{"id":1776,"date":"2011-07-29T21:33:48","date_gmt":"2011-07-29T13:33:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mayl.id.au\/?page_id=1776"},"modified":"2017-08-17T21:37:14","modified_gmt":"2017-08-17T13:37:14","slug":"bali-pg-7","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/?page_id=1776","title":{"rendered":"Bali Pg 7"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mon 18th<\/sup><\/p>\n

I woke up at 5.15.\u00a0 It was still dark but I thought that the beginnings of sunrise couldn\u2019t be far away so I got up very quietly and gently, dressed, grabbed my camera and went off to the beach.\u00a0 The pathways were quite dark \u2013 I never felt that they had *quite* enough light along the paths \u2013 but I knew my way well by now and it\u2019s not as if I had far to go.<\/p>\n

I settled onto one of the round beach chairs, though its cover was all the way back and I couldn\u2019t lift it.\u00a0 There was also no cushion.\u00a0 It was still dark\u2026\u00a0 A jogger went by along the path and I moved to another chair just for something to do.\u00a0 Still dark.\u00a0 Looking for a spot to sit to find the best angle for a photo seemed like a good idea so I slowly wandered around trying out various chairs to see what their view looked like.\u00a0 Still dark.\u00a0 And I\u2019d sat for 10 minutes or so in each seat.<\/p>\n

Still dark.<\/p>\n

The sky slowly started to lighten which showed\u2026 lots of cloud.\u00a0 Oh noooooo!\u00a0 And I suddenly realised that my lens cover was missing.\u00a0 I couldn\u2019t swear either way whether I\u2019d taken it off this morning or not and wandered back where I\u2019d been to have a bit of a look in the semi-light but without joy.\u00a0 Either last night or this morning I must have put it onto my lap instead of in the special little\u00a0 purse I\u2019d made for it that hangs from the camera strap.\u00a0 Bother!<\/p>\n

I watched several workmen putting out all the cushions onto all the beach chairs.\u00a0 Wow \u2013 what a tedious job to do every morning!\u00a0 A tractor drove along the sand trawling it flat and 2 workmen went around the edges to make sure it all looked perfect for us visitors, half of whom would probably not even notice or appreciate all that went into creating Paradise for us all.<\/p>\n

The sun did come up very, very slowly.\u00a0 It seemed that it took at least 2 hours to climb above the horizon and shine its weak light into, but not through, the thick clouds.\u00a0 I did take some photos but, truly, none of them are worth sharing.\u00a0 Here\u2019s the insipid proof!<\/p>\n

\"Insipid

Insipid Sunrise<\/p><\/div>\n

At around 7am David arrived, asking me what on earth I was doing.\u00a0 I had warned him I may come out another morning so he wasn\u2019t surprised I was there, just that I was persisting despite the clouds.\u00a0 When I told him how long I\u2019d been there he rolled his eyes.\u00a0 Lots!\u00a0 LOL \u00a0We went back to bed.<\/p>\n

When we then awoke at a sensible hour I accepted that it was now my birthday and David got my cards that he\u2019d been hoarding and gave them all to me to open.\u00a0 Thank you everyone!!!\u00a0 I also got lots of text messages from my lovely family.<\/p>\n

We had breakfast and then showered to be fresh for the Couples Ayurveda Massage that David had booked for my present.\u00a0 Another present, as I\u2019d already had quite an expensive one.\u00a0 Perhaps this massage was spending my birthday money from parents then? \u00a0I bent over in the shower and lifted my foot to wash the bottom of it and something in my back when twoyng!!\u00a0 Oowwwww!!!!\u00a0 I wasn\u2019t going to tell David but I couldn\u2019t walk at normal speed so I soon had to confess.\u00a0 Anyway, we made it to the spa in plenty of time.<\/p>\n

The spa smelled wonderful and we were asked to sit in the waiting area.\u00a0 I adored the \u2018chairs\u2019 in here and wish I\u2019d popped in later to take a photo of them.\u00a0 Picture a Japanese stone garden with huge smooth rounded stones and one tiny stone sitting on top of each large one and you\u2019re visualising the chairs.\u00a0 They were covered in grey fabric and looked so realistic until you sat on them and they were soft.\u00a0 I\u2019d love some myself!<\/p>\n

