Back a while go now but gearing up to return in 5 weeks YAY! I thought I would just put a few of the highlights from our trip.
Arrived just before Grand Final and checked into Bali Mandira. I had not stayed there before but hubby was in charge of our 3 week relaxtion - fest and thought it would be nice to try some different places. I loved the gardens and the pool area and the staff were really great. At first I thought the room was a bit pokey (garden cottage) but everything looks different went you arrive at 11pm! Slipped into Bali mode very quickly and headed straight for mades warung for nasi goereng. Most of the time lazing by the pool and then tradgey struck. Satay poolside = grand final day in bathroom. Felt sorry for hubby who deceided to stay with me instead of going to the pub to watch the game. Thank god for Immodium and dry biscuits and I saw the last 10 minutes of the game plus shed some unwanted kilos.
We tried a few restauraunts I havent been to before. Lolan on the beach at the end of 66 street was really good and well priced followed up with happy hour at De ja Vu. We were the only ones there until about 10 which gave me plenty of time to drink my way through happy hour and an orange drink with "no arak miss" that definately had arak and caused me to stumble into the bushes at Bali Mandira.Also ate at the restaurant at the bottom of Casa Padma hotel which was so cheap and had huge serving. Hubby seafood dish which looked so good and I had ribs that melted in your mouth. Cant remember what its calkled but really recommend it. Shopped heavily at Geneva, Kerry Grima (great suede here) Lulu (beautiful silk dress) Puravida (print that looked ok in Bali but has not seen the light of day in melbourne)and Pink Flamingo. was really impressed with all the new boutiques in Seminyak and am planning to hit them again in Feb.Had a pedicure at Sicilia Day spa and hubby had massage that was so good he didnt speak for about 15 minutes afterwards.Although the second time he went he said the girl was the size of a small gorilla and nearly massaged him through the table!
Went to Ubud for 4 days which is my happy place. Ate at Cafe Des Artists in Jalan Bisma at it was an amazing steak with very nice red wine and great price. Breakfast at 3 Monkeys every day watching the man feed the koi so I could see them swim near me. Maasage, Pedicure, Hair mask at'Zen so cheap its a crime.Stayed at Ubud Village Hotel which I really liked. we usually rent a small villa in Ubud so it was nice to stay in the heart of everything. Simple rooms but clean and big.8 topless bogans in the pool but they disappeared after one day so all good.Bought funky silver at Helena Designs in Jalan Hanoman as well as the modt comfortable leather thongs ever (shoe variety). Ring at alamkara. Hubby did his trawl through the market and came away with the usual array of kitchen knives and spices and I bought cusion covers for pressies.Found a day spa called bali botanica after we went for a looonnngg walk on day. It is up near Mozaic restaurant and it was so beautiful. Tucked away behind some houses with a beautiful garden to sit in and have a drink when you are finished. Every massage room looks over lush rice paddies and palm trees and it was excellent. The girls didnt talk the whole way through it and I may have snored.... They also do Auryvedic Cleansing which I am going to try next time.
The BEST thing we did was Bali Budaya Cycling tour. They picked us up at 7.30am in a mini bus with everyone else (only 6 other people) and drove up to the rim of the volcano for breakfast. the guide asked us on the way what we wanted to see and what he could show us and boy did they don a great job. After breakfast and an explanation about the volcano we drove down to some rice terraces and he explained the harvesting process. Then we drove about another 10 minutes before getting to where the bikes were waiting. The ages of the people on our tour were from 8 - 50 and met some really nice people from Holland and Chilie as well as some more aussies. We spent the day riding downhill and stopped at a villiage to see how a family compound is set up, bamboo weaving, wood carving, a villiage banjar, stopped to watch people preparing for a cremation (got invited to come and see peson who had passed on but polietly declined), a 500 year'old banyan tree, and so many more things. Dewa our guide would ask if we wanted to stop and if we said yeas he would pull over and explain daily Bali life to us.He was amazing and the scenery was beautiful. A mini bus followed us and we stopped frequently for food and heaps of water. There was no shopping involved and everyone was very happy to welcome us into their homes / work places and explain their lives. When we got to the uphill bit you could choose to get in the bus or ride up hill. I rode for 3 minutes nearly died and flagged down the bus. Then we stopped at a reatuarant at the end. I loved every minute of it and recommend it it everyone. Cost 360,000 per person and there are many copy cat companys so make sure you call 975 557.
You are probably bored by now, nearly finished I promise!!! Back to Seminyak and to what is now my favourite place - Aston Sun Villas on Jl. Seminyak just down from Bintang Supermarket next door to Body & Soul. IT WAS AMAZING. Nikki travel agent extrodinaire got us updraged to a deluxe villa. Big kitchen / lounge area, bedroom and bathroom plus another outdoor shower. The bedroom over looked our own plunge pool. Breakfast could be poolside every day or deleivered to your room. We ate at the pool because the staff were so lovely that you looked forward to seeing them. I have never had a kitchen in Bali so one night we went to Bali Deli and stocked up and had a quiet night in front of the dvd eating anti pasto (ruined it with jack daniels but you get the picture) I hardly left the place. There are about 20 villas and there is also a main pool, restaurant and massage place. Very quiet and very beautiful. Modern but Balinese. I finally ventured out to order a leather jacket at Dolphin (great quality once again $130) that they copied from a picture I took and it was perfect. Hubby found a new favourite store called Alfie in Jalan Abymanu (Dhyana Pura) and came home with a trilby hat. Good internet place next door by the way with su0per fast connection. had vegetarian lunches at Zulu, back to Kerry Grima for another dress, Dinner at Ultimo, Mykonos, Gateway to India YUM YUM. Bought some more metal geckos at Andys Shop in Legian for the garden. AHHHHHHHHH... back to the pool.
Had my usual scene re over wieght luggage at the airport and back to melbourne where it was 14 degrees.It was an wonderful 3 weeks and I have left out heaps. Going again in Feb - March with friends so I will make sure I do a JBR that has everything it it without putting anyone to sleep :)