JBR - BALI March
Don't forget your tooth brush!
Can I just say remember to BUY SUNBLOCK in Aussieland. It cost allot in Bali like $10 bucks for 200mls at Matahari's. Maps, I downloaded maps from Dons Bali virgin guide. Home made looking, but have restraunts, hotels and streets marked. The maps include most aeras - Deparsar, Lovina, Seminyak and Kuta. Filos Toliet guide is a must. Came in handy when out and about shopping. I must say Aromas Café on Jl Legian was much better than some hotels I've been in!
Agent
Booked flight and accommodation through Julie Santoso Travel Perth - 9221 8838 - excellent price.
Duty Free
I brought a video camera this trip from the GoodGuys - paid cash got a better deal than any of the other duty free outlets. Then once through immigration at airport, saw TRS - tourist Refund Scheme and got my duty free tax back. (They don't give you cash - put it back on plastic and can take up to 5 working days.) All in all I got a bargain and the beauty of it is you can use the goods before you travel. (Must spend min $300 on any one item to claim and some things are not included like perfume.)
Flight
Thursday am flight with Garuda. Arrived @ airport 3 hours before flight, got good seats - row 9 window seating. Quick check in as not much of a line. Good flight no hiccups! Sat back and enjoyed the ride - with a bintang in hand of course. Good food (well, as good as plane food gets LOL).
Airport arrival
Bit nervous on arrival - but all went smoothly. No security with AK's this time; mind you it's been 4 years. Expected more with all recent issues over the years, but it was way less scary than expected.
First Hotel - Hard Rock
First stop, with transfer from airport, was Hard Rock. Check in @ 2.30pm. Be aware that most hotel check in time is ~2pm. But Hard Rock has luggage storage. Checked into deluxe ground floor room for 2 (me and 14yr old son) by pool. Very nice!! Really loved this hotel. Its across the road from beach, few mins walk to Matahari's in Kuta one way, few mins walk to poppies lane1 other way. Live band every night, play above the bar or you can watch live from your room on hard rock TV channel. Hard Rock music throughout the whole hotel including around the pool. No need for MP3 here. Fantastic pools. Real beach - sand with volley ball, pool basket ball, floaties and pool tennis - no extra charges for any. Wicked pool bar. Chalet style huts around pool area you can rent for the day. Some people even had a romantic dinner one night in one. Hotel is very modern / stylish looking.
Friday
Changed money at PT Central - good rate and trust worthy. Next to get a Bali sim card for my mobile. If you are on prepaid in aussie, you have to change to a contract and pay a $300 bond, Calls cost about $6 per minute and you even get charged when accepting calls! Why bother? I brought mine from Matahari's Kuta up elevator near PT money changer. Paid 15000 for sim ($2.15) with bonus 10 000 credit. Then I brought more credit for 50 000 = 50 000 credit ($7.15). Calls cost 1500 per minute and sms only 500. Well worth the savings. Beats the old wartel and besides family can contact you anytime where ever you are.
Saturday - St Paddy day
Would have loved to catch up with formities but we were scheduled for Lovina today.
Hair cut for boy @ 20 000 ($2.85) gave a tip, great job, poppies 1 Sari Indah 081 2394 4878. Checked out of Hard Rock, picked up by formities recommended driver Wayan Merta 081 138 6761. Speaks excellent English - has been to aussieland 3 times, has a great comfy car and aircon. Knows county side. He drove us to Lovina - our next stop. Cost $50 with stops / tour on the way. We saw the volcanoes on way, temple on the lake, beautiful gardens, but started to rain so didn't stay for long. Went to Candi Cunning Markets - fantastic for all wanting to buy spices (saffron etc) Here I brought 2 real butterfly framed pictures + pure silk sarong + 2 pk cinnamon stick + 200mg vanilla bean pods all for $40. Crackers Bar and loos are here as well. And lastly, a special stop for the boy's birthday tomorrow.
Sunday
Do I dare state where we stayed............???
