Arrived home last Saturday night. been a bit reluctant to post this jbr cause it means i am home and now have to count down again for the next trip.
I have never felt safer in bali. please, please go to bali if you are thinking about it. they are hurting so and they really need us. although quiet, the locals are saying it is starting to pick up just a little.
I enjoyed this trip more than any other. i spent lots of time with the locals, just talking and discussing the events of october 12 and afterwards. went to Sanglah hospital to donate some stuffed toys for the childrens ward. the feeling there was quite eerie, but it was well worth the trip
i went up to sembung to visit and meet with a boy i have sponsored thru the rotary club. this had to be the hi- lite of my trip. these kids have so little, their school is in a bad state of disrepair and the have little in the way of equipment or facilities. in saying that they are so happy, the smiles on their faces was incredible. it only cost $110 per year, paid here in Australia, and i felt quite secure in knowing that my money was getting through.
went to s & s, met kerry and milton from the Indo-National, and marathon man. the indo-national restuarant was absolutely brilliant, could not fault it at all. well done kerry and milton.
had a medical emergency with my travelling companion. we thought he had had a heart attack. so we rushed off to the bali international medical centre. they were fantastic there. my friend said he got better care there than in hospital in perth. after a day of monitoring, ecg, blood tests, ultrasound, he was finally released about 8.00pm with suspected galstones.
met up with balidi. Hi there di. she showed me her hotel, the nagasari, and i promptly book with the management for next year.
stayed at the Bali rani for the second time. i love that hotel, has to be my favourite. only reason i am not staying there next time is it is dearer than the nagasari, and i am taking my uni student daughter and i am paying!!
i found clothes had not gone up since last august, food (i only eat at reasonably priced places) very little if at all. dvd's down to 15,000. waterbom park on cost $26.00 this year compared to $31.00 last august.
i farewelled some friends tonight who are leaving for bali tomorrow and again i feel those pangs of jealousy. i don't think i will ever get it out of my system, but then again i don't want to.
cheers
jo