We were given a glass beaker on a tray with 2 drinking glasses and a lady poured some hot tea for us out of the beaker and left us to drink and refill at our leisure.\u00a0 Soon another lady came and got us and led us through the spa, out the back door (if I was reading this I\u2019d be laughing and expecting the next bit to say \u2018and told us to shove off!), along a wooden plank pathway meandering through beautiful tranquil gardens and then into the furthest of 4 grass-thatched huts.\u00a0 These huts were very tall, made with a lovely light-coloured wood which also had opaque amber glass windows.\u00a0 Most of the inside was a large room with 2 massage tables in it, along with a fancy shaped bathtub in the far corner and 2 chairs.<\/p>\n

The lady ushered us into a little private bathroom that had a basin and a toilet in it and handed us 2 white sarongs and 2 small white packages urging us to get changed into these.\u00a0 The small packages, she said, were panties and we were to wear them.\u00a0 On opening the packets we discovered that a better description would have been \u2018damn great bloody bloomers\u2019 than the genteel description of \u2018panties\u2019.\u00a0 They were also nigh on see-through and we were tyring not to laugh!<\/p>\n

She tapped on the door so we went out and were urged to sit in the chairs with \u2018Mr\u2019 on the far side and \u201cMadam\u2019 closer.\u00a0 We had bowls of water at our feet with beautiful pink petals floating all over the top.\u00a0 It felt so decadent and wonderful to be so pampered.\u00a0 Two ladies (one each) knelt the other side of the bowls and after we\u2019d soaked for a few minutes, lifted out one foot and rubbed some oil on it, replacing gently in the bowl and lifting the other for the same treatment.\u00a0 Each foot then got a massage and I heard David make a snorty suppressed sound and looked at his contorted grinning face.\u00a0 We both laughed and I said to his lady \u201cHe\u2019s ticklish!\u201d.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know if she understood or not but she gave a smile.<\/p>\n

After a few treatments our feet were dried and we were led to the tables.\u00a0 They motioned for us to take off the sarongs and lie face down on the tables as they held a sheet high so that they could not see us once we\u2019d dropped the sarongs and then they messed with the sheet, placing it discreetly but so they could reach what they needed.\u00a0 Under the table heads were bowls of water with flowers floating in them and I just wanted to look at this sight forever!\u00a0 It was a real toss up whether to close my eyes but I decided I could do that and visualise the flowers.\u00a0 The massages were lovely.\u00a0 This was only David\u2019s second one ever \u2013 they just don\u2019t appeal to him!\u00a0 But he says that he thoroughly enjoyed this one; unlike the last (in Fiji).<\/p>\n

After a while we were asked to turn over and we had (I think) cucumber slices put on our eyes and then a cloth over the top.\u00a0 There\u2019s never much to massage when you\u2019re lying on your back and I had not warned David about the next bit that was in store for us.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know how they rigged this up as of course neither of us could see but we had hot oil dripped steadily onto our foreheads.\u00a0 It ran gently over our foreheads and our ladies massaged it into our scalps for a while until our hair was soaked with it, and then they let it run.\u00a0 It was a really wonderfully tranquil experience.\u00a0 It seemed to get warmer as the time passed and I was just starting to wonder if I should say \u2018no hotter please\u2019 when it ended.\u00a0 The lady gently squeezed the excess oil from my hair and then removed my eye covers.<\/p>\n

Next, and with almost urgency, we were asked to go for a shower through a door on the far side of the room.\u00a0 Neither of us were given our sarongs back so we had to walk wearing nothing but the semi-transparent bloomers.\u00a0 The shared shower had some shampoo which we put to good use and there were towels in there so at least we could wrap those around us to come back out.\u00a0 Just as well because the bloomers really were now not only clear, but clingy too!<\/p>\n

As we passed through the main room the ladies were filling the bath for the next guests and one of them came and made it clear we shouldn\u2019t dawdle in getting dressed once more.\u00a0 We were amused.\u00a0 One of the ladies took us back into the spa building and sat us down in an ante-room and left us but soon someone came and offered us water to drink, which we gladly accepted.\u00a0 And so, our spa treatment was over.\u00a0 It really was lovely and not marred too much by the sudden rush at the end.<\/p>\n

We went back to our room and I put a few more items of clothing on \u2013 I\u2019d worn only a sarong and some genuine panties to the spa \u2013 and then we went for a nice lunch, thoroughly relaxed.\u00a0 As if we hadn\u2019t been already.\u00a0 At lunch we were really happy to have Grokan ask if he could join us and welcomed him with open arms.\u00a0 He came with a friend, Mita, and it turned out that she was the costume designer and maker so we were able to admire her skills directly to her.\u00a0 Phillippe had told us a few nights ago that Mita had been shut into a room for 3 weeks solid with no food, water or sleep to make the newest costumes.\u00a0 She didn\u2019t look that overworked LOL\u00a0 But she was really lovely and we\u2019re glad to have met her.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m going to put a little bit in here that I\u2019ve not mentioned to date.\u00a0 In the ladies and gents loos in the main area below the dining room the end basins had steps leading up to them suited for children to stand on to wash their hands.\u00a0 We thought this was so gorgeous!\u00a0 And in the bar there was a section especially for children with the same style steps and a menu of non-al cocktails all for themselves.\u00a0 We were impressed!<\/p>\n

