well I am back home and I don't like it-post bali blues. Flew business class out of Brisbane, one of the best choices I made. The airport lounges are great- top of the range spirits/food. The seats on the plane are wide plus you get a 30 kilo language limit which I thought would be plenty however if a FLY landed on my language I would have been over weieght (I even bought those old cylinder type bags).
Things I purchased
nitra car with all RC gear - very good $270 AUD
Xbox chipped with 5 games at Softcom - $300 AUD
over 200 DVD's CD's at Softcom - take out of cases for lighter weight
Wooden statue 60cm at Ubud $20AUD
sunnies/billabong wallets on the beach 20,000 each
heaps of T Shirts/shorts/singlets 20,000-40,000 depending of quality
LV bags - varied in price according to quality starting at 70,000
Chuck Taylors/Converse - real ones at Foot Locker bought 7 pairs some high tops/low riders average $30 AUD each
Dept. Stores - Niva, perfume, thongs & shampoo
Snake Skin Boots - made to order $90.00 no problems declared them in Brisbane.
Patch work quilt & a padded doona both $20 AUD at Ubud
Scams/Rip Offs
Paid 250,000 for driver with no aircon for about 3hrs should have been about 300,000 for the whole day
A male friend got felt-up on the beach walking back to his hotel & donated his wallet to the girl (but then again who walks on the beach alone at mid night) Unfortunately, he had to pay 150,000 to report the incident to the police. Travel insurance gave him $200AUD to replace stolen items.
Stayed at the Legian Beach Hotel. The Sup. rooms with a view are a rip off. Aircon did work very well and the Sup. rooms without a view look straight onto a brick wall. So you can imagine the line up to 'upgrade' and the hotel also makes you sign a waiver. However, the resort is in a great location and once we transferred to the Deluxe Bunglows we were smiling. The pools are good & breakfast is fine and I would stay there again but this time I would book the bunglow straight off.
FOOD
Only eat at Uncle Norms and Billy's. Norm will go to the fish market and get your lobster or what ever you want in the line of seafood the day before. Paid $39 AUD for 1kg Lobster/salad/chips and drinks for the night. Really Cold Bingtangs/Milkshakes etc at both Norms & Billy's.
I also had the rasberry puree- I am now a convert thanks for the info
Trips
Only to Denpasar so a friend could get a moblie phone.
Did not take any tours/sightseeing or adventures this time. But I did of course go to the Melasti Spa. 300,000 for a 3 hour treatment I had a 2 hour massage, a full body scumb/flower bath and a pedicure. A friend got really long hair extentions for 350,000 & execellent acrylic nails approx $20 AUD
Well I had a great time and I am booking another trip for Feb. -cheap airfares from Brisbane at that time of year if I remember correctly. Next time I am taking my teenage kids so they can do there own shopping and give me more time for sun, surf & bingtangs cheers Kerry