A little exploration and celebration

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.

Balinese Dancers…with impersonators!

A visitor on the verandah

 

View from the room!

Sun, Surf and Shopping

 Tuesday today…..we ventured to breakfast which is plentiful and very relaxed, and then to the pool area.  Bagging a line of 6 day beds, we parked up for the morning.   V5 went for a quick surf, then V4 and Short Sommer took some boards out.   They were too far from shore to get any decent photos, but all said they really enjoyed it and the water temp was incredibly warm!

A swim in the infinity pool, books, chats, drinks and some lunch kept us busy for a few hours.  V5 and Long Summer went exploring to the local Shopping centre - the Bali Collective.  The remainder followed a few hours later.  After deciding we didn’t really need anything we walked back to the hotel for a little siesta … garnering our strength for dinner.  

The weather has been fantastic.  It is hot (around 33 Celsius) today really is the only day we’ve had full on sun….up until now it has been overcast which has kept the sunburn a little more in check. 

The resort is very chilled….lots of very happy staff who are all eager to please and are very friendly.  There are plenty of things to keep busy….renting water craft (surfboards, jet skis, paddle boards etc), you can use a bicycle for a ride, there is a pool table, ping pong table, outdoor chess set, mini golf and then there are cultural activities in the main building - we spotted a shadow puppet performance the other day when walking by.  

There are water features everywhere, and koi and bird life abound - Short Summer was in her element at breakfast trying to identify the birds that were only metres from us as we ate. It seems like a little slice of heaven and very relaxing!

Water feature in the background behind two lovelies!

Yet another water feature…with bridges leading to the main pool area.

Fluorescent fish in the lobby!

Another little adventure begins

  Given it was two years since V1 left us, it was time for the V family to spend some time together to catch up….just chillin’ with each other.   What better time than to celebrate V3’s birthday - the significant ‘0’ birthday and after a little research, I couldn’t go past a trip to Bali.

We were due to leave on Saturday 22nd…but at the end of the day Friday, our short Sommer discovered she couldn’t get a visa as her passport was less than six months until expiry!   V3, Short Sommer and I went into problem solving mode…..lots of hours on the phone to various supports departments and another flight was booked for Monday afternoon….after a wait on the doorstep for the American Embassy to open 8 am Monday to apply for an emergency passport!  

V4 was on call all weekend and was not able to join us until Monday morning anyway…..so V3, V4 and Long Summer and I flew together on Saturday afternoon - arriving in Denpasar that evening….and stepping foot in the resort around 9.30 pm.   

We have four rooms at the Ayodya Resort in Nusa Dua.  It is quite spectacular - a grand pagoda above a lake greet you as you drive to the reception.  The reception building is traditional Balinese style - terracotta steep tile roof - open on many sides to allow air flow.  The package was an all inclusive - food at the resort restaurants and all day drinks.  

We tried the Waterfall restaurant late on our first night, and have had breakfast there twice….all fairly good in that Asian style.  Tonight we will eat at the Beach Bar and Grill down by the beach.   

This morning, after a walk on the beach (very unsuccessfully as the sand was way too soft), I attended a Yoga class and have discovered that 5 years without yoga classes means that I am back to square one with flexibility….so I’ll be researching what is available at home on my return!

Today is Monday….Lucy arrived and we both booked in for a 2 hour traditional Balinese massage (Rp850.000 total).  V5 and Tall Summer had a massage in another spa, and V3 in the resort spa….so we are all feeling rather relaxed this afternoon as I write this.    I suspect by the time Short Sommer arrives, after we’ve had a few drinks, it will be a rather chilled evening!

No plans for the next few days…we are just playing things by ear.  V5 and Tall Summer have been the most adventurous so far with a trip to some local shopping precincts and Kuta…having discovered how cheap taxi’s are!