As some of you know we are regular visitors to Bali and last September my husband died suddenly, we returned to Bali in October with some of his ashes and had a Balinese ceremony.
This trip was to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary and as hubby had always said why don't we try somewhere else I secretly booked free seats on Air Asia for a Bali and Vietnam trip and surprised him. He was really looking forward to the Vietnam part and had recently purchased a Canon D50 camera and was excited at the possibilities of great photo opportunities. The family all decided that Sarah my eldest daughter should travel with me.
We left the Gold Coast on 29th January and flew to Kuala Lumpar, having never stayed so we had decided to spend 2 nights before Bali. Arrived and went to the taxi counter to enquire cost for 2 people and a surfboard only to be quoted 160MYR, no thanks. Picked up our SIM card that we had ordered when booking the flights and the nice girl there suggested the shuttle bus and explained that it would drop us at our hotel door. So for 9MYR each we caught the shuttle bus, they dropped us at a stop in the city and then transferred us to mini buses and dropped us in front of the hotel. We stayed at Royale Bintang Hotel in the Bukit Bintang area of KL. Great location,right in the middle of shopping and restaurants. The car park that our hotel room overlooked was cleared of cars at nighttime and tables and chairs appeared from nowhere and it became a restaurant. The first night we ate in a street that is just full of restaurants and the street is closed at night and all the tables spill onto the road, road was one street parallel to where we were staying. Great food and cheap. We spent the first day at the Bird Park and this was a good day, took heaps of photos and there are some amazing birds and the gardens are also beautiful. Spent a little time that afternoon shopping and then after dinner hit the shops again. We had 2 large shopping centers down the road and originally we thought they were department stores, ventured in and no, some department stores around the edge but the middle was filled with small stalls selling everything, and 4 floors worth. Well we ran out of time but we know where it is now, bought some great shoes, jeans and tshirts and went back the next morning before our flight. Also went to the observation tower and this is really worth it, KL is a huge city, coming from the country we couldn't believe it, the city just stretches on and on, a good reptile park there as well, got some great shots.
Flew into Bali on 31st January for 2 weeks. Through the airport in record time, no lines. Our friend Danny had not arrived yet as we were so quick, he arrived all apologetic and we were fine already in laidback Bali mode. Stayed at Lumbung Sari in Legian for 3 nights, good to be back all the staff pleased to see us. Our friend Danny is a DVD seller from Uluwatu who has now branched out into driving. He hires a car from a friend with a few cars for hire and is trying really hard. Organised to spend the next day with him. Went to Mushroom Rock at Nusa Dua the next day to check out the surf and then on to Geger Beach for lunch. Went to Uncle Norms for dinner and had a funny time. Sarah works in hotels and she had lots of promotional gear for the staff. Before we knew it Norm had Heinikin hat, blonde wig, glasses and a Medori glass in hand and was entertaining everyone. Starting talking to the Aussies on the next table and before I knew it we were walking down to Kuta to go to Paddy's. Group consisted of Mum and daughter, Mum and son and ourselves. Spent a while at Paddy's and then on to Bounty. We left at a reasonable hour and asked the taxi to drop us at the Legian St end of three brothers, walked down the laneway a while and then straight into 2 foot of water, the whole laneway to Lumbung Sari was under water. Couldn't stop laughing, slowly made it back to the hotel. Rained really heavy for the rest of the night, we stayed up drinking and at one stage it looked like the pool was going to flood the whole place. But in the morning you would not have known it had even rained a little.
Left for Lembongan on the Perama on 2nd February, this was our wedding day so wanted to be close to where we spread Arnies ashes. Sad trip over and received some nice messages from friends while on the boat. The staff from Puri Nusa were waiting for us on the beach, organised a boat to take our bags back to Puri Nusa, settled in and surveyed all the improvements that Made has made since October, lots of new stone work on the walls, new furniture and our room had been renovated with the walls relined and a beautiful stone work bed head. Ready for 7 days of total relaxation. Went to dinner at Batu Karang, 5 star resort on the hill and had a beautiful meal, expensive but gourmet food, great service and a view to die for. Called in our local friends place on the way home and shared a few bintangs with them and toasted papa Tom (hubbies name on Lembongan).
