

We splash for a while before walking over to the beach for a dip. It’s a bit dirty & a few boats go by out the back making it slightly rough so we don’t stay long.

Also it’s a tad cool in the water. Back to the pool.

We go for our last walk up to Hardys then meander back stopping for coffee & cake at Grocer & Grind.

I have a gorgeous ginger, lemongrass & lime fizz. Clops has a strawberry milkshake but she doesn’t rate it ‘cause it’s made with real strawberries’ – goodness she takes after her father sometimes!

On our walk back to the Hyatt we hear sirens & think oh God, what’s happening. Then we here the sound of bells & all of a sudden there’s no traffic & a crowd of people walking on the road. It’s a funeral procession.

This man must have been well loved because there were many, many people. The ‘coffin’ passed by & the crowd behind him then the buzz of motor bikes & the surge of traffic and it was like it never happened! Amazing & our first in 3 visits to Bali.

Back to the room to pack the we make the solemn walk with suitcases dragging behind to reception to check out : ((( At least we are heading to Seminyak not the airport : )))

5. 16th March 2012 – Part 2 – You say Snore, I say Sanur

2nd  Annual MonoWilli&Clops ChilLaxCation March 2012

Sanur – Bacon, walking standing still & ice cream

Day 6 continued

we lug our suitcase & 3 carry on luggage down onto the street to find a cab. Hoping for a newish one with a normal driver & cool air con we kind of get the opposite (old car, key stuck in boot, driver wearing no shoes, weird whirling sound as car gains speed & no seat belts – great!). Oh well what’s 30 mins of terror?

Eventually we arrive at the Griya Santrian in Sanur. My first impressions of the hotel aren’t that positive but then we have come from such a wonderful property. Never mind, we are helped with our bags to our Suite at the back of the hotel. The poor porter who insisted on carrying our 25 kg bag upstairs did a great job of making us feel welcome. Our Suite is great – we are very happy with the room & pretty big veranda.

This is going to be a great stay.

We are hungry so we head out onto the beach path and wander around the corner heading North. 3 steps along my husband & I turn grinning to each other “I know where we are!” we say. An overwhelming sense of comfort & calm descends upon us. We are home : )

We dine next door at the Besahki. It’s amazing, we feel like we have never left after last year.

We gather our washing and head out in search of a laundry. We wander down a little Jalan and admire how street proud the Baliense are. Ladies out sweeping, street free from litter. We find our laundry and get it weighed – 4.2 kg – it’s going to cost 40,000! Bargin! I would gladly pay them double & maybe even triple. (note: I might have miss quoted the weight & prices here but it was a very good deal in my mind!).

Down to Hardy’s for some groceries then back for a swim. Decisions, decisions… which out of the 3 pools will we choose? We choose the beach front one right on the path. After our swim we head out for dinner. We dine at the restaurant at La Taverna. It’s called something like Isalata. It’s expensive for what it is but we really don’t care tonight. The restaurant at night is just so appealing. All the twinkling candle and several different areas to sit it really was beautiful. Walking past in the day light it just isn’t the same – but that can be said for any place can’t it. I had a cocktail and I didn’t care (within reason) how much it cost I just wanted it to taste like it should but it didn’t, it was watered down. This happened in other places too so must be a normal MO in Sanur.

We get home and walk through the door only to be punched in the nose by a very strong smell of cigar smoke! DISGUSTING! Our room has an interconnecting door and this is where the smoke is coming from. I can not on behalf of my child, husband or myself tolerate this so go to front desk and calmly explain the problem. There is no others suite available for us to move to. The only other room is the lowest room style. I ask if they have some gaff or packing tape and if we can tape up the door gaps – they happily oblige thank goodness. Air con on to rid the room of foul stench. We all sleep well.

Day 7

Breakfast buffet is good. It’s small but has almost everything we need. No bacon!!!! Oh well, somehow my husband survives the lack of pork and we can continue the day.

Today is the day we swim in the ocean! It’s cooler than last year but really delicious. Even girl comes in for a splash (‘the ocean isn’t a real pool cause you can’t see the bottom’ – I honestly don’t know where is gets this from as she’s been swimming happily in Sydney beaches all her life).

