Thursday
We wake up today and say no food and no alcohol today. We've given it plenty with Mama San and Sarong over the last few days.
A steamy morning as we take off for our power walking session, me sporting a new $4 Matahari singlet. Walked up the Gang at the side of the Oberoi, that comes out at the back of the old Sofitel on Dyhana Pura, nice walk, not too much traffic just a few scooters and then back along the beach. The guy watering the gardens at La Luchiola kindly let us wash our feet with his hose and we popped into Petitenget for a take away flat white. It took them 2 attempts to make the coffee which I was observing at the bar, so we were expecting burnt dish water, but it was actually not bad. This place has only recently opened and the staff are getting trained up I think. We arrive all hot and sweaty at the villa just as the breakfast lady has finished setting up. So much for the no food day then. We'll just take it easy.
Laundry day today, so we (correction Duchy) folds everything up and sort it into like piles to help them out, ride up to Warung Laundry where it all gets tipped rather unceremoniously on the floor anyway. Oh well. (122k for four days worth of gear)
Our 'We are definitely not doing any shopping this trip, just relaxing' continues as we go to Bali Zen and stock up on some new lounge room cushion covers and then Havali for napkin rings. Duchy checks out Pura Vida and Animale and selects a few choice items and we head for our 'Spa Bali' appointments via JP's for a quick Binnie and Lumpia, (well we were a bit hungry and thirsty - 120k)
I have to say that one of the major benefits of riding around everywhere is you miss out on all the "beep beeps" and the time share guys on scooters with the "Excuse me boss, you speak English?" We got hammered by the time share chaps walking through Seminyak the other day in fact I think the same guy stopped 2 or 3 times, drove me insane. Surely this can't be working as a sales tool for these companies! I've tried responding to these guys in French before now, it doesn't work, they are clearly all talented bi-lingual's. In any other country they'd be pulling six figure salaries. The only thing I can think off to get rid of them is to respond in Northern (potteries) "I dunt no what ya takin aboot lad, may and mar lady are just join for a gander like." Would that work? Probably not.
Spa Bali reflexology massage was great as usual and Duchy got her pretty nails all dun up like. Eh I'm goin Natharn agin. (300k)
Back to the pool for a margie or two, sod the no alcohol day! After a bit of a chillax, we drag ourselves out of our comfy villa to go to Tulip. This was recommended by someone on this forum recently and we thought we'd give it a go. It was excellent, well worth a detour as the Michelin guide would say. It also seemed rather new and a little quiet, but I hope they get some clientele as the food was very good, we'll definitely return. I guess you have to like Turkish food mind, but the Mezze was absolutely yumm-o, Humous and homemade yogurt with dried mint (Duchy is still raving about the homemade yogurt, it was fab, apparently it takes the chef all day to make it). With some fresh pitta breads, Borek (pastry filled with cheese) and a Turkish spicy lamb pizza (incredibly thin and light base) followed by Lamb pot cooked for 7 hours and Turkish (beef I think) meatballs, washed down with a couple of beers (500k) exceptional food and very good value. The restaurant looks out over a pond garden. It's just next door to Cafe Jemme. Well recommended. The last reason to recommend this place was the fact that it was a + rather than a ++, if you know what I mean. Only the tax is added on, no service charge, so you feel free to tip what you wish. Right on!
Friday
Just woken up after 11 hours sleep, I didn't think that was physically possible after 40? Ear hair is though. I'm quietly brushing my teeth yesterday and "what is THAT I say!". Hair coming out of my ears, there is no way that was there last week. Damm it. I'm going to be switching from hairdresser to barber when I get home. My hairdresser is a lovely sweet thing but she dresses hair, she ain't going to be dealing with the ears is she? Barbers on the other hand have the attitude, if it's hair and it's on your head, we'll deal with it. As a youngster growing up in "t,north" I know this first hand. My first Barbering experience was my mum taking me up the road to the Barber who would light matches and burn off your neck hair. I joke not!
Anyway I digress, apparently I got a nice 11 hours, the Duchy didn't as I was snoring. Ohhh it's all going downhill, I can feel a midlife crisis coming on.....