Spent the days reading, sunbaking, surfing, swimming and generally doing nothing much. Caught up with our friends, made new ones and drank and ate. Once again had a few meals at Achas Surf warung next door to Linda's, great friends with the owner Weedie (Nyoman) and his gorgeous wife and daughter Acha, he makes a great bruschetta. Had a few meals at Ketuts warung, good Thai food and great to catch up with the family. Sarah had been unwell and had seen a doctor in Bali who had given her a course of antibiotics and she had nearly finished the course but was still not feeling the best. Ketut offered a traditional massage, offerings in Sarah's name were made to the gods and he started massaging and chanting. Half an hour later Sarah is feeling a lot better and gets up and finishes her dinner, first full meal in a while. Next morning she felt a 100% better. Not sure if it was the antibiotics, charcoal tablets or the massage! Ketut would not take any money from us as he said it was bad luck and would not make Sarah better if he charged us. I dropped a stock of cigarettes back to him the next day. Also ate at Main Ski a few nights and the food was good standard as usual. There is a new warung D&B in the back road that we got takeaway from a few nights and there food is good as well.
Cock fights were on for three of the days that we were there and we joined in, loosing one day, equal the next and won on the third. Amazing to see the amount of money that changes hands during the fights. Our friend Ketut owns the only car on the Island (apart from the small trucks and golf buggies). It is an old army jeep and is known as the ‘ganster car'. Ketut offered Sarah a drive around the island, should of seen the looks on the locals faces when they saw a Bule driving the car, and a girl! Ketut was very impressed with the way she managed and told her she can drive it anytime she wants.
After the seven days we returned on the afternoon fast boat the Sari Nusa, costs 175,000rp each way and arrived in Sanur around 3.30. Danny met us and we drove up to Gecko Inn at Ulluwatu. Danny organised for his brother to bring up his motor bike and it was there waiting for us. Chat with Emma who runs the place and we organise the couples room on the 1st level, beautiful double room with a alang alang verandah with huge day bed. As emma is leaving she tells me to use the juccuzi on the top floor, so when Sarah returns from the surf I have the scotch and coke, cheese and bikies and am in the relaxed mode once again. At the front of Gecko Inn is a restaurant Juniors Waroeng and there is a hole in the wall with doors where you place your order to the restaurant staff and like magic your meal appears a while later. Junior is a great cook and also a great eater I would hate to guess his weight but he's one of the largest Balinese I have ever seen. Gecko Inn is a large villa and has 3 rooms on the ground floor, 2 on the next and a penthouse on the top. Beautiful pool shaped as a gecko and nice outdoor lounge area. Rooms are rented on room by room basis. Every time we have stayed we have been the only ones but this time there was a lovely Aussie couple and a couple of miners, good crew and we had a few drinks together in the pool on the 2nd night. We then went to Ye Ye's restaurant for dinner, absolutely beautiful seafood curry. Spent the days at the warungs overlooking the surf taking shots of Sarah. Big ceremony on the first day and a lot of places closed.
Back to Lumbung Sari for the last 2 days and of course went to quick but did not feel the usual sadness as we were preparing to leave as there was the excitement of a new country coming up.
Spent a day at an Australian guys place at Keramas, lovely villa and fantastic people living the dream that a lot of us have. They are a family with 2 children and the third on the way. The kids attend the International school at Keramas. We were privileged to visit the Chinese new year festivities at the school. Great show with the two people dragon costumes. Trip back was a bit slow as there had been a huge downpour and the streets were quite flooded.
Left Bali for Vietnam on the 13th February, due to land at 11.30pm with our flight to Vietnam at 6.30am the next day, arrived at airport only to be greeted with ‘your flight has not even left KL yet due to bad weather, there will be a delay of at least 3 hours. Our phone rang at the same time and it was Danny asking if we had time to go back outside as he had a present he had forgot to give me for my son, ‘Danny we have 3 hours and you are a lifesaver' and we left the airport to head back to Uncle Norms for dinner. Good dinner and a chance to say goodbye to everyone we had missed, quick call into Billy's and goodbyes all round there. Danny picked up driving work for the next day so all good. Air Asia were actually fantastic as we told them we were leaving the airport, and with checked on bags they need you to be there on time, so they kept ringing us with updates about where the flight was!' Had 3 calls in the departure lounge with boarding 10 mins, 5 mins, 2 mins.
Good flight but missed our accommodation that we had booked at tune hotel as we arrived at 3am and needed to be back at airport at 5am. Walked over to the Tune and enquired about storing surfboards and organised for the 3 weeks we are in Vietnam- 2 MYR a day so pretty good value. Had a few beers in the courtyard of the tune along with quite a big group of travellers. Back to the airport and off to Vietnam.