Lunch time so we wander south along beach path past our beloved Hyatt & land of the snea snake (from our trip last year a sea snake was capture in the water at the Hyatt – daughter couldn’t say sea snake, kept coming out snea snake – it was very funny at the time and we tease her about it frequently!), to Bamboo cafe. Coooold Bintangs and right on the water. This is what it’s all about!

We walk (if you can call the slowest act of motion above standing still walking!) back for a rest in the cool room before going and collecting our washing & having some ice cream. I have waited 12 months to know this sensation that you all rave about…. we gather around the plastic bag and slowly peel it open and draw in deep breathes…. niiiiccccceeeee. Mummy very happy.

Dinner is at the beach front hotel restaurant. It’s ok. Husbands dish was so-so, daughters dish was weird & mine was just right. It’s funny but in & around the hotel we feel like the only Australians. We notice the accents & other languages around us – it’s different to what I was expecting and what we encountered in Seminyak.

That night there is a huge storm bring down trees & cutting off road. No one is hurt to our knowledge.

Day 8

Today is Sunday, 18th March – the day the ‘terrorist cell’ are caught & killed.

Breakfast Buffet has bacon. Today was mission DVD’s. We ambled south along Jalan Tamalingalongalongsomethingorother to the start of the Hyatt before crossing and heading north again. 39 DVD’s & 5 CD’s later we head up to Hardy’s. Our suite doesn’t have a bottle opener so I think we need to get ourselves one of the carved wooden ones, you know the penis shaped ones! We chance upon a whole stack of them at a little street store and I blush as I pay full asking price to the lady. Her first sale of the day and she gets her asking price and has a good laugh at silly old me! (If you think I was uncomfortable here then just imagine my at Sydney customs!)The main thing is we can now open out Bintangs.

The Australian Grand Prix is on so Husband is busy for the day. No mind as girl & I swim, watch dvd’s & annoy him. Room service for lunch as husband can’t possibly miss a moment of Webber not coming first again. Girl & I swim and Daddy joins us later. We have a cocktail each (just the adults!) and chill out.

I have a hair cream bath but don’t really rate it. I can imagine how it could be wonderful but not for me stuck in a hairdressers chair/sink thing (I’m quite tall so it’s a bit uncomfortable). Spa area at the Griya Santrian is interesting. It’s a little cabana style building with open walls so you hear any conversations walking past & feel the breeze.

Dinner we went to the Three Monkeys. Can I just say that it was the best meal we had all holiday. It was a bit over $50 including 2 cocktails & 2 courses for 3 people & some soft drinks but it was just so great to eat something inspired & out of the usual deep fried or pizza or nasi goreng style that we had been having. The cocktails tasted like they should, the food was so fresh & tasty. The service was smart and the restaurant design & furniture was a real treat. I wish we had a restaurant in our suburb like this. If you can spare $50 for dinner and are in Sanur please give them a try. They also have 2 restaurants in Ubud the waiter was saying.

We go back to hotel and watch Tin Tin. Another storm in the night but not as bad as the night before.

Day 9

I check my emails and read about the ‘Terrorist cell’ that had been caught. I search the Jakarta online news for details. Details are contradictory. I read they were killed in Sanur. I have a strong panic to myself then discuss with husband. Nothing we can do now as we are here in Bali. They caught them. We are heading home before Nyepi Day. That being said I did push it to the back of my head and continued to enjoy our holiday.

Bacon is available today. Today we hire 2 bicycles from the hotel. Daughter sits on back of Daddy’s bike. Off we go! It is so much fun! We head north along the beach path and go as far as we can. We see the sights including the God awful blue, glass, wedding venue monstrosity just past the highrise hotel. We turn around and head South. I do my best Julia Roberts – Eat, pray, love impersonation and get many a look from the locals – I’ll read that as mission accomplished not OMG what is she doing!

