A journey through Bali and Singapore - Metaphysical, Healing or just travel!

A new decision

2011-07-25T09:13:00.001+10:00

Just when you think it's safe to consider a blog ended........
Our daughter has been accepted into the Green School Bali and we have decided to make the transfer (at this stage just for one semester) in 2015.
Therefore, the journey and adventures may well be just about to begin again

In the meantime, here's a link to look at the school: Right Click here & select "open link in new tab/page" (to keep this blog open)

Green School Bali

Our Favourite tips for Bali And Singapore

2010-10-31T17:19:00.001+11:00

A selection of tips and suggestions to make your journey more enjoyable, we hope they help you gain more from your travel experience. Please add your comments at the bottom of this page and I can regularly add them in to this blog for other to share. It's great to hear of others special things too.

BALI:
Our favourite places to eat: (Bali has come of age with fabulous eateries everywhere - you can spend BIG bucks if you want, but it's not necessary to eat really well)

UBUD:

Casa Luna (great salads, drinks, pizza & you just have to try the chocolate brownies - 12 years later and they are still the best!)

Indus Restaurant Bali

Indus - sister restaurant to Casa Luna - go for lunch - the views are fabulous
Many, many along monkey forest road - all pretty good
THE LOTUS - had a fabulous atmosphere and if you go on a night where there's a performance you get a free view if seated along the lotus pond
There's a new restaurant called THE BRIDGE set to open which looks like it will be pretty special if they get the food as good as the location

SEMINYAK/LEGIAN/KUTA:

Aromas vegetarian restaurant

Seaside restaurants along the strip between double 6 and the Hotel Jayakarta (all pretty good - TEKOR had great authentic dishes with really friendly staff that accommodated kids wonderfully, however, most along this strip are great)
AROMAS is always good for heaps of vegetarian options
THE BALI BAKERY is terrific for when a sweet tooth hits, a little further out (5-10 minutes on a motor bike), open late for sweet treats
MADE'S in Seminyak is always fun with a large menu (the one in Kuta seems a little tired now)
BALI BOULENGERIE - near Bintang supermarket is bustling and fun

The Bali Bakery Treats!

ZULA - organic vegetarian food
On the beach - try a toasted jaffle from the seaside stalls
FOR THE KIDS: Fussy eaters - try the food court at Kartika Plaza, not like our cheap food courts, more like a series of small restaurants, where you can bring food from any to one table and please everyone at once, most meals are 10,000 - 30,000rp ($1-4)
NEEDING SOMETHING RESEMBLING - FROM HOME:There's starbucks, coffee bean and tea leaf (with free Wi Fi) just about everywhere

Our favourite places to stay (prices are really approximate and based on what we found at the time):

UBUD:

TJAMPUHAN SPA (around US$80+) great pool, surrounds and grottos - an experience rather than just accom'

Mara River Lodge

MARA RIVER RESORT - not just for the safari park, beautiful accom' and a fabulous experience for the kids, includes free park entry, a bit expensive but really worth the experience, stay 2 nights so as not to be rushed (AUD$200-300pn)

SEMINYAK/LEGIAN/KUTA:

HOLIDAY INN - if you hav e kids and are looking for a place where they will be amused and give you a break, upgrade to the suite if not much more as it includes everything which will otherwise cost more in the basic room ($70-220pn)

Kusnadi Hotel - Legian/Seminyak

KUSNADI - if you are looking for a budget hotel in Legian, right near everything - book the penthouse rooms, they are around $3-4 more per night and you have the entire level to yourself ($20-80pn)
THREE BROTHERS INN - basic accom, pleasant grounds, right in the heart of Legian ($20-70pn)
VILLA COCO - beautiful apartments off double 6 rd, self contained ($80-200pn)

TIPS for BALI:

WATERBOM PARK - show your Singapore airlines boarding pass - it gives a 20% discount. The food is expensive here and if on the top of your belongings will be taken away. There is a place at the front where you can store large things - eg - bike helmets free of charge if you don't want a locker - just tell them it won't fit!

