Hi all, my 7th trip to Bali, my wife 3rd and our 1 year old son T's 1st. Flew from Launceston to Melbourne by Virgin Blue stayed at Formule 1 hotel for the night ate at PJ O'Briens at airport great meal. Flew Garuda staff at airport great took stroller though to the lounge, flight over was great had the bassinet for T which made the flight a lot more bearable he slept for 2 hours so managed to have my first couple of bintangs of the trip.
Our return had some dramas we had requested a bassinet when we booked our ticket at the beginning of the year and rechecked at the airport on leaving and also at the Kuta Paradiso on the day of our return and told no worries get to the airport and check in guy says sorry cant do it 8 babies on flight not enough seats we said no we wanted one he calls a lady over she checks computer says no sorry. So we offered them our tickets and said here you have him on your lap for 6 hours we will pick him up tomorrow, a few more minutes tapping on computer and told no worries bassinet seats. On flight there were only 3 other infants and at least 2 other bassinets not being used?? So not sure what the story was maybe he planned to offer the 3 or so inches of extra legroom for a few rupiah for his pocket. I still wonder why anyone would want the legroom when you're next to screaming babies.
Next thing was the wife's shopping was excessive as was our luggage weight so check in guy starts talking about money etc I'd had enough of this guy so asked where the counter was to pay for excess he ended up filling out the proper excess luggage form and sent me over to the counter lady taps on calculator and says $187 US dollars for 22 kilos well I must have went pale as she made a call and changed the price to 10 kilos. On a positive note should be able to restrict the wife's shopping next trip by saying remember how much over we were last time.
Stayed at the Melasti Beach Resort in the newer suites or deluxe rooms as they call them now took our own portable cot which we left with one of the pregnant staff for her baby after we finished using it, staff were great always asking how things were and wanting to play with T blond hair blue eyes and one of the cutest smiles going. I know some don't like the breakfasts there but we found them fine. Had room service a couple of times found it a lot better than other times with the food better and still hot/warm on arrival. We took both a stroller and macpac baby carrier for getting around but found we used the stroller all the time. T got a fever around day 7 and started not eating and drinking so we rang BIMC at night they gave us an appointment for within the hour, saw doctor on time 45 minute consultation cost around $70 better than the usual 1 hour wait and 10 minute consultations back here at the local doctors for nearly the same price next day T back to normal all smiles.
Shoppping
XL sim card and a 100,000 recharge made heaps of phone calls both local and also back to family and friends in Australia at around $1 for 10 minutes cheap as chips still had 30,000 credit when we left.
Dolphin Leather Legian. Leather knee high boots great service got them right straight up took 2 days cost $70 wife and I both very happy.
Optik Melawai Centro - Glasses Georgio Armani frames and strong lenses took 6 days cost just over $200
Carrefour supermarket - interesting place to visit stocked up on supplies and bits for T and ourselves well worth a look great food area with both yummy cakes and hot food.
Geneva - bought the usual handicraft presents for friends as well as some nice pieces for ourselves.
Places
Waterbom- cost around 190,000 ea paid for a gazebo this time well worth the money for 100,000 number 19 in the middle of everything in a more private position fantastic for T to bounce around in and keep cool out of the heat to rest and eat, tried the boomerang and superbowl rides as well as some of the old ones.
Safari Park- cost 230,000 ea Interesting bigger than I thought it would be and getting a lot bigger by the looks of things with a komodo lizard place and a theatre being built as well as more rides in the amusement area not sure if it was a hot day the day we went or if it's always hot there a few more shade areas around the kids pool etc would have been good look forward to going back when T is a bit bigger and can take more in.
Eating
Kori's- great food one of our favourite spots ribs pretty good one of the best I have had in Bali also tried the Balinese spiced pork curry sensational and wife loves their chicken cordon bleu with mash always find the staff here really fantastic as well.
Tommys- read about this place on the forum before we left, it well and truly lived up to it's reputation iced coffees and milos were totally addictive as were their banana and mango muffins at 10.000 each also the corned beef rolls and chip buty are highly recommended.
Yutz- great steak and chicken cordon bleu, we also enjoy their potato salad as well as some of their side dishes good service.
Indo-national- good reasonably priced meals I always enjoy their chilly mud crab and their curries wife really enjoyed their beef and black bean this trip, staff always attentive but we find eating there at busy times unrelaxing with the staff and owners running around rushing to turn over the tables you get made to feel rushed which ruins the meal.
Un's- not the cheapest but good meals found our service a little overbearing but we were eating early and one of only 3 tables at the time wife loved her meal and thought the place was great I wasn't all that impressed for the price.
Sharkeys- good food nice atmosphere
Ketumbar- found the staff really great also found their wine very reasonably priced by Bali standard had a bottle of Australian merlot for 195,000 meals also very nice
Bubba Gumps- we had T's 1st birthday party with a group of 7 friends from Australia had a great night food really good plenty of meat on the ribs but not a really flavoursome sauce loved the staff banging all their pots and pans singing and making a fuss there must have been at least 5 others having birthdays the same night also found their cocktails and margaritas to have a bit of punch compared to most.
Bali Bakery- nice curry and lasagne, also some of the yummiest sweets and cakes there are around
Pizza Hut- staff who rush over and make balloon animals for T and doing anything to please loved their snowy lime drink.
Gosha- off the list sorry tried the place only thing I liked was the sauce on the ribs but there was no meat to go with it only place were we had to get the attention of wait staff and he had glasses on already to get more drinks the entrées came out about 5-10 minutes apart and the wife had basically finished her main before I got mine not sure if the guy wasn't happy there was not tip when we paid the bill as I heard him mumbling 'oh my god' as I put the correct amount in.
Wayan and Friends- nice iced coffees and chocolate milkshakes baguettes were nice especially the tuna and mango relish one.