Arrived back Sunday morning after 5 hour delay from Bali on Air Paradise... and would still travel with them again. Great airline...
Stayed at the Bali Garden Hotel in Tuban for the whole 2 weeks of our trip in a Family Room.. We were in one of the rooms along the driveway on ground level. While we were there they built a big wall out the front of the rooms which makes them a whole lot more private from people walking past but unfortunately does nothing to combat the problem (doof doof) noise from the nightclub (Deejay Music Cafeay.. its not the Allstar Surf Cafe we sussed it out) across the road from 10pm until sometimes 10am the next day. Luckily my kids (3) are good sleepers and we quickly adjusted to it all. After all we were on holiday.. We found out there are Superior rooms in the hotel which have the same configuration of bedding as in the Family Rooms. Would either do this or 2 interconnecting rooms the next time. Found hotel to be great no smelly bathroom or dodgy toilet as reported earlier. Staff very friendly and breakfast was good although the cue for eggs pancakes at times was fairly long.
Did alot of shopping at Diannes (thanks to the forum) she had a check up for her baby while we were there and everything is going fine. Due November.. she looks well and was wonderful to our kids.
We ate at a few different places:
Star Surf Cafe (moderate prices) good food
Tree House (very cheap) great food feed 5 2a3c $16/dinner
Cafe Warna (moderate+) good food nice atmosphere
Padma Club (moderate) good food bit more classer
TJ's (moderate) great food
Chi Chis (moderate) great food
Daddys Cafe (cheap/moderate) great food
Bali Garden Hotel (moderate) food poolbar pizza etc great
Went to S & S on the 19th of October but we got there rather late so I dont really know if the people from the forum were still around.
Had some leather jazz dance shoes made for my 2 girls at Bemo leather in the lane near Bali Rani Hotel. $30 a pair took one for them to copy and was happy with the result.
Brought my Revlon supply from Matahari for the next year and even managed to get myself a ball dress for a work ball I have in a couple of weeks which I daresay no one else will be wearing the same one!!! All in all it was a fantastic trip and am finding myself fighting slipping into depression now its over.. I have told my boss if the company ever opens an office in Bali I will be the first one to volunteer other than that we are already talking about the next trip and it cannot come soon enough!!!