We ventured to Kuta on Wednesday by catching a ‘Grab’ car - much like an Uber - for a fairly modest fee! My goodness, I think it is 43 years since the last time I was in Kuta, and even found the hotel I stayed at for a month…I’m thinking in 1982! I was hesitant to go back to the area, and for good reason. It looks nothing like the idyllic island paradise it was. When I was there, I stayed at Legian Beach Hotel and we would walk into Kuta - eating at roadside cafes for breakfast and shopping a what were little more than carports with clothes/goods on tables. The road was dirt. It is now tarred, there are huge shopping centres and restaurants across the road from the beach. There is traffic, and shop upon shop offering fake goods one after the other.
As I was walking into a shop, this lady walking out said “Vickie?” And I looked up…instantly recognising Danyelle Scrivener from Uni days! We had a lovely chat and vowed to keep in touch…hopefully not in another 30 years from now! It just goes to show you can be anywhere and there could be a connection just around the corner.
There was a collective sigh of relief when we returned from Kuta to Nusa Dua…the pace is very much slower and quieter here!
It absolutely poured with rain later in the afternoon which meant our outdoor dinner and show - Balinese Fire Dancing - was cancelled. The replacement was some traditional Balinese dancing in the Hotel’s ballroom, with a barbecue dinner (of course Balinese Style). Unfortunately V3 was not well and retired before dinner and the show, so it was V5 and the girls who had a little fun……I must say that V4 and Short Sommer did some good interpretations of Balinese dancing on stage!!!
On Thursday, we all went reasonably seperate ways….V4 to the Pool, V5 and Long Summer to Seminyak; and V3 and Short Sommer to the Day spa. Rest, relaxation and pampering were the order of the day! However….first order of the day was a little photo shoot courtesy of the hotel package we had taken. It should have been outside in the gardens, however the rain which started Wednesday night continued on until late morning so the shoot was in the lobby area of the hotel….still a quite spectacular backdrop to a few laughs! Good memories were made and captured!
Tonight we booked into the Tepanyaki Restaurant as a treat to celebrate V3’s 30th! Agus, our Tepan Chef prepared prawns and filet minion on the tepan barbecue, along with fried rice, and barbecued vegetables…..it was delicious but so filling! The dinner was topped off with the staff presenting V3 with a birthday cake and candle while the whole restaurant sang ‘Happy Birthday’. A fitting last dinner as we are off to the airport tomorrow night.
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| Balinese Dancers…with impersonators! |
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| A visitor on the verandah |
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| View from the room! |
