This is my first jbr so please excuse any typos. We left for Bali on Saturday 23 July from Perth. Oh how time has flown ,started planning for this holiday 12 months ago now have been and back and planning again for next year. We flew AA because of frequent flyer points.4 people in our group of very different ages , my mother 84, my sister 57, myself 47 and my 16 year old daughter so we had a varied holiday in activities.As for flying AA would only do it again because of frequent flyer points.Main reasons being;
1. Expensive for 2 people in our group who did not have points , a lot better deals done thru Air Paradise and Garuda.
2. Service was only just so so, meal hot, taste ok ,
but stewards very noticably absent and drinks very limited. Water when we took of, only offered red or white wine with meal and 1 alcholic drink after.AA advertise that the fun starts with the crew on take off and i think they must have had a great time as they were not visibly making sure passengers were.
Arrived in Bali and got thru VOA very quick, but took american dollars and didnt need to wait for change.My first thoughts of Bali was extreme excitement, just felt wow factor, this is going to be great.
My sister has been to Bali many times {some times 3 trips a year} and myself only once 16 years ago, and sorry Bali addicts but i hated it that time.But as they say that was then and this is now, and im going back.Our driver ,Charlie, was waiting for us and the greeting from him was like family.Charlie is a friend of my sister for 20 years and they even sent money for him after the bombing as he had no work at all for 6 months.We now all love Charlie and he is now part of us.Does Bali have some sort of magic for this? It should be bottled and sold all over the world.Such a place for making not friends but extended family.
Our accommodation was arranged by my sister for the Su's Prince Hotel just of double six. Loved this place .We stayed in the 2 bedroom villas next to the pool. Very clean basic rooms with the usual flaws you see in most 3 star places. Decor a bit tired and i personally dont like the distress look of painting on doors and cupboards but thats me.But as for staff and other guests there the place would beat any 5 star i have stayed at , and isnt it this that makes a holiday going from average to excellent.The pool was small but very clean and to have it straight outside your door was a plus for myself and daughter.The restuarant was good but better places to eat elsewhere so only had a couple of brekkies and the odd apple pie later at night when you just needed something sweet to finish off your night.Also forgot to mention the nice cold bintang that i just needed to have cos it was hot and i was thirsty.
Breakfast on our first morning in bali was to my sisters favourite place and of course now mine. La Lucciolas what can i say. We went first on a sunday when they have their weekend menu and my daughter who has a very sweet tooth couldnt believe they catered just for her. She choose the sweet tooth breakfast which was caramilized bananas in palm sugar, riccotta hot cakes with marscapone cheese black cherries and coconut and of course tea. I had the full american breakfast with hash browns. Now those hash browns are not your usual mashed potato type thingy , they are a work of cullinary art.Big and tasty grated potato 4 in a side serve, so share with others,and dont all order them unless you are really hungry. So this place set the standard for the rest of our stay and we went back 4 times.From the first day on our big problem for the day was 'where do we eat brekkie today?'
Hope this jbr is ok, and will post more later as i have to go to work now so i can start saving for next year.
trish