Wayan was busy but his partner Made had picked us up and he is just as lovely and professional as Wayan.
So we arrived back to Kuta from Lovina about 6.30pm (traffic congestion) and dumped our stuff. I had to walk around to the tailor that made my 2 tops and then to kendi mas to see if there was a room for Lynned as our hotel was full and she was arriving in 2 days.
Kendi mas was full....Bakungsari was full, every bl***y hotel was full so panic set in. Eventually I got the number of a hotel near Bintang supermarket that had a room left and Lynne said to book it and she would look for something in a couple of days.
It was not real good but it gave her somewhere to be and she has now moved. I will leave all that for her to tell you but after the hotel hunt, we went to Bali Aget on jalan Bakungsari / Singosari for dinner.
Great food and service as always. 3 mains, 2 entrée and 4 drinks 117 000rp.
Back to hotel for a swim and then bed along with another bad storm.
Next morning Glenn went off for his much awaited game of golf so Stacey and I went up to Ketuts for some clothes and then over to Audrey at the jeweller to give her an order from me and my friend back home.
Got back to hotel about 2pm to find golf had been cancelled and he had been back since 10am....and I had accidentally left my phone behind.
No matter he read his book, something he rarely gets time to indulge in.
Ketut has raised her prices a tad on some things and she is busy all the time...always a crowded shop so I don't know why she has to do that....but those are my thoughts so be it.
I go there though and spend a fortune as she has exactly the size to fit me and a typical western woman and knows what to show you.
I got dresses and tops and tunic sets and some running shorts for a friend and Stacey got bags , paul frank wallets and other stuff and glenn bought more umbal umbels.
So we are happy and all is good.
I also like to visit and did visit Nyomen shop 111 in kuta art markets....and whilst she is fixed and a lovely lady....and we did buy, she simply does not have the range that Ketut has, so prices up we will continue to go.
The 3 of us had a swim and lunch in pool and then set off to Dupa spa on jalan Pantai kuta for a massage. Plenty of places around that area that charge 50 000 but only 2 beds.
As we need 3 some places are 75 000 and we have one every day. Dupa spa is upstairs and even though 60 000rp is advertised they agreed to 50 000 and they have the proper beds with the hole in the end for face and they wash your feet first and they have also the nice music playing.
It is just around the corner and up a bit from KFC in kuta square and the girls sit outside in green sarongs.
Feeling like we could float away we went to bamboo corner in poppies 1 for dinner. Of course 3 mains, 1 desert and 4 drinks came to something like 57000rp and as always it is packed and yum.
I had been looking for a certain single flower vase for my friend, I have one and she wanted. I have looked last 2 or 3 trips and not found...well I found. I had a picture printed and kept asking. It sort of like cradles just one flower and is so different. The shop is different but fixed price and not overly cheap (vase was 160 000) but it is called 2 seasons on Jalan Legian heading towards Bemo corner.
I am a bit over the continual repetitive market stuff and have enjoyed looking in more exclusive shops.
We also had been on the hunt for the 'mutual attraction' paintings of the Balinese girl and Boy. I had intended to just get the 2 canvas blocks, but Glenn talked a lady into 100 000 for a beautifully wooden framed carved set and they are lovely. I have no idea where I will hang them now LOL but I finally have them.
Back to hotel for a late swim and chat with the staff and then bed.
Sunday arrived and Glenn finally got his game of golf in.Third time lucky.
Stacey and I went for an all floor browse in Mataharis, and then over for a visit with Audrey and her son. We then went to Super Nova to get my phone unblocked and they could not do it. We got motorbikes back to hotel to meet Glenn that afternoon , swam in pool and then we all indulged in another massage at Dupa before getting bikes up to Ketaput for dinner. The taffic was bad so it was so much easier to get there that way.
Ketaput was full so we set off for poppies 2 and had dinner in Bintang pub café and bumped into Bouncing Tigger and Alex. Was nice to meet after many years of forum posts and chats and we recognised each other from photos.
The next morning we set off to find the early morning markets in Kuta, just east of bemo corner. We had only been to the ones at Melasti street.
We walked the street both sides stopping to enjoy cakes from the little cake shop and then I noticed people walking up a little alley so I followed them, it opened up into a huge market inside.
Much bigger than melasti and the locals were all selling their wares. It was great as there was no muddy or slippery slides as there is at melasti LOL.
Great until we went down another alley a bit further up and it opened up to the meat market and of course being inside it ponged big time.
Daughters nose blocked and shreeking to get her out of there and when I noticed the ¼ of a pigs head with one buldging eye ball looking at me...I was quick to abide by her wishes.
Back for brekkie at the hotel and asked the cleaners what they used to make our room smell so divine. He showed me a tin of air freshner called Stella, rose scented. So of course when we went to Alfa I bought 2 huge tins to bring home, 11 000rp each and much nicer than our freshners that smell like I don't know what.
Found a driver at the notorious Bemo corner after changing money (rate stayed on 8100) and didn't bargain with him at all. An experienced driver for 18 years and well dressed and spoken, I asked him how much for a trip to Denpasar to Ramayanas, Rimo to get phone unlocked and lunch at the restaurant that Helen posted about with a stop at Alfa or makro on the way and he said 175 000. As I had expected more we accepted. We then paid him 200 000rp.
His name is Burhan and his number is 081338726891. if you are wanting local trips (or longer) like that his vehicle was large and cool and he is lovely.
Rimo had a little stall called Pondok handphone and they charged me 225 000rp to unlock my spare LG 3 phone and it took just 2 hours.
The other stall opposite wanted 750 000 and 3 days blahhhhhh!!
So if anyone has a phone that cant be unlocked (yeah right) go there.
Lunch at Fashion Lounge and restaurant was gorgeous. Helen had posted about it and I thought we would stop for lunch instead of the usual KFC when in Denpasar LOL.
Lovely setting by a waterfall in bale type set ups with tables and chairs.
Toilets A1 and service A1.
An interesting dish served was Javanese fried rice and it came out as a plate of nasi goreng but instead of the egg on top...the whole thing was wrapped in an omlette.
Then when you have finished dining, you walk through the shop and of course I had to stop for a look.
Armani exchange tshirts for 40 000rp and gorgeous costume jewellery for same price and lovely watches for 30 000rp.
So thanks Helen, it will be our lunch stop from now on when we visit Denpasar for shopping.
Back to kuta before they closed streets for new years eve and the streets of Denpasar were full of stalls selling fire crackers just everywhere...they were looking to party in Bali that night.
More to come.