I got back a week ago from beautiful Bali! We left on 24 July and got a taxi to our accommodation which was the Ramada Bintang Bali Resort, which was just amazing, everyone was so pleased with the service and the prices were also pretty good. As soon as we got there we were greeted by a gorgeous local who was the doorman, he made you feel like you were at home! We took a walk down Kartika Plasa Sreet which is pretty good and bought some water and essentials. The first couple of days we just lazed around and took short walks up and down part of the street. Although, the second day we were there we went shopping and a local lured us into his shop in some back alley and none of us had been to Bali before so we were new to bartering and saying no and everything! So we went there and wanted to buy three Bintang tshirts just as a souvenir. He offered 450, 000 rp and wouldn't lower. I'm only a teenager so he took advantage and just kept hassling until I burst into tears (it didn't even work!) we left the shop with difficulty and they all followed us down the street cursing at us in Indonesian. That was an axperience. The next day we went to Waterbom Park which isn't all what it's said to be. Food prices are pretty expensive and the waterslides aren't even that fun! lol. We went shopping almost every day after that and found some good things and realised that some hawkers on Kartika expect so much money from you and don't even bother chasing you if you walk away. We took a day trip to Ubud on the Friday and stopped at a wood carving place, a silver place, a painting place and Monkey Forest! (one bit my finger the little...) Our final destination was the markets. There are some really good buys there. If you barter well, you can get an excellent price. My friend got a good pair of thongs for 20, 000 rp and a Bintang tshirt for 15, 000! I got 2 watches and a silver bracelet with red stones in it for 120, 000! Some parts of the market smell really bad, this didn't bother me too much but it could bother some. On Saturday I discovered a really good little lane right next to the resort and we got our laundry done there at a place called Puspa Sari 2 Laundry Service, it was so cheap! There is also a beautician down there, you can get a pedicure for around 60, 000. I soon discovered another lane off Jln Kartika Plasa and there's a lovely shop keeper down there called Ketut. She sells a good range of things and if you ask, she has Billabong and Roxy stuff! The next day, our whole group (all 26 of us!) when bike riding in a place past Ubud. It was such a good experience and you definitely did not have to be an experienced bike rider, as my mother completed the challenge! We stopped at a house and met the family that lived there and gave some money and clothes. They were so grateful, you could've cried! The grandma cried herself! The next few days we caught taxis to Seminyak, Legian and Poppies Lane 2. Poppies Lane 2 is alright, if you like the feeling of almost being run over every 5 seconds. It is so not what it's cracked up to be. Seminyak is pretty good but the shops are spaced too far apart so you have to walk really far. You could catch a cab down the road a bit but they absolutely hate short rides. (It only pays about 4000 rp which is about 60 cents. We visited the bomb sites and that was so sad and touching. There are posters and memorials, it just really makes you think. My dad had so many things made like suits and jackets. He got his many suits made at Jenoko Tailor in Poppies 2 and his leather jacket and some woollen thing in La Risso Tailor in Karkika Plasa St (they're a tiny bit more expensive but they have their own bags and little uniforms, it's so cute!) now, food! The first night we ate at a restaurant on the beach which was fairly average service but food was ok! The next three nights we stayed in the resort and the food was great. the next night we went to Jimbaran Bay for dinner. We ate at a place called Melasti Cafe. The service was pretty shocking and the menu was so small and the prices were bad. I had fish and all I chewed was bones practically. Good ambience though. The next night my family went to a traditional Balinese restaurant called Kunyit on Kartika Plasa. The service was good, prices were good but the food didn't have much flavour. Oh well, we had to try Balinese food! The next night I think we went to The Green Garden in Kartika Plasa. The food was pretty good but the meals are pretty small. Service was excellent that night. Two nights later we ate at a place called Mykonos (Greek food) in Seminyak. The food was beautiful! I would definietly recommend that restuarant! The staff were so nice and treat you really well. The next night we went back to that restaurant on the beach that was average. It was better this time because it wasn't so crowded. The pineapple juice is really good but the spaghetti I had kind of sucked. Wednesday night we ate at The Green Garden again. This time I had garlic prawns. They left grease stains on me. Food was good, service not so good because it was busy. Can't remember where we ate next night but after that, Mum, my sister and me went to Febris Cafe (Kartika Plasa again!) and it had the EXACT same menu as the Green Garden. I couldn't escape it! I had pasta which was nice. Service was better than at Green Garden as was the ambience. Next night we ate at a Mexican restaurant in Poppies 1 which was really good but I had the worst stabbing pains that night so I couldn't really taste the food. Must've been something I ate. On our last night, we ate at Jimbaran Bay again (don't know why...) We went to a different cafe this time and the food and service was better. Then we went to the airport, sadly! I miss Bali so much, the weather was fantastic, the people were beautiful and the atmosphere was great! Going back in 2 years!