Hi folks, thanks for all the tips prior to leaving, but really didn't follow lots of the tips as I sort of had a plan. Left Adelaide 2nd August am. with Qantas, flight ok, food ok, no delays. Stayed at BGH for 2 nights on arrival, too damn busy in Kuta etc for me, so we went up to Ubud, and only stayed 3 nights instead of the 5 we'd originally booked for at Kumang Kumang Guest House. It was a great little place off Jl. Hanoman. All brand new. 250,000Rp(superior) per night including brekky. Did lots of walking(oh my poor legs and back - up and downhill everywhere! Got a tad lost one day and ended out in the backblocks somewhere)Didn't even go inside Monkey Forest, saw plenty on the street. Found Ubud very busy as well, so headed North to Lovina. Stayed at Villa Agung Beach Inn. Now that was a nice little place to be, right on the beach. 150,000Rp per night/standard/fan with hot & cold water, including brekky. Their Watermelon with Tamarillo Syrup(Terong Belanda) and grated Coconut was to "Live For"! Not really Watermelon eaters, but this was beautiful! Found some(Terong Belanda) at Hardy's Supermarket in Sanur, brought two bottles home, but not packed well enough and one broke in my bag! Sticky stuff everywhere, but all washed out ok and didn't stain clothes thank goodness! I think that Hardy's in Sanur are the only ones that stock it! Well according to Gus and Sandy, mine hosts at Villa Agung anyway. Gus and Sandy are great hosts - he is from Washington, DC in the states, and Sandy is from the Jersey Islands near Britain somewhere. Standard rooms were basic, maybe a bit tired, but who cares? Only used it for sleeping. Room upstairs, so had a nice breeze at night. Left both doors open for more breeze. Mossie net to stop the little buggas! I think they were rather flabbergasted that us Country Bumpkin Aussies slept with our doors and windows right open, haha! Anyway,I found the Villa Agung a great little place to stay. The kitchen was immaculate and clean. Cooking classes available. The staff very well trained and couldn't help you enough. Laundry very cheap. Gus, the owner very helpful, and showed you around. He showed me a couple of very good Material shops(Chinese owners). Very cheap and beautiful materials(depending on what you wanted), approx 25,000rp per metre. Their small Bintangs 12,000, didn't have any big ones so don't know price. Kitchen open all day, so you could eat or drink at anytime up till 8pm. Night Security on Sat night would feed you Bintangs into the early hours if required. Not really a Party place, but all your needs were looked after. No fridge in room, but who cares?
Only probs here were with the Beach Seller ladies and fellas. Weren't allowed on the property, but if you went for a massage on the beach(only did it twice, she was good that's for sure) with Made the Massage Lady, all the sellers would hone in on you at the end of the massage eh?
They were selling Pearls, Belts made out of Coconut wood?, Sarongs, Shirts, Women's Tops, Pants, etc, etc. Lots of stuff anyway. Too expensive in our book. Found a nice little shop round the corner in the next street, where I could buy Sarongs for 20,000 each, but was told not to tell the Beach Ladies or they'd get into trouble. Sounds a bit Mafiarish to me? Anyway I didn't say a word!
Got more game into the trip, and ate at local Warungs sometimes. Usually had a Travelan Tab prior to this, just in case. Food was really great, not a prob. Didn't do a Dolphin Trip, but did two Fishing Trips and saw at least a hundred Dolphins on the first one as went further out for big Tuna. Don't ask about prices, cannot remember. Did some snorkelling in front of Villa Agung. Quite a few fish, but pity reef had been "bombed" with dynamite for fishing. It will take years for the reef to rejuvenate I think. Met some lovely people at a local Warung, only one, the daughter could talk English. Got invited to the second daughter's wedding. Now that was a real experience. Nothing like our weddings that's for sure! Very interesting. Got lots of good pics for that. Trying to send them some pics, but my HP program is running amok and won't do it, Grrrr! These people are very poor. Next time I go, I think I'll take a suitcase full of clothes for them. The English speaking daughter has a 17mth old son who looks about the size of one of our 12mth old babies. She is pregnant, cannnot afford to go to the Dr for an ultrasound(300,000rp)to see if the baby is ok. Cannot afford formula for the little fella(we bought two tins - hope she didn't sell em for money - 76,000rp per tin at Hardy's in Singaraja(locked in cabinet)). Thinking about sending some money each pay day for some formula maybe? But then again, maybe just should send them some clothes for themselves and new bub? It was towards the end of the holiday, so I really didn't have a lot of loot left over by then to make a big donation towards the Dr. worse luck!
