Wednesday 5th.
Day 8
I got up early this pagi with the thought of striding out along the beach path and checking out the coastline before it got too hot ....it was hot.
It felt like it was over 30 already at 6:30 and the humidity would have been right up there in the 90's. The sun was full on along the path at this time of day too....phew.
There were a few other walkers and joggers out and about huffing and puffing too.
Lots of really nice properties with lovely gardens along this stretch turning right from the front of Griya.
I was very glad I'd thought ahead and put my bathers on prior to leaving earlier. Steam rose from the pool around me as I waded in and I floated around blissing out for a while until all my adventure thoughts started to gather again and take a hold.
The boys were up and getting ready when I knocked and tummys were A'Ok thankfully.
The rooms we had were in the newly renovated block which were nicely appointed but you want to be on familiar terms with whoever you share with or you definitely will be, by the end of your stay!
You see the bathroom consists of a translucent box in the corner....a bit odd I thought.
Sometimes it can be challenging enough sharing digs on your holidays with all the sounds and smells of the morning ablutions without having ghostly images to add to it!
Breakfast wasn't included in our booking like ours friends had, so we 3 went next door which was nice. Dining on the beachfront , it's pretty hard to beat.
My sons aren't exactly morning people though....
We found Sanur to have a really relaxed , chilled atmosphere about it ...lovely.
Although on returning to our rooms any thoughts of chilling peacefully were thrown out the window and over the balcony. We discovered that there were major renovations happening right next to my room with the electric masonry saw due to run from 9-5 every day :0(
A good reason to hit the streets and take a look around Sanur. Man it was loud and enough to put your teeth on edge.
Nice location and room, bloody bugga about the noise!!
You seriously had to stand on the balcony with your fingers in your ears.
In a quieter moment after 5. From my room #213.
You can see the swim up bar and behind that is the restaurant.
So we took off to see if we could find Hardy's which we did and stocked up on incense in a huge bulk bag of hundreds for 10,000rp ! We also got some more sate blocks and some snacks and bits and pieces. I needed a knife to cut some limes for my G&T's and Luke had spotted a nice but bargain price meat cleaver he wouldn't mind. A bit like overkill for a lime but it did the trick.
We made it back to the hotel in time to see the girls off on their trip home.
Shaz getting spiritual in the gardens of the Griya
which isn't hard to do in this beautiful setting.
Sarah and Jack in the foyer.
They had all had another wonderful holiday in Bali and fallen in love with Ubud this trip. Plans are already in the pipeline for 2 trips next year.
Not only does it feel wonderful to have introduced them to all the wonders and delights of Bali but to Jack also and he has looked after them well.
It's comforting to know when you're waving friends and family off that they are in safe and trusted hands, as I was to do twice more in the carpark of the Griya the next day.
The garden pool
I wandered around in the garden (back) section of the hotel in the peace and quiet. Taking some snaps.
Macro setting on my camera, I love you.
I checked with Admin if there was any chance of moving location and after a bit of tooing and froing they came up with one other option for the next night. They took me for a look at this room that was in the old beach wing directly opposite our block and the other side of the pool. These rooms are very dated and the girl that was showing me couldn't even get the door open ...I wasn't sure I even wanted her to .... there was an overpowering smell of mould even standing in the hallway. No thanks I'll stay put and only think of relaxing in my room, outside the hours of 9-5, after all I was only there for 2 more nights.
We had all discussed it and thought that we would probably have been happier at the Hotel if we hadn't been spoilt rotten at the 2 Villa's we had stayed at prior.
The boys even balked at the idea of sharing the swimming pool now.... I tried the whole," in my day all we had was a sprinkler and a muddy puddle to swim in " but they didn't budge.
I met up with the Hari's on the beachfront and we went for a stroll ( Sanur is great for strolling) and a looksie at Tootsie's and whilst they were having more of a look I struck up a conversation ( though it was probably she that did the strucking) with Sonia who had a shop next door Tootsie.
