Jess and Al

Well we have had a lovely time in Sanur with Jess and Al. It's strange being on holiday with people as we have been away for a year but not 'on holiday'. We have had to re-train our brains to think actually it's ok to spend more than £3.50 on lunch, it won't bankrupt us, but it's a hard habit to break after being so careful with money for so long. So we are allowing ourselves to splash out and last night had dinner and spent £5.00 instead (it nearly killed us!!). I'm kidding, it's been brilliant to lounge around the pool, playing ping pong and chatting about stuff. Jess says it's like we have been in the Big Brother House, as we have no idea what's been going on England and that side of the world generally. On an evening we have been partaking in a few cocktails (and beer for the boys, and milkshakes for Sam) and then we go out for dinner. We are usually in bed by 10pm and feel really guilty about making Jess and Al go to bed so early (until we found out that they want to go to bed that early).

We have had a couple of touristy days. Yesterday we went to the water park and Sam, Will and Al went on all the rides whilst me and Jess found sun loungers and had a lovely massage, bliss. Then we showed them the delights of Kuta and all the crazy people trying to drag you into shops. Jess is tryingto get her head around the bartering system but hates it because she feels like she's robbing people, I keep trying to say that it's what they expect you to do, it's all part of the system, but she still hates it. Anyway, they are both relieved we are staying in sleepy Sanur instead of Krazy Kuta. Today we went to Turtle Island which is a turtle sanctuary. Some bits were a bit suspect, we went to one place where there were big pools of turtles, and you fed them sea weed but the people had you cornered and kind of made you buy souvenirs, it felt really awkward, but we bought something from them anyway, it was a shame because it took away from the experience of seeing the turtles and you didn't learn much about the conservation so I'm not sure just how much good they are actually doing, or weather it's just another way to extract money from tourists (but maybe I have just become a bit cynical.) After this we went to see a temple and that was brilliant because everyone had to wear sarongs...yes, even, Will, Al and Sam and they looked hilarious.

So it's been great having Jess and Al to stay. Next step is to look for some cheap flights to Singapore for our Visa extension, probably around the 15th July. Hopefully we will fly out and then back into Bali the next day.

Pic attached of Sam surfing in Balian.

Sanur

Finally we are in Sanur with Jess, can't believe they are finally here. They had a great flight and weren't too jet lagged when they arrived so we went to a warrung and had squid and cocktails. A drink I have been looking forward to for months.

Sanur itself is like a quiet Legian. Much more touristy than Balian but not as busy as Legian. The hotel is as you would expect. A big complex with two pools and a spa. The rooms are nice and big and quiet on a night time. We don't have breakfast included here but if you walk to the beach, which the hotel backs onto there is a walkway and this is studded with more warrungs. Breakfast in the hotel costs more for one person then for three meals in the local places.

Sam is super excited to see Jess and it was great for us because throughout the trip he has remained fairly quiet about his adventures and so we weren't sure just how much he had absorbed but last night we couldn't shut him up. He told them about the Macchu Picchu, describing the journey in great detail, and the time he caught a fish and cooked it and ate it himself in Dongorra, which is just North of Perth, and the time in Corindi when he learned to skate board and on and on...even the waitresses came to listen... and then he showed everyone the magic trick he learned in Nicaragua and told of the time he showed it to the Japanese surfing team. And me and Will thought, well, maybe he was taking it all in after all.

Today will be spent lounging by the pool reading books, playing table tennis and water polo and perhaps a spot of yoga.

Picture of our beaautiful balcony in the Beach House at Balian.