Arrived in Vietnam on the first day of Chinese New Year. Everything closed even the duty free, which ended up not a problem as Johnny walker was only $15 a bottle in the local minimarts. Stayed at Hanoi for the first 2 nights. At one of the prince Hotels which we later found out was one of 4 hotels. Enjoyed our stay and found the facilities for the money much better value than Bali. All rooms had satellite TV and free wifi, hot water and air con. We mostly paid between $20 and $25Us per room, some included breakfast. Hanoi was freezing, 14degrees, you can imagine how cold it felt after Bali. Spent the first night wrapped in layers of sarongs until we could find a shop open that sold jackets and jeans. Once we had some warm clothes we headed for Halong Bay on the usual tourist overnight boat trip. Had a great time, beautiful scenery and great photo shots, great crew that we spent the 2 days with, lots of laughs and good times. Then returned to Hanoi for the next 2 days and watched the city come alive after the holiday. During the quiet time it was really good as we saw so many families spending time together around the lake and generally enjoying their holiday.
We then flew to Danang and stayed at another Prince hotel, smallest room we probably stayed in but still OK. Danang is near China Beach, much warmer weather and we walked down to China Beach on the first day but unfortunately wrong time of year, wind blowing, brown water and smelling of fish. Had a nice seafood meal and walked back. Met the members of the local Danang Vespa club and they allposed for photos. Hubbie loved Vespers and Vietnam is just Vesper heaven, so many in such good condition.
Next day we organised for a car to pick us up and go to Hoi An. Stayed at a nice hotel with a small pool, still only paying $24US a night including a buffet breakfast and the satellite TV and free Wifi. Hired pushbikes out the front and ventured to the beach everyday, nice 5 km ride each way with a lunch stop on the edge of the river. Each day we would try the fresh Vietnamese spring rolls with vegetable and a few local beers. We found the food in Vietnam to be of extremely high quality with very fresh produce and the beer and spirits are extremely cheap. Sarah organised to have some sandals made and they did a great job with the order in at 4pm and delivered with a few changes at 3pm the next day. I had a few tops made and only a 12 hour turn around. Happy with our orders. Very clever tailors and shoe makers.
We then caught a bus to Mui Ne. 20hours on a sleeper bus, and it was not as bad as you might imagine. Very good set up with 3 rows of double decker beds. We were lucky and on the back seat with a nice group of Americans but the trip was fairly well planned. Left at 6pm and travelled to 10pm with a stop at a restaurant and quick feed. We had already had a few scotches and with dinner on board and a few more nightcaps we slept soundly until we were rudely awakened by the bus driver telling us at 6am we had to change buses. 6am went to 9am and we finally reboarded the bus and it took us close to Mui Ni. We were dropped off on some highway and rang the hotel but they had no idea where we were. So we ventured over to some restaurants and rang the hotel back using one of the staff as interpreter. Ended up hiring the locals and their bikes and they delivered us safely to our hotel, 15kms from where we had been dropped off. Loved the place though. Nice and quiet, blue water and lots of fishing boats. Nice pool overlooking the ocean and a bamboo bungalow along with the usual satellite TV but Wifi only in the restaurant $20 US a night no breakfast. Hired a bike from the guys that brought us down and we were set. On the first night we stumbled upon a great little local run restaurant. They have the live tanks that you chose from and we had the most beautiful fish and king Prawns. The next night we had 2 crabs, 500 grams king prawns, salad, bottle of red and a couple of beers and all for $16. Became friends with the extended family and we take a portable printer so sat and printed out the photos that we had taken for them to keep, they were amazed.
Stayed at Mui Ne for 5 days and only left ourselves one day and 2 nights in Saigon but we were loving the last bit of relaxation. Generally spent the days around the pool in the morning and then off on the bike for lunch, afternoons sightseeing and then somewhere nice for dinner and a few games of pool at the local nightclub.
Hit Saigon and luckily had booked a hotel only 2 streets from where we were dropped. Ventured out to dinner at a lovely Indian restaurant, we had eaten at the same name one in Danang, the owner told us that was his uncle, food rated just as good. Spent our day in Saigon doing last minute shopping, went to a local four floor market and were the only westerners there. Bought some great clothes and home wares.
Flew back to Kl no problems and spent 4 hours at tune Hotel using the relaxation package, air con room, very small, free wifi, great to shower and have a couple of drinks and back to the airport. Good flight home plenty of free seats so got some sleep.
Back to Bali 31st May, got to love Air Asia. If anyone wants names and contact details please ask.