Thanks for all the responses to Part 1, I am glad many people enjoyed reading it. I am also pleased to give back something to the forum for all the help I obtained from this site before our wonderful trip. The second part will be somewhat shorter.
On day six, a designated "rest day" we made a slow start with an hour or two around the hotel pool, penning a few notes for this report and Julie to plan where next to shop.
About 10.30 we started a walk north through Seminyak to explore some of the better shops in that slightly quieter area. This again turned into a walkathon with a Bintang stop to cool the body and time to marvel at the workers on the second story of the new shop opposite the bar erecting reinforcing steel, perched on wooden planks in their bare feet, no hats or safety equipment of any kind, cigarettes in mouth. What a sight! We did not buy much, but four hours later we had reached La Lucciola beach restaurant and having seen it recommended on this forum we headed inside for a lovely late lunch overlooking the palm fringed seashore (great photos were taken).
I had the king prawn salad and Julie a fettucine with prawns, two stunning desserts, two coffees and four beers came to 434000R ($62nz), not a cheap lunch by Bali standards, but the food was really good and the location, just wonderful. Then a taxi back to the hotel for a swim and refresh in time for the compulsory (of course)Club lounge cocktails. In the evening we took a taxi downtown for more shopping around Matahari and then searched for a place to eat. We thought about Bubba Gumps, but that was packed so a little further down on the right we found the Kafe Batan Waru (Jl Kartika Plaza)and had a pleasant meal of two Indonesian style mains, garlic bread,water, a carafe of Sangria wine and a couple of coffees for 276000R ($39nz). This is a modern cafe/restaurant, and we enjoyed sitting out the front and watching the world go by. Then a taxi home at the usual $2 ish price.
I should say that all the time we were in Bali, we only used the Bluebird taxis (as some have recommended). Never once did the driver fail to set his meter and I never had to ask for it to be done.
Day seven (Saturday)dawned bright and sunny as usual and our driver Made arrived for our second pre-booked trip with him, this time to go north and look around Lovina and the surrounding countryside. We enjoyed the day, but on reflection thought we probably attempted too much for one trip and it was nearly 8pm (12 hours) before we were home. We were not particularly impressed with the Lovina area, which was very quiet with not many tourists about, however, as said before, we only had a short while in the area.
During the day we visited the twin waterfalls at Gitgit, which allowed a pleasant walk to break the journey and the purchase of a couple of "not needed" necklaces from two extremely cute little girls who posed for our photos (will be great sellers one day).We also visited some hot pools near Singaraja (sorry lost name) Entry was 3000R (42c nz), we were not interested in sitting in hot pools in 34 degree temp outside, but the shopping market leading to the pools looked interesting. As it turned out these were the rudest, most pushy traders we encountered on the whole trip. In your face all the time and pulling at our arms. A pity really, because we spied a few things we were interested in buying, but refused to get involved with them and just walked through. Attached to the pools was a spa and here Julie and I enjoyed a full half hour massage for 40000 each (5.70nz)Very good professional type service and what a bargain!
On the way home we went to see the sunset at Tanah Lot. Yes I know it is a tourist "thing to do", but we really enjoyed it. There were hundreds there and the stall holders in the adjoining markets seemed to be doing a good trade. After some photos around the shore, we went up to the cafes on the cliffs and got a good spot with the temple directly in line with the setting sun. We thought is was worth the effort to get there. The cost was about 8000R(both)(1.15nz) including parking for our van.
WE said farewell to Made and thanked him for two great tours. The cost for today's 12 hours was 350000R ($50nz) and we gave him a good tip.
After a freshen up we decided to dine again at Porchetta Italian Restaurant at 362 JL Legian. The restaurant was a little quiet and we had another lovely meal including free cocktails, chilli crab (wonderful)kebabs, garlic bread, two beers and 2 coffees for 159000R ($23nz).
During the meal, we noticed that traffic was developing heading north towards Seminyak and one customer, who had left the restaurant about an hour before was still waiting for his transport, locals were gathering on the footpath and it was obvious something had happened. Our waitress then came to tell us they had heard about the bombs. She was quite distressed and we quickly paid our bill and left. As we walked back to the hotel we passed a bar with two or three TVs going, everyone was just standing around in stunned silence watching the local TV (very graphic coverage). A waitress came up to me and put her arms around me for comfort. It was her that needed the confort and support, as the tears welled up in her eyes.