We ride to the Stiff Chilli which was our favourite spot from last year but the oven isn’t hot so we say we’ll be back and carry on south. Last time we never went further south that here so it was great to have a look. We rode through the Puri Santrian and it looked great. I wonder why it doesn’t have as good reviews as the Griya. We go as far south as the Mecure. At this point my bum has had enough and it’s time to paid a bemo drive to transport the bike back. No my husband says so we head north again. At this point I would like to address the path walking problem. In Australia at school we were taught to stick to the left similar to when driving on the road. I still adhere to this theory at home. When in another country I walk on the side of the path that the cars would drive on on the roads in that country. Is that how you all think? Even one of the resorts have foot prints painted on the path to indicate this but no one cares and walks where ever they like. I women tut tutted me cause I didn’t get out of her way! Rant over : )

Finally we arrive at the Stiff Chilli so I have a medicinal ale. We have our pizza and relax even more. Bum has really had enough so the final stretch was walked by me. Back to resort, lock the silly bikes up and have a swim. We watch a DVD inside this afternoon and just relax. Time for another swim so we have a cocktail at pool bar while girl swims. I have just got to say that I was constantly surprised by peoples choices of swimwear here in Sanur. The level of taste is lacking me feels. Please, dear husband, don’t ever let me leave the house in less than suitable attire, thank you.

For dinner we have some delicious Indonesian soup at the breakfast restaurant. More rain that night.

Day 10

We sleep in this morning! Breakfast (yes, there is bacon) then a walk to Hardy’s for some little presents for her school friends. We find these very cute colourful turtles who’s heads wobble – perfect!

It’s mid morning so we feel it’s time for ice cream!

We grab a scoop each and sit to watch the world go by. We do some shopping at Kapul Jewellery. Before changing some money & heading back to the coolness of our room. We watch the Pirates of the Carribean. Swim then lunch including desserts – yum. I have a wonderful massage at the hotel. It’s softly raining, there is on one around and I just enjoy an hour of relaxing.

We grab our last Bintang & penis bottle opener and stand under an umbrella at beach and watch our girl frolic in the rain. We walk North for dinner – Bonsai Cafe.

The heavens had opened and we are saturated! It so doesn’t matter, it’s funny. Back home and watch Indian Jones & the something of somethingson. Our last night in Bali – we sleep well.

Day 11

Up and over to breakfast – they have bacon this morning thank God. Back to room to pack. We check out at 6pm but I need to make sure it all fits! Only brought one suit case this time and only paid for luggage x 1 person! Stress – it was all ok in the end : )

Lunch we walk down to Omang Omang at the Hyatt.

We really wished we could have picked up the Hyatt hotel and put it over the Griya Santrain – keeping our suite & location but having the Hyatt grounds & amenities.

We will be torn when we next go between these two properties so will probably have to find another. Lunch is expensive but so good. Taxi back to room for final swim.

We check out and meet our driver who takes us to the airport. Eddie is a wonderful & thoughtful man. We enjoyed talking with him about his view of Bali and Indonesia. He drops us off, we tip him way too much and wheel our bags toward departures. 3.5 hours in airport all good. Onto plane – it seems we have a different airline home – what was it? BoganStar? Hosties cranky, 6 hour flight seemed like 10, daughter vomits as we land, I declare my penis opener at customs, I blush, taxi ride home frightening. We are home : )

Another FANTASTIC holiday to Bali. Well worth all the hard work I did to get us there. Well worth taking our daughter out of school. Well worth stalking this forum for 2 years! Thanks for reading this JBR. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. MonoWilli

4. 11th March 2012 – Part 1 – The Yak & all that!

2nd Annual MonoWilli&Clops ChilLaxCation March 2012

The Yak & all that – Pink caps, tap water & Bintangs in Cabanas

Day 1 

5.35pm flight from Sydney – Jetstar – sales fares too hard to resist yet again! Fellow travellers all of the non bogan variety – a great start! An empty seat in our row so the 3 of us can spread out. Easy flight except for 2 things: – one announcement for a doctor or nurse to assist & two attempts to land in Denpasar! Off the plane and through VOA & customs in no time at all. We meet our driver and head out onto the new walk way to the car park. Sure it’s a bit of a walk but not a bad one at all. The hustle & bustle of Bali makes my heart beat with excitement. We are back at last. The driver is shocking but then maybe we just aren’t used to the driving style of Bali taxi’s as yet : )

We arrive at The Royal Beach Seminyak in one piece and are greeted by a wonderful receptionist who makes us feel very welcome. He even addressed our daughter by name! A wonderful start. But wait, it gets better. We are offered a free upgrade from a deluxe room to a beach front villa! “Yes please” we say. Our Villa is wonderful – we fall into bed – it’s 2am Sydney time.

