Our first 2 days in Bali

Thursday 12 September 2013

This trip was first planned while on a week's holiday to Hat Head. We had been watching the prices of the Garuda flights for a while now & finally they had come down a little in price. So we booked our flights & hoped the prices didn't come down any further. Lucky for us they didn't...

The 5 months seemed to drag by then finally it was only one more sleep. We set our alarm for stupid o'clock & were ready for the early drive to Brisbane airport. Our 8.40 am flight left on time & we were impressed with the service by Garuda.

Leaving Australia...

Kids meal

Gift from Garuda

Speculation regarding the new airport already open had me excited... I had been reading TA all week leading up to our departure & word was... that it would be open when we arrived. Very disappointed to see it wasn't. Oh well, not to worry... we were through in record time and our driver hadn't even arrived yet!

Our first stop on our 25 night trip is at Hotel La Taverna in Sanur for 5 nights. Our deluxe family room is spacious enough for our family of 4 with 2 queen beds, 2 bathrooms & 2 lovely porches - one only 30 odd steps to the pool. Love the rustic old world charm of La Taverna - not everyone's taste, but we just love it!

Love the way they make up the bed (with Sienna's teddies)

The first afternoon we lazed by the pool with a few cocktails while the kids played on the blow up sun lounges we brought from home. Hubby went off in search of a massage & I enjoyed starting a new book.

The kids were feeling hungry & since dinner was still a few hours away, we decided to order a pizza by the pool...

Some video footage of how far the pool is to our room...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmC4B5c8I50

Video footage of our room walking through to restaurant & beachfront...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xxKl1W3nNA

Video footage of the grounds at La Taverna

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvF1_TUMBtU

There was a wedding on the beach in front of our hotel & later the reception in Isola Restaurant - all decorated so beautifully.

Isola Restaurant

Breakfast area overlooking the pool

When Smitty returned from his massage, we enjoyed a cocktail on the beachfront.

La Taverna overlooking the beach

For our first night's dinner we headed off to the Art Cafe which is just a short walk south from La Taverna. Nice meals, the stand out being Jaycob's chicken sate - loved the satay vegetables on the side. We wanted to order the chocolate molten lava cake we had heard so much about, but it was going to take another 20 mins & by this time, we were all getting pretty tired...

Beef rendang

Fish in banana leaf

After dinner we walked down to Hardy's for some supplies & local SIM cards, then back to the hotel for some much needed rest.

Always have a supply of corn chips on hand...

Friday 13 September 2013

Friday, our first full day was spent riding bikes along the beach path. We rented 3 for 30,000rp each from a market stall holder just down from Tootsies... (didn't bother to crunch her down, happy with that price) and we can use them until 10am tomorrow.

The new Regent Hotel

We rode down past the Mercure as far as Sweet Magnolia cafe - lovely looking place to eat, but Hubby wanted to try Tities Warung. So we turned around & headed back to find it.

Sweet Magnolia Cafe

Had a nice cheap meal at Titie's with our toes in the sand. 2 icy cold Bintangs, 2 aqua, lumpia, Gado Gado, mie Goreng & 2 nasi Goreng all for 137,000rp.

After lunch, we had a leisurely ride back to the hotel & then lazed by the pool for a few hours while hubby went for some reflexology. Thanks to the gentlemen in the white swimming trunks, you have put me off meat & potatoes...

Hubby returned & I went to Koa Spa for a massage. Lovely little spa with a boutique selling gorgeous dresses & jewellery. Had a great massage with just the right amount of pressure. 3 choices of fragrances with the massage oil - I chose the cocovanilla, it seemed to sink into your skin, not leaving you all greasy afterwards.

After my massage I rode the bike down south along Jl Danau Tamblingan, stopping in any shops that took my fancy. The footpaths are not very user friendly for bikes, but it's so much quicker! Didn't make any purchases other than some sweet treats from the Bread Basket for afternoon tea.

There was a chocolate brownie too... but it was eaten before the photo was taken!

Dinner tonight was at the Three Monkeys...Beef rendang, java noodles - one with prawns & one with chicken, zucchini fritters with tzatziki & avocado, spinach, bacon, pine nut salad with parmesan plus 3 cocktails & a red - set us back about 850,000rp. Great meal while listening to live music from next door at Casablanca.