Paradise number 2
Trip Start
Aug 01, 2010
1
81
93
Trip End
Nov 01, 2011
Candidasa, Bali, Indonesia
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
We did not last long in paradise and soon set off to look for a more suitably paradise. Made our way from Jasri to Candidasa which is a slightly larger town but described as 'the classy alternative to the hussle and bussle of the southern towns'. It was very quiet for a major tourist town but beautiful. We had a look at a few rooms, some just out of curiosity, what do you get for $250 each a night???? We found a lovely hotel, friendly staff, two fantastic infinity swimming pools, right on the sea front and within budget. Fridge and TV in the room and a complimentary breakfast.
We soon settled in and unpacked yet again. The staff arrived with fresh orange juice and a basket of fruit to welcome us. Think we might just stay here!!
The TV is fascinating. Nothing in English except a film if you are lucky at about 9 at night. John and I have taken to making up the news!! You get footage and the country is not that difficult to work out and then we try to work out what has happened. The first day we turned on the TV and Osama Bin laden was on every channel, even kids cartoons had been stopped for him, so we asked at reception where they were all crowded around the small TV and confirmed that he was dead!! He had caused a lot of upset in Bali with his bombings here so they were pleased in a quiet, gentle sort of way, not the loud brash way that we were watching people in the States celebrating the death outside the White House.
The news programs can sometimes be a bit shocking here as they have no problem showing dead bodies. They are either still on the side of the road or in an open coffin. Suicide rate seems quite high as they normally show the bodies and the distraught families. Poison is a favourite so the bodies are not pretty!!
Our first night and went for a stroll to find a restaurant. Everyone thinks their restaurant is the best in the world and so had to run the gauntlet of restaurant owners trying to get us into their establishment. They all have 3 course set menus that cost about £3 as well as a selection of other things. Happy hour is between 16.30hrs and whenever………..
This is more our sort of paradise……..
We have now been here for 22days and have met some very interesting people. A group of ladies from New Zealand that have made us promise to phone them so they can show us around Wellington, loads of Australians making sure we don’t miss anything in Perth!!
Although the hotel has 60 rooms the most people staying here at any one time has been 12. The world economic slowdown is hitting tourism hard and even though you can fly from Australia for about £50 return it is painfully quiet. Maybe people are also concerned about getting on a plane at the present time.
The staff all think it is wonderful that we are here so long, and so does the restaurant owner in the most fantastic restaurant that we go to most nights. We both have a fab meal and a drink for a total of £6.50 which included a tip. We have also just discovered a place run by an Australian selling the most delicious burgers!! It costs 60p for an hour on the internet. A massage on the beach is £3.50 for an hour. This is budget travel at its best.
The staff made the mistake of leaving one of the posh beach bungalows open the other day so I took a peep!!! SATALITE TV!!!! Went and worked on the receptionist and explained that we were good customers bringing good luck and so we have now moved into posh beach bungalow for the last week. We even have a lounge. Just like home………
In the ‘calendar of events May 2011’ in this nice this village of Candidasa it is advising that on the 30th May at 12.00am ‘sacrificing a buffalo with sacred weapons’ sadly flying on Jet Star to Perth on Wednesday 25th May, so will miss that little treat, wonder what Perth will be like?????? EXPENCIVE and no doubt full of things trying to eat us!!
Comments
glad you saw Canbbera as have 6 cousins living around that area. xx