\"Children's

Children's Bar Steps<\/p><\/div>\n

After lunch we decided on a walk to the north which we had not done so far.\u00a0 There were market huts along the way but the vendors must have heard about us because they really were not pushy at all.\u00a0 In fact we passed one where the lady didn\u2019t do more than glance up from her handiwork and said nothing.\u00a0 Very refreshing.\u00a0 In actual fact I saw a dress I liked in one stall and determined to have a look at it on the way back if I was feeling brave.<\/p>\n

We walked along slowly knowing that this time tomorrow we would be on the plane home.\u00a0 There was nothing much \u2013 an open-air restaurant, some public beach areas, the few stalls scattered at about 300 metre distances from one another.\u00a0 Then we came across about 6 or 8 guys in their 20s, all wearing turquoise board shorts and running towards us excitedly.\u00a0 David said \u201cWhat\u2019s the rush?\u201d and one of the guys replied \u201cPretty girl!!!\u201d and we both laughed with him and decided to watch the free show.<\/p>\n

It seems the lads worked for the parasailing boat and all wanted to be strapped to the pretty girl to tandem fly her.\u00a0 Sure enough, there was a nicely shaped, bikini-clad girl and we could see what all the fuss was about.\u00a0 We stood and enjoyed watching them fly for a while.\u00a0 The wind was so strong that the power boat was almost stationary in the water to start with yet the parasail flew high.<\/p>\n

\"Tandem

Tandem Parasailing<\/p><\/div>\n

After this we walked back towards our resort.\u00a0 We found the dress that I\u2019d liked and of course did get pounced on once we\u2019d stopped.\u00a0 Unfortunately it was Asian sizing so much too small for me and they did not have one the same colour in the right size.\u00a0 I did like another dress and a top though.\u00a0 We\u2019d already planned ahead for the stop by hiding some of our money in a separate compartment of David\u2019s wallet so when they asked their price David could show the money and tell her that was all we had.\u00a0 We only kept back a tiny amount for a coffee at the airport tomorrow.\u00a0 She told us this was only enough money for one garment and which did I want and I honestly couldn\u2019t choose.\u00a0 I deliberated for a little while and next thing I knew they\u2019d got a bag, put both garments in it, told me \u2018Very good price for you\u201d and were bundling us off down the path!\u00a0 Neither of us knew what had hit us.<\/p>\n

Once back to the resort we decided on time at the quiet pool.\u00a0 Just one last time.<\/p>\n

All too soon it was time to shower and get dressed for dinner.\u00a0 Tonight we actually knew the theme \u2013 elegant with funny hair or funny hat so we both put on our Aussie akubra-style sun hats and I put my fly net on mine.\u00a0 We were still rather early so went to the bar for drinks and I had my unknown alcoholic drink which I actually liked.\u00a0 We asked what was in it and it seems it was tequila.\u00a0 Never had that before!\u00a0 It was being served with lime and something but I liked it anyway.\u00a0 Some Chinese girls asked if they could join us and we welcomed them.\u00a0 One was surprised and excited when I said hello to them in Chinese and then we all had a really nice chat.\u00a0 One of them had worked in Australia for a couple of years so we were telling the others what Australia is like.<\/p>\n

We were then joined by Saidal, my lovely smiley reception lad that had shown us around on our first day and somehow we ended up walking to dinner together and he shared our table which was so nice.\u00a0 He got a whole bottle of wine and David said \u201cAh, is that how it\u2019s done!\u201d\u00a0 Soon after we were seated Grokan came along and asked if he could join us as well.\u00a0 You bet!\u00a0 My 2 favourite (and hunky and smiley) G.O.s all to myself \u2013 how wonderful.<\/p>\n

