I had a big day planned yesterday. Not big for the average Joe but when you are doing nothing, and have to do something, it's big. Morning routine as usual, plus a quick pool check - can't help myself. I saw tapeworm girl again at breakfast. She is still here. Turns out those weren't her kids in the pool the other day, unless she has done something sinister to them because they are gone & she is still here. Still skinny as after a week. B*tch!
I walked up the lane, saying good morning to the usual suspects. Tour guide guy has finally given up on me and just says hello. Transport guy has not given up on me, despite seeing me hail taxis on a regular basis. Ever hopeful. Sorry mate. I hail the next taxi that comes along. As an aside, I do not favour any taxi company in particular, just choose the first that comes along. During this trip all of them have had the meter on without me asking. A few drivers have mistakenly assumed I just arrived on the back of the last turnip truck & try to wheedle my plans, marriage status and length of stay to tout for business or more, but I can play the game & spin a yarn of BS with the best of them. Sorry no cigar. So I am off to Discovery Plaza to pick up my new glasses. My taxi driver has a phobia about second gear - as in rarely uses it, so I was near whiplashed the closer we got to Kuta as we bunny hopped in the slow traffic.
At Discovery Plaza I discover that my glasses are not ready, despite giving them an extra day. Expressed my displeasure. The staff asked if I could come back in an hour. So off I go to wander around the shops. Joy. At the risk of losing a few readers, I must confess that by some freak of nature I am missing the shopping gene. I hate shopping. I love having nice things, but I hate having to hunt them down. I loathe wandering around & around, looking, looking, picking things up, putting them down again. It's mind numbing. I have a list, I go straight to the store that I know can fulfil my needs, buy what I want & I'm out of there. So sending me off in a shopping mall to kill an hour is a mild form of torture for me. So I have an hour to kill. Spot a DVD shop, grab a few more DVDs, go to the counter to pay - well, would have paid if I had enough money. Apologies, off to the money changer & back in the queue to pay. Less than15 minutes have passed. Is that all? Drag myself around Centro & tried to think of something I might like to buy. Went to pick up a purse in the handbag section but it was whisked away before I could lay a hand on it, opened & it's features demonstrated by an avid shop assistant. New arrival, only 875,000rp, she says. Are you kidding me? Another 15 mins have lapsed. I'm so bored. Stop at a cafe for a drink, and we play the invisible game again. When I am finally noticed, I have a vanilla milkshake. Task completed, now off to queue for the loo. Walk past a massage man with a scary looking electric massaging implement. Massage, ma'am? You look tired! Thanks for that. I'd made a little extra effort this morning & blow dried my hair straight and was wearing a little make-up. I thought I was looking the best I had for 2 weeks. Apparently not! Ego nicely deflated. At last my hour is up, go back to the Optik - not ready yet ma'am, my friend has gone to get from Kuta Square - 3 mins. More like 20 mins, but finally they arrive, get fitted & I'm outta there.
Hail a taxi just up the road from Discovery as there was quite a queue waiting (don't judge me). Couldn't be bothered queuing & being annoyed by time-share touts. Head off to Jl 66, as I have a jewellery shop I want to visit. Slow progress in the traffic, but finally get there. Bought 3 beaded necklaces - in & out in 10 mintues - would have been 5 mins if I could have found someone to serve me. Over the road to Warung Murah for lunch. I remembered it from when I stayed at Kumala Pantai years ago. Didn't fancy their Indonesian buffet, so had sate ayam. Forgot to ask for spicy peanut sauce, got the tourist version. As I was sitting there, I was highly entertained by the two-way traffic trying to squeeze past each other without skittling the motorbikes parked outside the restaurant. There are some very skilled drivers out there.
After lunch I meandered up the street, looking for another jewellery shop recommended, but when found it, it was more or less the same as the first shop I went to. Did find a little silver jewellery shop that uses shells in their work. Purchased a pendant & 2 pairs of earrings - very happy with them and the price. By the time I exited the shop I was dripping. So hot! I hate shopping. Had yet to walk to Bintang supermarket.
