Selamat Malam Bali

It's my last day in Bali. 

I had a quiet breakfast at Petitenget, read the paper and enjoyed the bustle of the morning traffic. They make great coffee there, apparently locally sourced from the hills of Mt Kintamani. 

I met up with a few of the crew and taxied into Kuta to visit Anton, a shoemaker who had made some great shoes for a friend on my last visit. He took measurements of our feet and collected the pictures of what we wanted. We paid half as deposit and will wait to see how they turn out on Friday (well, M will pick them up and let me know the verdict). Anton is friendly and a pleasure to deal with. 

From there we caught a taxi a little way up Jalan Legian, and then shopped all the way back to the villas. We didn't buy much, but it was fun to look. 

It was another hot, blue day and the afternoon called for relaxing in the pool. 

I left the villa a little earlier to go to the airport via Kuta, to buy a watch we'd seen the day before. Traffic and wandering people made for slow going, but I found what I needed and was at the airport 15 minutes later. 

The airport is new, but unfinished. It's a huge step up from the original, and will be nice when completed. They've employed a good balance between modern and traditional architecture. 

Unfortunately my flight was cancelled due to an ill crew member, so I was transferred to a Jetstar flight via Sydney. This wouldn't have been so bad except that the Jetstar flight was 2.5 hours late arriving in Denpasar. Luckily I don't have to work or any place to be tomorrow, so can be relaxed about it. 

I was given a pass to the Premier Lounge, but it has limited facilities, and I assume that the permanent one is under construction. 

I really enjoyed my trip to Bali. The locals are friendly and helpful and very pleased that we bring our tourists dollars to Indonesia. The restaurants were all excellent, from service to food to cocktails and wine. 

A Shopping Day

This morning we met for breakfast at Petitenget, a French cafe just a block from our accommodation, with air conditioning! Breakfast and coffee were excellent. 

Dom and I caught a taxi down to Kuta to check out a few shops that we remembered from last visit, and then walked and cabbed intermittently along the main street, checking out interesting shops and stalls. 

We found Anton the shoe maker, who crafted great shoes for my friend D last trip. 

There were many more shops to look at but it was very hot, and beer and a cool pool were calling, so we headed home to hang out with the others. 

The staff at Ku De Ta were very agreeable and gave us a beach front table to enjoy the tunes and sunset. 

The food at Ku De Ta has been excellent this trip; both the fine dinner that Dom and I had the first night in the restaurant and then the grazing menu tonight that we shared. 

Day trip to Ubud

Today we journeyed to Ubud. Six of the 12 made the trip, in a minibus organised by Leepy, who has connections here in Bali. 

The drive took an hour and a half on the way up and an hour home again, through villages and flower and rice fields, with large mountains looming through the haze in the distance. We passed communities of artists, sculptors, roof tile makers, farmers. 

We arrived before the shops were fully open so stopped for breakfast at one of the restaurants. The market near the palace has been completely rebuilt in the two years since I was here last, and it seems a shame to me. Previously it was a warren of stalls in darkened (cool) doorways, and now it is a series of two story buildings, with stalls in and around. 

We wandered down the street, in and out of the shops, over the crooked pavement, pausing for refreshment at the restaurants with rice paddies in their back yards. 

At lunch we tried nasi campur, Babi guling (pork), calamari and some excellent chicken satays, all washed down with cold bintangs. Food is definitely not expensive in Bali unless you eat at the elite restaurants. Even then it is reasonable by Aussie standards. 

We passed the monkey forest without going in, and up past the slightly groovier shops, including my favourite handbag stop 'Sisi'. They sell beautiful full-grain leather handbags for around AUD70, as well as fine silver jewellery and lovely cotton tote bags. 

I really enjoy looking at the traditional architecture of the buildings in Ubud. The doors, gates and gables are ornate. 

We had been told about Mama San, a cool restaurant/bar by one of our colleagues, and so set out by taxi to have a look. The taxi drivers so far have been amiable and helpful. It's only a couple of dollars each trip as our villas are quite central in the restaurant and shopping scene. 

We were the only ones in Mama San, perhaps as it was early on a Monday night. We sat upstairs in the bar in leather armchairs and chatted to the bar staff. 

Dinner was ribs at Naughty Nuri's, with martinis shaken with ceremony by the lovely staff. 

Eating in Seminyak

At the suggestion of Mandy's friends who are frequent Bali visitors, we tried a few new eateries today including the famous La Lucciola and Potato Head. 

La Lucciola is an open two story restaurant very close to our villas, and next door to the Pura Maceti at Petitenget. They serve a wide variety of breakfasts, all tasty, excellent coffee and refreshing juices. Great view of the ocean. 

Potato Head is similar to Ku De Ta, but newer and more relaxed. Where Ku De Ta is black, chic and cool, Potato Head is white, retro and funky. 

It has a large swimming pool and a fresh-cut grassy hill for lounging. 

