This morning O&C are suffering from LDD - Last Day Depression, and walk up to the Bali Bakery in search of coffee for all of us. They have arranged to spend the day at Potato Head before their flight back to Melbourne this evening, while Munchie and I again pack up our seven tonnes of luggage in readiness to move back to Sanur - but this time to the Bali Sanur Beach Villas.
35 minutes of sheer panic ensues while we frantically search for a missing LambLamb - Mookie's bed-time companion, without whom there would be no peace for the next 5 days. After pulling apart couches, cupboards, suitcases, checking the pool filter (!) the pram and underneath all of the beds, LambLamb was finally discovered crammed head first into a jumbo box of cornflakes, apparently enjoying his breakfast (eat! eat!), and probably wondering what all the fuss was about.
C and I decide we can squeeze in some last minute shopping - so we wander down to the Flea Market and I pick up of the carved coconut tea light candle surrounds - 3 for $100k, and a pair of the taller white - painted terracotta candle holders, which I LOVE and will look gorgeous on our outdoor setting at home. (Warning to future buyers - these are very, very fragile and neither of mine made it home in one piece - and unfortunately are unsalvageable - I am absolutely gutted.)
Spurred on by my recent ceramic purchases, I convince C to throw caution to the wind and introduce her to the wonderful world of Jenggala. I've been a big fan of Jenggala over the years, particularly in the early days when they had their small shop behind the original Batu Jimbar Café in Sanur before it moved to the other side of the street. They used to also have their outlet store in Sanur, but I noticed this trip it was no longer there, and a quick iPhone consult reveals that the outlet store has moved to Sunset Road.
'Taxi!'
A relatively short ride down Sunset Road and we're here - discount ceramics heaven. The outlet store pieces are for the most part indistinguishable from their apparently perfect counterparts at the Jengalla flagship store and factory in Jimbaran, some will have slight faults in the ceramics, possibly a lid that doesn't quite fit, or the glaze is NQR, or are simply discontinued lines, and there are some fabulous bargains to be had here. Everything from tableware to bathroom accessories to homewares pieces - all beautifully made and designed, and in various different glazes and colours. Prices are around 30% less than normal retail price, and in all cases are much, much cheaper than equivalent products in Aus. They have a very good website if you want to check out the types of products they sell before you go - but know that the website is a small representation of their entire product range - if you want to see it all you'll need to go to their showroom in Jimbaran. If you can't even wait that long - they have a limited range available in their on-line store and will ship to Aus. You can thank me later :)
C shops up a storm and the total comes to less than $100AUD - she can't believe how much stuff she has for this! I scope out a few bits and pieces - some espresso cups and some accessories for our bathrooms at home, some presentation plates and two large platters - $73 AUD thank you very much.
A couple of hours after 'we're just popping down to the flea market for a minute honey!' we get back to Villa D'Suite laden with parcels, and C has to re-arrange her entire suitcase and onboard bags to fit everything in safely.
The boys go to Sate Bali and order some takeaway lunch for us all - and by 1pm we're saying our farewells and thank yous - with plans for O&C to come and visit us in KL early next year.
We had scoped out the rough location of our new villa while we were at Peenda View - but as they're all behind closed doors, we really had no idea what they would be like inside - other than what we had seen on the internet. The villas share the same entrance as Villa Shanti and Griya Santrian, but are located on the right-hand side. They don't have direct access to the beach, but it is a very short walk away - 1-2 minutes and you're there - so really they are very well located.
We were very pleasantly surprised! If Villa D'Suite was run by Ms Hitler - Bali Sanur Beach Villas were run by B1 and B2. Two very happy, accommodating and smiley guys - very willing to please and so welcoming - the relief was instant. BSBV are really more of a self-catering style of accommodation than a true villa in the Seminyak style. There are staff on call 24/7 in case of issues, but there is no breakfast cooked in the villa or the kind of constant on-call attention you get in the very pricey properties - but to be fair they are priced accordingly and are a very reasonable option for families or small groups.
The villas are quite new in and in good repair - the pool is great size, the kitchen is fully equipped if you can't be bothered dragging the kids out for dinner anymore (not me, just saying...) and I would certainly stay there again. Rooms are serviced every day as you would expect, and all of the bedroom doors are lockable from the outside if you're concerned about little critters like Snubs and Mookie wandering out to the pool in the early morning when no-one else is awake. There is one thing though - they don't have a Gary. Must mention that in my feedback form.
The relief of being back in our sweet, sweet Sanur washes away the morning's sad goodbye - and we spend the afternoon down at the beach - Munchie flies the eagle kite with Snubs, and Mookie and I hire a glass bottomed kayak and go for a paddle around the lagoon - pointing out starfish and spiny sea urchins and colourful fish along the way. This is a great and quite safe thing to do with the little ones - the water is shallow in the entire area, and the kayak is the type that you sit on top of, not in, so there is no danger of getting stuck inside if it happens to tip. Mookie has one of those swimsuits with the built-in floatation pieces as a precaution - mostly because of his completely unpredictable compulsions to jump into and off things containing water - but for a 'normal' kid I think I'd be OK with floaties. You must however, take a hat and lather up with sunscreen - the reflection off the water will turn you into a Lillian Frank lookalike in no time.
Dinner tonight is at The Wicked Parrot - just on the corner of the entrance to the villas. Expensive Beer, pouty staff, nothing else to note.
Tomorrow is a 'Ririn' day - and Munch and I have lots to do, things to pick up and we want to try and source a bale for our house in KL before we go.
sampai nanti...