17th December to 7th January JBR
Traveling me, hubby, son (10) and daughter (5).
5 nights Gili then 16 nights Bali....next time it will be so more Gili and Lombok and less Bali.
Seriously have been a passionate supporter of Bali for the last 12 years with regular trips but this was out first to the Lombok side of paradise and OMG was it worth it!!!
Flight in via Jetstar Star-class was so worth it. Great service, very comfy seats (especially for hubby who is 6' 4') and the kids loved it. Touched down in Denpasar just before 9 and really quick processing through customs - out by 9.20 inc bags to our favourite driver Jerry. Jerry has been part of our trips since 2002. Awesome and really lovely driver and great guide and now friend. First night in MBR - slightly disappointed - AC in room very noisy and blankets on the kids bed were stained. Shower in bathroom - a tepid trickle. Got up early the next day (my bday) for some early morning huffypuffy on the beach. Not a great idea - Legian - Kuta was feral - covered in dead and rotting sealife and heaps and heaps of rubbish :0(.
Got an early morning transfer for Gili Cat to Gili Trawangan. Arrived after a 1 hour boat ride to what can only be described as heaven. Bright blue waters that defied the eyes, crisp white sandy beaches (so different from Legian) and a sparse but welcoming island. Colourful ponycarts - CIMODOs are the only transport on the island. Our driver picked us up for the journey - and he had a car radio/cd installed (or is that pony radio?) - My 10 yo son suggested a new MTV Show - Pimp up my Cart but not sure if the producers will get onto it.
Arrived at Villa Ombak and so so so not disappointed. Our room was huge - family deluxe - and the outdoor bathroom was just so much fun. Water is mega sparse on the island so each room is provided with like a wine barrel of fresh water to soap up with and rinse hair etc - but then the rest of the shower was hot salty water. Kids thought this was the best thing since sliced bread! My 5yo princess daughter thought it was so much fun with the coconut soupladel thing (her words) that she would spend hours in the bathroom each night to have a shower.
3 level pool was great and all around the hotel were relaxing areas. For my bday evening I chose to drink my duty free moet from a hammock whilst listening to the call to prayer. Kids and hubby all near by in other hammocks. Awesome dinner at the Beachhouse on Gili T. So much slower, quieter than Bali - no hawkers. Just friendly lovely people. The call the prayer is not loud or noisy - just beautiful melodious tunes wafting in on the breeze. Only ever heard it if the air was a little still and we were outside.
Got up early for many of my days on Gili T for a huffypuffy around the island (about 6-7kms - in roughly 1 hour 10 mins). Met some friendly faces on the way to practice my bahasa indonesian. It was just breathtaking. I felt so alone at some points on the island that I turned off my ipod to absorb the sounds of nothingness. Saw the sun rise over Mt Rinjani on Lombok and set over Bali's volcanos in the afternoons. Spotted a really nice villa/house on the western side of the island (white ones) near the lighthouse and still dreaming that when I win lotto (hopefully tonight) that i can buy it....
Each day was really magic. Hired bikes to ride around with the family (not a good idea after 4 caprioskas) and we hiked up the small hill on the island to see the Japanese WW2 cave. Awesome view. These 2 schoolboys gave us great directions and we practiced our english and bahasa together. Had many dinners and lunches at Scallywags and Horizontal bar as well as the local warungs. Hired a local fisherman to take us out snorkling (about $30 aust for 4 hours) - and we saw nemos, turtles and giant clams as well as 100s and 100s of other amazing tropical fish. My 5yo daughter was a little scared at first - but got into it and loved it. My son and my husband and I really loved it and wish we had our diving licenses (next time). Gili T has no dogs but like a million cats! Be prepared to like pussycats.
After 5 wonderful nights on Gili T - we headed back to Bali to go stay at Mandira. 1st room was a little disappointing - no balcony backing onto shops and noisy dogs. After some attempts with reception - my fantastic travel agent Aileen - came to our aid and we were about to swap to a beach facing family room. I suppose having stayed in the big suites at MBR for many years and the giant room on Gili T we were kinda spoilt. Still the staff were nice and the beach front pool - complete with nice big bales to lay in with some Bintangs to watch sunset - were pretty magical. One of the bestest Balinese brekkys around and good satays from the pool bar. Dayspa a little pricy - but worth it for the facial and the last day pedicure. Hit MBR day spa and the Sindah day spa lots.
Xmas Day we hit Waterbom and bought the 200,000rp bale and brought our own towel. Strict search and new 'no outside food or drinks' regulations - saw the champers we bought in - put on hold till we finished *boohiss*. Got some nice nasi campur for lunch and the kids went nuts all day. I only got one wegie on the smashdown. Next day got our mate Jerry to take us up to Ubud via his guest appearance as the Monkey in the Barong dance (our Dancer now only refers to him as Mr Monyet Driver), to his home for a Bintang and to say hello to his wife and family. The kids loved meeting Jerry's family dog's puppies (putih anjing). Then we took Jerry and his 4 yo niece to Ibu Oka Babi Guling....OMG...so had to undo the buttons on the pants on the way back. DO DO DO Get a driver to take you up to Ubud for the Bubi Guling - but don't opt for the tourist restaurant - get to them to take you to the other restaurant up near the markets. You play musical chairs trying to get a table in the family home. The food is worth the wait. We ended up sitting with this lovely family from Surabya. The dads English and my 2 years of bahasa Indonesia came in handy and we had a great lunch with awesome company.
