After many years of traveling to Bali and obsessively stalking the forum literally.. I thought I'd do a JBR, I apologise in advance for any boring useless info bits and kind of wrote it like a diary, I felt compelled to give back as I have enjoyed so many others HNRs and JBRs over the years, so hopefully someone gets something out of it :0)
Dates 3-17th November, Weather Hot and perfect (rained once for about 20 mins on Lembongan, some overcast periods) rate 9875 - 1020 . Kuta and Lembongan.
Myself, hubby (Emu) , son 8 (Noggin), son 4 (Nugget), my mum (Mumma) my brother B and sister in law (L) and her family all staying at hard rock hotel. Mummas first time, B & L 2nd but been a good 10 odd years since they have been here. My first thing I've noticed really is the rapid improvement of paths and roads around Kuta and Legian. So much better, also how fast kutabex and also many hotels and resorts have gone up in Kuta in the last 12 months. Day 1
Flight Uneventful, how I like it, although I did see Shannon Ponting at the airport! The boys behaved well, all had a lil sleep on the way over still their poor little eyes were hanging out their head on arrival at 9:40pm Bali time, 12:40am Melbourne time, through immigration within 30 mins So happy to smell that Bali air.. And the grin just gets bigger and bigger, Mummas pick up hadn't arrived so our HRH driver called ksv to organise where he was, I gave the HRH guy Mummas itinerary for him to call, Mumma stresses out saying he's got my itinerary, he's got my itinerary to me, I laugh "it's ok Mumma he's not Going to steal it! They speak to her driver meanwhile the taxi guy provides waters all round, ah I love Bali, no way in hell anyone would even help you let alone offer a water in Melbourne! One guy comes over and tells us the story of how Kelly Slater signed a surfboard along with 3 other pro surfers and gave it to him he was so happy, then later that day a Japanese man wants to by the board, so he tells him 60 million, after some um n ahhhing the Japanese man says ok, gets the money and he sells him the board. Happy with his sale he walks back to Kelly and says "sorry Kelly but I sold the board" Kelly says whattt?! Why dude, and he replies dude I got 60 million for it, and he said Kelly gives him 5 and says fair enough dude..
I laugh at his story, Mumma comes up. Behind me and says he's full of sh*t right?! I just laughed and replied, probably Mumma! By this time her driver had arrived, he had 10:40 arrival instead of 9:40.
He loads the luggage and get into his van and off they go, my heart sinks as I wonder how she's feeling with the sights, smells, alone with the driver who she know doubt doesn't understand. I text her once we've arrived and she's is all good in her room, I run down and make sure she's ok, she couldn't stop talking about the traffic, and how she couldn't understand her driver. So exciting to see Bali through new eyes again.
Day 2
Morning breakfast my Fave meal of the day, love the variety although I really miss the amazing banana pancakes at the Bali Mandira, we swim in the pool for a while, it's an amazing pool with a kids park, beach/sand feature and plenty of pool side activities for the adults/kids alike and plenty of chairs, cabanas, and space which is lovely. Lunch at Dulang in Kuta square very nice, Went shopping in Kuta square, Mumma bought some sunglasses, was great to see the uncertainty of her and not really knowing what to do even after I had demonstrated, we paid 30,000 have got them for 20000 last year but couldn't be bothered haggling down for the sake of a dollar. I Kind of negotiated the price for the glasses but let Mumma talk it out with her own salesman, she saying to him 30000 even when he said not 50000 she holds her ground, was proud until the problem came when she only had a 50000 note, I'd paid and got mine and was looking at other things the market had to offer when I look back and notice she is getting a lil flustered, she's really struggling with all the 0000s on the notes, I watched her for a second and observed as the shop owner was pointing to what note she needed, but could see the panic in her face as she wasn't trusting this guy, I walk to her and ask her what's wrong and she replies I've only got a 50000, and I said yeah just give him that, to her reply but the glasses are only 30000. Slightly confused I answer yeah so he'll give you change, she looked at me as if will he really give me change?! So after she receives her 20000 change she is happy, of course he replies with the standard 10000 for me? 5000? Just to confuse her more, I tell him no and drag her out the shop.
Brother, his wife, her sister and daughter 2yrs, and their parents arrive. We spend the afternoon around the pool, watching the games the HRH staff play with the kids, they are fantastic with the kids, engrossing them completely in many activities such as banana eating contest, tug of war and many others, then the mini Olympics then awarding them with a medal at the end.
All shower and off for dinner, end up going to Ketumber jalan Melasti, always happy with the meals here, had bruschetta and spring rolls as entrees, I had nasi campur which was good and presented beautifully, can't remember the others orders Mumma had the salmon she said was very nice.
Walk home kids exhausted!
Day 3
Wake up at 6, check my emails etc. off to the gym at 7, good little gym with 2 treadmills, bikes, cross trainers, 1 rower, 1 stepper, free weights and I think a smith machine. They have a water dispenser, towels on arrival, flat screen TVs and music playing. The boys Emu, Nugget and Noggin are spending time by the pool so I went Off shopping with Mumma, took her to Ketuts, showed her which ones were ketuts and also the fixed price shop on corner with runners and pillow cases etc., I went off and bought a few Bintang singlets etc. for the boys to knock around in, a couple of gifts here and there and look around to realize I can't see Mumma anywhere.. I go through all of ketuts shops 3-4 times but still no Mumma, I ask Ketuts and some of her helpers if they've seen Mumma, nope no one has seen her, first thought was she's been abducted or wondered off n got lost so I call her phone, she answers.. I ask where she is and she comes walking down from up the ally all pleased and happy with herself I ask her what is she doing?! She comes down to me and says I've got heaps of sunnys, dresses, vans etc.! I'm looking in disbelief! Mumma I told you just these 3 shops are ketuts, embarrassed she feels bad and panics about all the stuff she's put aside from the shop up the road! Meanwhile for the rest of the shopping at ketuts the 3 men wait patiently for her to return and purchase the abundance of stuff she's put aside.. We just leave and Mummas guilt is haunting her as she talks about these men waiting for her for the remainder of her trip!
Go back to the boys, and the boys are sunburnt and so waterlogged they are one big wrinkle and Emu is drinking bintangs in the pool bar! I spend the next few hours watching the boys interact and play games with the HRH staff, they are truly amazing with the kids and the main reason we chose to stay here, Nugget and Noggin are in heaven playing water bomb contests, tug of war, watermelon eating contests, and doing dancing, all the boys are loud and "Aussie" at the pool bar by now, I'm surprised none of them drown, my brother spent a good 1.5hrs in the toilets under the shower "resting" apparently, I'm thinking there was some comatose action going on and perhaps some hugging of the porcelain bowl, needless to say around 5pm Emu assisted him to his room for some real "rest" !
Took Mumma, Nugget and Noggin down to the beach for sunset. Nugget has severe chaffing and is balling his little eyes out, I take him into the water to rinse all the sand off, I turn to come back and Noggin is sitting amongst Mumma who is sitting on the beach looking like a stunned mullet with 5 women, a tattoo seller, ice cream guy, and Jewellery guy all virtually sitting on top of her, she has women pulling at her toes trying to polish them, a lady massaging her arm, Noggin has a necklace on, a tattoo sleeve on and Mumma has anklets and bracelets strewn from ear hole to ahole, and she looks up at me in complete horror and says.. Help! After taking a photo I sat down and sorted out what was going on she was absolutely traumatized... haha funniest thing I've seen.
Off to poppies for dinner, love this place, beautiful setting, food presentation was fantastic and the food delicious. Best iced pineapple juices I've had!