A bit of a late JBR, but here goes.
So it's finally time (well it was time three and a half years ago, but that's another story altogether) to venture back to Bali, my last (first) visit was in April 2004 with my BFF for 10 nights @ the Dynasty. This time going with the 'Lord & Master' (hereafter known as the L&M) whether he likes it or not. Booked through Nicki (thanks BTF) for 1 February 2008 for 14 nights staying @ the Padma in a Garden Club Room in Legian.
Fly out from Briz-Vegas via Singapore Airlines (in business class as a treat) @ 10:15am Friday 1 February with a 3 hour stopover in Singapore and arrive in Bali @ 10pm (half hour late). Excellent flight to Singapore and then good flight to Bali.
Waved straight through customs @ Denpasar Airport and out to grab a taxi voucher for Legian (50,000 RP) and arrive at the Padma about 11pm. We're taken straight down to their Club Lounge for private check in and then on to our room No. 513 (facing the main restaurant). We pretty much crash that night straight after a shower.
Up early to breakfast in the main area and while the L&M has a nap I investigate upgrading us as I don't think the room will hold us both amicably for 2 weeks. Arrangements are made for us to move @ 4pm to a Deluxe Suite (No 770) for an extra approx $90 per night (excellent value BTW) for a suite with separate bedroom, lounge, dining, daybed and a massive verandah as well as two toilets ! We spend the day around the pool - heaven !
BTW , the exchange rate whilst there went between 8100 and 8200 RP per AU$1 and we did all our money exchange at the hotel, so no issues there.
In summary:
Things we did:
Lembongan Reef Cruise with Bali Hai $175 booked via hotel, think would be a lot cheaper if booked on the street (as the WWR was later on) Only thing different from 4 years ago is that there are 2 x massage tables and ladies on the pontoon - nothing better than having a massage at sea !
Parasailing on above cruise (big mistake as I forgot that I was terrified of heights, but at least I can cross it off my to do' list.)
Bali Safari & Marine Park (absolutely recommend this place, got to hold a baby lion, pat a white tiger (either had the nicest possible nature or sniffing the good stuff ??), hold and play with baby orang-utans, ride an elephant and then go to the water park which was totally empty and turned off and by the time I'd changed into my swimmers, they'd flick the switch and the whole water park was going - just for us !
White water rafting with Bali Action Adventure (purchased via tourist kiosk in Kuta for $65 US for us both instead of US$65 each as advertised on their brochure) although the steps at the end nearly killed the L&M (seriously!) The look on the L&M's face (by this time very red and looking decidedly swollen) as the very aged tiny Balinese woman overtakes him whilst carrying a massive deflated raft on her head !
Shopping / eating / drinking / relaxing / did I mention shopping ?
The L&M hired a driver for a day to go in search of specific statues (as seen in the Club Lounge @ the Padma) drove up through west and north Bali (to no avail). The driver was recommended to us by a staff member @ the Padma and the L&M can't wait to use him again (Ketut Suryawan = 081 7474 5592) has his own car (town car, not a kijang) air conditioned and excellent condition) and charged a fair rate of 300,000 RP for 6 hours.
Walked most days from Padma to Kuta Square along the beach which was really full of trash.
Took over some designer pants and had 2 pairs copied and made by Veno 361 8617 866 (recommended by another couple staying @ the Padma) for $40 each ! So fabulous they might even be better than the originals !
Had pedicures and foot scrubs @ Intan by Lulu - fabulous (just off the Padma street to the right - JL Sahadewa).
Went shopping @ Geneva - WOW ! The L&M dragged me out after only shopping on one floor with an overflowing trolley for $120 - he said I could go back another day to do the remaining floors (unfortunately, due to a foreseen slight excess baggage concern, this didn't occur).
Had new reading glasses made @ Optik Tunggal in the Discovery Mall (Tommy Hillfiger frames) for about $130 - pretty happy with them, although they've got plastic lenses - will take them back and have them changed on our next visit.
Places we ate:
Bianco's (outside Padma) - beautiful food, especially their desserts. Would go back. Although they did serve warm bintang one night - ewww !
Glory's - overrated ribs, more quantity than quality on our visit, but loved the bus back to the hotel ! Would try again to see if it perhaps we went on an off' night ?
Joni's - excellent simple food, will go back. Also was the cheapest meal we had. Enoyed the band and the party ambience. Would go back.
IndoNational - fabulous lobster mornay first night for $24, only average the next visit. Would go back.
Posers - terrible food, terrible service, terrible toilets and felt claustrophobic. Would definitely not go back.