All I can say is we went and had a ball. Stayed in President room over looking the lagoon. Went to dinner @ Jasmines Kitchen - fantastic. Appetizers, king prawns, spring rolls, garlic prawns, chicken in oyster sauce, rice bintang, soft drink and bourbon all for under $20! Had recommended formities driver who lives in Lovina pick us up and return us to hotel after dinner. Nyoman 081 338 303 331. Had pre booked via net before holiday for driver Wayan Merta to pick us back up and take us back south Bali due to Nyepi. It was great traveling back though all the villages and seen all the different ogoh ogohs - they are so creative.
Next stop - The Westin Nusa Dua
Checked in, excellent service but you would expect nothing else @ such a hotel. They have the standard vehicles mirror check at boom gate like most other hotels but also have a beeper window you have to walk through to enter hotel including luggage checks. Beautiful hotel. If you are after a quiet relaxing holiday, not wanting to leave the hotel, not worrying about eating out and Bali belly. Beautiful beach - sheltered, this is the hotel for you. They also have a club room - if this is included in your stay you can eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, help yourself - all drinks, including alcohol and they are open 24/7. However not the kinda Bali holiday for me, but you gotta try everything once right?.
Nyepi - ogoh ogoh (large paper mache figures carried by people in a parade)
We walked down to the markets in Nusa Dua to watch the parade, what and experience - it was packed. Well worth it. It was kinda like new years in Freo without the drinking.
Monday - Nyepi - day of silence
Today was spent in the hotel - laxing out, sun baking, a bit of yoga. It was all good. The hotel did a reasonable job keeping the guests entertained. Free activities throughout the day where held, like yoga, aqua-arobics, coconut leaf creations, fruit calving, things for the kids along with the usual stuff. However I did see security stop a couple wanting to swim at the beach - which I was unaware you couldn't. But fair enough, we must respect their culture and beliefs.
Tuesday
Most shops and markets were still closed. Today the locals head back from their villages so we didn't bother heading out until late arvo. Sogo is a huge shopping centre + surrounding shops @ Nusa Dua. Bali collection a shuttle bus service have free pick up every hour. Beats walking, which we don't mind however when its raining it was an added bonus. It also stops at all the other hotels on the way so you get a bit of a sneaky peak. Brought shoes at sogo's on two occasions $10 and $30 aud. Found it cheaper here than Centro discovery in Kuta. They also have a Starbucks here for kopi stop!
Wednesday
Today we tried our luck @ Galleria shopping center in Seminyak - but it was closed (...)
Anyway today will be a day never to forget, we found the material shop! Well what an experience. Alta Moda on Jl Patih Jelatik, its 3 stories with a glass lift. We had the manager take us around and had half a dozen girls following picking up all the material and putting in back. He called his recommended Taylor Linda from Belinda house of fashion 0361 743 7626 who is a designer gone dress maker. She came within 5 mins and took measurements, showed us some designs and gave some great advice. We felt like supermodels in Hollywood! This place is worth just looking at - if nothing else! Just beautiful. I brought pure silk and silk / satin etc etc paid about $100 aud for material for 3 dresses - bridesmaid style. Paid the price, even knowing I could get it cheaper. Having said that they did a fantastic job - came to the hotel for fittings, made heaps of alterations until we were happy with the final result. The total of the 3 dresses cost about $150aud to be made.
Thursday
Sakura DVD shop - at Kuta night markets. Okay can I post this stuff??? Anyway they do a deal by 10 get 3 free, 20 get 7 free, 30 get 11 free, 40 get 15 free 50 get 30 free, 100 get 70 free, you get my drift? so on and so on. They are 10 000 (($1.40) which is the going rate anywhere. Good Quality. Other than that, another lazy day @ hotel - check out tomorrow.
Friday - next stop MBR
Checked out of the Westin @ 5pm, got a cab in the traffic and rain. Some areas were flooded. Finally checked into our ground floor by long pool room. Theses are the older rooms - and as formities had said they are BIG rooms. We stayed in room 158. We had lunch @ the pool bar one day + drinks all for $15aud. For all you soon to be MBR guests, the spa has a special 50% off. You can have in your room or by the pool. 1 hour massage for only $6.40aud. Breakfast wasn't great but okay - hey we never got sick and it always looked fresh. You can have bacon and eggs made fresh while you wait. Breaky is between 7 -10, not as late as some other hotels. Dinner @ Foo Kin Pub, bourbon, soft drink, garlic bread, steak and chicken with fries and aussie music all for under $20aud - fantastic food!