\"L-R

L-R Saidal, May, Grokan<\/p><\/div>\n

At both of our Club Med holidays we\u2019ve seen (and experienced, for David at Lindeman Island) that on a birthday the G.O.s all start to gather together and clap and go deliver a birthday cake and sing happy birthday during dinner.\u00a0 At Lindeman it was a whole dining room affair, raucous and fun.\u00a0 At Bali you heard the clapping start and then it just fizzled to nothing and I\u2019d said to David please not to dob me in because a fizzle like that was worse than nothing at all.\u00a0 So instead of a fizzle I enjoyed, purely by accident, the company of the 3 best men in the village.\u00a0 David being the third, I don\u2019t have to tell you.<\/p>\n

The show tonight was \u2018Box Office\u2019 which meant nothing to us until it started.\u00a0 It was all the big box office hit musicals and was the best show yet.\u00a0 As always the show introductions were in English, French, Chinese, Japanese and \u2018another Asian language\u2019 but they never told us what the languages were!\u00a0 So frustrating for me because I always love to know what language I\u2019m listening to.\u00a0 One night at dinner I asked Raphael what the third Asian language was and he told me it was Korean.\u00a0 Strangely, that night it was Raphael that introduced the show and he introduced each language in turn \u2013 I strongly suspect, just for me.\u00a0 Thank you Raphael!!!<\/p>\n

We had Marilyn Monroe…<\/p>\n

\"Marilyn

Marilyn Monroe<\/p><\/div>\n

The Full Monty…<\/p>\n

\"Full

Full Monty<\/p><\/div>\n

It\u2019s Raining Men…<\/p>\n

\"It's

It's Raining Men<\/p><\/div>\n

And some others for which I fail to remember the name<\/p>\n

\n

\"Box

Box Office Show (Saidal)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Box

Box Office Show (Grokan)<\/p><\/div>\n

Then, we had a guy miming to the opera Figaro.\u00a0 He really was hilarious.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t manage to click at the right moment for any of the awesomely agonised faces he pulled \u2013 I was too busy being there, laughing and enjoying myself.\u00a0 I wish I could see that act again!!!\u00a0 But as I said, it was a truly fantastic show full of awesome talent.<\/p>\n

\"Figaro\"

Figaro<\/p><\/div>\n

And I even got a photo of Mita, the lovely costume designer we\u2019d lunched with, as she was thanked at the end.<\/p>\n

\"Phillippe

Phillippe (Village Chief) & Mita<\/p><\/div>\n

After this was a flying trapeze show which was fun.\u00a0 This trapeze set was available to anyone that wanted to try it through the day.\u00a0 Mornings were for the Kids Club and afternoons for adults.\u00a0 David had done this at Lindeman Club Med but not had a go this time.\u00a0 There\u2019s no way you\u2019d get me up there, it really was high!<\/p>\n

\"Flying

Flying Trapeze<\/p><\/div>\n

And bed for the last time \u2013 sigh!\u00a0 Always so sad to be going home.<\/p>\n

Tue 19th<\/sup><\/p>\n

We\u2019d intended packing our bags after breakfast but woke early enough and decided to just get it done and out of the way.\u00a0 I\u2019d warned David before we went to bed last night that I would have to wake him if I needed a loo trip in the night because I could sit down but I couldn\u2019t get up again.\u00a0 Fact was, I couldn\u2019t get out of bed alone either.\u00a0 I wasn\u2019t too bad once I got moving but it took a while to get there.<\/p>\n

We had a light breakfast and kept an eye on the time to go see the resort nurse when the clinic opened to see if she could do something to help me because I was not going to be able to get onto the resort bus up its few steps and if I managed to get into a plane seat there was no way I would be able to get out of it again so I was in trouble.\u00a0 The nurse was gorgeous and so helpful but between her and David convinced me that the best help they could give would be an injection from the doctor.\u00a0 She rang him and he said he could arrive for 10am.\u00a0 We had to check out by 10.30 so that worked.<\/p>\n

You know how it is \u2013 last moments at the resort, nothing to do, so we wandered around saying farewell to the beach, the quiet pool, the sports area and so on.\u00a0 As we passed the beach we saw a sight that we\u2019d seen yesterday but doubted our eyes.\u00a0 This time it was closer and there was no mistaking.\u00a0 It was a destroyer!\u00a0 We could clearly see the gun turrets!\u00a0 We\u2019d been in Hawaii for \u20189\/11\u2019 and had our flight grounded.\u00a0 We\u2019d\u00a0 been in Fiji for a coup.\u00a0 Now what???\u00a0 Well, the resort wasn\u2019t being cleared so we guessed all was well, but the destroyer still paced up and down, up and down, making its turn regularly.<\/p>\n