We had made a reservation (there were 12 of us) at Chandi, one of the girls' favorite restaurants and were treated to an excellent dinner of Indonesian fusion and inspirationally designed cocktails. The staff were wonderful, and happy to look after all our needs. 

After my previous trips to Bali where we stayed a long drive from Seminyak, it's been lovely to be able to walk or catch a $3 taxi ride to the restaurants and shops. This is definitely the place to be. 

Both our villas (Cicada) and the ones up the lane where the rest of the party are staying (Sentosa), are luxurious, comfortable and spacious.  

Bali Getaway

Today we're departing for Bali; Denpasar, Indonesia. It's a short holiday to celebrate my dear cousin's 30th birthday with her friends. 

We're flying with Virgin Australia on a B737, a 6.5 hour flight. I've come to really enjoy daytime flying. I find it less tiring and more interesting than night flying, and no longer mind missing out on a day/half day of holidays to do it. The view of the Australian earth crossing Queensland and the Northern Territory is quite awesome. 

We had no problems checking in or getting through immigration. We were given an express pass (note to people following: you need one pass per traveller!) by the check in staff, but the normal line was just as fast this morning. 

We organised our duty free, including the pick-up-on-return and our airport staff discount (10%), and enjoyed the convenience of the Air New Zealand lounge. We've been Virgin lounge members for years now but you can't access the international lounges unless your are a gold or higher frequent flyer. I made it to gold this year and love the priority check in and boarding lanes. 

We departed on time in beautiful weather. The flight was smooth and on time until a little late vectoring by air traffic control! We were bussed from the aircraft to the new, unfinished terminal, where we paid USD25 for our 'Visa on Arrival'. When we first visited you had to have the US cash, but now they accept other currencies. Quick trip through immigration, and out to hundreds of people holding hand-written and printed signs, waiting for people. We found our man, Agun, and went out into the Balinese afternoon. 

The trip to Seminyak took 25 minutes through steady traffic. There have been a few improvements to the road system since last I was here, but they're still masters of fitting way more vehicles side by side than there are lanes. 

I am so pleased to be back in this fabulous place. It's such a mixture of old and new, traditional family life and tourism, poor and luxe. The constant is the lovely Balinese people. 

Our accommodation is fabulous! A one bedroom villa at Cicada in Seminyak, tucked away down a quiet lane. We have a private courtyard with plunge pool, lounge, dining and kitchenette, bedroom, outdoor shower and bath. Breakfast each day and even a massage is included in the USD200 per night rate. 

We had a refreshing swim and then headed out on foot to a bar/restaurant we liked last visit - Ku De Ta. It's such a treat to be able to walk to the beach and the restaurants. Seminyak is definitely the best place to be based. 

The sun set into the Indian Ocean as we enjoyed a superb dinner with great service. So nice to be back. Fireworks lit our way back down the beach to home. 

The Tree Top Walk

Six years after our initial attempt to hike through MacRitchie Reservoir and the Tree Top Walk, we finally succeeded! 

We took a taxi to our nominated start point (there are a few to choose from, depending on how far you wish to walk) at Venus Drive. It was a beautiful day, hot and blue. I was grateful for the complete shade of the interwoven canopy above. 

The walk started gently enough, but good walking shoes are a must. The track was wet and muddy in places even though it hasn't rained much during our stay. 

The path alternated between water-rutted earth to well maintained wooden decking to road base. We climbed over 1000m in elevation during the 7km walk. The jungle steamed around us, which was quite spectacular to see. 

There were monkeys, squirrels, monster ants, a snake, butterflies and brightly coloured dragon flies. 

The view from the suspension bridge towards the reservoir was fabulous. We were hundreds of feet up in the air, but the tree tops were still far above our heads. 

At a certain point the polite wooden path disappeared and became clay and mud and rocks. We started to see people in army fatigues to go with the canon fire we'd been hearing for some time (the reservoir is next to the rifle range). They must have been doing an exercise, but it did feel a little strange - a bit 'Tomorrow When the War Began'.  

It was a great adventure, but very hot and tired, we were grateful to find a taxi at the end of the trail. A happy coincidence, seeing as there wasn't much else out there. 

Straight back to the hotel pool! It was 41 degrees today, which is unusually hot for Singapore. 

Lunch at the food court at Ion Orchard, a last look at the shops and then back for a rest and packing. We'd paid half the daily rate to stay in the room til 7pm - it makes it so much easier to pack and get ready. 

The trip to the airport was in heavy traffic, but check in, a breeze. We wandered the concourse until departure time. 

We left on time but arrived a little late due to unseasonal headwinds. The immigration and customs process is improving at Gold Coast Airport, and we were happily on our way less than an hour after landing. Parking was around $20 per day. 

Evening

Tonight we set out without a true plan. Suntec City was the first stop, to check out a few stores. 

