After 11 months of patient waiting and planning, our holiday started on Tuesday 30th September, departing from Perth to Bali via Singapore. All started well with minimal fuss packing and getting to the airport with two very excited boys in tow.
We hit our first hurdle at the X-ray machines when much to our embarrassment our youngest son Andrew (8) was pulled aside by security to check his bag. It turned out he heard that Bali was hot this time of year so he thought that we would smuggle a can of deodorant in his hand luggage. A very sheepish young man moved on much the wiser for the experience, followed by cross, but secretly smiling parents.
Flights were good, other than the flight from Singapore to Denpasar was three hours late, which gave us 8 hours in Changi airport to explore. There are many worse places to get stuck, and if you can get in, the Qantas lounge is great for a feed, drink and a rest. I also learned that the morning Qantas flight from Perth to Denpasar (Boeing 737) continues on to Singapore then turns around back to Denpasar then back to Perth as the midnight flight. We were packed in like sardines.
We eventually got in to Denpasar at 3am to be greeted by that unforgettable Bali smell and the humidity. Being close to the front of the plane meant that we flew through Visa and immigration, but Murphy's Law prevailed and our bags were the last ones off and one had a big cross on it. The bag inspector was interested in the jar of coffee that was in the bag, then waved us on. We were very pleased to see our driver from the Febris Hotel waiting out the front, despite the plane being more than three hours late. We quickly checked in and were all into bed by 4am. The family room is very well sized, very clean. The beds were the hardest I've ever slept on.
Day 2
An easy start to the day, changed some money at what was to be the best rates for the holiday (RP 7,175) and we booked in for our complimentary Febris massages, plus two more for the boys. Headed up to Matahari's for some supplies and got the mobile phone hooked up with an XL sim card. We did this at the convenience store right next door to Febris (across from the Kodak money changer, next to Megah Disk). The girl at the counter was very helpful, set the phone up and also topped it up whenever I needed it done with a friendly smile.
Day 3
We were staying on the third floor down the back of the Febris. At 4am I was awoken from my peaceful slumber by a Muslim Cleric singing into a loadspeaker microphone calling his loyal subjects to morning prayer. Just as I was drifting off, it started again at 6am. Reconciled to the fact that I wasn't going to get any more sleep I went for a walk along the beach. The beach is still dominated by huge steel pipes pumping dredged sand, and old dozers belching black smoke as they pushed sand along the beach. In between the machines kids play beach soccer as if there are no machines. I felt for those punters paying premium sums for waterfront rooms. With the giant pipes and constant construction activity they must have been disappointed.
Spent some time at Centro Discovery shopping then back to Febris for a swim. Despite many reports on BTF, I found the Febris pool to be lovely and warm and heaps of shade from the lovely frangipani trees. Always a great place to catch up with fellow travellers and compare expereinces.
That night we took the kids to Bubba Gump's. Good fun, the margaritas and the ribs were first class, although at 900,000 RP, it was by far the dearest meal we had on the entire trip.
More to come in the next installment.