Well, we have been back a week so thought I'd best put our JBR together. About February I discovered the forum and them almost daily checked to see what was happenning. Like many others I became addicted to it. It is great to share with so many others that love holidays in Bali.Well, this was about our 14th trip. We started going in 1986 when there was just 2 of us. Now theres' 4 of us. Daughter almost 8 and son almost 6, both have been to Bali before. We wanted accomm around Legian so we stayed for a week at Garden View in a Family Bungalow and another week in the big rooms at Melasti beach Resort. Both were recommends from the forum. We liked both-Garden View was super friendly and in a great location, MBR rooms were spacious and there were lots of other kids around for ours to play with. They are always happier when they make a few friends. We would probably opt for MBR next time as the rooms were that bit nicer and it was really nice being able to sit out on the balcony and watch what was happenning.
For almost the first time ever we had some Bali Belly and my husband and son had the flu. We just took things rather quietly for quite a few days. We got some medi from an Apotik that really helped my daughters bali belly.The Pharmicist was exceptionally helpful(Garlic Lane).
We usually go to the beach most mornings. We tend to sit outside the area near Legian Beach Hotel. Which also happens to be where Sammi and Suzie are located. Well, the interesting thing was that when I first came on to the forum and heard about S and S it sounded familiar. I checked the site where the big photo of Sammi is and guess what...we had been buying our drinks from Sammi since about 1986!!! Back in those days Suzie sold us pineapples too, and they only had 3 daughters. I've been trying to find a photo from back then of Sammi, but havn't been able to locate it.
As usual Sammi looked after us, we sat up under the tree each time we went. You can't fit 4 people under one of the beach umbrellas with lounges anyway. The kids had a great time. S and S have moved to the right of the lifeguard tower as construction seems fully underway for a new tower.
The other great thing about being back to the beach was seeing if the same faces were still there selling and massaging. It has been three years since our last visit and last time many of the sellers had been concerned that they wouldn't still be able to work at the beach for a number of reasons. I was delighted to find them all there. I have been going back to the same ladies for over ten years. Well I had my daily massages with No1-Amy, bought lots of beads with Lisa and had mine and daughters fingernails and toenails painted by Karen. Karen also plaited my daughters hair before coming home and its still in 12 days later!! (I paid 40,000 massage 70,000Hair 20,000 Nails) If any body is talking to these ladies whilst a S and S please say Hello from Kym and Peter.
We did the usual whilst in Bali. We went to Waterbom Park early in our stay, which was lucky as it was then closed for eight days. We bought a 2nd day pass and used it the first day it reopened, which was only the day before we were due to come home. Second day passes are great value, about $28AU for the 4 of us. We always got there at 9am when it opened and managed the cabanas on both days. They are great for lazing around in as the kids go on rides. Its worth the effort of getting there early. It really surprised me on the second visit that when the park had been shut they obviously had had no water and many of the smaller more fragile plants had browned off quite a bit, they must have sent all the staff home too. We liked the Food court, there was a great selection of reasonably priced meals (15,000 chips to 35,000 for Papas pizza, aqua 3,000 small bottle). We actually took a few little snacks in with us as the kids got very hungry, most families around seemed to do the same. The other thing the kids really loved was Euro Bungy (50,000). Both thought themselves pretty clever to bounce so high on the trampoline with all the safety gear etc attached. Overall a great 2 days that the kids still are talking about.
Kym