Hi forumites.
We have been back in Cairns for four days, still miserable.
Bali trip number seven.
We had an interesting experience on departure from Bali of a frisk search and hand luggage check at the boarding gate, everybody was searched, boys in one line girls in another. It was a very long walk from the entrance to gate nine our departure gate.
Highlights; finally being able to locate a fixed price shop, Diannes. Getting my teeth done at 911, four crowns and a root canal, $1400, in two visits, spending more than one day in Ubud (5), discovered lots of new favourite restos, eating freshly caught fish bbqd on the beach at a cafe on Anturan Beach. Swimming in a pristine pool on the top of a mountain up on the north coast after a bus ride to put the Lleyland Brothers to shame. Went to Sanur for the first time in thirty years, love it. I spent quality time with my sister and my daughter. Got some nice handbags. Didn't get Bali belly. Or sunburn.
Lowlights; ate some really hideous meals. Had a couple of awful drivers. There are only twenty four hours in a day. That I didn't buy more handbags. Coming home.
I also have to mention the Kura Kura bus. It it very cheap and has, air con, wifi, phone charging power points. It travels from the main entrance of Galleria to Kuta, Legian , Seminyak etc. it is well worth using this bus to keep it going, costs about twenty thousand. We all got on at Galleria, paid our twenty thousand, rode around doing window shopping in air conditioned comfort through Legian, Kuta and Seminyak for an hour and a half then back to Galleria. Look out for it. It's got a turtle on the side.
One of the stops is at Waterbom.
Recommendations , if you go to Sanur try The Coconut Tree for dinner, go early.
At Oops, Ubud try the coconut chicken curry, not at all hot, unless you want it.
Also at Ubud try Clear, fabulous any time. At Kuta, El Rustico has great Mexican food, much better than other nearby places we tried.
Next trip we will bypass Kuta completely, a waste of four days we thought.
Reflections, I wish I took two cozzies, I wish I didn't take, well nothing really we have it down to a fine art by now. I wish I bought a stunning silk sarong in Lovina for three hundred thousand.
I hope it's still there next time!
I can't get back soon enough and to retire to Bali in a couple of years. T.