Flew into Sydney on Garuda yesterday (Wednesday) morning after 7 short days in Bali. Took my husband for his first overseas trip and think I've created a monster. He absolutely loved it. Loved the food, loved the country, loved the people - he had a ball.
We flew into Bali on the 28th November on Garuda. Must say we were absolutely disgusted by the behaviour of a group of Australian "schoolies" from Sydney on the flight over. Drunk, loud, rude, selfish and intolerable behaviour by a group of young Australians who all needed a good swift kick in the pants. Young "ladies" lounging in the aisles drunk, young "gentlemen" shouting and screaming and running wild on the plane. All credit to the staff on Garuda who tried to bring this group into line to no avail. After witnessing their behaviour, I'm firmly of the opinion that youngsters should not be served alcohol on flights. We were both ashamed to be Australian's and associated with such behaviour. Enough of that.
We stayed at the Puri Raja in Legian and the staff there were wonderful. My husband made friends with the bar staff - how unusual and cottoned onto a couple of the ladies there and had them teaching him how to cook Balanese food.
Massages at the Melasti Spa with the wonderful Mrs Made - cannot recommend her and the hot stone massages highly enough. Day trips to Ubud, Padang Padang Beach, Ulawatu, Tanah Lot with Mrs Made's husband, Mr Made were fabulous.
Shopping - found a great shop on Legian that sold the Best ugly pants (my husband's terms for extremely colourful shorts) we'd seen. All patchwork in the brightest colours imaginable. Bought a small amount of silver from Charlie's shop on Padma street, together with Billabong and Quicksilver denim shorts and t-shirts.
Must recommend Ketut's shop Amel which is just across the road from the Puri Raja - a truely lovely lady from whom we purchased t-shirts, cotton plain white shirts, sarongs and decorated rubber thongs.
Meals - extremely happy with Indo National as usual and ate there many time. Very very disappointed with Poppies Restaurant in Poppies 1 where both the food and the service was way less than ordinary and way overpriced. I had been there in March and it was brilliant, but the whole place has fallen off dramatically to my mind since then. Zanzibar in Legian was also good.
My husband is now a devoted Bali lover and so the next trip will be at his expense instead of mine - he just doesn't know it yet.
I was surprised at how incredibly quiet Bali was at this time of the year, with all the taxi drivers and shop owners telling us that the whole month of November had been very very quiet. There was almost no one on the streets which surprised me.
The weather - hot and humid but no where new as hot/humid as March. Really very pleasant and not unlike a standard Queensland summer's day.
For the craft mad beaders out there - Legian street between Padma and Melasti - I must have bought about 10 pounds of beads, everything from the different stone chips, genuine pearls, ceramic, resin and silver beads and findings and so cheap I wonder why I every bother buying beads in Australia. Just around the corner from the Puri Raja (turn left when you walk out the front door and follow the street around the corner) are a couple of shops that sell beads and will make up whatever your little heart desires whilst you sit and wait. Lovely ladies with a good selection of findings.
All in all a brilliant trip. I can't wait to see how long it takes my husband to save the money for the next trip.