Waterbom park rides

Towels, etc are chargeable, bring your own!
CHANGE MONEY - at a place that ONLY changes money and counts it EVERY time after someone else holds it
RENT A BIKE - to get around - it's easy! But you will need an international drivers license (doesn't matter if it's only for a car) make sure you pay the extra 5000-10000 per day which includes insurance in case you are in an accident and make sure your travel insurance covers you for the same reason.
LEARN SOME INDONESIAN - even a little will assist you to make friends easily
SMILE - a lot, your life is more privileged than most of theirs will ever be (just by being able to travel there whilst most locals will never travel overseas)
WI FI - is available in almost every cafe for free

I still haven't worked out the significance of
these at every Bali hotel - please let me
know if you know what it is about!!!

LOCK YOUR MOBILE PHONE FROM INTERNET ROAMING EXCEPT WI FI - it is hideously expensive at around $20 per 10 mg, a friend of ours did not realise the price difference when overseas and used her phone around Europe for 3 weeks, she came home to a $4200.00 mobile internet bill
TRY SOME LOCAL FOOD - it's terrific!
ALLOW YOURSELF SOME LUXURIES - in a year you won't remember the $50 difference, but you will remember the fabulous meal you had at an idyllic location
HAVE SOME SPA TREATMENTS - they range from $2+
DON'T BARGAIN TOO HARD - the difference of 10,000rp is only $1.20 and won't make much difference to you, but it may be a lot to the seller
CHAT WITH THE LOCALS - We've made some terrific friends this way

SINGAPORE:
Our favourite places to eat:

High Tea at Raffles - sure it's expensive - but it's a real treat!
Clarke Quay - if you are NOT on a budget and probably best without the kids
Food Courts in shopping centres - great food and not so expensive, especially the one at Harbourfront
Fresh Juices bars in the market - delicious for around $1

Fabulous Juice bars in Singapore for $1

Our favourite things to do/try:

HIGH TEA AT RAFFLES - sure it's expensive - but it's a real treat!
UNIVERSAL STUDIOS - ask if there's any discounts
BOOK SHOPPING - at the huge book mall opposite raffles - great for home school books too
SHOPPING IN CHINATOWN - more expensive than China, but great if you're not going there
WALK AROUND SENTOSA - a free event with great things to see anytime
The sands sky tower - worth a try - wait near the elevators and ask if a hotel guest would mind if you went up the tower with them, most will say sure, you go up for free and get to see the whole tower, not just the deck

There's so much more we could add here, but we hope these few tips will make your journey more special.

That's it - we're home..................... for now....................... this blog is finished (for now - until the next adventure) thanks so much for sharing the journey with us, please add your comments at the end of any blogs, we love to hear what you think
Kindest regards,
The Mitchell clan

Bye Bye for now from the Mitchell's

Arriving home we realised that Pa had not been able to check all the hen house and there was another gift of 51 eggs he had missed waiting for us upon our return and every single egg was still good!

51 eggs found in the chook house at home

Songs of the Sea Singapore

2010-10-31T16:04:00.000+11:00

After our lovely walk through Sentosa by night, we stumbled across a late night sounds and light show on the beach called Songs of the Sea.

Amazing Water spouts and projections

We had missed the beginning, but by strange twist of fate as we arrived, were handed 4 tickets which were not going to be used with the lovely offer of please go in and enjoy (more beautiful gifts for us - thank you)

We entered and it was amazing.

I think the tickets are only worth around $10 each and it is worth it!

It is set on the beach (bleachers lined up all around the sands) with singers and dancers as good as any stage show, there is a set lined up around the ocean depicting a village where water is sprayed into the air and then holograms are projected onto the water creating amazing images of faces singing floating in the air and remarkable scenes.

A ghostly face singing projected into the spray

Added to this are spectaular fireworks and a historical story of some further history of the villages of Singapore (always good to add in some education with all events).

