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Just Back Report

by

Tina and Trevor

September 2001
We flew to Bali Thursday 6th Sept and returned last Sunday the 23rd.

Flew Garuda, stayed at the Hotel Kuta Jaya in Kuta/Legian

HOTEL KUTA JAYA

When we first arrived we thought that the Hotel looked a little tired and the gardens needed attention. Our new wing room, which is a fully renovated room, was in a block of 4 downstairs and 4 up. Lovely front patio overlooking the gardens. Gardening works continued all the time we stayed there and the Hotel tidied up well. We watched a fellow up trees, hanging by his toenails with small tomahawk in one back pocket and hacker thing in the other, cutting away at the branches, maybe 8 m or so off the ground. They must not have liability claims in Bali!

It is a long resort, from Kuta Beach Road to the back lane, Lebak Bena St, and has about 134 rooms. The pool is at the front of the Hotel, with restaurant overlooking Kuta Beach and the lobby is at the rear.

The pool was lovely although maybe the water was a little warmer than we'd prefer. Enough pool chairs, and very slight problem with guests reserving chairs. Most tourists were from Europe, German, Swedish, Indonesian and Malaysia. There were a few Brits and about 10 - 20% Australian.

By the end of our holiday we found we would be very happy to stay there again.

MATAHARI DEPARTMENT STORE

Bought room supplies there and lots of Revlon makeup. Great buys (about half the price as in Aus). We also found that the local shops usually charged about the same for beer and water.

When I walked out of the Matahari I heard someone yelling, 'Teeeeena'. I looked around and found Nikki, the nail girl from Bakungsari Ave, whom we'd met in 1993, 95, 96 and 97. We hadn’t seen her for 4 years and she wanted to know if Trevor was here with me, and had my 3 children, whom she'd met in 93 come this time too. Oh what a memory.

INTERNET

I used a relatively quick service in the lane off Melasti, at the rear of the Kuta Jaya. It cost 150rp per minute. We noticed that the cost of Internet was 500rp per minute in Poppies Lane 1. The computers had MSN Messenger as well.

TAXI

Only took the light blue taxis so always felt we had paid the right fare, plus a tip. Their flagfall is 3000rp.

On our trip to the airport on leaving we offered a white taxi 20000rp and he gladly took it.

ACCIDENT

One morning we noticed a rather new looking 4wd wedged down in the drain, all the way to the roof on the drivers side, out front of our Hotel on Kuta Beach Road. It had happened overnight and the driver was not injured. (The locals watching said he drunk or he go to sleep??) Two tow trucks attended. One was of reasonable size and the other was like a light beach buggy. They eventually wrapped a chain around the car and pulled it up out of the drain, them left it balancing precariously at the roads edge. Ages later they got it to the other side of the road and promptly left it there. Next morning the tyres were off and Trev said they had removed the diff. That afternoon they worked at pulling off more bits (the owner was around watching the work) then by the next day the shell was removed.

SAMMI and SUZI’S

We wandered down to their Forum Bar most evenings. What a truly delightful couple. Sammi would always warmly greet Trevor and I and hand us our cold beers or diet coke, whatever, in stubby holder oh course.

Business was often quiet around 4.30 to 5 and Sammi would delight in sharing with us his plans for dinner - small hard-boiled quail (?) eggs, 'bisnis no good tonight'. If business busied up a bit and the profits looked like they were improving maybe he'd stretch to baby lobster. On a good night, with a crowd of 30 or more, his hands would stretch wide to show large lobster for dinner or maybe suckling pig! One night business was so fantastic, he considered closing the bar and heading for America for holidays, on the profits! Meeting Sammi and Suzi was a joy.

If we left late, as we often did, Sammi supplied a torch to count up our empties (all stashed under our chair) and light up our wallet to find the right cash. No problems, you pay tomorrow was fine!

At stumps, Sammi would drain the ice water from the large cooler which holds 40 small glass bottles of beer, coke, fanta etc, help lift it with Suzi, up on to Suzis head, and she would hike up the beach to the store room, no hands, just balancing there. Seeing was believing. Too heavy for Sammi!

As we left each evening, Sammi and Suzi both say farewell and 'Thank you for coming'.

We met Roo Ted and Jean, Phil and Rhonda, Chezzman (Chad and Jacky), Waynesworld (Wayne) and VicBitter (Rob), Dr Daz, Butch, Tracy, Wim and possibly others I've forgotten.

TOOTSIES

Stall 28 at the Sindhu Beach market, one of over 100 stalls.

We caught a taksi to Sindhu Beach and walked along, with escort (I take you to my stall...). Found it easily, as the numbers on the stalls are easy to find.

We found it great value and totally no stress buying. Spent heaps in lot less time and didn't have to battle for each buy.

Met NorthWest Aussies there too.

MANDI LULUR

Saw the Melasti Street Spa and Beauty Salon, in Melasti Street, so, since we had such a pampering at Body Works last trip, thought we'd go for one with the lot.