Saturday
Today we hit the streets, markets and had a great day. I had brought over a CD with photos on it for enlargement. Went to Photo shop opposite Matahari's in Kuta. Prices as follow 10x15 - 21c, 15x20- $1, 20x25-$1.30, 30x35 -$1.80, they can do it while you wait, very good quality. They can enlarge bigger but need to 1 week as they do this in Deparsar. Today I went to Janoko Taylor in Poppies 11 lane near Jl legian end - recommended by the pies. Lisa is the owner and made me a copy of a dress I brought over. I also had the material, it took 3 days and $12aud. Considering the same dress I had made with Linda cost me $75aud, I got a fantastic price and will go back next time for sure. Lisa number is 0361 753 230. Next stop Bali Brumby - recommended by formities. If you want boots, suits, dresses or jackets this is the place to go. Opposite Discovery Shopping Center in Kuta behind Bubba Gumps Restraunt. Putu the owner will visit your hotel @ no extra cost if you prefer. We both had Taylor made boots made. My son had standard cowboy style and I had suede knee high slouch style. Cost $100 each. I also had a cowgirl fitted shirt made in material I brought over, cost $10aud and another top copied for the same. I had custom made full length chaps made. Now,this may not be for all you formities but been and horse lover and owner I have always wanted some. I had the design worked out before my trip and a picture for them to copy. They made them with adjustable belt buckle with studs - in a tan colour with chocolate suede supi (cow) patches all over. Leather feathers / tassels down both sides. They are fantastic. They made all this in 3 days. So professional. For all you who have always thought about tailor made clothing but never actually done it, you don't know what your missing out on. Had pre oganised DVD with MC shop before we left. They emailed us a list and then brought them to our hotel. Good deal and all very good copies. They may not have the latest movies as standard is not good enough for them to sell. 150 disc for about $100 aud, free zip cases included. Tonight we went to Indo National for dinner, when the owner came over and asked how my day had been, in a fair dinkom aussie voice, I nearly feel off my chair. Great food, service, atmosphere. Cheep as chips, tasty and they have a happy hour.
Sunday
Hung out @ hotel, went down road to markets, did a little shopping. Big day tomorrow.
Monday
Today we had organized a tour with Putu's brother Putu (as well) from Bali Brumby. $50aud 8-9 hours, excellent driver, roomy new van style car with aircon. Could easily fit 6 people or just 2 and lots of shopping LOL. He speaks good English - lovely Bali person. Just phone his brother at the shop to organize if interested. We were picked up @11, first stop would be in Seminyak to change some doosh.
This is called the day got I ripped off. Well.... The short version I got ripped off. If you want to know how keep reading. The long version...Down an alley off main road - don't be fooled I should have trusted my gut instinct. I was by myself...small dingy looking out house style unit, lol, no one home until I spoke then people appeared from everywhere! Rate was on board but when I went in and his mate followed (we just all fit, lol) I spose this was my second warning, all of a sudden his rate was much more. Third warning...he only had 20 000 bills, I only changed 100aud but 10 piles of 5 notes in each what did I expect??? Okay no offence, but sometimes I swear I'm blond underneath. Hell knows. He counted the money in 100 000 lots - passed them to me I counted them and put them down on bench in separate piles to keep track of them. Then at the end of counting he didn't have the exact change and asked if I did. This was my fourth warning. I looked at my bum bag not even for a second just to grab the zip, while I did this his friend swiped notes from the top of the last few piles. My biggest mistake was not recounting my money before doing the deal!!!. Then not having any change, stupid me gave him a tip and I dribbled something like they needed it more than me and I fell sorry for the Bali people more aussie need to start coming back over. I wonder if he realizes I come home and told all of you he ripped me off, lol. I hope they felt bad having ripped me off like $30aud. I have gone to Bali many times and know everything I did was so stupid - let this be a lesson learnt on my behalf.
