Our daytime flight over with Virgin from Sydney was good; the overnighter back to Melbourne was spoiled by 2 crabby staff.
We stayed 7 nights in Ubud at Hotel Tjampuhan, a 5 minute walk into town but interesting shops along the way, and very close to some fabulous restaurants. The hotel itself has great food for all meals and very well priced. The hotel is clean and charming, the only reason not to stay there are the hundred of steps that can't be avoided.
We ate several times at Bridges, 5 star Western food in a lovely setting, ditto Tropical Bale just up the road out of Ubud, both well worth a visit.
We had a fabulous driver, recommended by a friend from home. I studied the recommended driver's lists gratefully but a personal recommendation felt safe, and Wayan Suta was a gem. 40,000 rph for the full day trip.
Our luggage was maxed with the usual shopping, our bargaining skills were bad and we enjoyed some fixed price shopping. We figured that if we paid too much bargaining, it wasn't a lot of money anyway and it was feeding a family. I paid $15A for a cardigan in one place and at the local stall on our last day got the same thing 3 for $10, that's Bali but it's all fun.
We had many fabulous massages, we had pre booked Jaens Spa, amazing. The hotel Spa was good. You lie looking down to the river below, very relaxing. Our best find which we stumbled upon while walking in the rice paddies near the hotel was Cantika Spa, Jalan Sok Wayah, you have to walk the last bit as cars can't get there, we went back several times, it was heaven.
We did two cooking schools, both $30-$33A. Casa Luna taught 11 of us about the local food and how to prepare it. Janet was in Melbourne but we were very well entertained and learned heaps, ending up with a lovely lunch. We rated this as a 9. Then a few days later 4 of us were picked up by Paon Bali where we met Puspa the teacher/owner with her husband Wayan, at the Ubud markets. She showed us around the market and explained the ingredients, then to a rice paddy interesting talk in their local village Laplapan, then to their home compound where the classes are held. This school is hands on with the students doing most of the chopping and cooking, making very tasty Balinese food. We then rate this way above a perfect 10!
Home to freezing Canberra after perfect Bali weather, no daytime rain, minimal humidity, May was a great time to go.
My sincere thanks to all the forumites who helped me plan such a great holiday