we had an absolutely wonderful holiday up until Sat night.
We stayed at the Lokha Hotel in Legian - just lovely, very small and very friendly. The staff were fantastic, the rooms all new, the food was beautiful and the pool bar was well frequented and the location was great-very central.
We heard the news as we were leaving Billy's Bar and walking back to the hotel we could see lots of Balinese people on their mobiles & shops closing up.
We watching the events unfold on BaliTV and CNN from our hotel room it was very surreal. More security guards were posted out the front of the Hotel and I'll admit to half packing my bags & sleeping in my clothes ready for a quick departure.
Sunday morning as we wandered around Legian everyone seemed very sad, bartering didn't seem quite as important as we knew these people were going to have some tough times ahead. Some stall holders were almost in tears. In the afternoon as we sat having final braiding and nails done there was suddenly a lot of sirens and flashing lights - we just froze - it was a police escort for the President who was going to visit the bomb site. Even as I sit here now I can't believe that we were there when it all happened. It doesn't seem fair the Balinese will suffer as we rethink our options for the carefree tropical island holiday that so many of us enjoy.
Would we go again?? It is a question we keep asking ourselves and we don't think we could, the last 2 days we didn't feel safe, we jumped at every loud noise and watched every person that crossed our paths.
We have returned home with a sick feeling in our stomachs - how could this happen in our paradise - we have been 3 times in the last 2 years and were talking about our next visit, but not now , maybe time will change our minds, but now we are just so pleased to be home safe and sound.