We hurried back to the hotel, which was close nearby and then spent a late evening trying to get texts through to our daughter in NZ and our other daughter now in London. We watched the TV until late. Not a pleasant end to another good day in Bali.
The hotel was very good, we received quick safety advice, which was mainly to stay around the hotel for the day, and the already good security on the hotel gate, where every vehicle was always checked, was now doubled from two persons to four. There were also obvious security personnel patrolling the grounds.
At no time did we consider leaving early, though I can understand why others may have felt the need to, especially those more closely involved in the tradegy and those with young children. Our hearts went out to those families who were personally affected.
My wife and I have lived in London during IRA bombings and my brother was in the twin towers on the day before nine-eleven. We are not risk takers at all, but we also want to get on with our lives as we wish and not as some crazies would want to ruin it. (enough said).
We spent a quiet morning around the pool and at lunchtime headed out around the corner into Ruko Padma Utara to "The corner bar and grill"and had a pleasant and cheap meal of one pizza and one seafood noodle dish and three beers for 77000 ($11nz).
About 4.30 we headed down to S&S for our only visit and met Smudge and a few others (sorry names escape me) it was a pretty quiet evening, but with much discussion and determination to stay and keep coming back for the sake of the lovely people of Bali.
In the evening we had a very ordinary meal in the hotel (easily the worst of the entire holiday). The service was very slow, but that may be due to so many extra people deciding to dine in that night.
We had two full days left to enjoy, so at about 8.30 next morning (Mon)we set off north along the beach arriving at La Lucciola Restaurant about 9.15 to try the much recommended breakfast. The food was wonderful, the hash browns incredible and we had the works with a plunger of coffee to finish, and the setting, well just amazing from our front table overlooking the water.The cost 247000R (35nz) and worth every cent!
Rejuvenated by food we continued our walk back to the hotel, but this time via all the shops. Julie bought a lovely floral skirt in an up-market boutique in Seminyak, (Metana in Jl Raya )for 185000 ($26.50), and we bought heaps of the usual small stuff, beaded sandals etc as presents.
After a freshen we headed back to the House of Komang S in Padma St for Julie to collect her four pieces of copied tailoring and as stated before, she was very happy with the quality and no second fitting was required. Two jackets, one skirt and one pair of trousers for 925000R ($132nz). Then to Dolphin Leather in Sahadewa St to collect her lovely made-to-measure leather jacket, again no further fitting needed)924000 ($132nz). We then took a taxi back to the Discovery Mall, where I collected my two pairs of ordered prescription sunglasses from Optic Zeis. They were just right 2135000R ($305nz for both!). After a light lunch from Breadtalk (very nice)we hit the Centro department store upstairs and I bought a great linen casual jacket for 379000 ($54nz and Jack Nicklaus brand shorts for 279000 ($40), 2 very nice casual short sleeve shirts for 378000 ($54nz both). My wife bought our daughter two light summer tops for 132000 (19nz). Then home by taxi and in the evening we enjoyed a free(part of our package) themed dinner in the hotel with a buffet meal and the usual Bali style dance show. Quite pleasant at the end of the day, but similar to other shows we have seen in many places.
Tuesday was our last day and we spent much of it in last minute shopping for more DVD's, watches and heaps of small gifts for those back home. The usual Bintang T Shirts were aquired. We had lunch in a great vegetarian cafe in Jl Legian Aroma Cafe and then headed into the nearby Le Spa, where they had a two for price of one deal on massages, so together we enjoyed a great head to toe massage with foot bath for a total of about 116000 (16.50nz.).
We enjoyed the last couple of hours by the pool and then after a late check out at 6pm, had a light meal in the hotel bar until our transport arrived at about 8pm to take us to the airport.
The journey home was fine, with minor delays and some queues at x ray machine etc, but all transit passengers at Brisbane were made to fill out a Police questionaire re the bombings and have a quick interview, which took up quite a lot of the one hour stop over. No problems with customs at Auckland and our daughter was there to take us home in the rain and wind (welcome home).
Well thats about all, I hope the two reports have been interesting for some. It has certainly brought back many memories writing it. We loved our Bali holiday, We hope and pray for peace for the lovely people of bali and will return again to enjoy another Bintang on the beach - Ian & Julie