Our sleep was an uncomfortable one, there is no doubt about it...but we were cheered with the thought that the proactive owner of the villa was getting it all sorted for us today. I didn't even have to bribe hubby out of bed this morning for our mandatory morning walk - he was happy to escape the warm conditions of our villa. Off we go - and just to mix it up a bit, we chuck a left at the main street rather than the mandatory right! We did our usually hourly walk in a loop and headed back to the villa for brekkie. Hubby had a cooked breakfast and I did my usual continental. All good. The shower water was not flowing great and it was more like cold water with a dash of warm added to it. Still good enough to get the blood flowing and to get hubby out of the shower quickly...bless him - he does love a long hot shower and so far is yet to receive one of these.
We had messaged Wayan and still not received a response as to when he was coming to get us...so we left a message that we were going to wander down the street and hopefully get a massage in whilst waiting for him to rock up. C was keen also, so we hit the street and bypassed a couple of places before settling on one that was giving massages for 50,000 rp. That should have been our warning! In we trot and yes they can accommodate us now for a massage. We were ushered into cubicles that you could not swing a cat in let alone comfortably walk around, and a feeling of claustrophobia was definitely being felt by me. C was in the next cubicle to me and hubby was opposite. Stripped down and ready for action, the massages commence. Balinese massage? My arse! It was possibly the worst massage I have ever had in my entire life, every time she needed to move to the other side (as was evident in all cubicles), they scraped the bed you were on to accommodate the shift - hardly relaxing! Also when I had to roll over, it felt like my right arm was seriously damaged - seriously the pain... I was hoping that hubby and C were fairing better (they weren't). During the massage whilst my knickers are doing their best wedgie impersonation (compliments of the masseuse), the curtain is flung open and a male is talking to my masseuse - mortifying for me but I console myself with the thought that it was probably a thrill for him, and my arse must be so pleasing to the eye that he had to come in twice after that! Anyways that aside I literally couldn't wait for it to be over and in an attempt to cut it short, I denied access to the washing of the oil of my body with a cloth that felt more like a foot scourer...she got one leg wiped with said cloth and that was enough! I also denied access to the head/neck massage pleading that I had just washed my hair. She got the message and said - okay - you finis now. I dressed and exited the booth.
I paid the 100,000rp for hubby and I whilst waiting for him and C to emerge from their cubicles...no tip - definitely not worth it. Hubby emerges next with a pained expression on his face, mutters to me that he will wait outside, I decide to join him. Hubby advises me that it was the worst massage he has ever had and that his back and neck were killing him...what was even worse for him, he had a bloke massage him and was feeling very weird about the whole thing, God bless him. C eventually exits the building and advises it too was the worst massage she had ever had and that she felt really uncomfortable having a bloke do hers...what? Did I miss something? These two get the guys and I get a chick? I feel almost hard done by! We still haven't heard from Wayan and decide to text him that we will catch a cab into Kuta and if he wishes to he can join us. I lift my hand and a second later a taxi has whisked us off into the traffic and towards Kuta! On the way into Kuta, C pops a couple of Neurofin as she has the makings of a headache due to her neck pain, courtesy of the massage! Hubby asks for Panadol and I dutifully hand it over and the entire trip we are discussing how bad the massage was. I cannot believe how bad the traffic is into Kuta - absolutely shocking - lucky our taxi driver does a few shifty moves and within about 40 minutes we are in the front of Centro! The phone rings and its Wayan - he is apologetic about not being their for us, but he had to pick his daughter up from school - no problems we say, we are already here at Centro...he says he will see us soon.
Ahhh Centro - how I have missed you.....C and I are in shopping mode, we know it and hubby knows it too by looking at our glazed eyes. He pulls me aside and whispers gently into my ear...remember, you don't need anything new and we don't need anything new for the house...what? I say...I can't hear you... Off we go at breakneck pace, up the escalator, all aches and pains forgotten - first stop shoe/handbag department...hubby spots a chair just outside of this section and says he will wait for us here...whilst giving me ‘the look'! Lucky for hubby I don't see anything I like in my size or price range and after a while we abandon the shoe/handbag section and head for the underwear section...C and I have both forgotten our strapless bras and have both bought with us strapless bra needing outfits! Whilst I am of generous proportion, C is in a class of her own...hubby has tagged along to this section and is giving me running commentaries on...this is sexy babe...hmm what about this honey? Hang on a minute - did he not just early advise me that I didn't need to buy anything? Funny how he has changed his mind, I wonder. We are unsuccessful in our mission to find strapless bras to fit us but hubby has definitely got into the swing of things and is telling me to buy this, that and the other...course I can't refuse my dear hubby, so I do just as he says! We are not too interested in looking at the clothes but make a reasonable pass at whats on offer before heading over to the section that covers all things housey like! It is C's birthday in a couple of days and whilst I already have a couple of gifts for her, I want to buy more. We are wandering around and I am mentally taking notes of everything she likes...then I ask hubby to distract her, extract a few of the said items and hurry off to purchase them before she can spot them. I also spy wrapping paper and get a couple of rolls of that too so I can wrap all her goodies. C purchases stuff that she has found and likes and I purchase a couple more bits and pieces that I don't need but that I just have to have!
