Saturday 21st March 2009, Jetstar flight was held up and left Sydney late thus left Melbourne about 1.5 hours late too. We finally took off about 8.30pm and arrived Denpasar 11.15pm. I walked thru the terminal and waited for one couple to buy VOA then paid au$43 for mine (handed over $45 and got 15000rp change.) (Lets do some sums here, the AUD is currently worth .68 to the USD so I calculate US$25 to be = AU$38. They used .58 to calculate. Next day the street rate for the USD was 11650 and AUD was 7795. Hmm, interesting for some, dead boring for others!)(further on, 2 days later my friend looked to buy us$25 from Travelex at airport and cost was au$42 plus $5 fee) Waited for my luggage, no crosses and the second bag didn't appear. Once all bags had been around the carousel, I checked and found it had been already been taen off the carousel and lined up. Bugger. Did you know there is a row of ATMs now, opposite the first luggage carousel? There were a few including the Commonwealth Bank. Once you walk thru the new customs area there are numerous money changers. They were all offering 7600rp for an AUD. I walked thru the nothing to declare line and the customs officer just took my form and waved me thru. Davy was waiting and we got to SuriWathi by 12. (Didi's friends Tia and Marie, or more affectionately TiaMaria called me from the pool and I joined them till around 3am / 6amMelbourne time).
Early morning Legian market.
Changed location from corner of Jl Legian and Jl Melasti, behind the lime green tin fence to.......
If you continue on Jl Padma, cross Jl Legian and when you reach the canal, turn left. The market is opposite the canal about 2km down. (If you came from Seminyak, I expect you would cross over Jl Legian from Double Six and turn right at the canal.)
There are a number of buildings, all shops and stalls are under cover and within formal structures. Underfoot is paved and clean. I still bought a good hand of bananas for 5000rp and pineapples at 3000rp each. I love to buy lots of cakes for the hotel staff (a kind thought copied from Didi) and those freshly made little half moon shaped cakes are 500rp each. A local delight and I like them too. Bit like pancake mix or cupcakes.
SuriWathi
The new pool is non cold, looks fantastic and the new steps along the shallow end are terrific, except no hand rail to assist you walking down the steps (or slipping and some do). Same 8 lounge chairs and umbrellas, music from the pool bar, no pool bar service. Staff are the same since last August with more trainees. Their English improves vastly between our stays. There are about 6 computer terminals along the north wall of the restaurant. There are a few staff members expecting babies, including Desi, a waitress who married late January. Oh course most if not all are hoping for sons.
Nyoman the oldest brother brought over his 8 month old daughter a few times. She is a cutie.
Carrefours and Alta Moda.
Bought ink refill kits for printer @ 28,500 each.
Menthos single packs, per kilo @ 5175
Alta Moda
Heavy beaded fabrics, 900,000rp per metre, less 60%
Bought darker pink @ 45,000 pm and rich dark brown lace, 2 metres and scarf, 102,000rp
House of Komang
Dresses 120,000 (lining extra 15,000)
¾ pants 90000 jackets 90000
Pants copied for Tam 200,000
Nyepi
Awoke about 6 and watched a dvd on the laptop in bed. We had breakfast then internet and Bonito Spa services. I dozed through a massage then facial. Cost 60000 and 80000. About 12 lazed in the pool. We had bought bread and butter custard serves from Breadtalk so ate those for our lunch plus passionfruits, cheesesticks from Carrefours. We spent the afternoon around the pool talking or some watched dvds. Had an early dinner around the pool, as lights had to go out by 7pm. We ordered lumpia/spring rolls, nasi goreng, curried chicken, sweet and sour chicken and chicken sate sticks. Cost 155,000 for all. After dinner we chatted around candle lit tables, drank our liquor supplies and used the internet if desired. We had a few Bra boys (Maroubra/Sydney group of fellows) staying at hotel and they were not content to hear that the fridge for Bintang supplies was locked so no more grog, from about 9.30. They suggested they may get into the fridge one way or another as there was nothing else to do, no ‘talent available'. Amazing how young fellows will ‘head for the hills' when the wrong offer is made. We fixed them by offering our services, being older more mature(very) and very experienced ‘chicks'. I reckon they headed for their rooms, tails between their legs quicker than quick! Obviously ‘old boilers' didn't sound inviting! (Wished Didi and Hilary would have been there too!)
