Been here since 17th August and only a few days left now... the last HNR covered about the first 2 weeks, I think. So here's the little that I've done since then. :)
Lots of hanging about, relaxing, reading, eating! Not much to report in the way of restaurants.
Tried The Bistro outside Garden View for breakfast one day. Nice place and good food. I'd happily go back.
La Monde opposite Garden View also for breaky which was ok but the poached eggs still had vinegary water running off them when I tried to cut them. Just needed a bit more draining and they'd have been fine. Meh, no big deal. I don't have a cooked breaky at home so it's all good.
Other meals were mostly from warungs close-ish to the hotel. The Padang warung and Warung Bu Dio down next to Legends - both in Garlic Lane and cheap as chips. Price depends on what you pick from the window and ranged from about Rp17-30K depending how hungry I was at the time. Warung Darsana on Jl Legian, just north of the Jl Padma corner does a brilliant nasi campur for Rp15K. Warung Agus does the best nasi goreng special with udang for Rp25K - from Jl Padma cross Jl Legian and continue across. It's not far down on the right side. Sate chicken and goat from the guy on Jl Legian pretty much across from Gang Three Brothers was good too.
Did a day trip to the Bird and Reptile parks and also Bali Zoo. Easily fit all three into a day - but I don't have kids tagging along, so that may make a difference. I'd been to all of them a few years ago so it was really just to see how much had changed, and also to get out for a day. The bird park seems much the same. Loads of lovely birds to look at, and quite hot there. The reptile park seems to have gone downhill slightly with a few empty displays this time. The zoo is undergoing more renovations, which is good to see. Much cooler here than the bird and reptile parks as it got a bit of breeze.
Another day trip, yesterday, to Pura Besakih. My first trip to Bali was in 1994 and this is, I think, my 15th trip? And had never yet been to Besakih, mostly due to all the bad reports I'd read about the guides and touts and such. I decided to give it a go this time as the reports seem to mostly say it's getting better. Went with my driver and friend, who brought his family along too - wife, 2 kids and his father. This possibly helped my experience as a bule, I think. We managed to drive all the way to the top carpark without any problems. Of course when I got out of the car, they tried to surround me with sarongs - I already had a sarong and sash with me, and for guides. My driver later told me that he told the touts I live in Bali and am married to his brother, so they backed off very quickly, lol. I did hire a guide though, who was very good. I was first taken to the ticket office and shown a book to write my name and nationality and to make a donation. Of course other peoples' donations were written in (all in the same handwriting, strangely enough) in figures ranging from Rp250K-600K, lol. As if. I'd been told ahead of time that Rp50K is enough, so that's what I gave. Of course, I wasn't allowed to write how much my donation was :)
As it was the full moon, and the first time my friend's sons had been to the Mother temple, they went off to see the Mangku and make offerings etc, while I was shown around by the guide. I'm quite unfit (fat) and it was about 32 degrees and there are loads of stairs... I mean LOADS! But I made it to the top, huffing and puffing a bit and red in the face, but it wasn't as bad as I'd expected. The guide explained about the different temples and what was in them, the Gods and loads of other interesting things.
After we were done he led me back to the carpark and I gave him an extra Rp100K because he'd done a great job with his explanations. He didn't ask for any specific amount but just said if I wished to, I could give him something for his time. I'm guessing he might have made a fuss if I'd declined, lol.
My friends were still praying, so I had a look around some of the market stalls and ended up stopping in one of the many warungs and having nasi campur for lunch while I waited.
On the way home, we went via Kintamani and stopped to have a look at the view. Plenty of people there wanting to sell sarongs, pens, jewellery - all sorts of stuff, but weren't as pushy as I'd remembered them in the past. A few people selling puppies. One lady had 3 small crates all jammed full of puppies - poor little things. Prices were Rp300-600K each.
Down to the last few days now and nothing much planned. A few last minute gift purchases. Probably a massage shortly. And of course, the much dreaded packing!
Thanks for reading :)