We decide to have a break and head down to see Diane - hubby is in need of some more shorts and singlets - me well I always buy a heap at Diane's so I am happy to see what she has on offer! We are exiting Centro and I spot Wayans car (or rather his ex-car) - it is a very distinctive car! We run down the stairs, screaming Wayan, Wayan and he spots us whilst waiting to turn right into the car park at Centro. We give him our purchases and tell him we will wait for him. Of he goes to park and a short time later, strolls out, smiles and hugs all around, we set off for Dianes! It's the first time since she has moved into the new place, that I have seen Diane. She remembers us - all of us, including Wayan! I have a look around and must say, I didn't see one thing I liked enough to buy - not sure whether it was an off day or not, but it didn't look like she had half the variety as she used to have and whats with those awful slogans on the tshirts she has hanging? Seriously gross. Hubby finds what he wants and C finds what she wants for her son and we pay and exit with a promise that we may be back if we are in the area again.
Lunch time - thank goodness! I am starving by now - make no mistake about it - I am famished. We decide on the Stadium as we have never had a bad meal there, plus it is opposite the dvd shop which I know sells good quality music dvd's! We head into Stadium and order our meals. I order Chicken Caesar Salad, Hubby and C both decide on Fajita's and Wayan order Nasi Goreng. Drinks of Bintangs for the 3 of us and Mixed Juice for Wayan. Wayans food is the first to arrive...he waits...we tell him to just eat it as ours will be along soon...mine arrives next....they tell me to eat as they know I am hungry...they wait...and wait...and wait...and wait. I have finished my caeser salad and Wayan has finished his Nasi Goreng before their Fajitas arrive. Is it just me or does anyone else find that really annoying? Anyways after lunch we pop to the dvd store and stock up on music dvds for my brother - he works fly in fly out of West Africa and had requested a stack of music dvd's as they have the technology to play them in their wet mess! I must admit I was initially surprised by his request, as he knows my taste in music and I don't think Robbie Williams would make it on his 'hit' list! I unselfishly select a wide array of dvd's to cover all tastes far and wide, and pleased with my selection, we depart to Matahari's for some more mad shoe perusing! A few?? Purchases later, we hit the road in Wayans car and head for the surf factory outlets...for once hubby is keen as he has picked up some bargains here before! In we head and before you can blink an eye, I am whipping my clothes off behind the shelter of the changing room curtain and trying on things with abandon! Hubby is dutifully giving his opinion as I parade garment upon garment to him...whilst trying to cast his eye over a few items that interest him, himself! No time to waste, I pay for my purchases and we head to the the next factory outlet a little down the road...again we disembark from the car with a look of madness on our faces! Again I subject hubby to changing room viewing and again we exit the building with more purchases...that of course I didn't really need!!!
Its definitely drink o'clock now and we head back to the villa. A huge thankyou to the fantastic owner and hardworking staff of the villas who have installed a brand new airconditioner and a temporary water heater! It made our day! Hubby ingeniously rigs the indoor stereo system so that the speaker is out by the pool and we whack on a music dvd (thanks bro!)...before long, we are bopping (well I am!) to the tunes of Lady GaGa whilst trying not to spill a drop of my vodka bitter lemon! Hubby decides its time to christen the pool with a bomby and in doing so successfully covers me head to toe in a wall of water - not to mention the speaker!! My icy glare is enough to warrant a subdued apology from him (thanks mum for that trait!) and all is rosy again. We are having so much fun, chillaxing with our drinks, music and chit chat that we decide we can't be stuffed going out to eat and send hubby and Wayan off to purchase pizza's. C heads off for a shower whilst I head off for my own shower to discover the delights of normal water pressure and a decent heat enough for me to turn the cold water tap on too! The boys (and C) make their way back to the villa and we chow down on pizza and again drinks all around. A fitting close to what has been a lovely day shopping - but I didn't really need to buy anything!! Off we head inside to our icy cold airconditioner and a book with pictures! Life - doesn't get any better than this...