After being collected by our driver kadek, we are off to the car park which is also ridiculously packed and takes a good 10 minutes to get out of the airport and finally on our way to the Novotel Tanjung Benoa via the new toll road. God bless the toll road - it takes a good 10 minutes off any trip we take.
Arrival at the "Nofotel" is lovely as always. We have been coming here almost annually for over 10 years, and I chose it as our first stop on this trip because it would be a nice 'soft' introduction to Bali for Emily. Its not as busy as Kuta, not as far as Ubud, and very welcoming. We are checked in like old friends by 3 very friendly staff, and in our requested room within 5 minutes. The bed has a welcome back note written on a frangipani leaf, and a letter from the manager offering a bottle of Hatten wine and basket of fruit. Just one of the reasons why I love this hotel.
Emily and I don't bother unpacking, we are in our bathers and in the pool within another 5 minutes. By now its 3pm local time and 5pm back home, and we need a snack to last us until dinner. The lovely lady who makes the crepes and waffles on the beach delivers an ice cream in a waffle cone to Emily by the pool. I'm keen to show Emily everything she's missed for the past few years so we walk across the road to see the other two swimming pools and meet the crossing guard. After that, its time for a bath in our huge tub and we head off to a very early dinner at 5.30 at La Scala.
La Scala is Hoppy's favourite restaurant, and the staff know us well here. The order is always the same - calamari which tastes like its made with KFC's secret herbs and spice mix, nasi goreng and chicken satays served over hot coals, with free cocktails, spring rolls or garlic bread and endless prawn crackers. The staff are so excited that we have brought Emily and treat her like a star. Emily is just thrilled to see the tiny gecko's on the walls!
By the time we get back to our room we are exhausted and we are in bed super early watching trashy reality TV. There is a knock on the door, and the wine and fruit basket is delivered but we are too tired to even look at it.