My hubbie and I have been travelling to Bali since 1991 and over the years have stayed in many places and done most of the tours. Now, being older and lazier, we head each year for The Lugana Resort & Spa formerly Sheraton Laguna) in Nusa Dua for a relax, recharge and to eat ourselves silly. All sense of adventure has been replaced by laziness - we eat all our meals in the hotel. We purchase the Starwood Platinum Privilege card and get 50% off all food. We had breakfast, lunch and dinner for 8 days, plus email each day and a few faxes for A$550. Plus a few Bintangs of course.
This year we travelled from Sydney and had a week in Darwin, flying to Denpasar by Garuda. We left at 7.30am (exactly on time) and landed in Bali at 8.30am (ten minutes early). The flight was excellent and being only 2½ hours was very pleasant. We passed quickly through the usual procedures at the airport and we were sitting on our balcony drinking coffee by 9.30am. In the airport we opted to engage a porter at 2,000 for each of our two suit cases and handed him Rp5,000. He said he wanted Australian dollars and when we said we didn't have any small denominations he wanted the $20 note we did have. As if. We handed him the Rp5,000 but he handed it back and told us to keep it! The exchange rate in the airport was Rp5,450 to A$1. We paid for our taxi at the outside office for Rp85,000 airport to Nusa Dua.
First day, after a delicious breakfast in the newly refurbished Lagoon Café, we walked down to Bualu Markets just outside the Nusa Dua gates. Bought fancy thongs for Rp20,000 and a wooden puzzle for Rp22,000. Went back to Retski Tailors and ordered a white mess jacket, cashmere and wool sports coat and a wool vest for hubbie for A$225 (plus altering a dinner jacket) and a three quarters suede coat for me for A$125, they threw in a free pair of leather thongs. The exchange rate was Rp7450 at the Bank and Rp7500 in the street. Traggia Department store has closed - gone bankrupt!
Second day was spent swimming in the ocean, lying in the balè, drinking Bintangs and snoozing. Met Hxxxx in the foyer in the evening for delivery of 184 DVDs, with 45 for free plus 3 zip holders, total Rp1,450,000. Hxxxx texted me the day before with the final price. He had my original emailed list with everything ticked off and noted any that he didn't supply because of poor quality. There were a few he couldn't get but promised to come back in a few days time with the new releases.
Third day we walked down to Bali Collection shopping centre. This is the old Galleria that closed for a year and reopened last year. Lots more shops opened up, plus a new supermarket that sold fresh vegetables, dairy and groceries, plus a large selection of various souvenirs and wooden articles. Hubbie bought a pair of Hugh Puppies sandals for A$75 in the SOCO department store. This is just like a big David Jones, and just as expensive.
Fourth day, we left the hotel to find a taxi to take us to Denpasar, all the quotes were around Rp100,000 each way. One young man stepped up and said he would take us there for Rp80,000 so we engaged Robert, who turned out to be a West Timorese Christian, and he looked after us very well - we were gone about 5 hours so we gave him Rp200,000 and made an appointment for a half day's outing in two days. In Denpasar we went to Ramayana Department store as we haven't been into Denpasar for about ten years and the Ramayana was recommended on the forum as a good place to shop. I changed our dollars for Rp7,500, which was a good rate from the teller's booth on the ground floor. On the top floor of the complex we had an excellent pedicure for one hour that was more like a podiatry experience. Paid Rp33,000 each for the foot treatment (excellent polish on mine, but none on hubbies). He had a half hour shiatsu massage for an extra Rp22,500. I tipped the two girls Rp11,500 plus some small change I had. They mustn't get many tips because they both danced around the salon they were so happy. I did notice that most of the customers were locals, so maybe they don't tip each other. So, for Rp100,000 I thought we got excellent treatments and made two young girls happy. Bought two good quality short sleeve shirts for hubbie at Rp139,800 for 2 and 2 T-shirts for the grandsons for $39,900 for two. On recommendation of other ladies on the forum, bought the whole 'Over 40s' collection of the Martha Tilaar Cosmetics (Biokus) (mask, toning, serum, cleaners, gel, day and night cream) for A$65, plus Revlon nail polish for Rp27,600. Called into the Billabong sale on the way back to the hotel, not as many items as last year - paid from Rp91,250 to Rp99,750 for board shorts.
Fifth day, more swimming, eating, lazing around and a walk to Bualu Markets and back to the tailor for a fitting. All the garments were finished, fitted perfectly and ready for collection. We opted to have them delivered to the hotel. On the walk back purchased little girl's dresses for Rp50,000, Bali hat for Rp20,000, 'Billabong' board shorts Rp20,000, Bali bag Rp35,000, more thongs for Rp20,000 (warning, just because they say a size is '41', try them on - all the sizes are different - these didn't fit), pashmina shawl for Rp55,000.
Sixth day - raining. Robert called to collect us right on time and we toured Benoa, Seminak, Kuta - revisited Sita Fashion for handbags (373 Jalan Legian Kelod, Legian, Bali, 80361), bought two 'fakes' for Rp80,000 and Rp100,000. Then on to shopping in Discovery Mall. The bottom floor has reopened as a SOCO department store and other specialty stores such as Marks & Spencer, very sophisticated. The DVD shop has reduced the price to Rp10,000 this year, buy 10 get 3 free. Hxxxx texted and then called back to the hotel, so bought another 30 DVDs from him. They are mostly for my daughters and grandchildren. One whole bag will be nothing but DVDs!
Seventh day - talked to the 'girls' on the beach. They remembered me from last year and told me everything I had previously purchased, the price I had paid and who I bought it from. What hope have us 'poor tourists' of bargaining when they have us pegged so accurately! The girls just wanted to talk and catch up from last year, took some photos of them and asked about their children, husbands, etc. I couldn't help myself and ended up buying some lovely medium-length, large size, black fresh water pearls for Rp110,000, plus another Bali bag to put all the DVDs in. We walked up the beach, visited the Westin Hotel, plus Nusa Dua Resort & Spa, just to see what the other hotels had to offer in the way of 'kids club' for possible visit with grandchildren.
Eighth day - last day with late check out. Last chance to swim in each of the lagoons, have a final afternoon tea (free in the silver service restaurant) and a final dip in the ocean. Robert picked us up at 9.00pm, off to the airport and the long wait till the 11.55pm flight. Can't believe it is finally over and I have to wait another year. The 'Lounge' is just as average as previous years, the food tolerable and the chairs uncomfortable. Garuda is just as average as previous years, but the flights have always taken off on time, landed early and the service is friendly.