Strangely, I have bought very little this trip. I think it has been our recent exposure to the USA with an amazing exchange rate that is my issue. Everything is more expensive here than in America. Still, it's fun to look. 

We walked through the pleasant evening to Arab Street and Haji Lane in Little India, hoping to see what these places become in the evening (we're usually visiting around 10am, when most are just opening for the day). Arab St was closed up, but Haji Lane did not disappoint. Interesting shops, bars, eateries and several hookah bars, with lounge beats floating into the street. 

Optimistically, we decided to see if one of our favourite restaurants, 'Platters', on Ann Siang Hill (Club St) was open (Monday).  Happy to find it was, we settled in and shared some tasty iberico chorizo and Serrano jamon, French Brie, warm baguette, lamb cutlets on ratatouille, and sensational pork belly, Asian style. Lovely wines by the glass, and very personal service. 

Sentosa

We set out this morning for Macritchie Reservoir and the Tree Top Walk.  This was our second attempt to do this walk, the first being several years ago when we were unaware that the Tree Top section is quite a few kilometers walk from the park entrance. We'd already walked a several miles from the MRT and I was struggling due to recent surgery, so we abandoned the attempt. 

At breakfast I re-read the brochure looking for our starting point, to see that it wasn't open on Mondays! 

We caught a taxi to Sentosa instead. I hadn't been to Sentosa since I was ten years old, apart from the cable car station. 

Sentosa has been completely rebuilt since those days. Resorts World, including Universal, and a casino now occupy a large portion of the island. There's a free light rail between the mainland and several island stops. There's a free bus service around the island, and there's a causeway access for vehicles. When I was young you could only reach Sentosa by ferry or cable car. 

We enjoyed wandering around. There's a large Merlion here - quite majestic compared to the original at Marina Bay. The beaches were a nice surprise - clean sand and water, with funky bars and lounge beats peppering the morning air. It looked to be a great place to hang out in the evening. 

Fort Soliso was closed for an event today, but it certainly seems worth a look through next time. It is old British Empire defence post, now a tourist site. 

We returned to the hotel pool which was nice and quiet after yesterday. It's nice to see the same staff each day, especially when they're so helpful. 

Let's drive a Ferrari

Today is my Husband's birthday. For as long as we've been together, we've holidayed for my birthday. Finally this year, we decided we should long have been doing the same for him. 

Yesterday, the hotel sent up a cake, with a candle and matches. A great touch. 

We slept in a little and then ordered our customary pot of coffee, delivered by a friendly Kevin. Having enjoyed yesterday's breakfast so much, we (sadly) googled the chain and headed out to our nearest one for breakfast. It was fabulous again.  

We wandered up Bras Basah Road in the morning heat, enjoying the sunny weather. 

After a look at the shops in 313 Somerset (a quiet, newer centre with a good food court on the top level) we caught the train back downtown to the Marina Bay Sands shops. 

We had lunch at the food court there - very busy on a Sunday! I had Hiananan Chicken Rice (rice cooked in stock with roasted chicken pieces, cucumber and a fabulous chilli and garlic sauce) and Dom tried their Char Kway Teow, a dark soy sauce and chilli coated flat fried noodles with shrimp and cockles and tofu. 

Then it was time for Dom's birthday present - a drive in a Ferrari F430 Spider. I'd purchased a 15 minute drive on the F1 track through a company called 'Ultimate Drive' which operates out of Marina Bay Sands Hotel. 

First, thanks to my lovely wife for organizing the drive, it was a fantastic experience. It was a little daunting in the beginning, driving someone else's $450,000 car through the crowded streets of Singapore! Once on the road all concerns were forgotten, carving through the traffic with that glorious exhaust soundtrack!! The car was surprisingly easy to drive so the tight and windy parts of the F1 track were great fun. I'll have to check the video to see how fast I actually went. I highly recommend it for a special occasion treat. Fantastic!!!

We walked across the bridge from Marina Bay to our hotel, entering via one of the shopping centers that connect to the Pan Pac, and headed for the pool to cool off. 

There's been a hockey tournament on in Singapore during our stay, with our hotel fully occupied. Many of the players and their families were at the pool this afternoon. 

During our walk through the Marina Bay Shoppes, we made a booking for dinner at a French restaurant. I also found another restaurant that I'd had noted in my 'Singapore' page on my phone for awhile now - 'Cut' by Wolfgang Puck. It looked fabulous, but unfortunately had huge price tags attached. Another time, perhaps. 

The DB Bistro by Daniel Boulud was an excellent choice. The staff were wonderful - attentive, knowledgable, engaging. I tried the escargot, served in a froth of garlic and parsley! The gruyere puffs were delicate and delicious. 

Dom ordered New England Casserole, which was served in a large earthen ware dish, filled with fish, prawns, clams, muscles, and spicy fennel sausage. He was very happy. The recommended wines were lovely.