Found my bubblewrap in Bintang's after walking there & also bought a couple of limes to squeeze into my coke back at the hotel. Mission accomplished. Hailed a taxi, held up the traffic which went down well & off we went back to Sanur. Taxi driver delighted to get a big fare. Foul traffic conditions in Seminyak. Reminded me why I don't stay down here any more. Just crossing the road is suicide.
Arrived back at the hotel exhausted. I hate shopping! Unpacked my purchases & lay on the bed in the a/c to wind down. Had a coke & went for my limes. Hadn't thought this through. What am I going to cut them with? - no knife. To go to the restaurant would entail getting dressed again. Can't be bothered. So I sort of sawed & stabbed the lime with my scissors. Not an attractive outcome, but served its purpose.
I was debating whether I would go up to Ducks Nutz for a drink. I did in the end. Rocked up there at about 4:30pm. Greeted by Gayle & Billy & pull up a chair. BloodyRon immediately knew who I was & took pity on me. He kept me entertained for the next hour & a half. Thanks Ron. He told me that more people than I thought had been reading my posts & enjoying them. I was shocked, because I am not doing or writing anything remotely exciting! Anyway, did have a bit of an ego happening by the time I left to hunt for dinner.
I decided to try The Village restaurant, as it was my 2nd last night, time to soil myself. It looked very nice from the outside. I opted to eat inside in the a/c - gorgeous red wood floors & a huge wine room. I settled on a Pina Colada & the mixed seafood platter. While I was waiting, I was given some bread, accompanied by a dish of ?minced sundried tomatoes. Yummy. When my meal arrived, there were 7 small unidentifiable lumps of something in batter on a mound of torn lettuce - not generous in the least for 95,000rp. The lumps turned out to be 3 small prawns, 2 small pieces of fish & 2 small pieces of squid. Honestly, we are talking entree proportions here. As I tried to saw through the squid (way overcooked) a small caterpillar-type insect crawled out of the lettuce & along the edge of my plate. I had already eaten the fish & prawns, abandoned the squid as a lost cause & decided I didn't really fancy eating the lettuce from then on. I politely showed the waitress the livestock circumnavigating the edge of my plate & demonstrated the toughness of the squid. She apologised & offered something else from the menu. I chose the tomato soup with garlic bread - that's hard to bugger up. Bugger. The soup was full of large chunks of whole tomatoes & bits of carrot & celery thrown in for good measure. A bit like an incomplete minestrone. Tasted ok, but not my thing. And the garlic bread? A handful of homemade garlic croutons on the top. Bugger. I decided my meal was a dead loss & I'd be leaving hungry, called for the bill & was not charged for my soup. Would have preferred not to have to pay for the seafood, but left it at that.
I left The Village disappointed & hungry, so again went on the hunt for food. Popped into the Wicked Parrot & decided on a coke & mie goreng ayam. Whilst waiting for the food, my brain & stomach finally synched & I realised I was no longer hungry. My 1st mouthful of coke went down the front of my dress - black, fortunately. My meal arrived and no joke, it was enormous! What the hell is going on? The universe is having a laugh at me. Oh, I know why this is happening. The universe is giving me a slap because I got too big for my boots @ the Nutz. Get over yourself !- slap. Think you can start a blog? - slap! Your own FB page? - slap! Write a book?- slap, slap, slap! Back to the real world, woman! - slap! I tried my best, but hardly made a dint in the mountain of food, listening to the band sing Irish songs. Nice harmony & flute.
Feeling somewhat battered, but not bruised I hailed a taxi. I noticed that both Coriander & Cafe Jepun were full as we drove by & not suffering because of my review! I would have got a slap for that too! Got the taxi driver to drop me off at the Trophy Bar. I walked down the lane instead of being driven as punishment for my gluttony. I stayed up late - girls night in. Romantic chick flicks & a good cry is what I need. I want to be tired enough to sleep on the plane tomorrow night. The night sky lit up with lightening & thunder rolled. I prayed to whichever Goddess will listen that the thunderstorms be over by the time I fly out tonight. As I type this, a crash of thunder sounds. Oh hardy ha ha - very funny. The universe is in a sarcastic humour this morning.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers.