Third Week
Having trouble posting so have split into 2 sections!
After realizing we had such little time left we decided to take it a bit easier this week! After never being to the beach in Bali before and loving our first quick trip, we decided that a longer visit with hiring of chairs/umbrella was in order. I took all the kids down with me and they had a great time - smallest daughter (2) spent the time building sandcastles in the shade, eldest daughter (14) spent the time sunbaking and youngest son (5) and I hung around the shallow water digging holes etc. Stayed there for hours until husband came to pick us up!
Dinner that night was at Bubba Gumps - we had never eaten there before but had read about it on this forum. Wow! Loved it! Everything about it was great. The food was absolutely superb and the serving size was enormous. Its not too often that I can't finish my meal when I like it - but I had to admit defeat and go for the ‘Lil Forrest dessert just so that I could try it! Pricey by usual restaurant standards and after a fortune spent in the gift shop we went back to the hotel much poorer - but we will certainly be going back next time!
Eldest daughter and I had first spa visit that night - had our first ever pedicures with nail painting! Was great. I am so impressed by the young men doing pedicures and some of the finest flower painting on nails that I have ever seen! Amazingly cheap price - mine was Rp 50,000 and daughter was Rp 65,000 because she had the flowers painted on both big toes!
The next few days went by in a blur of last 'big shops' to stock up at Carrefour etc (could not believe how cheap Pantene Shampoo/Conditioner, anti-dandruff shampoo, deodorant and mouthwash was so we bought months worth!). Also spent a bit of time hanging around while my husband went hunting for a cake maker for our eldest daughters 15th birthday cake! Collected clothing made at Brisbane tailor - was excellent quality and fit. My daughter then went and had genie pants made and 2 other guests at our hotel ordered clothes. Everything made by Brisbane Tailor was excellent and all 5 of us were happy (and we are all larger ladies!).
Had a dinner at Blue Skyze in Kuta - the wedges were great but not much to rave about for the rest of the food we had - also was one of those places where young and cocky Australians come in without tops or shoes and behave like they are part owner! This is part of why we do not spend much time in Kuta as this behavior is more obvious there!
Friday was both our 6th wedding anniversary and the 15th birthday of my eldest daughter. We married in Gado Gado Restaurant in Seminyak and so went back there to have our anniversary lunch - what a disappointment! Ended up leaving without dessert and will not be visiting there again. Whilst the food and view are delightful, the staff and service were appalling and when we asked were ignored and then mocked by staff. My husband has since followed up with an email to the manager that was not available on the day we were there and apparently he is looking into it, but we are not hopeful and are unlikely to return there again.
However, dinner was another matter! We went back to Papas Restaurant and certainly received the royal treatment! My husband had sourced a cake maker in Kerobokan that made the most fantastic replica of a Dairy Milk Chocolate bar out of cake - it was one of the best cakes that I have ever seen! He had picked it up and left at the restaurant in the afternoon and my daughter was totally unaware. After dinner and parade of all staff with horns and tambourines weave their way through the restaurant with the cake singing happy birthday - the entire process goes on for 10-15 minutes and it ended with the blowing out of candles! Suffice to say my daughter was delighted!