Day 2 

Up so early it’s still dark. We go for a wonder around the resort, we laugh at each other at just how slowly we are walking already. WOW – it’s so calm & beautiful at this time of day. We walk through the pool area with all it’s sunloungers. The pool looks out to the beach with a great grassed area between. Oh we are gunna love it here. The neighbouring hotel (Antaria or something) towers over the Royal but to me it just makes the Royal feel more welcoming, like an oasis.

Breakfast buffet is finally open (6.30am) so we enjoy all the options including some spicy soup with shredded veges – was divine. Buffet was good. Coffee not so – luckily we have an instant espresso machine in our villa – the coffee pods are delicious. Time for a swim! Mind you it is only 7.30am (don’t worry people my daughter only squealed with delight a little bit but we weren’t anywhere near any rooms to wake fellow guests up!) but the water was warm, clean & wonderful.

After the 1.5 hour long swim (eye roll!) we dress & go for a wonder. Some how last year we hadn’t even known this area existed. It’s a little out of the way & the shops & restaurants aren’t like the ones on Eat Street. We wonder all the way to Bintang Supermarket for some supplies but not before we change some money. I have never had a problem with exchanging our money but do stick to the rules when selecting a changer and always count for myself. We grab a cab back to hotel. Husband pays and stuffs up paying the taxi guy 80,000 instead of 8,000 (something like that!). It’s so not a big deal but is the last mistake we make as far as money is concerned.

 Lunch is by the pool & beach. Food is standard fare of club sandwiches, etc. Bintangs are coooooool.

My daughter spends the whole lunch pouting (as much as a 5 year old can pout) – she can see the pool, she can hear the pool but she isn’t feeling the pool! Lunch done, it’s back to the pool for another marathon swim. Whilst there a little girl is left in the wading pool by her father who hops out. She’s only 15 months or so. My daughter is smiling at her and I am sitting on the pools edge watching my daughter. The little girl sits down in the pool! Head goes under, mouth gasping for air, her little eyes on me with fear in them. I scream, jump up & run into the water. I grab her by the arm just as her father is there too. I thrust her at him and walk away so paralysed with terror myself. She is ok after a cough & a splutter. I utter many a swear word to myself and try to get the adrenaline out of my system. A horrible experience and thank God she is ok.

Cat Nap x 3! I’m up first so I grab my journal, a Diet Coke (soft drink is free from the villa minibar) & head to our private Cabana in the garden of our villa to write. The last 12 months have dissolved away, every evening shift & weekend I spent away from my family to work, the news years eve I spend as a waiter to earn the cash is completely WORTH IT for this feeling.

Husband & girl awake we have a mini swim in our private plunge pool (!) before moving out onto the sun loungers on the grassed area to drink Mojito’s & watch the world go by – girls twirling hula hoops, people on horse back & many a bikini clad body goes past.

We grab a couple of Bintangs from our fridge & relax some more as the sun sets – ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Dinner – cab to Eat Street. We head to Ultimo cause from last year we have very fond memories of a great evening. Tonight is no different. Holidays rock – we are so relaxed & jolly we have a great meal & laugh so much! We wonder back to the cross road to grab a cab back but not before I buy a sun dress from Puspita. We sleep very well tonight.

Day 3

Today we find the garden pool! Our body clocks have adjusted and it’s slightly later. We swim & laze in the sun.

Heading out for the morning we go back to Eat Street where I have a fish foot spa thingy. It was just as odd as I remember from last time but man, the results are so worth it. We chat to a fellow aussie couple who are on their honeymoon. We have trouble finding a money changer – don’t know why as there are so many. We ask at a circle K. The guy behind us helps us out. Another Aussie – it’s great to know we all look after each other. Money changers is good and we end up using the same one each day we are in Seminyak.

Today I feel like a bit of a shop so we wonder along looking in any boutique that takes my fancy. Girl is after a pink cap so we look here and there. I find a gorgeous dress in Sabia & some earrings & bracelet next door at Perlu. Lunch is at the Little Cafe where Deus clothes are sold – my husband buys a tshirt.

Back to Villa for a duty free cocktail in the cabana.  Girl dances to Jamiriquai much to our amusement as we chilLax. A huge rain storm hits & it’s just magic to watch.

I am not feeling very well so we order room service but I am too ill to eat it. I turn in early to try & sleep it off. I feel sick all night. During the night there was the most amazing storm. So much rain that when I got up to have a squizz the entire garden was underwater. I get back to sleep before being woken up by a neighbouring Villa’s occupants having a loud gathering. They laughed & talked at the top of the voices for hours – tools.

