Departed Melb. on Leap Year Day 29th Feb. with Garuda which was on time and about 60 percent full.
Sitting infront of us was "TracyM" and Peter (hubby) who made themselves known to us and we chatted on the trip over. Turns out they were staying at the Ida hotel where we had booked for the last 10 days of our trip with family members and BTFites "Frenchie" and her hubby Paul with their two boys Toby and Lockey (Hi Guys).
Landed in Bali to very familiar smells as this was our 37th trip, through Immigrasi and customs no worries and then met Jimmy, a driver who we have known for many years and off we set for Ubud.
We stayed at The Ubud Village Hotel in a Superior Delux room overlooking a manicured jungle of Palms which was the rear of the five star hotel next door. We booked this hotel thru Nicki which had also come as a recommendation from other forumites who had previously stayed there.
We hired a sepeda motor (motorbike) each and rode heaps round Ubud and its surrounding area over the next three days, enjoying the freedom and also being able to pull over where ever we wanted. We purchased 3 paitnings from a local art shop selling for known Balinese artists, we also purchased 2 paintings from a young artist who lived with his wife and young family with their shop in the front of their home. One painting was of a young balinese couple dancing romantically with a more modern touch to it but it was not to our colour tonnings at home so we asked him to alter the coulours and deliver to our hotel which he did with much enthusiasim. The two paintings were about 1 meter x 1.4 meters in size and at 1,000,000 Rp
for the two was a bargin for the work that was in them.
Places we ate; Indus Restaurant, great food and an outstanding view.
Lotus Pond; excellent food and what a Lotus garden.
Wayans Warung; excellent food and a great set out restaurant.
Three Monkeys; Good food and an excellent rice paddy sceen but lost its charm at.
Casa Luna; always excellent food with a Meditiranian flavour.
Chinta; snacks and drinks, great cocktails when it rained in the arvo.
I don't remember the name of this restaurant but it is at the front of the five star villa next door to Ubud Village Hotel and is up a flight of steps. this place looks very romantic and very expensive but was good value and priced.
Massages at Salon Nur which we do each trip to Ubud, you have your own compound, male/male female/female massures and you go completley naked and are treated to the Ultimate massage, Salt scrub, Yougurt wash and then relax in a bath full of treated water with flower pettals.....excellent. 280,000 Rp each.
The highlite of Ubud was watching the OGA OGA's being made and painted for Nyipi.
Regina shopped at the market for a couple of hours before we booked out of the hotel, picked up by Jimmy and off to the Ida Hotel in Kuta
To be continued..............