About the Driver who took us down to Amed for two nights? Well, I really recommend him! His name is Leo! And what a grand little guy he was! So safe with his driving! Only 375,000rp per day for a full day. He is Putu Artanaya(Leo) and can be contacted by email:- putu_artanaya@hotmail.com or by home phone which I think may be a mobile 081805395889. So anyone heading up to Lovina, please give him a go. I think his price is very cheap, considering he doesn't have his own vehicle and has to hire one for the day. First went to Pandang Bai, which was soooo busy with divers and tourists, so we went on to Candidasa, found a good place to stay at Agung Beach Bungalows - standard 150,000/night/brekky/h/c water. Only stayed one night there, then went round the coast road(good trip through all the villages), very dry over on the East Coast. Stopped off at a brand new bar/restaurant on a hill. Wawa Wewe(hope that's the right spelling). First cussies, not even finished. Beautiful view, cold Binnies, restaurant opening soon. Lots of outrigger boats on the beaches in the East, great scenery! No bookings. but found a brand new homestay in someone's back yard. Had its own rock fence, garden still developing, cold water(but what the heck it was fairly warm in the mornings)brekky - very close to the beach side. Saw how the locals make the salt. Lots of kidlets selling little baskets of salt(Arum?)to help with their schooling. Not a heck of a lot of Tourists. Caught up with Tina G at Matahari Resort on our way back up North. I feel sorry for those poor little ladies carrying 2 full gas tanks and diving vests - at least they are lighter on the way back eh?
Anyway, with Leo, we saw a really old method of Blacksmithing where they make knives and scythes(spelling?)that was on the way to Amed. He was the best driver we had in the Northern Area. After Amed, went back to Villa Agung(our needs are simple) Not much into taking pics, but he stopped wherever we wanted to have a look. Used Leo for a day trip from Lovina - went to the Buddhist Monastery(temple), Hot Springs(watch out for the street of sellers), Munduk Falls, Coffee Grinding place at top of Mountain. Mainly used Bemos to go into main Lovina area from the Villa Agung(they do have a small pool as well). Only paid 3,000rp for Bemo into Lovina. Some tried to charge us 10,000rp or 15,000rp, but we just said here's your 3,000rp, and it only costs the locals 1,500rp, so stuff it!
Were just sitting in a little bar near the Dolphin Statue in Lovina, when this tall guy comes in with a Bali Chat tshirt, and it was David and Moira from Pacung Indah and Crackers Bar. Made myself known and had a couple of Binnies with them. Nice people!
David started his Bambu Kuning course while in Lovina. Very interesting. Involves Balinese non-violent Martial Arts and Meditation. All done with the mind.
Got Leo again for the trip down South. No accom organised, but rang a little place nearly on the beach at Nth Sanur called Jambu Inn/150,000rp per night inc brekky, hot/cold water and fan. Great little place! Sunday on the beach is hectic! All the Balinese congregate on their day off! Sooooo many scooters! Found a really good driver there! He is I Made(Made) Madia HP 085238131177, sorry no email addy. He was really good! Dropped us off at the Cat n Fiddle in Sanur to try and sort some business, and then we rang him about 4hrs later, after we'd caught up with bloodyron(just called in to say gday), and he came and took us back to the Jambu Inn, prior to packing up and having a late check out. The Ananda Pub at Nth Sanur isn't a bad little eating/drinking hole on the beach also if anyone interested? We found the Nth Sanur market stall sellers are not so confronting as other places.
Flew back with Q again after midnight on the 26th. Used the Prada Lounge for a few hours, so we could rest a tad. Worth the money we thought. Only probs we had on landing was because we declared everything we had, so had to go thru all the customs/quarantine hoohaa, made us miss our connection from Perth to Adelaide, but what the heck? We were on the next flight at 9.45am? Not a problem! Can't see why people complain so much about airlines and airports etc! Just go with the flow eh? Sorry this is a bit longwinded, but I had lots of fun and relaxation ok? Cheers Cheryl