I planned to write a JBR after last July's trip with a group of 8 but came back to increased work situation and never quite got to it.
Had a wonderful time - highlights - snorkelling at Manta Point with Blue Fin dive company and seeing mantas and turtles, lots of massages at Ayu Spa at Sanur, great fun catching up with local friends, fruit carving lesson while enjoying cocktails, Bamboo Shoots cooking class for my friends, the St Regis Sunday brunch, Bali bike ride (have done it numerous times and it is even better now as instead of a dodgy buffet breakfast while enjoying the volcano view you have both breakfast and lunch at Wayan's home and stop at the view briefly)
Anyway that seems a very long time ago and I was back in April this year for 3 weeks with my son and his new wife - I went on the honeymoon! We often travel together to Bali and I had put a lot of effort into their wedding so they thought I could still come with them. They spent two nights on Gili T (alone) and loved the snorkelling, in particular hiring a glass bottom boat to take them round.
We did a repeat visit to Bali Zoo but were disappointed as we went too late in the day and not much going on with the animals and there were lots of renovations in progress. Have been there years ago when it was a sad place and several times more recently and it was much improved so hope after the renos it is good again.
We went back to the Bird Park and loved the visit, I think it is one of the really nice attractions to see. Many birds are in aviaries that you walk through so not lots of small cages. Very large birds can be sat on your shoulders for photos if you are into that sort of thing.
St Regis for the brunch again. We love this meal and sometimes get there early to wander round and admire the setting.
Lots of eating around Sanur as you don't need to go far for great meals at all levels of cost. The $2 or less meals at Warung Beringin Pantis (on Tamblingan)were popular and my old faves - Mona Lisa (Tamblingan)and Lilla Warung (Bumi Ayu, not far off Tamblingan) and Sweet Magnolia - got a few visits. New one to us which was good was Kayu Manis and we also made the mistake of going to an opening night of a new restaurant/club - won't name it as I think it had potential because the food and drinks were great when we got them! - an hour and a half for the first drink set the speed of service. I think they were hugely unprepared and will see how it is next time without the problems of an opening.
The Sunday market outside Batu Jumbar has some lovely breakfast foods and a nice vibe, recommend the quesadillas.
Also revisited the Sands Sunday market but the number of stalls has diminished. We really wanted some particular cashews from East Bali cashew company (they were kind of chilli and palm sugar coated) and that stall was missing. Numerous web searches for stockists and phone calls, driving in the heaviest rain of my life and finally we found an office and made purchases BUT the coating was changed as the sugar caused softening of the nuts. (I'm sure this will elicit a comment from Ron) Still brought many kilos of Chilli Crunch and chocolate coated ones and granola home. The company is a social and environmentally sustainable initiative to support the local farmers so worth a bit of effort to find them.
I did enjoy a birthday meal away from Sanur with Sara, my BTF friend at Sea Circus at Seminyak. The raspberry and mint drink was sensational and the fish tacos great.
One of the great new finds at Sanur was Kopi Kiosk, almost next door to Hardy's and selling excellent coffees both hot and cold. Two shots as standard so adjust your order according to taste. While we enjoyed chatting with the young baristas and tourists in the blazing heat there is an air conditioned room with great wifi to the rear.
Found April way too hot and humid for my enjoyment. Just sweating all the time and there was quite a lot of rain, usually when we were far from shelter. While visiting one temple - Kawi, I think and really interesting we were really drenched and had to purchase dry clothes off a stall so we could continue the rest of the day's activities.
Had a great visit to a little family living at the rubbish dump (there is quite a big village there) and lovely to see the littlies I sponsor through Bali Care are doing well.
I also had an emotional time when putting a deposit at a College for our Balinese friend who has just graduated from Senior High and will now do a two year course to, as she puts it 'put her ahead of job rivals' She has been sponsored for school by my son and his wife for several years after a chance meeting near our hotel.
After the deposit was done she sobbed and sobbed, telling me how happy she was and how she must study hard and do well and help her family. I hadn't realized that many of the young students study college and uni at night and have a job during the day which is what this course allows. We have become very good friends with all the family over the years and feel very blessed that she wandered out to the gang near our hotel when my kids were looking for someone to give their unwanted things to before they flew home.
I had some lovely clothes made at Mina's - Goning Tailor (fabric from Alta Moda) and shoes made at Full Collection (last trip the leather tailors had all gone home for Rammadan - no such problem in April.
Sanur is changing so quickly, new hotels each year and the latest is enormous. We used to admire a pair of cows on one of the back gangs - now the back of a luxury Swiss hotel. The traffic is still ok but I'm not hugely optimistic about Sanur keeping it's charm long term.
So I need to keep returning and enjoy all it has to offer, heading back in two weeks with some family and friends and maybe I will even get a HNR done. Off to Gili T for a brief first visit and hopefully Manta snorkel again.
Just remembered my 'new airport' comment. It was clean but lacking. The line up at the ladies was endless - huge room, few toilets, felt sorry for all the kids doing the 'toilet dance' (hopping on one foot to the other) and then my son comes out of the mens and tells us there were women squatting over the urinals.