So here I am in the worst possible position...back at work after 10 days in paradise, this time my partner and I went with all of her kids, 3 boys aged 17, 19 and 21 and also her 9 year old, who would be turning 10 whilst we were over there. Our experience was filled with all of the usual exciting things to do and the yummy places to eat, some of the latter I'll list and describe.
The people of Bali remain the same beautiful and friendly people I've had the pleasure of having anything to do with in my very limited travels so far and I think are a big part of why once you've been to this magical place you want to return time and time again, well I know I do.
Our shopping experiences were confined mostly around the Garlic Lane/Jln Melasti/ Legian area, though we did venture up around Kuta Square a few times, we spent quite a bit of time and money at Ketuts and Miss Debbies as well as various other special little places in and around the area. My partner and I had a couple of nice leather jackets and I got some snake skin boots made by Rudi at Jurassic Leather in the laneway directly opposite Ketuts lane on Garlic.
Some of the amazing places we ate at were;
Bali Corner Café - on the corner of Benesari Lane and Poppies 2, if this isn't the best place to sit and watch the world pass by whilst eating sensational Indonesian food I may as well stop breathing right now, we went back more than a couple of times and the food and scenery were possibly better every time we did.
Jokers in Jln Legian was one of our top picks as well, the food and staff were fantastic, we had our little ones 10th birthday there and I'm sure she wont be forgetting it anytime soon, they went the whole hog for her including the whole staff dancing with her and singing happy birthday and all the trimmings, Jed the manager is one of the nicest blokes you'd ever want to meet anywhere and Rama behind the bar was the best asset any business that relies on tourists could possibly have, those 2 alone and the food and the friendly atmosphere were the reasons we went back there time after time.
Swish in Garlic Lane got our vote for the best breakfast.
An old favourite in Padma got the vote for the most disappointing, compared to our last visit about 2 years ago it has slipped as far as the standard of meals is concerned, the staff are still fantastically helpful but they have had a change of owners since our last visit and as I said the standards have slipped somewhat .
Legends Bar once again on Garlic had a really nice all you can eat buffet one night and always had pretty good entertainment, the owners 10 or11 year old son and his mates have a band and they get up on stage and perform like old hands sometimes, the lead guitarist is I'm sure the next Angus Young.
Piggys in Poppies 2 still has the best burgers and the coldest Bintangs we were able to find, and believe me we looked.
As far as arranging tours and the like go we met a great little bloke named Aris out the front of the Circle K or whatever it is, just a shop or 2 into Melasti from the Benesari lane corner toward Garlic Lane, he had a permanent smile and helped us out willingly with every tour we arranged with him but went the extra bit and turned up at our hotel on the morning we were to be picked up to make sure we were happy with everything before we'd leave. I unfortunately left my good Quiksilver straw hat behind after the Quad Bike tour we booked from him, I was happy enough to put it down to experience but when I told him he was straight on the phone and had it back to me within a day, he was awesome.
We also did the Elephant ride through him and it was another winner of a day, the Quad Bikes and Elephant ride I cant recommend highly enough, they were both very different but fantastic days out, and the food at both, which was part of the deal, was once again sensational.
The appeal of Bali isn't lost on me these days but I do regret that just over 3 years ago I was one of those unfortunate few that would say,
'Uh Bali... I have no want to go there at all...'
How could I have been so dumb....!!!!!
Thankfully my partner snapped me out of this blinkered attitude and exposed me to the beauty of this paradise and it's people, I will be forever be in her debt.