O.k now what happens when the going gets tough? The women go shopping. As we are building a house, I had some specific things that I wanted/needed to buy for the house. In particular, I wanted some stoneware. On our journeys, I had got a pretty good idea of what I wanted. First I had looked here and got some prices. I had seen a huge 1200mm volcanic rock basin for a water feature here that was priced at $600 aud. I also had wanted a pedestal to put it on, another $400-$500. So I figured that I had up to $1000 to spend. It was sacred money that my husband had put aside for the house ware. What a nice fellow.
First stop was Geneva as I love the place and I know that what ever you want from the stalls, it is always cheaper there. One thing that I didn't mention in Ubud was that when we were at the markets, I had seen some double Ikat weaving and the lady gave me a price, saying that business was bad and that she would give it to me for what she paid for it. I just didn't have the cash for the extra's but we stopped because Jenny was hot and wanted a light cotton shirt, she bought two from this lady, she was lovely and we thought that we will go back to see her on our next holiday. Well in Geneva, theirs was much dearer. Very unusual, so the lady was being up front with us. Like the Balinese, we will remember her!
My son's wanted some little memento's for their school friends, so it was those little surfboard key rings, not the really little ones but the next size up! 30 of them at 980rps each. Then I saw shelled hand basins, the were steel with shell on the outside and in and they were only 150,000 ea! So much cheaper than here at just over $22. I just couldn't pass them by and got two matching soap dishes. There was this muffled sound coming from up the back, and to our surprise, there were all of these wooden ducks! Just like the ones that you see in the rice fields. I love these ducks and love to take photo's of them. Well, two of these little fella's were getting pushed about so we came to their rescue, a big one at 26,600 and a smaller one at 21,000rps. $4!! I have seen them here for $15. I checked them for fleas and said that they could come.
Well that was all I could by, even though I would have liked to have bought more. We did see these huge urns on the top floor, about a metre high, worth a fortune here and Jenny really wanted to bring one home, but my suitcase was full. We kicked ourselves when we got back and saw what they were worth here!
O.k. it was food time and to our favourite eating place. We found it a few years ago when it was a secret but it seems as though it's a real expat place. It's in Petitenget right on the other side of the temple to the infamous La Lucciola. Their mie goreng is to die for. The prices had gone up slightly, but with the local expats going their, it didn't surprise us. Wayan (no.1.) was there but said that the other Wayan had left. She was still using the Bunbury W.A. pen that we had given her last year. Mmmm the usual please, the special Mie Goreng 14,000rps, Lumpia (two huge ones) 10,000rps, two iced teas 5,000ea followed by the Tebu cake and pancakes. Yumm. What? No Tebu cake? Oh no, do you realise how far I have come for this Tebu cake? I dream of your Tebu cake!!! Tomorrow? Will you save me a piece? Let me tell you, this Tebu cake is like a pound cake, slightly grainy in texture, slightly lemony and toasted lightly (with butter if you wish). So nice with a cup of tea. O.k. well fed and relaxed and of for some serious shopping.
Off down Jl Legian and STOP! Was that Paul Harvey jumping in that taxi with a painting? Hmmm. Any way there was a shop that I had seen last year and desperately looked for. It is a cut glass lighting place and I had wanted them for my place. Managed to get two, mostly clear glass in brass but with a ring of coloured glass. I couldn't get two the same. Rats! They are long, about 40cm and hexagonal but tapered down to a round brass cap. We got them to wrap it and spoke of price. I showed them what was in my wallet. They were 175,000 ea (I had priced similar elsewhere and that was the going price, but I liked these girls) I only had 290,000 in my wallet and pleaded poor, as all I had left was on my credit card for the 'big buy' other than that I was flat broke. The girls just smiled and said that I could go to the money changer. I said that that would be nice, but you have to have money to change. Some reason I don't think that they believed me and I suppose I had $100 to last me the next three days. Food only I'm afraid, nothing left for shopping.
Finally left, wondering about taking these big parcels on the plane with us as carry on luggage, as there was no way they were going in the cargo hold!
Next stop the place that I had heard about! As I said previously, I had made a few contacts and spoken to a few trusted friends about buying big things and putting them on a container to come back. I was given the name of a fellow in NSW who put me on to Trish Ryder in WA. She in turn told me about Harry Kellerman, now that name was really familiar, so I did a forum search and found out why. People had reported on him before! Harry was good and he told me of a few places and Mrs Dewi, his Bali help who would sort out that end of things for him. He also told me of a place run by a Sydney lady who had married a Balinese and had lived in Bali for about 15 years. They owned a place called Cargoku. I had been told that if I double the price that I saw, that should cover freight and taxes/GST. I had also knew of a place called Balistone, as we had ridden past it a few times and saw the words on a wall of a building. Lo and behold, they were the same place. We met Felicia, who seemed a little preoccupied at first but ended up being a great source of info. Their shop had everything that I wanted in one shop! A no hassle way of doing things. We spoke of the things that I wanted, and she could get them made for me. Made properly and trustworthily, no scamming or scrimping, (well not that I have found). I got a lovely squared pot 1000mm on the top 300mm deep and it tapered down to a 400mm base. Also a lovely flower cut stone pedestal 650mm high and 400mm square. Both were 500,000rps ea. That's $75 aud!!!! Ea. O.K. double it for the final price to get home and even at $150 they were a steal. And they weren't that grey volcanic rock, I wanted limestone, yep, no problems. RIGHT!! What else could I buy! I bought a couple of outdoor lamps with two little pedestals with frangipanis carved on it. Whilst in Rumah, I mentioned to Jen how I really liked their square marbled floor tiles. Just the little 10 x 10cm marble stone thick blocks. I saw these in Cargoku at 160,000 per square metre. That was $24 aud, double for freight, that's $48. They retail hear at $120. I also bought the river rocks, all sorts of colours but again very cheap. Great fillers.
As a foot note, I did have to pay extra for Felicia to pack it. When I went to pick it up from Trish Ryder, I found my things so well packed. There were other things there in her warehouse from other shops, and the packing was so rickety. I couldn't even bust some loose to pack them in the back of the van. When I got them home, all of the smaller items had bubble wrap then loads of shredded paper, in a cardboard box in a made wooden crate. Everything is crated. The wood, was firm strong wood with lots of nails from all angles to make sure that nothing would pull apart. Trish said that it was the best packing that she had seen. I knew it would be packed well, because Felicia is that kind of person. Well I came home well under budget and much more for my money. I'm saving now, for my next trip!