Other friends joined us from Sydney 3 single girlfriends of mine and a family of mum/dad/2 girls (10 and 6) just before NYE.. New Years Eve - organised a great babysitter through the hotel - and ran away from the kids to the Double6/Signature/Baccio combo of 220k rp per person. This was perfect. Lots of house in Double 6 - saw in new year podium dancing with gfs and some nice local boys (yes one day I will grow up). Then hit Signature for some RnB - which was great - less hot and sweaty than Double 6 (so wasted my time blowdrying and straightening my hair before going out) after a couple of hours there - then hit Baccio for more mature and chillout music before walking back to hotel about 4am-ish.
New Years day - and I crawled out to the bale - panadine/Gatorade and water in hand and stayed by the pool all day. MacDonalds delivery had a 2 hour timeframe at 1pm - and my fabulous husband set off on a scooter taxi to bring Maccas back for the kids, me and the very hungover girlfriends. He is such a legend. I only eat Maccas in Bali and the big mac was the bestest ever - hangover was so gone. On the 2nd we hit waterbom again - and spent the 1,000,000 on the mega bale - this was tops as it came with free food, drinks, 2 x massages, 6 towels, private shower and on call waiters. We shared this with hubbys friends family and the girlfriends. My gf and I made total fools of ourselves (but had so much fun) doing the Boomerang and the Superbowl as well as many trips on the macaroni. The kids all hit the bouncy thingy and the rock climbing as well as the raft river. The menfolk chose to stay in the Bali and sip cool bintangs!
The next day my son, and the girlfriends and I went cycling with our friend Wayan and Bali BikeBaik. If the only tour you do is this - then do it. YOU WILL LEARN so much about Balinese culture and tradition and see beautiful countryside along the way. Our guide Made was tops and we earned a great appetite on our cycle. After saying 'hello' to heaps of local kids on the way - and getting to practice my bahasa Indonesia - we arrived at Wayan's home for a great homecooked meal.
Downside -
Kudeta - overpriced - no more wine by the glass and too many bogans.
Alcohol shortage - it was there but if you shopped around you could still buy spirits. Got absolute vodka for 400k rp in Kuta (near surfergirl) and up in seminyak for jack daniels 500k rp.
Bogans - seriously - don't just buy a bintang shirt and hang in kuta - get out more. You made Aussies look mega bad.
Hornets - poor son - got one up near ubud and again at bfast at mandira. However really touched by the generosity of other tourists with antihistimines and oinments.
Dirty beaches kuta/legian/seminyak yuck yuck yuck.
Domestic tourists clogging roads between 26/12 - 1/1. But thank god for scooter taxis.
So over Bali cowboys - not every MILF in Bali is looking for a new daddy - some of us like to exercise and walk. None of that on Gili T - very respectful.
Shopping - there was lots - but we were actually underweight...(ha)
In ubud - lovely king size packwork doona in batik - 160k rp. Metal tin prayer boxes - Centro. DVD - beside Warung Yogya - see Mini - great lady.Surfer Girl, Kuta Kids, Indigo Kids - did not disappoint
Marks and Spencer - Centro - good corporate wear - got 3 nice blouses and skirt for work approx $200 aust.
Logi Supermarket Legian - for everything especially lots of bali incense good for little trinkets for friends and family back home. Fairy dresses - Utara Padma Jalan - near the corner of rumjungle. Well made - bought 5 for 350k. well worth it. I know you can get cheaper but their quality and designs ( bumblebee/rainbow fairy and mermaid) are so cool.Bintang store near Surfergirl. Authentic Bintang shirts and polo shirts. QUALITY much better than markets and every purchase over 150k comes with free Bintang glass.Havianas near beach at Kuta.
Other - reflexology at Kenko opposite Indonation
Bali Ink - Aussie owned. Got my seventh piece by Nyoman - who has won awards for his work. More Balinese writing across my back (joins the other phrased I had done in 2006). This was my 4th Balinese tattoo and well worth it. Nyoman did a great job and I can see why he wins awards. My gfs also got some tattoos done by him and are very happy with his work.
Flew out on the 7th after watching sunset from the beach bar at Mandira and already planning our next big family trip (december 2010) that will be more about Lombok/Gili/Sumbawa. Love Bali - but the pristine beaches and lack of Bogans on Gili and in Lombok mean the Bali is now a great place for transit and last minute shop.
OH ATM on Gili worked perfect by the way!!
Tue Jan 20, 2009 7:21 am
