Friday the 13th, May 2011 Trip

Part 1


"Departure day and 3 days in Seminyak."


Friday the 13th


I had been working on another good reason  ( I need one of these to entice my husband away from work) to visit Bali since our  last trip for my husbands birthday in Sept.2010
I had run the idea by him of a May trip to celebrate "Our 30th.year since we had first looked lovingly into each others eyes"  without much response.
Around a month later I was checking the 'Virgin' site and the tickets were a great price and my timing was much better when I suggested it next and the flights were booked the following day. A month or so later over some festive drinks with our neighbors it was decided they were coming along on our next adventure and a week or so later our Bali party consisted of 6.
Coincidentally the other 2 couples were celebrating their 30th. wedding anniversaries this year also, so it was to be a romantic trip all round.
So, off we go with our neighbours Geri & Lance and our new friends Shaz & Karl (neighbors rellies). My 5th. trip and Rob's 3rd. the others had never had the pleasure.
Our schedule - 3 days in Seminyak, 6 in Lombok which we had never visited but had admired from afar on a trip to Gili Trawangan and 3 in Ubud.

Mini bus pick-up was a great idea.

Arrival at airport all good my bag 'the freight container' already over ! – The Virgin girl was very friendly and claimed my excuse of carrying all the toiletries is one she has heard a few times already today and used often by Mum's (even when the kids are left at home). I requested to have no one seated next to us but she said' no go' as it's a full flight and no seat choices as the computer has already allocated. Very happy to find we have a vacant seat next to us (she may have worked her magic after all)…makes a lot of difference when travelling cattle class.

Ahhhh then comes duty free let the purchasing begin! Took a while as the young assistant made a blue and had to delete all the transactions and then re-enter  as she hadn’t included discounts worth $120. Very apologetic but I was happy to wait , considering what I’d normally be doing .

Time went quickly pre flight and the actual flight must have had a head wind as it took the scheduled 5 hrs. when others I’ve had average 4 and 20 from Adelaide. It took quite a bit of personal control to restrain myself from running up and down the aisle, waving my arms about whilst singing Bali,Bali,Bali !
Ahhh  beautiful Bali. Through airport in 20 minutes flat I reckon beating the usual 2 hour wait...Even got a bit of a smirk from Immigrasi  this time around (what the!).  I again accidentally forgot to put my very large handbag through the scanner oops, no one noticed ..again!

Out the doors (gee I love that moment so much I actually dream about it ) and we met Kadek , lovely young guy who was our transfer to the Villa. We used him as a driver on a couple of occasions, nice big van that all six of us fitted in comfortably with luggage. 

It was really great being a part of the Bali introduction for our friends and I knew it was going to be alright when 'L' commented on the way to the Villa that he wanted to move to Bali ! We got Kadek to stop at a money changer the BMC in Seminyak the most professional I had ever experienced. On coming out I spotted the Bintang supermarket and had the brilliant idea of popping over there for some necessaries, so everyone piled out the van and we all walked over  and Kadek was going to meet us in the carpark.
It wasn’t until about 10 minutes later as my mind climbed down a little from it's Bali High I realised I’d left my handbag with passports , all USD accom money, my jewellry etc. sitting open right next to Kadek on the front seat. Foolish! Bloody Foolish! Stupid!! Thank goodness he’s an honest guy. It really could have been a costly mistake and ruined the trip for us from the get go!

                                                    On to Villa Cinta... the villa of love!

                                                                                  

    Decided to order in pizza for dinner as the guys were happy to float around in the pool.


I was just chomping at the bit to get out the doors. I always seem to hit the ground running in Bali!
The girls joined me as we went in search of a massage that didn't eventuate that night as we checked out a few places and none could fit us in. We just wandered up and down Dhyana Pura it was quite late by this time and the night clubs were taking it all up a notch. Whilst walking past one that had a lot of boys in hot pants jumping around touting out the front one called something out to 'G'. With a horrified gasp she turned to us and said "did he just ask if I wanted to see his donut"? Turns out he had said "do you want to see Maddona"? It was hilarious and the 'dancing boys' thought so too. We returned to the Villa not long after this for a swim and a night cap then off to bed after an exciting day. Our first night of what was to be the funniest trip to Bali so far. I usually wander around Bali with a Cheshire cat grin anyway, we had a lot of laughs this trip, with our easy going company.

Saturday 14th.

We didn't take the Villa up on the cooked brekky offer as thanks to the forums and all the JBR's I had been reading I had a list as long as your arm of fabulous local restaurants to try and was the reason I wanted to stay in Seminyak this time around.

A quick call to Kadek and he dropped us at 'Zanzibar' the reviews were spot on with this one and we all had an outstanding breakfast. For me fantastic cinnamon/banana pancakes, a fruit salad (which I didn't manage to finish) and my customary Bali pineapple juice just love, love, love this and only in Bali. The American breakfast looked good and everyone was happy. There was someone upstairs on the balcony having a smoke and ashing over the edge to the restaurant below. 'K' copped alot of it in his hair and on his shoulder before we realised and got the guy to stop.