Bubba Gumps - had to go so can cross off the gotta do' list - excellent service, above average food, our most expensive meal. Having been once, wouldn't need to go again.
Stadium Café - every day for a cold one (either bintang or coke) - just love sitting there, people watching and cooling down. A favourite stop for a drink and has good food too.
Drops - loved it, great service, great food although the L&M didn't like his dish - Balinese Duck?? - but he was happy to share my ribs - awesome desserts. Would go back.
Hard Rock Café - an act of desperation (you know how that goes, walking along, the sun's beating down on you, you're blinded by the brightness and you're so thirsty and hungry and just can't walk any further, so you run into the closest place offering air conditioning, cold beverages and hot food) - ok food. Wouldn't bother again.
Gracie Kellys for lunch one day - eww, didn't like it at all (my girlfriend and I stayed @ the Dynasty in 2004 and I remembered the food as being very good) Won't go back.
La Monde - went there just for a cocktail in a coconut - great display, priceless photo, terrible beverage (LOL), another item to cross off the list.
La Lucciola (well nearly) - had booked a table for Valentines Day and we were really looking forward to it (thanks to the BTF), unfortunately another huge storm hit, and hit hard, flooding the streets and we were forced to enjoy room service @ 10pm that night (talk about all dressed up and nowhere to go ! Oh well, at least we were in Bali !) Will try to get there next time !
The Weather:
Not a lot of sun, I was aware it would be the wet season, but was unprepared for the lack of sunshine, I think we had about 2 or 3 really sunny days - oh well. Lots of storms with lots of rain, I think it rained / poured most nights. The regulars even commented on how unusually wet it was for this time of year during the day. The humidity was as saturating as I remembered it to be.
The Accommodation:
The Padma is a great hotel to stay at, although I personally found the privacy' of the chalets to be more a feeling of isolation'. When I sat out on our balcony I felt we were the only people there (which I appreciate some people would savour, but as a people watcher I didn't) and there are NO beach or pool view rooms which I would prefer. The Club Lounge is fantastic. In my opinion, and the Lord & Master's too, it is worth the extra costs just to be able to enjoy breakfast each morning @ Bella Rosa with the wonderful view over the beach, the attentive staff and the excellent a la carte breakfast choices along with the continental breakfast buffet. We also used the Club Lounge for internet access most days. As for the evening cocktails times (5 to 7pm) I found it frustrating that there were usually not enough chairs for everyone, so that did become a bit of a chore towards the end and we stopped going every day. I would say that whilst the Padma pool is beautiful and big I would have enjoyed it far more if there had been massage ladies around the pool and maybe some pool activities - but that's just me. I would stay at the Padma again. We met a few couples who go there every year at the same time and see others who do the same - that's got to be comforting, and each to their own, but I think I'd rather try different places each visit. FYI, the front desk staff @ the Padma are really fantastic as is also Ita on the Transport Desk.
Excess Luggage:
What can I say, the L&M did warn me, but did I listen (why would I start now?) We went over with a large suitcase each, after 2 weeks of shopping, we checked in @ Denpasar Airport with 4 large suitcases and 2 bulging backpacks. We were allowed a combined total weight of 60 kgs and we weighed in at 119 kgs ! Crap. After some negotiations, another purchase of a bag on wheels, a little re-shuffling of goods and some sad puppy eyes our original quote of US$650 for excess luggage was reduced to US$237 - we paid it (thank you mastercard) and hopefully he learnt a lesson that the two t-shirts he purchased obviously pushed us over the edge ! Or could it have been the 9 x $2 coin name bracelets he bought for AU$100 (how funny is that!). Oops, I promised him I wouldn't mention how much he paid for the bracelets - my bad !
Anyway, it was a truly fabulous holiday and so good that we are currently booking our next holiday to Bali (via Nicki) - the L&M who originally stated 'I don't want to go to Bali', now wants to return and soon. So we're looking at 24 May to 15 June 2008. Planning to go via Sydney on the Singapore Airlines Airbus A380 (it's on the gotta do' list!), a couple of nights in Singapore @ Raffles so we can go to the Singapore Zoo. Seven nights @ the Conrad in Nusa Dua, 5 nights on Lembongan Island and then seven nights @ the Padma (the L&M loves this place), all I've got to do now is work out how I can get my boss to let me go for 3 weeks !!!
Any comments / advice / room numbers for the Conrad Nusa Dua or Nusa Lembongan Resort would be greatly appreciated!!
Hope you enjoyed our JBR at least as much as I enjoy others, and I look forward to uploading my next JBR !! Any questions, please ask.
Ciao.
Gookla & the Lord & Master (aka Jody & Gary)