For those that asked some Q's from my JBR 1 there are some answers in this one.
Day 2 - Saturday 18 March
We wake up depressed this morning. We should have got that Taxi drivers number - there is no one that is going to make each one of laugh so much as that fellow did. never mind. !!! Onward team..!!! In memory we have decided to name him 'Mr Happy'
I suggest we lighten up and take a walk down the end of the road from the Lokha and check out the beach. I am not a beach person -so don't actually get on the Beach... but my sister and son head off for a short walk on it. I do enjoy walking in the mornings in Bali and being at the Lokha you are so close to everything inc. the beach.
On returning to the hotel we head to breakfast and immediately forget our woes as the breakfast was excellent. They had a great buffet and my son is hooked on the omelets and banana pancakes. I wont re go over my JBR on Accommodation posted earlier on the Lokha.
Once we have finished breakfast we head down to Yanthi Clothing.
On the way there I say hello to Jimmy at Billys Bar - tell him to have some coldies ready for our visit in a few hours time.
My son got himself a complete new wardrobe - 8 pairs Billabong shorts, 2 good quality collared shirts, Oakey Glasses. Some 2 piece skirt/tops for my granddaughter, 2 Roxey handbags - very different design too than others I would see
( for his sister and also his girlfriend), 2 ladies Billabong shirts ( I think for his sister) and some other things that I just didn't write down. Everything is good quality and washed up real well. The bill was just approx $110 Aus. So he was pretty wrapped. I was wrapped too as he counted out his own money - did a bit of haggling with the bags and glasses - but everything else was fixed price. Not only this but last time I was in Bali I got him about a dozen of the copy type T - shirts which he has worn almost everyday and they have been beaut .
We were quite some time in this shop - my sons shopping was over in a flash but us girls no way - we have to try everything on - every size -every style - every colour - you know the story.!! So we made a few purchases but I intend going back so didn't over do it first up !!
We head off back down Garlic lane - give the troops lazing on Billys bale outside a bit of a rev up - so we crack a Bintang. This was my idea - my sister was concerned as it was only 11:30am - I said who cares its hot !! But then I realize she was cranky as she needed to go to the toilet - Jimmy assists in the matter. 'No toilets here' !! Well the look of despair on her face. ( Okay where is he going with this one I think !!)
' I have a bucket !!!???'.hahaha I think. My sister was not happy. But Jimmy did the right thing.
' I have a plastic bag !!!!' well I crack up.......yay my sissy begins to laugh too.......!!!
I point the way to the loo for her and everything became all cosy and comfortable again.. well for a short time.
Some guy - bit sleazy looking ... slips up to me and shoves this bottle of potent drugs under my nose in a split second. I freak and try and warn my sister about this stuff.
Ive read about these things.. next thing you don't know where you are or who you are !!! Absolutely terrifying !!!
Then Jimmy is laughing. What is going on here !!! I feel like such a jerk - its bloody massage oil !!
I need to gather some composure and dignity here so I do what most people would do.... I order another Bintang and think hell... my Aust Bali Tourist Guide Profession has just come to a big screaming holt. How can someone mistake a bottle of massage oil for a liquid snort of toxic drugs !!! Furthermore I have embarrassed my son. I mean kids are 24/7 embarrassed by their parents.. I just gave him the perfect reason for this mindset.
I want to apologise to the massage man but he has done a bolt. I don't blame him... Im very scary when I have a fright !!!
My team was soon distracted by a pile of CD's for sale. I bought 16 of them - cant remember what the others got but we played a few in Billys Bar CD Player to check them out. Everyone is having a go at paying their own and mastering the Rp money so I get confused when the seller asked me 'where is Kylie ? ' Kylie who' I say.
Well I will not go on about this mess further but it turns out sissy owes another 1 CD cos her Kylie Minoghue is in Billys bar CD player !!!
We have a snack of a salad roll at Wayan and Friends on the way back to the Lokha. After such a big breakfast just my son and I share one.
Back to the Hotel we get organized for a trip to Melasti Spa. My son doesn't want to do the massage bit - but will come along with us in any case. Now not knowing how far the Melasti is from JL Padma I figure we best take a Taxi. Turns out it wasn't too far at all but hey the 5000 Rp was worth any further risk of embarrassment for me not realizing distances and getting the team all on a low.
Well we enjoyed the spa - my son was meant to go shopping browsing about but chose to wait in the foyer. I mean an hour is a long time to wait - but he did so. We then checked out the rooms at the Melasti and had a good look about as reported in my Accom JBR's.
We decide to get a taxi back to the hotel as it would do a big loop to the north of the hotel and we could see a bit of what lies beyond our hotel in a different direction.
Were having trouble getting a taxi - very unusual as each light blue coming by had clients. My son steps up to the mark and hails one down - this is good as he is really gaining in confidence. He would not do this at home. So we pile in... and Im in the front seat and WHAM........this arm pointing finger blurs itself across my face.
' Hey I been know you ???' I look at the driver and that was it.....Hahahahah
and were all Hahahahah zig zagging down the road. It was our 'MR HAPPY' taxi driver.how uncanny was that !!! So we just laughed all the way back to the Hotel which is not far but on the loop idea we didn't get to see what was beyond our hotel as we were just cracking up soooo badly. We do not let him leave this time without getting his contact no. Sadly we did not get to use him for the remainder of the trip... it just didn't work out that way but those two trips in the Taxi were the best in our lives.
Tonight we have dinner at Aromas Café - my son has the Best Pizza and I have the Vegetarian Lasagne with a salad - My sister a noodle dish - I think and we all agree Aromas Pizza is the best.
We take the walk home up to Jl Padma - popping into a few surf shops on the way just for a browse. Most other shops are starting to close up and it gets very dark from the Melasti corner to JL Padma.
We crash out once at home... another great day in Bali
To be continued...