After breakfast all the guys had appointments with 'Yanto' after trying to reach Kadek unsuccessfully we walked up the lane next to the KP and found his place thanks to my 'trusty little red bali notebook'. The guys all enjoyed their treatments and we met back up with them after we girls had ourselves a mani/pedi at 'Spa Bali' that we had pre booked. Very professional salon and the girls were all lovely though mine did get a little rough at times. She actually caused a little damage to my heel when 'G' who is a midwife was explaining to them quite graphically what a placenta meant in English after she had come across Placenta soap in the Bintang Supermarket and bought some for her co-workers. Very very funny!  The Spa girls were familiar with the soap and used it and the lotion. The conversation about the hairy armpit look on women didn't help with my pedicure pain levels either!
After meeting up with the guys they headed back to the villa for a swim and us girls went off to Carrefor by
Bluebird. I got my simpati phone card here. I forgot about using the cheap code and used up all my credit in one call. Although this trip I finally got my head around the whole mobile phone thing and phone numbers ..I think. Calls are so cheap back to Oz when you use the code. We had a good time wandering the supermarket, I got the flippers I was after for our trip over to Lombok and the sate blocks I had heard so much about. We got lots of snacks, you've got to love the chip flavours and the peanuts ...awesome. I'm a big fan of the Strawberry fanta and the instant ginger tea sachets and the crackers.

We went to Mannekepis for dinner that night which was just ok we thought. When we arrived we were greeted by the owners which was nice and seated right near the kitchen (hot!) and  in front of where the band was about to start. On request we moved upstairs which was way better and had some nice fans helping the breeze cool us. Like I said the meal was ok and could of been really bad if 'G's' allergy to shellfish was a bad one as in the dim light she didn't realise they had brought her the wrong dish until her mouth started to itch! It would have been nice if the owner who was in attendance pretty much the whole meal had offered something for the error but that didn't happen. I don't think I'd return to this one. 5 of us hopped into a non-bluebird for the trip home and the driver tried it on for some money on arrival to fix one of his rear springs hehe...that didn't happen and he did overcharge dramatically for the ride..made the mistake of not agreeing on the $ first.
In too much of a good mood to get in a twist about it. Swims, night caps and snorkelling gear tested... zzz

Sunday 15th.

We got Kadek to drive us to La Lucciola for breakfast and farewelled him then as it was to be the last time we saw him this trip. Crikey I even started to well up...tsk. We will see him again next trip.

La Lucc wow what a place , we had visited on other trips for dinner but had never been in the day...loved it.

                               G&S washing their feet at 'LaLucc' after a walk on the beach.


We over ordered big time though. Would have appreciated a heads up on that from the wait staff. All the breakfast sides tomatoes, mushrooms, hash browns are more than enough for 2 people even, with 4 on each plate. We'll know for next time.

                                                             ..we will definitely return.

                            Funny coincidence that 'S's' berry granita actually looked like a placenta,
                                         after the 'Spa Bali' hilarity.... Wonderful breakfast !

From here our wonderful Jack (Gorgeous) picked us up. We found this driver a few trips back and have used him since. We were very happy to find that he has a DVD shop in Garlic lane now 'Jacky's' and that his business is evolving . He's a great guy who worked very hard for 14 years on the cruise ships and has a lovely young family, great personality and a prosperous future I hope. The others had the opportunity to visit his new home that has a set of cement stairs inside leading to nowhere at the moment ...the second storey will come when he can afford it...love the practical way they do things in Bali (sometimes).

We had booked Jack for the day and first stop, Seminyak square market which was just around the corner.. small but nice. Then to 'de' jewellry store on Raya Seminyak where I had spotted a couple of silver bracelets the day before and had decided I couldn't live without one for myself and one for my son. They are very original and created by the owner. The one for me hasn't been off my wrist since. I didn't look in this store for too long ...very dangerous!
Jack helped me source charge up for my sim card and then it was off to Garlic lane with a stop off at 'Ketut's fixed price' so the girls could get a handle on the cost of things...this took ages as there were many gifts for family and friends to be purchased. Everyone remembers there first trip and the shopping right!
The guys ended up at Sheppy's and after Ketut's I had to stop off and introduce my friends to Julie (July) at her stall that we have dubbed the 'Julie/Julie store' since one of our first trips. I came across her stall one day and she is just lovely I can remember feeling a little exhausted from all the 'in your face' selling and she has just this wonderful energy and one of those beaming smiles. We enjoyed each others company from the start.
When she asked me my name that day there was high excitement when it was the same as hers. There were hugs all round even after our first meeting and I got my initiation into Om swastiastu ( an honorary greeting which means 'I hope you'll always be safe and good with the blessing of god ) and Om shanti shanti om ( an honorary closure meaning ( Hope for peace, peace in the future, peace in the world, peace forever and always ) I love that....
On our following trip I met Juli's mother (Ibu) who could easily be 90 I think and has 14 children! I was surprised Juli remembered me and enquired after my cousin who I had been with that first time. It turns out I have my own little piece of wall where she has written my name and subsequent friends and family that I bring along to her stall. That list is growing , Juli always just asks what we want and if she hasn't got it she hot foots it around to her friends stalls and delivers the goods at good prices, saving the hassle of bargaining at all those stalls and I hope getting a cut for herself. I always give her extra anyway and have from the start...funny how you can feel these connections with people. One of the major draw cards with Bali, that spiritual energy is in the air often just hovering around you.
G&S had decided to buy their work colleges a sarong each 25 in total and it was mentioned to Juli. Within minutes a couple of guys had arrived on scooters with stacks of sarongs everyone was happy I think. Ibu hugged me around my waist on leaving, which was very humbling.
We spent some more time with Jack and he took the guys off to Carla spa for mani/pedi and then came back to the Villa with us girls so we could organise what we were going to leave with him for safe keeping whilst we were on our trip to Lombok 'the freight container' always stays with Jack when we go further afield and a lot of  G&S's purchases stayed with him too.
After chilling out in the pool we had dinner at LaSal which was in easy walking distance of the Villa. No lights and a resident dog pack gave me the heebie jeebies a bit whilst walking in the lane back though. LaSal wasn't anything to write home about either unfortunately, I really expected more after the reviews. Our waitress was lovely and a gem. It was back for our usual swim and night cap and a little bit of organisation as we were off to Lombok in the Pagi.