After our Java trip, still 6 days to go....
Dad laid low for the next few days, a good read, a few pa naps and some immodium helped him back using 8 cylinders.
I always like to try a/some new restaurants and tour somewhere we haven't seen before, (sometimes it happens without us realising when I take a wrong turn and end up in the back of beyond) each trip to Bali. I aimed to dine at Pearl restaurant in Double 6 and when we arranged to meet Benny and Clive found they were staying there, so dined in their hotel. Caron and Peter joined us too. It was a beautiful setting and good service and the meal were delicious. I think our main and dessert with a drink or 2 cost 650,000rp, so be prepared to pay more than average.
One morning after very heavy rain, loud thunder and cracking lightening, we went across the road to Nyomans 43rd birthday ceremony, in their family compound. As we arrived (Dad, Jules and I) I was watching the priest and didn't notice the drain cover was off and I went down on all fours. Damn, my fear is to scrape my skin, break a limb etc and require doctor's attention. Oh wow, how lucky, barely a scratch, just great embarrassment. As you can imagine all of the family showed great concern. When the ceremony was completed the feast began, with suckling pig etc.
Dad and Trevor watched the footy at Rama Garden and Bianca. They are both very keen supporters of Aussie Rules. Dad follows the Tigers and Trevor just loves all football and doesn't support any team. I can take it or leave it and prefer to find a fellow shopper and head to the shops.
We explored Mothercare, Discovery Shopping Mall, Centro, Matahari and more.
Trevor had pre-op aches and pains and also painful gout so he stayed ‘home' and relaxed when Dad and Jules and I went to Candi Dasa. The double lane highway that heads east is under major repair with about 10 new bridges being erected. Both directions of traffic headed to the left road, then crossed back to the right, then again the left. It was a slow trip and very bumpy. We drove into Padang Bai and found our vehicle about to be loaded on to the ferry. Whoopsies, wrong way. We headed on to Candi Dasa and about a km before were stopped by the Police. There were about 10 or 12 Police checking cars, trucks and motor bikes. They needed to see the APV registration papers and my International drivers licence. The first officer noticed my licence was undated. A second, more senior looking officer came to the car window too and I began to wonder if I should ‘offer' them some ‘lunch money'. The senior officer asked me if we were staying in Candi Dasa the night and was disappointed that we were returning to Legian. He said he would like to come and visit us in Candi Dasa that night, if we were staying and checked with my Dad if that would be ok! We laughed hard when we drove off.
We checked out a few hotels and villas east of town then stopped for lunch at Ayu restaurant. We were the only patrons. When we left we stopped at some more hotels then spied what may or may not have been a hotel and went in to check. Bayshore villas was perfect for our stay next March, We booked 2 villas for my daughter, son-in-law and grand daughter, plus Trevor and I. The villas have been decorated beautifully with an eye for detail, only 6 and an infinity pool, on the beachfront. Bali Santi is to the west and Bay(something else) is next door. Same owner as Bali Mystique is Seminyak.
I found the right turnoff to Padang Bai and we drove around the bay edge. It was very crowded as a boat had just arrived filled with backpackers. From the Gilis ?
I wanted to buy more sea salt and eventually found the salt collector/processing hut on the beachfront opposite the Bat cave temple. Unfortunately the process has finished. I found some locals around the hut and they sold me a couple of bags. This salt, being a-la-natural has an almost sweet taste. No chemicals, unlike the heavily processed iodised salt sold at home, fine, free flowing and bleached white.
Another night I took a car full to Jimbaran bay for dinner. Dad, Trevor, Jules, Julie and John, Lisa (Nyoman Sade), Made and Kadek hopped aboard.
We drove into the carpark, south of the Intercontinental and chose Seafood Star (Mama Dony).
The sunset was colourful, we saw a few fisherman head out to sea, but the highway on the horizon didn't light up. Apparently weather wasn't suitable. We were all surprised to see the sea dark on the horizon.
Fish was cooked well, not ‘cremated'. We all enjoyed our meals. The beach, with tables and chairs seems prettier at this end and proved very popluar. Many walked along the beach so I expect Intercontinental guests were strongly represented. Cost 600,000rp for 5 adults. There is a lot of development in the area so I guess Jimbaran Bay will become more and more popular as a tourist destination.
Another day we drove down to the Jimbaran Bay fish market to explore and bought a couple of kg of large prawns (@ 65000rp per kg) and the staff at SW cooked them for us. We enjoyed for lunch with nasi goreng.
Another night we met Wayan Merta, wife Ketut and three daughters at Gosha for dinner. His girls have grown into beautiful little ladies. Kris is 12 and although shy, understood my English and replied
perfectly. We ordered drinks in the coconuts, highly decorated and unbeknowns to Dad I had his mixed juice presented same way. Most impressive.
Dad flies a flag at home and unfortunately not often enough, prefers the Tigers flag after a win. He wanted to buy some other flags and the only ones we found were the Indonesian flag. So, if you are boating around Port Philip Bay and see an Indo flag flying, its Dad's.
Putu from the SW ‘village' brought her son Agus Arta to work one day, on her day off. Made and Putu alternate caring for him. Ones shift ends at 3pm and the other starts at 4pm. Works well for them. Agus is a very happy little fella and looks fit and well. I loved the anklet with bells so he could entertain himself when he kicks his legs. (I bought Amber some bright socks with bells for same purpose).
Desi and her husband live down south and work, their baby remains in the village in Papuan. Its the way it is, but seems a shame when so many parents need to leave their children with grand parents and only visit every week or two or three.
Nyoman looked well but finished at SW until January. She will have more time off work as she is expecting a natural birth later in September. If a mother delivers by caesarean they return to work sooner as not so much effort is required to deliver!!!! Nyoman is expecting a girl. She already has a son so is very happy to have a pigeon pair.