Second stop was Jip custom 75 Jl Raya Kuta 62 361 783 2223, for all you Jeep owners. I was looking for parts / accessories for my Renegade CJ7, I not sure about Wranglers but either way they have to order it in, so maybe next time.
Next stop was the Kupu Kupu Park (Butterfly Park) in Tabanan - 1.5 hours drive but well worth it. Fantastic enclosure walk around gardens - water falls and they have a shop where you can buy butterflies (none are on the cities list, this is a list of butterflies that customs will confiscate if brought back to aussieland) I brought a bird wing night butterfly its huge and a florescent blue one cost abut $30aud for both. They also have certificates that they stick on the back of the frames which state that they are cities free - helps when re-entering with customs. Entry to park is $6usd. They have an area where you can eat and have a drink if needed. The Park is semi tour guided and they have a baby butterfly enclosure where you can see and learn about the development and cocoon etc. Recommended but allow some time as they are smart and see you coming. If you can sit and watch for a while, your guaranteed some great photos.
Next stop Tannalot, been here many times before but still spectacular. Tide was up and we arrived early arvo so missed they many sunset tourists that I have bumped into in the passed. Big markets here so again allow some time to look around on the way down to the temple. Entry is about $1aud.
Café Moka - Seminyak late lunch and some yummy cakes to go $15aud. Yum yum yum.
Jeweler
Next stop at Bali Hai Hotel in Turban for jewelry alterations - recommended by formities. Had one ring enlarge, 4 charms gold solders clasps put on bracelet and one large gold charm repaired. I took over my own old gold ring for them to use and got the rest back in nugget form - all this for $50aud and took only 1 day.
And from here off to Uluwatu, one of the points passed airport and Nusa Dua. Here they have a Kecak and fire dance - I have never been before and recommend it. It was great. On they way to the performance you walk along the cliffs and the monkeys come out of the forest - watch out with your stuff, a few tourists and items taken - Heaven forbid why one money had a tube of tooth paste?? LOL. The dance lasts for about 1 hour or so and starts just before dusk. Surprisingly it was packed full of tourist so get in early for good seating. I recommend seating up high as the fire can get close dependant on the wind. It was great one of our trip highlights!! They perform every night of the week.
Next stop Jimbaran Bay
You can't go to Bali without eating out @ Jimbaran Bay. It has changed heaps since I was last there. Use to be 50 odd restraunts now there are about 25. It looked like all of them had out door on the beach dinning. Make note not to go when it's windy. We went to Blue Ocean Seafood. Paid about $100aud for king prawns, snapper chips, rice, soft drinks, bintangs, and bourbon - great night out for the three of us! In my experience I have always paid about $100aud when dinning out at Jimbaran Bay, regardless where I have gone.
Back to MBR.
Tuesday
Picked up all my ordered stuff. Brought a polo cabin suit case from Matahari's for $25aud better than all prices on the street. Picked up my painting, well I go to the same place every visit. The back of the Kuta night markets is a painting shop. This time I had a red Kangaroo painted 1mt x about 1/2mt took 3 days and cost $60aud - they always do such a good job. This one was copied from a photo I gave them. Last time I had a Palm Cockatoo and a Macaw painted.
Dinner @ Zanzibar in Seminyak on Legian beach walk. Appetizers, mains, desert for three, cocktails, bintang and soft drinks all for under $50aud. Fantastic food and service.
Wednesday
Well today was such a depressing day - we came home(...). I must say, previous holidays I have been ready to come back to reality land but not this one. Well how emotional was I, I wore sunnys on the plane to hide the tears I shed as we flew home - with Bintang in hand of course. All went well on the flight, stocked up on large bottle of JB at duty free, was one of the last through customs, but all went well.
Bali Blues
Suffering pretty bad - my bottle of JB in near empty, lol, and its only Saturday lol - and no I'm not usually like this, I have booked my next Holiday back to the island of smiles - formities recommendation for the blues of course.
Thanks to everyone who shares there hols experiences on the forum. My Holiday would not have been as gold without all your memories.