Hiring a car
I was thinking one morning that since there were now 5 women, maybe I should ‘bite the bullet' and hire a car to get around. I enquired at the hotel and was offered a near new Suzuki Arena with less than 12,000km on the clock. We drove to the Legian early morning market, Unagi (closed due to Nyepi eve), Geneva, Bintang supermarket, then later as far as Poppies II where the road was closed due to Ogah-ogah parade. I found driving fine. It's crazy traffic but since everyone travels at a slow rate, you can at least avoid ‘incidents'.
My 20th (not my 21st as I had counted) trip to Bali and I feel as though I have come of age! First time driving experience in Bali!
Bali Galleria
We decided to stock up on cosmetics and shop at Matahari so drove out to the Galleria, its easier to park. The Matahari has been renovated and a Hypermark, similar to Carrefours has been added. We paid our
GWK CulturalPark
We left Legian around 4.30 and found our way up to the Uluwatu road and Gwk park. Had plenty of time to see the large Garuda and Wisna and saw the new arms and hands for the Wisna, so the statue is progressing. You can now walk up some steps alongside the Garuda, to get to the Wisna.
We had booked a table at DemimiDi restaurant and found it is now called Jendela Bali, The Panoramic Resto. Our meals were delicious, around 70,000rp - 90,000rp each, plus desserts around 40,000 or 50,000rp. A four man band serenaded us. A film crew were filming in the restaurant and outside for a Bali TV series, which added to the fun of the night. I am thrilled to say we found our way back to Legian, in the dark without any problems.
KuDeTa for breakfast
We drove down to Seminyak for breakfast and got there by 9. (It opened at 8am) We were fortunate to get a front row table for 5 along the edge over the sand, The view is glorious. Our meals were delicious and we all ordered the set meal, juice, eggs, bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans with toast then tea or coffee. (85,000 ++ = about 100,000rp each)
On our way back, we thought we would try Unagi again, nope, closed again due to Kuningan. Kim, our newie and youngest in the group didn't think she would find anything to buy at Carrefour, but bought heaps, especially birthday presents for her girls and their parties. They also bought many shoes from the Bata shop.
La Lucchiola for breakfast
Sunday morning, Chris, Trish, Kim, Dale, Sharon and I drove to Seminyak for breakfast at La Lucchiola. The grounds around the Pura Masceti temple we filled with groups making decorative penjors. Competition was fierce. Singers were also competing, some not so fantastic!
We found that the weekend breakfast menu has changed. Oh no, I couldn't order my usual sweet tooth.
It has changed to juice or granita, tropical fruit plate with a yoghurt bianco mangiare and toasted pistachios, double baked pancake with mascarpone and berry compote, followed by coffee. It really felt like I was having dessert for breakfast. I wont order sweet tooth again. You could also select the basic, original or healthy start breakfast specials, as well as a-la-carte.
Five on a bike.
I have had an ambition for years to capture a photo of 5 on a bike and this year, I did it!
I also tried my best to capture a lotus in bloom, but these days I expect I know where to look so win most years.
RIP Bamboo Corner
The Bamboo corner restaurant on Jl Padma Utara/Three Brothers lane has been demolished. Ooooh.
SD3 Sobangan school
We left Legian around 9 to visit the school where most of our sponsor children attend. We started off fine, along JlLegian, Seminyak, Kerobokan then first t-intersection turned left, then next left again, then missed the right turn to Bedugal and headed to Gilimanuk. Not to worry, we found our mistake after just a few kms, then turned around to head north again. There is a large green and white sign that indicates right turn to Sobangan, at the Banyon tree and markets. We wound around past SD2, left, 2nd right, last on right, at the soccer fields, then left, right, left. (Reminder to self, little Tina lives on same street past soccer field along a km or so, on right). The first grade (preppies) go to school from 7am till 10am. Some of the little ones, whom we met for the first time were rung and brought back to school. We met our Melbourne BTF dinner group sponsored girl Komang. My son asked to sponsor a boy as part of his Christmas present from me and we met little Rai. He is tiny and terribly shy. Luckily his Mum brought him back to school when she was rung, so we could meet him, but he did seem pleased with his bag of goodies. Seemed to be a different school principal.
We visited Tina's home to meet her sister whom Chris is now sponsoring. Chris and Trish got to see their first Balinese family compound, with 8 dogs, chickens, 4 pigs, some cows ‘on agistment'. They live there with the fathers Uncle and his wife. She is not well and remains on the bed, I expect waiting to be called..... When we visited them 4.5 years ago, with Julie and Sharon, the Aunt then appeared frail. The Uncle plays the gamelan on their front ‘patio and has the warmest smile.