Trevor and I both were booked in for 2 hours then they encouraged us to have a full facial each as well, oh well why not. Cost 190000rp each for the 3 hours.

We were both ushered into the same small room with twin beds. They lathered and rubbed our faces, scraped, relathered then massaged for ages. At about 30 minutes in, Trevor was ready to call it quits, facials were not for him!

We were then accompanied, by two lovely ladies, down to the end room. Two beds, larger room, with bathroom. They massaged us for an hour then coated side one with a mixture of sandalwood, turmeric, herbs and spices, left to dry, then they coated the other side of our bodies. Not a pretty sight. Trevor maintained we had been basted, ready to be put onto the spit. They came back and exfoliated our skin by rubbing off the dried paste. Next we awaited the yoghurt-coating but they didn't do that! Damn, wasn't in the brochure either when I read it later.

The treat was still to come..............we had been asked if we wanted to bathe together in the flower filled bath or separately. Hey, what the heck, we were happy to go together. Well if you can try to image, our previously basted bodies, lounging back in a bath. Oh how sensual! Not! The bath was a smaller version of the old Aussie bath. I chose the slanted end, and generously gave Trev the taps and bits end. I got in and the flowers came up to the top of the bath, then with us both giggling, Trev lowered himself into the water.

Bloody hell, water overflowed and the floor was filled with red rose like petals and water. The taps stuck into his back and shoulders and we nearly drowned laughing so hard. Trev decided it was best if he got out. I stood up and showered myself and lathered up with liquid soap to try and get rid of the pasting paste. We dressed and left.

Lesson to be learnt........go back to Body Works next time............don't wear white undies as the basting stuff discoloured them mustard!

RASPBERRY CONCENTRATE

We had taken a bottle of Sunraysia Raspberry Juice and a Bramble Farm Raspberry Concentrate and if either of us had a tummy gurgle, we took a 10ml or so shot and no further problems. (The Bramble Farm, brambleb@bigpond.com )

GARUDA

We usually fly Garuda and once again the service was great. I like to start our holiday once we board the aircraft in Melbourne, having Indonesian staff on board. Food was fine and we departed and arrived on time.

ULUWATU

Wayan Merta was not available at short notice so we took a bemo from the Hotel The driver was very careful and drove safely and spoke quite good English but we still found it difficult to ask some questions and get a meaningful reply. Hadn’t been there for some time and since we had heard that the surf was up, we thought we'd go down and have a look. The steps and areas around the temple had changed since we were there, so we found it interesting to see the change. We had taken off our jewellery so the naughty monkeys would not steal from us. Trevor carried the cucumber bags and I took heaps of photos of him carrying monkeys on his head and shoulders. No harm done. We still love the view from the cliff edge.

Had lunch at the Uluwatu Resort, above the surf and it was outstanding. The accommodation and pool in the setting there looked idyllic,

The countryside was dry and barren almost desert-like. The capok trees were in blossom so looked like they were full of white birds.

AMED

Wayan Merta took us there for a day trip. We left about 9 and it took us a good three hours, through Ubud to get there. It was amazing the way the countryside changes when you travel such short distances. We stopped and took photos of the rice paddies, corn, peanut, sweet potato and chilli crops, rolling down to the waters edge.

Amed is lovely and almost untouched. It was very quiet. Saw a few hotels that looked like they would have been good to stay in. The waters there are calm and clear. We intended to snorkel was encouraged to scuba. They did a full medical first, prior to diving...got one head, 2 feet, appears to be breathing....fine.

We each had our own Balinese partner diver. The ladies balanced our air tanks on their heads as they took them to the boat. Underwater the fish life was the best we'd seen in Bali and the water was the clearest. A lot of colourful fish, starfish, plants and some coral. Although Trevor tells the story that at 90m underwater I swam towards him and reefed his air hose from his mouth and swam away laughing, I tell the story very differently. We were diving about 7 or 8 m down and I accidentally knocked his air hose and didn't realise what I'd done till we surfaced. You believe whomever you wish!

I asked to Wayan the next day how many kms to Amed from Kuta. He said it's a long way, probably 90k. So that means we averaged 30km per hour. They pay 1500rp per litre for petrol.

EXCESS BAGGAGE

Oops, we (ok, I) had 71kg, 21kg over our limit. The fellow in check - in in Bali said we had to pay $US10 per kilo. I said we didn't have enough cash. He asked how much we had, only about 90000rp plus departure tax cash. I said I would have to use my credit card (knowing they only wanted cash). He lowered to excess to 15kg overweight, I remained calm and said that we couldn't afford that (?) please could he help... I didn't get far at all. I then said to give us back our bags and we would lighten them. We took more hand luggage, went back and re checked in and no problems. Gee I was pleased that I didn't accept the initial excess charge.

That's about it I think.

Bye from us, Tina and Trevor

 

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