After a week of 'all you can wish for' buffet breakfasts I am losing interest. I'd be happy with just 2 slices of raisin toast but feel compelled to make an effort given the range available. Its usually a combination of danishes, eggs or pancakes and lots of tea.
After breakfast we change some more money with Rudi in the glass box, and off we go to Geneva to pick up a few essentials. Having been here numerous times I think I've got everything I need, but Emily has a small budget and no skill for bargaining so this is the ideal place to get some gifts for her family and school friends. Geneva is deserted at this hour, our driver waits patiently in the car park and Emily gets lots of little cheap gifts for a bargain. The staff here are really lovely, offering us wet hand wipes and wiping the dust off our purchases.
Our next stop is Rama Beads in Jl Raya Seminyak, we know Edy the owner by now, and Emily is in heaven. He gives her good prices and she buys a few strands of beads for her teacher and some adult friends and family. Hoppy walks about 2 steps inside the door and sees the huge display of ornamental feather and shell collars - the kind you wear over a plain halter neck dress and they look like museum pieces on display stands. She picks one, I'm cringing imagining the cost and the potential loss when trying to get the feathers through Quarantine, but its only $30 / 300k so she buys it instantly. Even if it is never worn, it would make a great display piece in a glass cabinet. It turns out that the price includes the iron stand which has been custom made to display it, so it seems like even more of a bargain.
We get our driver to take us back to the hotel, passing a shop window in which Emily sees a kids size Indian headdress (the kind with lots of feathers). We agree to come back to that shop and have a look later.
We have a quick swim and walk across the road for a late lunch with Katt at Mykonos, which although not really up to the innovative cuisine standards of many other Seminyak Restaurants, is really nice basic Greek food which suits the climate and atmosphere in Bali. We all have Greek salads, Calamari and some Arak based drinks while Emily has a vanilla milkshake made with real vanilla beans. This is a new discovery for her and one she really loves in Bali. She has also taken to calling Seminyak 'Salmon Yak' as it makes more sense for an animal obsessed 10 year old.
Another swim, a trip back to look at that Indian headdress (one is $45 and a larger one is $90). I think these are way over priced for what they are, and are probably easily purchased on ebay, but Emily convinces Hoppy to purchase one for her upcoming birthday.
By this time Happy Hour(s) has started on the rooftop bar and we share a couple of drinks before walking down eat street for some gentle shopping. Hoppy, Katt and Emily like Stroberi -a cheap jewellery store with some funky items. Further down towards the Oberoi is a small street market with maybe 30 stalls selling the usual leather, clothing and souvenirs. Its nearly 8pm by now but the sellers are really not at all interested in bargaining hard - one guy started at 750k for a single purse and then dropped it to 900k for 2 - which was effectively a drop of $30 per purse. Hoppy buys two of them.
We cross the road to visit our friend Ketut in his DVD shop at the bottom of Jl. Oberoi. Hugs all round and he is very excited to finally meet Emily after asking me every trip for the past 7 years why she hasn't come to Bali with me. They hit it off immediately. Ketut is keen to get out of the DVD business, and is always nurturing new business opportunities to see which one he can make a go of.
There has always been a sideline of Mobile Phone accessories in the DVD shop, a few baseball caps, sunglasses, gift cards but this time there are some basic Fireworks behind the counter. I ask him about them (as we cannot legally buy them here in Victoria) and he immediately gives Emily a small packet which contains 50 little tiny things that look about the size of tiny gumnuts, in a box with some sawdust. Ketut takes one or two out and throws them on the floor of the shop where they flash once and make a popping sound. There is no flame, and they only seem to pop when they are thrown hard on the ground, a bit like a cap from an old cap gun.
Emily is absolutely in her element - she loves all those semi dangerous boys games like slingshots and pea shooters and this is just heaven. And no one to tell her not to ! Given that its our last night in Bali, we have to use these little firecrackers up right now, so as we walk to dinner, all 4 of us are throwing them on the road when there is a gap in traffic. Thank god we used them all up... AQUIS would have loved to find those in our luggage.
We have a late dinner about 9ish and decide on Motel Mexicola...its an amazing looking place inside, multiple levels, absolutely heaving with people, loud music but a very fun atmosphere. The waiters are all in a great mood and make suggestions for our meals. We aren't that hungry, and order a few Quesadillas, Tacos and some chips and guacamole to share. Its not super cheap but it is nice food and very popular.