Well this trip was different to other trips for me as like the heading said it was a solo trip,my first. For any forumites out there who are thinking, or are about to embark on their first solo trip and are feeling a little nervous and apprehensive like i was all i can say is it was great. I never felt unsafe or lonely for the whole time i was there.The only advice i can share which of course i read from the forum before i left was to not make it known you are travelling by yourself. I was quite surprised by the amount of times i was asked "are you travelling on your own" i never felt people were asking for sinister reasons it was more just conversation. Usually taxi drivers, or restaurant and shop staff. I would just say "no family back at hotel".
This trip was also special for me as i was so fortunate to meet my sponsor child and my sisters sponsor child in north Bali. This was made possible through the wonderful Helen Flavel foundation. My thanks to Helen,Made and John for making this visit possible.
I planned to split my time between Sanur for the first 6 days and then head over to Legian for the duration. I had never stayed over Legian before usually Tuban area. My friend had stayed over Legian last year and suggested i should give it a go and im pleased i did.
I never prebooked any accommodation before i left as i booked and flew with Jetstar via Melbourne. Look i have to say this was my first time using this carrier and i had no trouble with delays. Left on time there and back.
I decided before i left i wanted to try Puri Kelapa cottages which are situated down the Sindu beach market road. Its not beachfront but its only a five to ten minute walk to markets and restaurants
Some friends of mine have been staying there for the last 4 years and i had a walk through on last visit and liked it.
This property is not expensive and has about 50 rooms made up of groups of four and single bungalows. The gardens are beautiful and the pool is ample size. The staff are wonderful and couldnt do enough for you. I would say the hotel was abut 60% full. This hotel has a good mix of people.I would have to say made up of mostly middle-aged europeans with some aussies. It had a nice relaxed feel to it. I paid my account for the room when i was leaving to go to Legain. They never asked for an up front payment when i emailed them to book and they gave me a good rate.
After about the second day in Sanur i decided i might try my hand at bike riding and as the hotel was a little walk i thought it would get me there and back a little quicker. Im so pleased i did. It was great fun. At first i just stuck to the pathway on the beachfront i would ride up to Lagwhana(sp?) restaurant and cut through a market come compound place which would lead to a lane-way then onto the main drag and Hardy's was virtually just a couple of meters away. The next day i got a little more confident and just rode along Jl Danau Tamblingen as the traffic is not a busy over Sanur i felt quite safe doing this.
I hired my bike from a lovely little girl down on the beach called Regina. The bikes are signed Suzi shop 16 as i hired it for 4 days i think from memory it was 70.000rp. She can be found just down a little near Besakih hotel.
I did most of my shopping at Jennys 29 and Hardys. I also brought about 8 wooden painted eggs from the "egg man" outside La Taverna hotel on the beachside. I thought these made great little gifts for people back home and everyone who received them were amazed at the beautiful art work on them. I think they were 30.000 for the smaller ones and 70.000 for the bigger ones(set price). He packed them into little boxes which i wasnt sure what they were made out of i think it was maybe palm or something like that. I was not convinced at the time the boxes would get through customs but they didnt seemed concerned by them.
Had taken an old Nokia mobile with me so when up at Hardys had sim put in and just topped up about 50.000 each time. Was great to be able to text home and ring.
I had a beach massage everyday i was there and always go the beautiful girls outside Besakhi Tina,Amy and Jenny. 35.000rp for half hour but usually give them 50.000 rp as always feel a million dollars after.
I had some great meals over in Sanur. Went to a few new places and went to a few regulars. The few i hadnt been to before were Jepun,point six,donalds on the beach and piccadilly. All great food and atmoshere. The restaurants i had been to before and all the food was as good as the last visit were Bonasi,Bennos, beachside cafe and Alladins (on the main drag).
I also got trousers made by a fantastic tailor in Sanur. Mrs Goning who can be found up the Bumi Ayu lane-way. Very happy with her work. Will go back again no problem.(Thanks Helen)
While i was over in Samur i did set aside a couple of hours to venture into Kuta and Legain as i had to secure accommodation.
I didnt want to spend hours walking around Legain finding a room so i went straight to Suriwathi hotel in Garlic lane as i knew from the jbr's of the girls of the SWB trip had really enjoyed their stay at this hotel. They were about 75% full and gave me good walk in rate.
This hotel was perfect. The fact i was on my own the location would be hard to beat. It was just so close to everything i needed.
Great friendly staff enjoyed a bit of fun and banter with you. Very concious of your security especially your safety depostit boxes. I really enjoyed staying there. Good sized rooms and lovely gardens.
The shopping in Legain was good. I mainly just shopped along garlic lane doing the haggling-fun thing with the shop sellers. As i found myself walking into Kuta quite a bit (not usually planned just seemed to happen) i used the kodak money changer on Melasti street.
Shopped a little in poppies 1&2 always good fun and a few things for gifts in Centro.
One thing i was determined to treat myself to was a warm stone massage. My twin had had this at Febris last trip and said it was out of this world. I was not dissapointed. Just wonderful. I think from memory it was about 135.000 rp for 90 minute treatment. I remembered Shelly had said to me these massages had to be pre-booked at least 2 hours prior as to allow the stones to reach temp. So after booking for 2.pm appointment it was about 12.30 i decided i couldnt miss the oppurtunity to walk up to "The Pub" for cold Bintang and Satays at the bar. So pleased i did Ketut greeted me with big Bali smiles and the turtle was still swimming in the pond out the back. What is it about this reastaurant i thought its like time stands still and you sit there really believing its 1985 lol.
Back to Legain where i had my hair cut and coloured at Celebs by the wonderful Olah (sp?)It cost 600.000rp i suppose by Bali standards it might sound dear but i was there for 4 hours and Olah only left for about 15 minutes to allow for the colour setting. The rest of the time it was one on one. And i am really happy with the outcome.
As far as restaurants go you really are spoilt for choice. Because Suriwathi was just so close to the hub i did find myself eating maily close to the hotel. The only place i ventured a bit further to one night was the Seaside cafe' which im so pleased i did because i thought this was a really well priced value for money restaurant and had a lovely atmosphere. I honestly didnt have a bad meal at any place i went to. All great food. Uncle Norms, Legends, Ours, Sheppy's Wayan and friends, drops and for the dreaded last night pre airport meal i went to breeze which was just too easy as straight across the road.
I enjoyed Legian. I found it different to Tuban and of course very different to Sanur but it was great for different reasons. The little children selling the jewellery late at night did disturb me to be honest and i hadnt seen that before until this trip,and it did leave me feeling despondent and gave me food for thought.
In summing up it was a fantastic trip back and always something new to learn. My thanks to everyone on here for your valuable information.
I'm sure most of what i have said is probably things that we already know but i wanted to do a JBR to return a little of what i get out of this forum. Hopefully back for trip number 6 next year with my twin Shelly and my best friend Karina for our 45th birthday which falls on Nyepi day. cheers Trish.