Beeeeeauiful Balian

We have now found our Balinese spiritual home. Balian is a small village with a long road leading down to the beach. It's the Bali we imagined. As yet unspoilt by Aussie tourists with plaited hair and bintang singlets. Along the road are a couple of places for surfers and surfing families to stay and these places are pretty rustic. We are in a house called The Beach House and it's beautiful. There is a loungw area with a nice little kitchen, a double bedroom with a really comfy bed with extra cushions and fresh flowers...and a single room for Sam with a very Balinese looking bed. It's like a four poster with a mosquito net around it. Then there is a gorgeous bathroom, with a stone walled shower and decorated Balinese doors. The place is a series of small, unique villas, they are run by a couple and the staff are all super friendly and want you to feel like family... it's gorgeous. There is also a flat screen telly and a DVD player, so whilst me and Will go for an hours yoga session with Maureen, Sam watches a DVD in the house. The walk to yoga is also lovely as we walk through the fields and past a few cows to get there.

Balian is like El Zonte (our favourite place in El Salvador) this is because it's so quiet and beautiful. It's like Bali used to be before the tourists came and I'm surprised more don't come here (but very glad they don't.) The beach itself has mellow waves which roll in all day. The beach is black sand and surrounded by cliffs. There are fishermen on the beach and kids playing football barefoot...we tried to get Sam to join in but he is in that embarrassed teenage stage at the moment and won't go over to play.

So we could stay here quite happily until it's time to leave Bali...give us this over the 5 star hotels any day...still we will make the exception for Jess and Al when they get here... although I know they would have loved it here...Sam is till counting the days...only 10 to go.

Bali time...

Ohhhh....now I get the hang of Bali....now I understand. The reason that there isn't much to do in Bali is because there isn't any point in doing anything in Bali. That's not why people come to Bali. Bali is not about tearing around in a car to see the sights. It's about lying on a beach and then strolling along to a local cafe to buy a drink. It's about watching the ocean whilst gentle music plays in the background. It's about self indulgence and massages and reading books and smiling at people. And once you understand that, you understand Bali.

It's a different time zone to anywhere else. It's a place where you have to lose the watch and the urgency and kick back and relax and I can now proudly say that I am on Bali time.

Tomorrow we leave Legian and head to Balian Beach. I feel semi naked as we have handed our passports over to a guy in a visa place in order to get a visa extension. Handing your passports over to a guy who looks about 12 years old and who says 'yes, come back in 10 days and your visa will be here...oh, and your passports' is a little unnerving. Especially because this is Bali time and so 10 days could mean absolutely anything... but as I said, I'm in the Bali frame of mind now and so I'm not too worried, I mean they have to show up at some point....don't they??

So, this is just a short blog because I'm far to relaxed to write much and think I may have over exerted myself with all this typing so I'll just head back to the room for a little lay down and perhaps when I fell up to it a cocktail x

The future

We are now out of 5 star luxury and after a confusing day of driving to places we didn't like much and checking out hotels which were either fully booked or way too expensive we now find ourselves back in Legian in a small hotel called the Sari Beach Hotel. It's about 100m from our last hotel in Legian but is a completely different experience.

The Sari beach is a small hotel amongst big resorts. It has 24 rooms decorated in a Balinese style with small gardens attached to each room and sweet Balinese gates. That's the word to describe this hotel. It's very sweet. It's run by Balinese people and the best thing about it is that it backs directly onto the beach which means you can avoid the chaos of the main roads and the traffic and the people trying to drag you into shops. Obviously that's still there but you only see it when you choose to. So ourdays here involve a breakfast (chocolate pancakes) followed by schooling and then a walk along the beach, possibly a surf, reading/films and then a nice meal in a warrung. I'm not sure it's enoughto keep me occupied for too long but it's ok for now.

That's the thing with Bali. In the other places there were lots of things to see and because we had transport we could explore but here we are a bit stuck in the places we end up and the only option is to wander the streets, but they are so busy and filled with people and cars that it gets a bit overwhelming. We can't really rent a car because it's just not the best way to travel and most people hire bikes bus seriously they look lethal.

