Today was day 1 of our search for outdoor furniture & a water feature so after breakfast we head off with Jaya to 66 Pottery, which has been recommended by Trish and is on the Bypass road, only a short drive from the hotel.
They have a huge range of water features and a smaller choice of statues, lanterns etc. We end up choosing a large dimpled urn sitting on a square base, in black terrazzo, for RP 1,900,00. Even with the shipping cost added on, it's still far cheaper than what we could buy something similar for at home.
We continue along the Bypass Rd, heading toward Nusa Dua and Pasadena, to look for an outdoor lounge set in synthetic rattan. This is another place on Trish's list, plus I've read favourable reviews on TA from people in Australia who've bought stuff years earlier & it's stood the test of time. They don't have a huge choice of styles in synthetic (a much larger range in rattan, seagrass etc) but it makes it easier to make a decision - I find an excess of choice overwhelming & stressful! They will custom make our set and also 2 new sunlounge cushions which will take about 3 weeks (our driver Jaya is handling the balance of payment & ensuring paperwork etc gets to the cargo company).
We also look next door at a lighting shop but can't find anything we like in metal, although they have a great range in rattan. I just don't want the hassle and extra expense of fumigation costs etc.
I've actually fallen in love with some "bird cage" lights made out of Copper (think of the cane rooster cages & you'll get the idea) which they have at the front of the Puri Santrian's Mezzanine restaurant, and I've managed to find a supplier of them but unfortunately they have a minimum order of US$1000 and I only want 2 or 3 :-( I have a feeling I'm going to be on a quest to find some for the rest of our trip!
By this time it's 12.30 so we drive to Discovery, park downstairs and walk to Kafe Batu Waran for lunch. The food was good, if a bit expensive for what you get. The highlight was my Batu Waran Breeze mocktail - a combination of lychee, mint, ginger & lime juices. Refreshing & delicious.
After lunch we drive through the back streets of Kuta, to Jaya's friend's leather "factory". A friend of mine has coveted the leather bag I had made last year & has asked me to have one made for her. Huge leather shopping tote (copy of a $450 Country Road bag) for AU$80.
Hubby wants to stop at one of the Surf outlets for a new pair of boardies and after that the BP decides it's donut time & I'm in desperate need of coffee so we go to the new-ish J Co on the Bypass Rd & have a rest and a sugar hit before calling it a day.
Back at the hotel hubby & the BP hit the pool while I go for a "quick walk" to change money and also have another look at the Agus Art Shop. I decide it'll be easier for me to choose a few paintings I like & then just show hubby & see if he likes any of the same things (he's not a patient shopper & I am a procrastinator!). I have a chat with Ketut Teker, the artist, and his wife & she takes me across the street to their house to show me more paintings. If I buy as many as I'd like to, we'd need a bigger house to put them all into. (all thanks to Dutch Nat's postings on "Operation Barong"!!).
When I take hubby back before dinner, we settle on 3 paintings (one of which is being custom-painted - a black & white background of the temple at Bedugul with coloured figures in the foreground carrying temple flags, umbrellas etc). It's set to take pride of place over our bed at home, so I can wake up each day & be reminded of Bali :-)
Dinner was at The Caesar, just down the road from the art markets, steak for me and grilled Jumbo prawns for hubby (Miss 6 had eaten earlier by the pool). Food was pretty good but our most expensive meal to date (in part due to the 3 Mojitos we had), about RP 500,000. Not really worth it IMO, but was a pleasant enough meal.
We have a stroll after dinner to stretch our legs and, in my case, to walk off some of the creamy mashed potato! Back to the hotel for a nightcap of Hazelnut Baileys before heading to bed. I had trouble getting to sleep, due to the fact that we'd just spent more money in a single day than ever before in Bali. I'm nervous, but fingers crossed the shopping & shipping experience all goes to plan!
Day 4 will be spent relaxing & chilling out by the pool, and some frantic Googling on my part - looking for those elusive Copper birdcage lights :-)
Then