Have finally gotten over the Bali blues ( you know that awful cloudy fog that settles over your head for anything up to a fortnight after coming home from the Isle of Smiles)and thought I would relive our 3 and a half week holiday. Sorry to anyone that finds it a bit long or boring....lol
This year we decided to fly with Garuda for something different as we have usually flown with Jetstar and a bit peeved that the flight doesnt get into Bali til 10pm so by the time you rock up to your hotel your first day of the holiday is over.
Garuda flight left on time from Sydney and was pretty much uneventful. Have to say that Garuda really is better at the "flying to Bali" game than Jetstar. And I reckon the seats are a bit bigger and with that bit more leg room (I am usually one of those poor buggers that has long legs and my knee caps are usually banging up against the back of the seat in front as soon as they decide to assume the "lounging" position). So with the extra leg room I felt like I wasnt trapped in the seat for the near on 6 hours or so.
The food was alright and especially enjoyed the ice cream. And it makes a huge difference in having the screen in the back of the seat in front as opposed to having to juggle it on your lap/table/where ever you can position it so you can be fed and watered. Thumbs up Garuda!!
The only problem after I am thanking Garuda for their screen positioning is that mine wouldnt work!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kept saying to wait 20 seconds to load.................an hour and a half later and three different airline staff spoken to in regards to my problem and I was still no closer to settling into the flight and actually enjoying it.
Buzzed for the fourth staff member and explained that I am stll no closer to my screen loading and she informs me that I will have to move to another seat. She points me towards a spare seat that is about 6 rows back. When I looked around I could see that the seat right behind me is empty. I asked the lady sitting in the window seat if the seat next to her was taken and she said that it was all mine if I wanted to use it. Woooooooooohooooooooooooooo. I can finally start to enjoy my flight!!! Hubby was also wrapped as he could spread himself out a bit more and have a nana nap...lol
Before we knew it, the plane started its decent and we knew we would be smelling that special Bali "perfume". For some reason the plane stopped to the side of the Airport Terminal and we had to depart the plane (face first into that glorious wall of heat) and get on a bus that would take us to the Arrival Lounge.
Even with having to get on the bus etc, from the plane stopping, to us standing there waiting for our luggage to come off the carousel took a grand total of 15 minutes!!! Doesnt get much better than that.
We only had to wait a few minutes for our friends to catch up with us and we all worked our way through customs and out of the terminal and headed towards the Taxi Counter.
Two taxis and about 15-20 minutes and we were pulling into Melasti Beach Resort which would be our home for the next 5 nights.
They didnt have our rooms ready so they put the 4 of us into 1 room so we decided to get changed and go for a swim.
Once we had a bit of a splash around in one of the pools there, hubby an I decided to get changed and go for a walk. We walked out to the beach and went for a little stroll and ended up sitting at Posers Br having a cold Bintang within the next 30 minutes...Gotta love the Bintang.
It really felt like our holiday was just beginning now that we had savoured our first Binny...lol
Thats enough for the first instalment. I wont be doing a day by day description but will probably separate a couple more instalments into shopping, restaurants and accommodation.
Sorry if I bored anyone to tears but if nothing else, it bought a smile to my face just thinking about what we did that first day (especially that first Bintang...lol