My husband, our 6 month old daughter and I arrived in Bali at 10pm. Had bubby in the Baby Bjorn carrier. Had to wake her up on the plane to put her in it so I thought she would start crying as it was midnight in Australia, but she just looked around taking everything in. Got through immigration quickly and got to the baggage carousel before our bags came out. Went outside to try and find our mini bus transport from the hotel that we had arranged. Looked around for 30minutes but couldn't see our name. So my husband asked where the closest place was to buy a sim card and we ring up the hotel (So glad I wrote out an itinerary with all these details on it). Hotel says, "Sorry car broken, you catch taxi." (I had e-mailed that morning to confirm transport so it would have been nice to know this) We weren't able to fit in one taxi (which is why we prebooked a minibus) so got a transport driver to take us to the hotel.
ACCOMODATION:
Stayed at Hotel Sayang Maha Mertha near Camplung Mas for one night. Can't say I will stay there again. The room smelt like stale cigarette smoke and mothballs, and there where millipedes running across the floor. The sheets were dirty, but the bathroom was ok, hot water worked well so did the aircon. Breakfast ok toast with jam. Just not the sort of place I would take a baby to.
Next we stayed in a beautiful Villa called Villa Canderi in Canggu. It was a huge 3 bedroom villa with a private swimming pool (there is another villa that shares it but noone was staying in it) It is a bit of a drive to Kuta so you would need to rent a car or bike. We had hired a car with a babyseat for the month so fine for us. Set amongst rice fields and on a quiet road in a village. It was also nice to be in a quiet place with only the odd noise of a chicken or motorbike driving past. Would definately stay here again, nice place to relax away from the busy tourist areas.
We then stayed in Villa Agung at Lovina. This place serves great food. I love the chicken breast with parmesan and basil pesto. The rooms aren't much and there are gaps so mosquitos can get under, over and around the doors, but they have mosquito nets over beds and we bought a mosquito net for bubs portacot. The water pressure is very strange too. You stand under the shower and every 10 secs the temperature changes from cold to boiling to warm, so you have to jump in and out. Would consider staying here again... and definately would eat here again!!!
Next we stayed at Nicks Pension in Ubud. Good location with an unusual set up. The reception, pool and restaurant are at the front of the land then there are rice field that you have to walk past down a little track on the side to the rooms. We booked a superior room with hot water and aircon. Aircon was great worked well, but had to complain twice in 24 hours that the hot water didn't work. Poor bubby had a cold shower and didn't like it much at all. They kept saying they would fix it. Finally I went down and asked to change rooms. They agreed so we packed up then 2 men came down and fixed the hot water and said there was no need to move. The bathroom was very diorty with scum on the walls. I actually bumped into the wall while showering and the scum wiped off... ewwww!!! Breakfast was ok, not much variety and small portions.
Next we stayed at Hotel Ida in Kuta. Nice place, nice staff. Room was good except you had to turn on the hot water 5 minutes before you wanted to hop in for it to be warm. Breakfast not much variety especially if you don't like eggs like me. Funny we stayed there 4 days and the waiter at breakfast every morning kept offering me eggs. Everymorning I would say I don't like eggs and he would go oh yeah I remember. Then I would order Nasi Goreng and he would say do you want egg on that? he he he
FAVOURITE RESTAURANTS
In Kuta:
Warung Indonesia - yummy Nasi Campur
Warung Enhay - yummy chicken in a basket and chicken pasta
Jesens - Yummy chicken parmagiana (you guessed it I'm a fan of chicken)
Went to Ku De Ta for our anniversary. Didn't really enjoy it. Not enough variety of food for people who don't eat seafood.
In Canggu:
Beach House at Echo Beach - Everything yummy
DIDN'T LIKE: the Globe cafe - got moldy foccacia.
& a little warung on the side of the road that sold nasi goreng.
At Lovina:
Villa Agung - ate there nearly every meal, yummy yum!
At Ubud:
Nomads - love the Tapas and pumkin ravioli
Babi Guling - my husband loves this Babi Guling near the markets.
TRAVELLING WITH A BABY:
Took all the medicines you can get without a prescription - didn't use any except baby panadol. Our daughter came down with a fever 38*C (had a thermometre with me) took her to an international clinic who diagnosed her with tonsilitis and gave her some antibiotics and told me to use my baby panadol. Also said to give her cold baths and use cold compresses. Fever went to 39*C that night so we drove to BIMC only to be prescribed different medication and told to use warm compresses. As she wasn't due till the next morning for her antibiotics we waited without doing hot or cold compresses, just keeping her at a comfortable temperature and called my Doctor in Australia in the morning. He said to give her the original medicine and do no compresses. She was over her fever by that night and you wouldn't have even known she was sick.
Everywhere we went people wanted to nurse her and touch her. In restaurants staff would take her from you and play while you ate. Laid sarongs out on the beach for her to lay on and play. She didn't last long down there by herself, there was always a beach seller or bar seller down there playing with her.
Took our shade a babe for the stroller. Worked really well for keeping sun out and people out if we wanted to get somewhere quickly.
She released a turtle on Kuta Beach which I think she enjoyed. She carried the bowl with the turtle in it and would not let go even after we put the turtle in the water. Maybe she just liked the bowl!!!
Got some good clothes at Matahari for her. I have even bought some for when she turns 2, I couldn't resist they are so cute. Not much in the markets for her.
Used Milton tablets for sterilizing dummys and bowls. Bought a container over there and washed everything in aqua then sterilized in another container with Milton.
SPONSOR KIDS VISIT:
We went to see our sponsor kids that we sponsor through Helen Flavel. Can I just say she is doing an incredible job up there. We took them to the local markets and bought lots of supplies for them rice, kopi, sugar, garlic, oil etc. Their mums were so pleased and the people at the market were lovely trying to practice the little bits of english they know and they were so grateful for the sale. The learning centre is a great place. We got to watch a kindergarten class singing english songs. They were soooo cute singing "the wheels on the bus"
The plane ride home went well. My daughter slept the whole way and had to be woken before landing to get back into the seatbelt. Landed to Sydney being 12*C. What a nice welcome home.