Off to paradise we go
Trip Start
Jul 29, 2010
1
6
Trip End
Aug 03, 2010
Where I stayed
Sanur Beach Villas
Sanur, Bali, Indonesia
Thursday, July 29, 2010
After an early start to the airport we found a car park easily ( thank goodness as it looked like it was going to rain) and made our way to the airport. Expecting long queues but luckily enough there was none so we got straight through. A coffee stop at Dome and we then headed through Immigration. As always I got 'randomly' chosen to have a bomb test.
Plane left on time and the flight was really good as it is only 3.5 hours it is almost like going to Melbourne. As we were in the front seats we were 3rd off the plane :-). Taking Leonie's advice we walked very quickly ( well as fast as the Nana legs would go) turned the corner to get our VOA ( visa on arrival) expecting a long line and there was NOONE there. So we got that then headed to the Immigration line, this was a little longer ( we had 4 people in front of us) filled in our paperwork while waiting, went thorugh Customs and were out the front of the Airport 20 minutes after landing. ( Liz you will be happy to know we did not need to bribe any officals to do so :-).
Walking out the front we were confronted by hundreds of people waving signs with people's names on them... but not ours :-( so we walked around trying to find Adi. A lovely young lady from Far East Tours, asked if we were ok we explained we were looking for our driver and kept going. She saw us later still looking and said she wanted to help us, so said she would ring the hotel to find out where he was, apparently he was at the Airport so off we went again in search of our missing driver still no luck so the lady agian rang this time giving me the phone to talk to Bloody Ron. The plan from there was to theng et a taxi, I walked over to my Ron to tell him what was going on and would you believe a man walked up next to him and help up a sign. Our driver was no longer lost, a quick look around to find the other 2 passengers and we were off to our hotel. So finally after getting out so early we left at 2pm.
On arrival we were greeted warmly and taken to our room. This is a traditional style Bali Guesthouse, very small so only about 10 rooms and 2 Villas with a pool through the centre. It is very quiet and off the beaten track but very nice. Our room was all done out woth hibiscus and frangipani flowers on the bed and the bathroom has only 3 walls so you are under cover but have a courtyard garden, take a bit of getting used to sitting on the loo almost being outside but very nice.
Once settled we decided to head to Kasumas on the beach front for lunch. The beach is about a 5 minute walk from the hotel and there are a variety of different restaurants along there. It was beautiful eating on table in the sand with a lovely cooling breeze. Our hunger sated we decided to head back to the hotel for a swim, so we spent the rest of the time swimming, sitting by the pool and reading... an ideal way to spend our first afternoon.
We had organised to meet my friends Heather and Bernie at Bonsai in Sanur at 6pm so when we realised it was 5.30 we thought we had better get moving.A quick shower and change and out the door, got a taxi as it was about a 30 minute walk to the restaurant.Thinking the Taxi Driver would know where we were going we soon discovered he knew all the back streets and nothing looked familiar at all eventually I saw a sign for Bonsai so asked him to stop. Then the real fun started, first Ron tried to pay him and he kept saying 'oh no old money', then he counted up 50 000 rupiahs thinking they were 5 000s it was so funny. Our driver had no change so Ron had to dash in to a Money Changer so we could pay him eventualy we were free of our debt ( about $2.00).
We followed the signs and found Bonsai, this is a restaurant on the beach front (again dining in the sand) at the back of the restaurant a re hundreds of bonsai trees of all sizes and ages all sitting in rows ( it is an awesome sight). We started the night with a cocktail.. a Pina Colada served how it sohuld be in a pineapple with frangipanies and leaves all around (this is the life I could get used to it) it was lovely sitting enjoying the company and the cool sea breeze. For dinner ( ok you know I can't not talk about food) Ron had a Grilled Snapper done in Garlic he really enjoyed it as for us girls we all had the same thing, fish marinated in balinese paste wrappedin a banana leaf with rice and vegies, it was very spicey but I really enjoyed it.For desert Banana Fritters and icecream( more fritter than banana but nice enough) and Ron had Creme Brulee it looked more like just custard in a bowl with cream but 'it was alright'.
We then went for a wander to Heather and Bernie's hotel. It is a huge complex that takes up about 1 km of beachfront both lots of bars and other things to choose to do.We thne ehade dto their reception to get a taxo home to our hotel. One driver offered us a lift but wanted 50 000 rup but Ron bartered hard and the man decided not to take us up on his offer. We then got a normal Bluebird taxi after waiting for 15 minutes and it was only 30 000. We sat by the pool me with my sore feet saokng int he water then headed to bed ending our first day in paradise.
Comments
Hi Michele.
30 000 seemed alot for the taxi, did he have his meter on? You know that on that main road, jalan Tamblingan, you can jump on old green bemos for a couple of thousand rupiah each. Maybe 5000 each tops.
I am not sure where Rons place is from that road but perhaps it's walking distance once you are out , perhaps they even go there? Ask Ron what it should cost in a taxi.
Glad you are there and enjoying......I could do with Bali at the moment and am so jealous.
Keep having fun xxxxx
It wasa from one end of Sanur to the other and he had his meter on. We did have a Bemo experience which you will see in yesterday's blog
yesterdays blog? Didn't you only just arrive?
I knew that was going to confuse you, I was writing Fridaysblog ( on Saturday) when I wrote the reply hence the yesterday
Enjoyed reading your JBR. stayed at rons last year and had a lovely time. thanks for the memory