I always like to spend a day or two in Kuta when I first arrive in Bali, to get the mandatory Kuta kind of stuff out of the way. First stop is generally Discovery, where I get my nails done at Johnny Andrean and have a cold drink at Black Canyon. A new SIM card is always on the to-do list, as well as a visit to Matahari supermarket, to stock up on necessities. Dinner at Un's, for frozen margaritas and Ravioli Carousel is on the list too. My to-do list this trip was pretty much the same.
Breakfast was the red-hot priority on Day 2, as The Princess was about to chew her fingers down to the knuckles. About the only thing I can say about breakfast at DeKuta is that it's a buffet. Sadly, chicken sausages, Tang, white bread and Weeties weren't quite what Princess was expecting. I think she had a black coffee and a few slices of watermelon - no small wonder that girl's dropped from size 10 to 6 in a matter of months!
My snazzy new Diana Ferrari Supersofts were dripping from the night before, so I was forced to wear new $5 Dotti sandals with flimsy soles that I'd packed as an after-thought. I had my doubts about their overall comfort, and stashed a pair of thongs in my bag, for emergencies.
By the time we got to Kuta Square, my poor ole feet were complaining as bitterly as The Princess at an offal smorgasbord. Off came the Dottis, in favour of the thongs, which promptly rubbed a large blister between my toes. The first thing I needed to do was buy a new pair of shoes... something stylish, with cushioned instep, for under $20 (dream on!). Matahari was the first port of call.
The best thing about Matahari is the choice, and the worst thing about Matahari is, well ... the choice. Both Princess and I were in the market for shoes. We wandered around and around for hours, bedazzled by sparkles and rainbow colours. Eventually I settled for a snappy pair of brown wedges with padded instep. Princess said she'd have a pair of zipper sandals, providing I paid for them. I relented this time and bought them for her, but I'd made it quite clear to her before we left that I would pay for transport, accommodation and food, and anything else she could use her own money for.
By then she was STARVING, so I limped into Dulang, dragging my protesting daughter behind me. For anyone who doesn't know it, Dulang is a few doors down from Matahari, the big place with steam sprays at the front. The restaurant has remained pleasantly consistent over the years. It's always packed, and for good reason: their menu is interesting and varied, they serve lovely cold drinks and tasty food, and it's a great spot to sit and people watch. Soto ayam and iced lemon tea made me feel like a new woman, while hearing The Princess moan (again) made me feel like a new daughter - I tried to swap, but no one was interested.
Scrapping the idea of walking to Discovery - my nails could wait - we wandered back to our hotel for a swim, an LLD and a sunset drink.
Then it was time for dinner at Un's.
While Dulang has maintained its standards over the years, Un's seems to have slipped since last visit. The margaritas are still 25,000 rp, and every bit as delicious as last time... and the time before (and the time before that). Princess ordered gnocchi in tomato sauce, while I ordered my customary ravioli. Princess said her gnocchi was chewy (that's gnocchi for you), with not enough sauce. For once I couldn't accuse her of being overly picky - her meal didn't look very appealing. And as for my ravioli? What a disappointment: overcooked, tasteless, with an overriding flavour of rancid butter. It was a sad moment for me, suspecting that I was saying adieu to an old friend; however, with the exception of el cheapo margaritas, there was nothing to lure me to Un's any more.
We fought our way back down Poppies Lane to the beach, dodging cars and bikes and hawkers and beggars and kids selling bracelets. I guess I've officially become too old for Kuta: I found it all very exhausting.
Bed was calling our names. An early night was in order, as the following day, we were due to transfer to the Safari Park, for our overnight stay. We watched a DVD, which actually ran the whole way through without a hiccup, and then turned in for the night.