Our next stop is a small place called Balian Beach. Again it's a quiet area but I think a little bit more the true Bali and here we should see the rice fields and I understand we can hire bikes to get around whilst we are there. The place is a family run hotel and I have a feeling we are going to like it there. But what we are all really looking forward to is the arrival of Jess and Al. For Sam it's like Christmas and he is counting down the days until they arrive. Trying to make the time seem shorter, 'Well we don't count today and the day they set off so that's only 15 days to go...oh, and we sleep for half of it so that means that we can half the time again....' you get the picture. So we are all looking forward to the 20th.

Between now and then we are going to Balian for a week and then we have to come back to Legian to get our visas renewed for another 30 days. Then we have 6 days and then over to Sanur for two weeks with Jess and Al. Then we are booked back in at the Sari beach as the lovely Vallenders will be here from Australia and then we have to fly out of the country and back in to get a further 2 week visa renewal....and then we will be heading home!!! God the time is just flying by and I think the next few weeks will whizz by. People keep asking if we are looking forward to coming home and I think we are, we are all looking forward to seeing friends and family (and horses) and have lots planned for the future.

Am sat writing this in a cafe with Indonesian music playing in the background. I think it's called the Gamelan. The beach is right in front of me and the usual palm trees, umberellas and blue skies...actually although we are looking forward to coming home it might not be long before the novelty wears off!!!

Pic attached of me and Will in infinity pool, arty pic taken by Sam with fountain of water in foreground!!!

Birthday boy

Yesterday was Will's 30th birthday... For my 30th birthday the best thing in the whole world was being able to ride my horse, after all, who would have believed he would still be around when i turned 30...and looks like he'll still be around for my 35th!!! yay.... anyway... for Will's 30th birthday his dream day would be surfing Uluatu, eating his body weight in food and lounging in an infinity pool overlooking the ocean...oh yeah, and maybe a complimentary foot massage thrown in, and perhaps an Uluwatu T shirt to remember his amazing day... and perhaps a photographer on hand to photograph him pulling into a barrel (see attached photo, one of many!!)... and perhaps this could be topped off with a few Bintangs as the sun goes down.... well guess what, this was how Will spent his 30th birthday, it's a hard life!!

So we have just spent our last evening at Blue point as we head off tomorrow. This really was the most amazing deal, we ended up paying about £15 each per night and of course we had the free room upgrade to the two story villa which should cost £200 per night...unbelievable. It's also brilliant having the Warungs winding down to the sea to take you back into the real Bali every day.

I was chatting to a guy at the pool yesterday who thanked us for staying at Blue Point, I explained that this was a luxury and that we were eating in the Warrungs to save money and he said that was fine because all the money from the Warrungs goes back into the village so everyone benefits if we eat locally which made me feel better. I think they share all the money around the village and are very pro tourism.

Anyway tomorrow we head to Changgu or maybe Balian which are spots up on the East coast. I spent about a million hours (only slight exaggeration) trying to find us an equally brilliant deal and eventually came up with another Villa, 2 story, this time with 2 bedrooms and a view of the ocean...but Will says we should wait until we get there and see what we can find!!! Grrrrrr it's so annoying spending hours on the internet trying to find places to stay only to be shot down at the last minute (deep breaths).

Tomorrow Nyoman, the lovely driver, is picking us up from the hotel to drive us the 2 hours to Changgu. Not sure if I said before but this is how tourists get around in Bali, you pay a driver and he will take you from place to place. Nyoman drove us to Blue Point and we will use him to get around whilst we are in Bali as it's the cheapest option (other than a moped which looks lethal) we will also use Nyoman for our day trips when Jess gets here Yay!! Can't wait for Jess and Al to arrive.

So, will update from new place (wherever that may be (hopefully the place I found)). In the meantime enjoy the picture of Will's 30th birthday wave!!

Ketchuk dance...