I had a nice chat with Sonia and her Suami about how they had come here recently and had been farmers closer to Ubud . We talked about our sons and had a few laughs ( not at the boys expense I swear!). We all got something nice from their store. Sonia and most of the stall holders around Tootsies, will do fixed price also.
We took the back way out of the lane and made our way up to the main road from there, checking out stores as we went. Josh got a couple of nice wood carved buddha's which he bargained for but still found them at half the price at Hardy's that afternoon. You get that.
I took myself off to the beachfront when we returned , picking up the pace when I walked past the construction site that was my room.
I met the boys and enjoyed a cocktail and a manicure from one of the beach ladies Lisa. She and her friends have the booth immediately right of the Griya (looking at the beachfront).
She endeavored to help me with my Indonesian lessons but alas I do much better when I can read it as well as hear it or I just don't retain . I appreciated her attempt though.
Again the paint job on my fingernails was a shocker (was having no luck with these) but I was loving my toes which I had gotten done back in Seminyak. Lisa wasn't impressed by them though, as the flowers were on the right instead of the left side of the nail which was very wrong, in her opinion.
Lisa and her friends hail from Java and do indeed have a different attitude and demeanor to the Balinese. Instead of the ready smiles and sparkling eyes, they tended more towards a smirk of derision and what was that in their penetrating stares...poisoned darts? Ouch!
Shell getting her hair braided by Lisa's friends.
These 2 obviously took a shine to Shell's sunnies as they made two very sneaky attempts at making off with them by throwing a towel over them , now you see them now you don't!
Shell had her suspicions though and was watchful. Both times they bundled the towel up with them inside and went to move it away Shell retrieved them. She also had the uncomfortable feeling they weren't being too complimentary about her when talking amongst themselves ( I hate that feeling).
Hmmmmm keep a watchful eye on these ladies and your belongings.
It was after 5 by this time thankfully and I changed and swam for awhile before we headed out to dinner. The Hari's had continued walking that afternoon and were pretty tired when they returned.
They had spotted an Argentinian restaurant on their travels that they were keen to try so that was our destination. They had a good band and the food was pretty good too ...from memory :0]
Now, I've got the getting older bit down pat but the getting wiser part seems to be eluding me.
#1 + #2 delicious frozen Margheritas..nice and relaxed , happy, friendly.
My sons had gone back to the hotel after dinner. So with reckless abandon (and no fear of shaming the prodgeny) I moved on to -
#3 leads to great enthusiasm, clapping (sometimes above the head), grooving in the chair and some singing along.
#4 I've become friends with the wait staff and giving her a massage and free advice (she actually has severe spinal issues,poor thing so painful specially waitressing) I gave her the # of a chiro in Legian I hope she called
At this point we became friendly with a group of lovely Oz ladies and expats and I'm on the dance floor with some persuasion doing my hippy type/psychedelia moves. We had a really good time and some laughs.
When the band finished for the night the Hari's and I moved up the street following the sound of more live music to a nice little bar. It had a great band and we found out later that the lead singer was in the final 3 of Indonesian idol. Pretty good set of pipes.
#5 had me doing the pogo to Blondies "Maria" ( thanks Shell for reminding me what song it actually was )
I may of made my presence known a little bit here but I think most peoples focus was more on the spectacle that was happening beside me at the bar.
A 50 something guy and his companion a pretty blonde Teen who were having a very serious tongue joust or maybe he had dropped something down her throat and was earnestly trying to retrieve it (with his tongue) .....yukky!
#6 and I was launching into body combat moves whilst waiting for a cab. It was raining pretty hard and when we had waited for ages and the lovely manager was leaving for home she very kindly offered us a lift. What a Sweetie she was.
We got home around 2ish I think, after having a great time.
Shweet dreams sHari's....
I returned to a peaceful room though I don't think much would have disturbed me that night.
Shelamat Maaaalllaaaam
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