Bali 2012 - Part One

So as you may know I have just returned from beautiful Bali.

I have 8 days of post's for you, so I will break them up a little to make it not seem soooooo long.

I want to set the scene a little as this was not a whole family holiday and I'm sure your thinking why?

Every year my extended family from Perth go up to Bali around October. It's pretty much the only time I get to see that side of my family as we are in Melbourne. This year my sister, from Adelaide and her family were also going. A rare treat!

As you know I'm currently on maternity leave (almost finished mind you!!) so money has been very tight this year. So when I heard of the annual Bali trip with the inclusion of my sister I really wanted to go. I knew we couldn't afford it...Very Sad :(

But my lovely husband surprised me with tickets for my daughter Emelia and I to go!!! Amazing...yes! And poor hubby spent his holidays in rainy old Melbourne with Baby O.

Oh and he had another couple of surprises for me in Bali. It was my birthday just before we left and I got 2 envelopes. One with Day 2 written on it and one with Day 5. You will find out about them below.

 I am a very lucky girl.

So that's the back story now here is our fabo trip.

DAY 1

We flew Garuda out of Melbourne at 9.55am. I just want to saw how far this airline has come, amazing inflight service and I will be flying with them next time.

Arrived Denpasar around 1.30pm. Emelia got off the plane and said "wow, can you smell that mum?" and I said "yes...that's Bali". Anyone who has been to Bali will get what that means. The airport has changed so much in a year, its looking great.

We walked outside to find our driver from the hotel, Jefry (that's how it was spelt on his business card). So off to Bali Garden in Kuta we go.

Drive was not as long as I thought it was going to be. It was wonderful to see all the familiar sights and landmarks.

We checked in with no problem (booked through Agoda) and straight up to our room. We got put in room 377, this was a deluxe room over looking the ponds and where you now have breakfast.

Emelia the poser!

Looking off our balcony. Breakfast area where the white umbrella's are.

After we had a quick look around the room Emelia requested we get in the pool. As we headed down we ran into my cousin and his children, was great to start seeing the family already!

So off we went for a swim and my first Bintang (of many).

We then headed down to the beach where we have our favourite beach bar - Rudi's Bar. This is where ALL the family meet up for the first time, again SO good to see family and friends. Another couple Bintangs and then it was Turtle release time.

Baby turtle's about to head into the water.

Many of you probably know about the Kuta Turtle Release program - here is some info. It is a great experience for the kids and Emelia has been lucky enough to get involved a few times now.

 

Off you go little one!

So after a full on first half day I decided to show my sister and her family a cool local eatery. They loved it so we ate there, super cheap, very delicious and very entertaining antics to get you to eat at a particular Warung.

Dinner Time!

My sister's family

Eating it all up...must be good!!

After dinner we head back to the hotel and crash out!!!


DAY 2

Woke at 6.00am, as you do! Went for a walk down the beach then headed to breakfast. The breakfast is full on, so many choices from Indo to Western no one should ever complain.

We always bee line for the pancakes and they did not disappoint. YUM!!!

Yummy Pancakes!!!

Today was a bit of an Adults Only day. My lovely Aunty and Uncle watched ALL the kids (about 12 in total) while we all went to Potato Head for lunch.

This place is amazing – the location, the food and the cocktails…oh the cocktails!!! It is a pricey day but well worth it. I had a Club Sandwich and a Prohibition Ice Tea, and then I think a Pina Colada in the pool. It was that good of a day I don’t even remember what I paid for anything.

After lunch we headed back to collect our kids. I had one very tired and sun burnt child, so off to the hotel for a rest and some aloe vera.

Tuckered OUT!!

 After Emelia had a little nap we headed back down to Rudi’s for a sunset drink.

We then headed to Stadium Bar for dinner. This place has really nice food. We had a Mee Goreng, Satay, 1 Bintang and 1 Choc Milkshake for 194Rp. 

Chocolate Milkshakes for ALL!

Another great meal.

 *Day 2 Envelope from hubby - had in it a already paid for Massage at the Hotel's Spa for 2.5Hr....bliss!

DAY 3

Woke early again, but headed straight to breakfast.

Banana Pancakes...YUM

I decided the first couple days had been all go, go, go so today was going to be a day of not much at all.

So after breakfast we headed straight for the pool where we stayed for a few hours. Then we headed to Matahari to do some light shopping (this trip was more about being with family then spending). We then headed back to the hotel for lunch and another swim.

Emelia and her friends/family

So much pool fun.

Ahhh..down time

View from the pool bale

Lunch. Nasi for Emelia

A REAL quiet day!

Then it was time for the beach bar to watch the sunset and have a few drinks with everyone. I even had a foot scrub and Emelia started her tradition of eating as much corn as possible.

It's the simple things in life.....

That night for dinner we all went to Mozzarella’s (Jl Padma). This place was probably the best meal and place I went to this trip. The staff were amazing, the food and drinks amazing! I could not fault anything.

We had Ribs, kids Fish Fingers, 2 x Cocktails (buy 1 get 1 free), 1 x Sprite and the 3 scoops of ice cream all for 270Rp.

All the kids at dinner.

Can’t stress enough how great this night was. Make sure you go there for dinner!

DAY 4


Finally a sleep in...well 7.30am.
We headed to breakfast, then had our morning swim (so many kids here this year, the mornings were quiet and total bliss).
Then over to Centro for a little look around and to buy some wooden spoons etc for back home.

Then it was Bali Dolphin time. I booked this back home via their website and it was truly amazing. We were picked up at our hotel at 12.30 then taken to Sanur where we got briefed and then took a boat out to the dolphin pens.
I was worried Emelia would be scared and she was at first, bloody hell I was too, Rick our dolphin weighed over 40kgs and was bigger than me! But after about 10 minutes she was fine. These kind of experiences with animals we cant get back home and it was just fantastic.

Off on the boat to pens

Dolphins pens

Rick and I

Emelia having a little touch to start with.

Bye Rick

So after 40 mins in the water we are taken by boat back to the beach where we had a quick shower and drink and fruit (all FREE mind you). Your not out there too long either, its just perfect. The drive home did take forever, so think it was around 4pm when we finally got dropped at the hotel.

Its hard work playing with dolphins

Once we were back, we headed down to the beach for our family catch up and sunset drinks. We then all headed to Bubba Gumps for dinner. Not sure the price of dinner, but I had Calamari and a Massive Margarita and Emelia had a kids meal and frozen coke. All I do remember was my drink was 3 times the price of the meal and worth it!

Here comes a great sunset!

All the beautiful kids at dinner.

So that is it for the first half of our trip. Second half to come tomorrow!