\"Destroyer

Destroyer Patrolling Paradise<\/p><\/div>\n

We continued our wander and came around a back way that we hadn\u2019t been through before \u2013 not on ground level anyway \u2013 and were next to some large lily ponds when all of a sudden I saw a huge head with a very long neck swimming around.\u00a0 My eyes got very big indeed and I said to David \u201cPlease tell me that thing has legs!!!\u201d\u00a0 He looked too.\u00a0 It\u2019s neck was as thick as my forearm!\u00a0 Just as he was confirming it did have legs\u2026 \u201cI think!?!?\u201d we saw another, just as big.\u00a0 Urgh!!!<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t know whether to run, freeze, or take out my camera.\u00a0 Fact was that between being a bit edgy about checking out on time, getting to the airport in time, and a pending injection, I was feeling quite off kilter even before getting the fright over these lizards \u2013 yes, they did have legs.\u00a0 I wish I had taken pictures now of course, but right then I just didn\u2019t have it in me.\u00a0 And I wasn\u2019t sure if the pond dragons would object to being photographed.\u00a0 Didn\u2019t fancy their wrath I can tell you!\u00a0 Thank goodness we had not had rooms near the lily ponds! \u00a0I would have been too terrified to go out of the room in case one of those was waiting on the doorstep as we opened the door.<\/p>\n

The doctor was running late and it was 10.45 before he got to us.\u00a0 I was getting panicky about checking out and not missing the bus to the airport but we\u2019d told reception where we were and that we may be a little late so they knew where to find us.\u00a0 If the guy had fully understood what we said, and remembered, and was the one anyone asked.\u00a0 The doctor had been caught in traffic and we could well understand that!\u00a0 Once he arrived he was gorgeous and so helpful and kind.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t feel the injection at all, not even a tiny prick.\u00a0 He\u2019d warned that the pain would come after the needle but truly it was nothing and the relief came fairly swiftly.\u00a0 I still couldn\u2019t make the transition from sitting to standing but once upright I could walk easily and that was bonus enough.<\/p>\n

Everything went smoothly from that point on.\u00a0 We made sure we were billed for the doctor before we finalised the bill and had to wait about 5 minutes for our lift to the airport.\u00a0 There was only 1 other lady and David and I so they\u2019d got a taxi for the 3 of us and we all chatted happily between ourselves and with the driver on the way.\u00a0 The lady was from Perth too.<\/p>\n

At the airport we spent our last rupiah on an ice cream each.\u00a0 David had a small one and I had a medium as that was all the money we had.\u00a0 Then we sought out a disabled toilet because I needed David to come in with me to help me to stand afterwards.\u00a0 How stupid!<\/p>\n

The flight was called through over an hour early but the guy at the door told us we could stay where we were if we wanted to, so we did for a while.\u00a0 Once loaded on the plane we looked all set to leave 15 minutes early but the pilot announced that we were just moments too late and would now be held up by a dignitary leaving on another flight.\u00a0 We could see the band playing on the apron and all the saluting going on.\u00a0 Light dawned on the reason for the destroyer sailing up and down the coast yesterday and today.<\/p>\n

We eventually left, in a queue of 6 aircraft, about 15 minutes late.\u00a0 We\u2019ve rarely got into a plane and left promptly.\u00a0 Maybe nobody does!\u00a0 Goodbye Bali…<\/p>\n

\"Goodbye

Goodbye Bali<\/p><\/div>\n

The flight was very good and soon done.\u00a0 And yes, you can fit 2 people in an aircraft loo ROFL.\u00a0 He had to help me stand up!!!<\/p>\n

Once we landed and I turned my phone on in Perth customs both boys had messaged to say that my Mum was in a panic and had expected us through the door at home by 4pm.\u00a0 We were landing pretty much on schedule at 5.15pm.\u00a0 It was our fault because when she asked what time we\u2019d be home we\u2019d waved our arms vaguely and said \u201cOh, 4, 5, something like that.\u201d\u00a0 Poor Mum.\u00a0 I should know to look things up, be specific and add an hour LOL<\/p>\n

And to end this tale, this is what a twilight landing into Perth looks like when you forget to set a fast shutter speed ahead of time.\u00a0 Ha har!<\/p>\n

\n

\"Hello

Hello (Bump!) Perth<\/p><\/div>\n

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Mon 18th I woke up at 5.15.\u00a0 It was still dark but I thought that the beginnings of sunrise couldn\u2019t be far away so I got up very quietly and gently, dressed, grabbed my camera and went off to the … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1633,"menu_order":7,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1776","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1776","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1776"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1776\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3916,"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1776\/revisions\/3916"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1633"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1776"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}