Well we are still living in the lap of luxury and our day goes roughly as follows. At about 6:30 Will gets up and goes for a surf, which is a 5 minute walk down the cliff to the sea. He has to paddle out through a cave and then over lots of coral reef until he gets to the wave. I wake up in our gigantic bed about 7:30 and do a bit of yoga and whatever needs doing on the internet (if we can get access). I usually do this on our terrace (see attached pic).

Will gets back at about 9:00 and we get Sam up and go for breakfast in the amazing restaurant which overlooks the sea, the cliffs and the infinity pool. Breakfast is a buffet and consists of: Bacon, noodles, rice, chicken, pankakes, cinnamon toast, freshly made omelette's, chocolate croissants, other pastries, fresh juices and coffee. Me and Sam usually have a selection, and Will ususally has the lot! Then we walk back to the hotel room, through the gardens with gorgeous flowers with amazing colours and past the natural pool (which is just outside our room and noone goes in so is like a private pool!). When we get back Sam does his school work (see picture attached) and Will has a rest/reads etc.

Then we head to the infinity pool where Sam spends the next couple of hours, mainly underwater. We think he is practicing his swimming and holding his breath, but he says that he is checking out the ladies bums!!! After a while Will goes in for a second surf ans about half an hour later Me and Sam wind our way down the cliff path, past the small stalls selling T-Shirts and into a warung which overlooks the ocean. We order a jaffle (which is a toasted sandwich - usually to share and have bacon, honey and peanut butter - I would prefer banana but Sam won't have it and insists on bacon!!) we also have a fanta and a coke and the whole thing comes to 40,000 rp (£3:00). We sit here and play cards and watch Will surf for an hour or so.

Then we head back to the pool for a short while and end the day with wither dinner and a bintang beer or a cocktail. Last night we went to the Uluwatu temple to watch a dance at sunset called the Ketchuk Dance. The temple is also set on the cliff and the dance is a nightly ritual. You are taken through the grounds and have to remove all accessories as the huge monkeys which wander around try and grab them. Then you go into a small circular open air area and sit on seats around the edge. A man comes and lights a huge candelabra and then as the sun goes down, 70 men with red, tropical flowers behind their ears use their voices to create an orchestra. A dance is performed to their voices and masked characters come in and out of the arena. It's more of a play than a dance and at the finale a circle of kindling is placed around one of the characters and set on fire, the wind catches it and for a second you think that perhaps you will go up in flames, but the barefoot dancers kick it away and the story goes on. There's no way that would passs the UK health and safety test. The dance itself was ok...it was a bit odd...it's meant to call up spirits so the 70 guys all look possessed and for a minute I wondered if my Nasi Goreng had been drugged. But it was worth seeing anyway.

Off to breakfast now

Faaaabulous Daaaaahling....

This is a big one so you may want to get a cup of tea and pull up a chair.

We arrived at the hotel and were given a tropical welcome drink as we checked in. 10 minutes later me and Sam sat in the infinity pool looking out to the ocean, and watching Will surf it all seemed worth it... the travelling, the crap places we have stayed, the night in Nicaragua spent with the scorpions...and now here we were as close to paradise as we had ever been. We were actually in the pool passing time until our room was ready and it wasn’t long until they called us.

We followed the porter through windy lanes, passing natural swimming pools, beautiful statues etc and all the while I thought, they are taking us to some shabby room at the back of the hotel but never mind... and then the porter took us up a couple of steps to a pair of double doors. As we walked in there were two largish beds with mosquito nets draped over them. Further investigation showed a TV, dressing table with hairdryer and a glass sliding door. Through this we found a huge, gigantic bathroom with a fabulous power shower, a jaccuzi bath and all the fun accessories. There was also a rickety spiral staircase, ‘Is this ours?’ Iasked the porter. He nodded and so me and Sam plodded up the stairs to a very small terrace – ‘what’s behind the door?’ I asked Sam. Gingerly we slid back the door and this revealed a massive terrace with a table and chairs a chez longue (is that how you spell it?) and a sink, complimentary water and tea and coffee...seriously we thought we had died and gone to heaven. There was one small problem you may have noticed, we only had two beds.

