I've only just found a few spare minutes, after having been home for two weeks, to sit down and hopefully write a half interesting JBR.
We left Perth for Bali on 30 December for our 10th trip but first New Years Eve visit. We were in for a treat. flight was uneventfull and customs and baggage pickup went smoothly. Arrived at Legian Beach Hotel at around lunch time. Perfect. Swim - Lunch - swim.
The first few days were very windy, unusually so apparently, and it rained on and off, but still very warm. We took up the hotels 'offer' of the New Years Eve dinner, which I must admit was very good, but saw the new year in on the beach. People, mainly locals, stocked up with fire works and crackers packed the beach, well almost. We also had our supply and joined in setting them off. Probably not very safe, but still a lot of fun.
The following night a very big storm, someone mentioned cyclone, hit and caused quite a bit of damage. A few trees came downn in our hotel and also along the beach, but were amazingly cleaned up by lunch. The down pour caused a bit of flooding but everyone kept smiling.
One thing that I will avoid next visit is going during local school holidays. Bali was filled with local tourists from Jakarta who supprisingly enough come with their cars. so there was a lot of extra traffic and no one moving.
We decided this trip we would show our children, who had been to Bali twice before, a little more about Bali's culture and tradition. Up until now, I think they thought Bali was Kuta. So we took them on a lot of educational tours. We enjoyed these days so much, and when my 10 year old tells his mates that the best part of his holiday was visiting a traditional family compound, it really made it worth it. We also went white water rafting, which after the storm was very high and fast. Our guide who must have been 5foot nothing and 40kgs was amazing, he basically kept one hand on my son and steered with the other, and still managed to laugh almost the whole way.
After 10 visits to Bali and never having been to the monkey forest, we felt we had to go, just to say we had. I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't lazy fat monkeys that were too filled up on bananas to even look at you let alone jump all over you, which is what we had been told they do, But it was definatly worth a look.
Met up with my friend Made that I met during my visit in October, and introduced him to my husband and children. Made does the best tattoos on the beach in front of LBH. It has been his living for 25 years. He supports his wife and four children, and is the most humble person I know. We also met up again with two young boys that we also met in October. They recognised me before I even saw them, and came running up to give me a hug. One of the boys (Wyan) is the same age as my son and they have become good friends. A few days before leaving, Brayden (my son) gave them some gifts we had bought from home, and they in return wanted to give him some leather straps. Brayden told them that he did'nt want the straps and that he was giving them the gifts because they were his friends. Wyan told Brayden that he was giving him the straps because he was his brother. I have to tell you I cried.
Anyway, I need to end my tales for now, as its time to pick the kids up from school. I'll be very happy to answer any questions anyone might have. Hope I havn't bored you. I really could go on for ever, so much happens in such a short time when you're in Bali, and talking about it is my favourite hobby. Thanks for reading.
Tessa