'Oh what a Night!' Frankie Valli sure made that a great song. I also had a large sign saying Oh what a Knight that I dragged off to the football every week to watch my beloved Newcastle Knights play and when we won the 97 Grand final they had T-shirts printed saying just that - I felt like I had some ownership of that saying - Oh jeez back to the first night in Bali.
Now you would think that once Lynn dropped me off and I was safe in bed all would be well. It wasn't and drama No 3 was about to unfold - I decided to make a cuppa so I thought I would sneak over to the kitchen & get a bit of milk - I was in my nightie, I grabbed the key, locked the door and snuck away thinking no one would see me. I got the milk but had locked myself out - the key I had was the outside courtyard gate key. I just assumed I was given 2 keys as usually there are 2 people sharing a room. I had to go to the office - now that was a bother as there were still party animals up and drinking at the bar - they looked oddly at me in the pale blue number with flowers, lace and a bow as did the office manager and sent one of the boys with the master key. I then decided that I would not leave the safety of the room again that night. I finally made that cuppa. And the bed and pillows were so welcoming so I took no rocking.
When I awoke at 3 am the cuppa was still on the bedside table and I had a huge headache
Was it from the musty smell of the room or the amount I drank at Gracies? I made another cuppa and decided to jot down a few things in my diary. My body clock was telling me it was 6am and at that time I am usually just getting home from my long morning walk. Just as I started to write the lights went off. Great! I didn't have a torch - I was intending to buy one as I removed the torch to make less weight - Murphy's Law kicks in. About 30 minutes later the power came back on.
At 6am I wandered off down Padma Utara and up around Rum Jungle I was going to check out the local market but it had rained and can be quite muddy so I decided against it. I had breakfast and then met Mida as arranged to pay her. It was $48 US for the 3 nights and I gave her $50 but she insisted on giving me the $2 change. I was glad she liked the pen & leather diary I had given her - maybe that was why she wouldn't take the $2 tip. I told her I was thinking of moving but I don't think she was able to book Suri Wathi.
I then met a you guy who is engaged to workmate. I had the duty of delivering the ultra sound photos of his baby. Now my workmate explained to me all the various poses and parts of bub, but by the time I got there I had forgotten. I was tempted to point to all the bits in the photo and say 'ah 3 babies' but I didn't know this guy too well and didn't want to be responsible for him jumping off the nearest cliff because he worried how he would feed 3 extra mouths. I also managed to drop them in the only puddle on the restaurant floor first but quickly wiped them down my side.
I strolled up Garlic Lane to Suri Wathi to check out the rooms. Met Leonie & Lynn (Tina & Sharron were on a school visit) and was very impressed with the rooms - dearer than LVH but worth every rupiah. A bit of wheeling & dealing and had to wait till the afternoon for the boss to give the OK on the price we were negotiating.
The 3 of us girls set off to Discovery Plaza- this was a first for me as it was still being built when I was last in Bali. What a prime piece of real estate to put a shopping mall on - the backyard is the Indian Ocean. Another first was Bread Talk but I was strong willed and purchased nothing (only because I was going to the dentist at 12). I left the girls and jumped in a cab- I'm sure the driver told all his friends about the strange lady who cleaned her teeth in the back seat - well what's wrong with that - I had a cup and a water bottle and I threw the toothpasty water out the window - no pollution.
Got dropped off at Bali Galleria Mall and looked at my instructions from Rex - now I did insist that he give me girly directions so he replied that I was to face the entrance of Matahari but alas there were 3 blo..y entrances and I had no earthly idea of where to from here. I asked a few shop keepers and their expressions told me they had no idea either. How do you mime a dentist - I tried demonstrating an extraction- that amused them - I tried demonstrating drilling - that amused them and pointing to my teeth amused them even more. I was getting a bit worried and finally found someone who knew what I was looking for.
Rushed into this sparkling new office - apologized profusely and was taken into the surgery. As soon as I left the dentist I headed into Bread Talk and bought 7 items. I grabbed a cab and sat in the back 'pigging out' I asked the driver if he had lunch and he said 'no' I felt so guilty so I passed him over 2 delicacies. That was still 5 for me - which was 2 too many.
Now for girl directions to the dentist. Walk into Bread Talk and turn back around to walk out. Walk to the other side to the shops opposite. Turn left and walk to the end where you will see the office - I think it's the second last office.
Got back from the dentist and the negotiations began once again to secure a room at Suri Wathi a 'good luck for you - good luck for me' OK I had a room - I was pleased to be so much closed to the girls. I decided to move in but not rush it as I had 2 more nights paid for at LVH. I just had to carry my bags a few hundred meters up Garlic Lane so I would take my time. Did it in 2 trips and settled into my new home with the girls - now it really felt like I was on a girl's trip on secret women's business.
Off to S&S - my first Bintang - well Bintangs and then a short cut through Legian Beach Hotel following Tina to get to Melasti and Puri Bali Indah for diner. Drama No 4 occurred when we were leaving the Mini market on the corner of Garlic Lane & Melasti and this thug pushed and shoved his companion out the door and abused her . I said to her 'if I were you I would grab a taxi and head in the opposite direction' he kept pushing her and got about 10 metres from me down the road and turned and challenged me I knew I could out run him - he was too drunk - I propped and stood my ground and prayed like mad he would keep walking - he did but I was still worried about the welfare of this poor woman who was with him.
Got back to the hotel and a nice swim to unwind - I am sure I slept so well there because most nights we had a swim for 15 minutes at least - well we didn't exactly do laps or anything just hung on the noodles and in my case I hung over the ring.
I promise these will get shorter as the next 2 weeks I spent there have mostly reported on by the girls in their JBR's .