I walked back to reception and asked the man behind the desk about it...’Ah you have to pay an extra $30 per night for another bed.’

‘No I think you’re mistaken, I have the confirmation here and it clearly states three people.’ I waved the computer at him.

‘No you have to pay $30 for an extra bed.’ I could see he was not going to budge,

‘Ok’ I sighed ‘Well, we will just push the beds together then and all sleep together.’

‘Ok’ .

I wandered back to the room and we shoved the beds together. We had got a great deal on the hotel so I wasn’t too worried if we had to share the bed and once they were pushed together there was quite a lot of space. Then a though struck me and I checked the breakfast vouchers...Shit, they had only given us vouchers for 2 people. I stomped back to reception waving my vouchers and my confirmation. What happened next is too tedious to go into, but ended up with me rowing with two people on the desk, the head of the restaurant and the booking officer and speaking to the Balinese and the UK office of Agoda who we had made the booking with.

‘We have never had this problem before’ said the restaurant head.

‘Seriously, you have never had a booking where people have had a confirmation for three people including breakfast and then they arrive to find they have to pay an extra $30 per day even though their confirmation says nothing about it?’

‘Oh yes, all the time but usually people just pay the money.’

The thing is we don’t have the money,’ I said, ‘this is a real treat for us. We have been travelling for nearly a year and could only afford this because of the deal.’ I realised that I was talking to a Balinese guy who probably lived in a small room with his entire family and thought I was a right spoiled brat...but I only felt a little bit guilty. Anyway it ended up with us having to pay for 2 out of 7 breakfasts for Sam, so an extra $30 and we didn’t have to pay anything extra for the room as we would all share the beds.

So having sorted that I went and enjoyed the hotel and my day consisted of

1) Lying in the infinity pool with Sam

2) Reading my book on a sun longer overlooking the ocean

3) Eating in a little Warung on the side of the cliff

4) Having an amazing shower in the gigantic bathroom

5) Drinking a cocktail watching the sunset with Will (only spoilt by Will saying he wished his mates were here)!!!!!

6) Eating Pizza in a little cafe listening to Bob Marley

7) Sat in bed updating the blog whilst Will and Sam argue about whether Will should be wearing pants

So that’s all for now, a bit long winded I know, but a tale worth telling.

Ulu Watu

Today we move from our little hotel in Legian to a swanky new hotel near Ula Watu. (Blue Point Bay Villas - have a look on the internet it looks AMAZING). In some ways it will be sad to leave our little hotel where everyone chats to each other around the pool and the people are super friendly, but in another way it will be good to leave the hustle and bustle of the streets and the hoards of tourists.

Yesterday we got a taxi to Kuta so that Will could buy his reef boots - The taxi took a long time to get there even though it was only a short walk away but the traffic here is horendous so it took forever. The good thing was that we got to chat to the driver, who is probably the first true Balinese person we have properly chatted to. He was telling us that there are thousands of Aussies here and they don't give themselves a good name (think Brits in Spain) the only difference is that the lovely, gentle, Hindu Balinese don't get cross when a drunken Aussie, steps in front of his cab and wees, the Hindus believe that the tourists are their masters and just look on with sad amusement. Kind of like when your Mum says, 'I'm not angry, just disappointed with you.' He also told us that the Aussie women proposition him but he is very happy with his Balanise girlfriend (who basically isn't a slapper!)

When we got to Kuta we walked down a little road called 'Poppys II' where there are lots of second hand surf shops. We were probably there for 10 minutes before Sam decided that he might puke! Poor Sam has been suffering with 'something' for the last couple of days and has spent most of the time in bed watching, you guessed it, 'Harry Potter.' But thank the lord, by yesterday evening he was back in the pool playing with Will and that evening ate a massive steak. I think it was just the heat and perhaps the food that effected him but thank god he hasn't got the dreaded Bali Belly.

We have just finished brekkie and are off soon to get a taxi for the hours drive to Ulu Watu. Pic attached of Sam in his work suite when we built Chris's decking. Will update later from our hopefully luxurious surroundings.