Well I cant believe my luck that Im off to Bali again with my 18 year old son and my sister. This was a present for my sons 18th Birthday & after winning a ticket my sister was able to join us. My son had never been overseas before.
My sister and I hadn't travelled together for more than 20 years. She hadn't been to Bali for about 20+ years so all was set for an interesting time.
The last time sissy and I went away together it was to Malaysia & Singapore for two long weeks.
They were very long as we fought the whole time over real important girls stuff like she hogged the clothes line in the shower & when I finally got some room on it... shed wet my stuff !!! Not only this but she would use up all the soap and wash powder allocations before Id even get out of bed. !!
We even had different routines - like she was asleep by 8pm and up at 6am - waking me up with the sound of the shower. Id watch TV til midnight as I had no one to share the nightlife with ( sickening isn't it !!)
Anyhow times have changes and we are all growed up !!
So we get the duty free - hop on the Garuda jet ex Darwin on 17 March Bali bound this time.
I was so looking forward to flying into Bali in the daylight - last time I went Qantas and it was in darkness.
This time I had my sons big boofhead hogging the window - he even had it at forty five degrees so you couldn't glimpse anything - talk about a rubber neck hogger.!!!
I was glad it was early morning. My sister likes a nip or two - but it was too early for her. Last time I flew with my sister she spilt a drink on her white dress - talk about embarrassing - for me that is - fancy having to sit with someone who obviously cant handle their drink !!!
Anyway Putu ( our driver ) was at the Airport to meet us and we put everything in the car and were off!! Well my Son was just gob smacked his eyes were just shooting everywhere - along with the traffic - he can see in this short ride to the Hotel Lokha in Legian why Mum says you have to be nuts to drive in this place.
My sister comments ' I don't remember soooo many motor bikes' !!!
So we get to The Lokha - I advise Putu we will walk to the Supermarket - to get supplies and not to worry about taking us. Everyone seemed hell bent on checking out the room & hotel. Putu strongly suggest he take us - He was on a fixed rate which included the supply trip. So had nothing to gain. I learnt why later Putu was so insistant!!! For some dum reason I thought the Bintang Supermarket was just around the corner !!! Yeah right.
So after a short wait whilst the extra bed was put into our room we head upstairs - My Sister and Son go one way at the top of the stairs and I go the other ( They cant read room number signs & corresponding arrows. !!! ) Either that or they belief religiously in 'taking the road less traveled'.
So we unpack and head off to find the Bintang Supermarket. Well this is just great it takes us ages to get the few hundred metres to the JL Legian/Seminyak corner. We had them here are some newbie signs on our heads for sure..
'Look Transport'
'Hello Transport'
'you want Transport '
Transport Boss'
' I been know You ‘
'Polo shirt, watches only $1, Hair extensions, Nails, Braiding .... You know the story !!
It was chaos. then CRUNCH........OUCH !! my son at 6 foot plus hits his head on a sign....it's a wonder he didn't knock himself out !! He is okay and we start to laugh.
I honestly had forgotten about the overhead dangers in Bali. Anyhow he never did that one again.
So we head around the corner... and we walked someway and its hot and there is no Bintang Supermarket sign in sight.. Im an idiot as I later find out it's a few kms up the road.
So we back track to the Hotel and find Wayan and Friends - I have to re assure my team that yes I do know where this spot is. Though I know they didn't believe me.
What an icy cold beer it was and I had to have a shrimp cocktail. Not as good as my 2004 trip - but passable.
We then head for the money changer. Second shop down JL Legian on Right Hand Side.
Exchange rate 6700 Rp. So I have my sissys calculator in hand & double check all their money exchange and then do mine. This is a secure place here - with the security guards - I have never seen a machine gun so close up - a bit scary but then again I don't know much about guns.
So we grab a taxi to go to the Bintang Supermarket for our supplies. Ask the Taxi driver to wait for us and he can do the return journey. So Im in there on a mission I get a carton Bintang, coke, water all organized... the rest of my team are stuffing around like Dads Army. Like we have a Taxi waiting guys !!! with his meter on !!! ' Oh he wouldn't have is meter on would he ?? ( Derr...) So as the team doesn't know Rp money yet I am engaged to process payment of each ones goodies. So it is at this point that I decide I need to give myself a swollen head - its really an unspoken mechanism for coping. I am now a self appointed Bali Travel Guide and I feel real good about this. !!!
Back to the Lokha Hotel we get organized for the Trip to Tuban for the Grace Kelly Forum Dinner. I made these Green Hats I got from Overflow or Woollies - cant remember and cut pasted lots of Irish bits and pieces on them. Ended up Giving them to the staff at Dynasty before we left. It was nice to be at Grace Kellys even though we only stayed 1 1/2 hours to meet all the forum folk. We did a bit of a snoop around the hotel prior. Didiaust you stood out in my sons books as he said so nice of the Lady to come and say 'so your Luvthe Nt's Son ' ? He thought he was a celebrity !!! I went on a walk around and met most of you folk that were there - what a happy bunch !!!
Anyhow we head off from the forum dinner to go and have dinner and to basically crash out.. it had been a long day.
Lots of harassment outside the Dynasty that kind of added to the new teams anxiety from JL Padma area on their first expeience..........or plus 20 one !! Even my son was offered braids and nails - he almost accepts given his is crew cut... now what could become of this we think. !!
Next thing in a taxi and the guy has no idea where La Porchetta is.... He phones base... Im trying to direct... I sais 'switch off base Ill get u there ' !!! Then just before we hit the Melasti Bend we neally wipe out a pedestrian - silly sausage hes still trying to communicate with base !!!. I tell him in very good non Balinese terms I am the Chief Australian Bali Tourist Guide ( I didn't mention the self appointed thing !!!)
For some reason I finally get thru to this guy and he starts to laugh...THIS IS NO ORDINARY LAUGH !!! this is even more than the planet of the apes laugh........This is a hyperventilating Kenny G here guys. So for then whatever meters to La Porchetta ( which we over shot the mark due to the following activity ) .we all just laughed..............the more he laughed..........well we just laughed. !!! I have Never ever heard a laugh like this guys laugh in my entire life.
Okay we have sore tummy laugh muscles by the time we get to La porchetta. We had a great meal ( more on this on my JBR Restaurants later ).off we go home in the Bemo which really is just up the road, but we are sooooo tired and we crash out...........
To be continued ...........