At dinner today, we talked about our recent holiday in Bali (and the one before that) and made a list of our best and worst memories. I thought I'd share them with you as they are both informative and insightful, especially the ones of the kids...
Daughter (10 yrs old)
BEST: snorkelling in Sanur but best of all Nusa Lembongan - the Reptile Park especially holding a giant iguana and seeing a crocodile monitor - dressing up like a Balinese dancer - chips at Bonsai Café - shopping for clothes - practicing my Indonesian - hairbraiding - friendly people
WORST: pushy market sellers - horrible toilets especially Denpasar airport - Monkey Forest - Bali Belly - coming home
Son (5 yrs old)
BEST: eating banana pancakes on the beach - Timezone - snorkelling with Sudi - Timezone - incense sticks from my friend in Tootsie's - Playstation in the painting place (n.b. this was at a painting gallery in Ubud, some of the painters were playing on their Playstation and let him have a go while we browsed) - Timezone - McDonalds - geckos on the wall - brioche and bananas for breakfast - satay sticks on fire (n.b. if you have kids, you'll know what he means, they serve satay sticks on live hot coal, heaven to a budding little firebug!)
WORST: Monkey Forest - lots of walking - smelly money(!) - no Pokemon on TV - can't drink the water from the tap
My husband
BEST: the reefs off Sanur and Nusa Lembongan (saw a couple of rare fish species there!) - stone carvings everywhere, even a Ronald McDonald statue! - buying guardian statues at Batubulan - Reptile Park - Bird Park - sitting on the floor eating babi guling in a warung - the Balinese people: their way of life, their religion, their sense of humor - banana pancakes - heavenly passionfruit
WORST: Bali Belly - stray dogs - intrusive hawkers and touts - poor level of hygiene everywhere - dangerous sidewalks - smokers everywhere esp. Denpasar airport
Mine
BEST: babi guling - Honeymoon Bakery pastries - early morning in Sanur beach - the scent of frangipani after a rainstorm - the Balinese people: their gentle disposition and genuine love of children - supersweet bananas - stone carvings and temple offerings everywhere - the Bali Hai Beach Club in Nusa Lembongan - geckos and giant skinks at GBB gardens - great shopping at Tootsies and Matahari - mindboggling traffic, the things they can carry on motorbikes is amazing, from a wooden sofa to a 25kg whole tuna!
WORST: desperate hawkers in Kintimani, Klungklung and Tegalalang - leaving Bali