Day 4

I am not well. I have nothing at Breakfast and return to the villa to sleep. Bless my husband for entertaining our daughter all day. They swam, & swam & swam. I ventured up to the pool twice but just felt like crapola so each time returned to bed. He took her out for lunch & then dinner. We did manage a rest in one of the resorts cabanas on the lawn just before the beach and it was lovely to be with them. I get very bad stomach cramps (honestly the pain was on par with contractions). Although there was no vomiting or the other end I felt as sick as I had ever. You know what I think had caused it? I was stupid & relaxed and wasn’t thinking when I had cleaned my teeth the day before I wet my brush with tap water & started brushing before I realised what I had done. I threw the brush out & rinsed my mouth with mouth wash but I’d say that’s what did it! My little family returns from dinner and my girl tells me she danced and Daddy sang to a band! Wow – now I wish I had seen that. No rain or parties tonight just the sound of the waves crashing on the beach.

 
Day 5

I’m alive! Feeling so much better we have breakfast (well I actually am just there, I don’t eat anything). From here we take a walk (it’s really more a dawdle) south along the beach. We have all been to Bali before and I know the beaches are not to be compared to Australia but holey moley this was an eye opener! The sand is dark grey because it’s volcanic – makes complete sense. Some areas of the beach have clearly been swept – great. But good God the other areas are disgusting! I didn’t spy any syringes but I saw several condoms (nice!) and a dead dog! Yikes.

So we cut up the beach and walk along the path. I want to walk through The Padma so we walk until we find it.

The beach in front of the Padma is pretty. We walk through gaulking at it all. It’s huge! We have a rest in the reception. It’s a very hot day so we hang out people watching for a while. My daughter in an attempted to get away from my husband (who is trying to stop this happening mind you) falls off the raised floor down 1 metre onto the lower walk way. I of course scream and jump down to check the injuries. We both thought she had broken her leg as she was holding it and screaming! Staff ran in all directions to assist. Turns out she had strandled the edge of the marble ledge during the fall and had really hurt between her legs. An ice pack later and many a concerned staff member we hobble out of there.

We walk/hobble down Jalan Padma (I think that’s where we are) and are surprised by the shop owners all vying for our attention. We look for a pink cap but it’s hot & we are walking increasingly slower. This type of shopping isn’t what we like about Bali so we grab a cab and head back to recover. The cabby we get is new. It’s his first time to The Royal and perhaps his first time to a hotel. He parks in the middle of the port cochere instead of driving through it he parks across it! The bell boys fall about laughing. My husband & I are just in shock. It’s very cute.

We swim & order lunch pool side. ‘Tis grand. I have a 3pm massage at the hotel and it’s wonderful. Just so relaxing & serine. The gentle music, aromas of the oils & the beautiful lady who massages me. Back to Villa where we take some Bintangs & lay in the Cabana out front to watch the world go by. We jump into a taxi and return to Ultimo for dinner. I find that this holiday all the cab drivers are asking for a set price (we only used Blue Bird). We say no, put on metre please but always pay them what they ask for anyway ($3 or similar). Is this new or was I oblivious to it last year?

Dinner is good cause my daughter likes the food and we relax. It’s busy tonight with a couple of bigger tables. All well behaved until a party of 6 arrives who are already pissed. Aussies of course, they walk in like the own the place, Bintang singlets, shorts & thongs, ok – but they are holding large Bintangs and drinking from them. I know it sounds snobby but FFS behave your selves in public. I was embarrassed for them. Thankfully the got fed quickly & quietened down. We had another wonderful meal and laughed our heads off again. Off we go in search of a ydoolb  pink cap for girl. Every single kids shop, surf shop & vaguely cap possible shop was searched until we found the perfect cap in Billabong. That damn hat was worn at every chance for the remainder of the holiday! Back to Villa for my husbands first ever massage! He loved it. Stupid party next door again tonight : (

Day 6

We check out today & head over to Sanur so our final Breakfast was leisurely. The kids go for a final swim while I collect all our crap from all over the villa and begin to pack. That’s boring so I head up to the pool for a swim myself. Fun over we finally pack, call a porter & grab a cab bound for Sanur – land of the snea snake!