For the kids it is a delightful story entwined about frienship with the lead being a sweet fish called Oscar.

It is a terrific family event and one that could be enjoyed by everyone.

Upon leaving we were told as we were holding tickets to the show, we could have free public transport home and discounts if we wanted to buy anything - thanks again for our many blessings that just seem to continue along this wonderful journey!

Sentosa Park at night minus a few brain cells

2010-10-31T15:51:00.000+11:00

After a full day at Universal Studios, we just couldn't bring ourselves to leave.
You know the feeling, there's a warm breeze, everyone's well fed and happy, the kids are fun to be around, who wants to go home - nuh uh!

Sentosa Walk Dodo sculptures

Rather than board the sky train home, we decided to take a night walk around Sentosa island, the breeze was in our hair from the sea, the trees softly swaying, I'm quietly humming "if you like pina coladas..........." in my mind.

Perfect night!

The kids delighted at discovering these funny structures of something akin to ceramic dodo birds on the paths, the ran around under waterfalls and down the dragon path.

If you haven't been to Singapore the Dragon walk is one of those amazing structures made of free form concrete and covered in mosaic tiles.

It's always amazing how we can look at a structure that probably took 6 artists, 3 concrete trucks, 2 tile factories and 75 shift workers three years to build and think .............. I could make that!

That would look good in my back yard.

Daryll starts snapping away and I know he's thinking the same thing.

The kids are playing in the water fountains as it's late at night and there's no security guards to yell at them to get out.

They start calling out "hey, mum, dad, can you build this at home" and our brain cells don't do what is required of them which would be:

"No way man, have you seen have many trillions of tiles there are in there, not to mention the water solution problems, the plumbing, the pipes required to hook that up.
Never mind the council permits that would be required and the fact that all 4 acres of it would require a pool fence to stop the neighbours kids drowning, no way kids, it's not going to happen!"

That is the correct response to the question, but do our brains do that - oh no, we are on holidays, anything is possible, we start thinking "well sure, how hard could it be. We could lay out some rocks, cover them with chicken wire, coat that with concrete - we can get a cheap concrete mixer for $300 on eBay - then we could scrounge around old op shops for crockery and tiles and break it up, waterproof the concrete with a paint on membrane and hook up fountains and pumps and begin tiling it - it will be fun, we can all chip in and help".

"It will be terrific, we'll be splashing around creating this great piece of artwork together as a family and it will all look spectacular"

What goes on with that process, how does this happen, where do the brain cells go?

It's not just a whim, in this moment, we REALLY believe we can build this thing and trust us, it will look equally as good as this one we are currently admiring.

It's not just us that thinks this way - we've seen you tube images of people that have been equally inspired!

They dig holes out in the desert in the backyard of America (not biased towards the Americans I am sure they do this everywhere, it's just that I've only seen the USA projects), they line them with wire and concrete, they waterproof them and fill them with water and they stand proudly back and admire them, shooting away on their video recorder and they are ................. awful!

We all look and say "what were they thinking", well I know what they were thinking, I know the vision they started with, it may have looked similar to what is shown above, because in my head it was possible too.

It's just some strange twist of artistic ineptitude that the finished project doesn't resemble the original image, but you know what, it doesn't matter, who cares, they came, they saw, they replicated and in their mind it looks as magnificent as the dragon walk at Sentosa.

The Sands Sky Park

2010-10-31T15:23:00.002+11:00

The helix bridge and the sands sky park

At previous conventions there was much excitement about the newly opening sky park in Singapore.

Emma was studying it at school and we all decide we must visit to marvel at the engineering.

Gabe's Home Schooling had been filled with facts and figures and building details.

We had studied Helixs and the DNA structures that make up the bridge shape and the kids were so funny running through shouting to each other "look we're in a helix - if we're together does that make it a double helix"

Then laughing hysterically at themselves.

The shopping mall at the front wasn't finished yet, but we walked through what appears to be ultra expensive stores to go up the elevator into the sky tower.

It was expensive - around AUD$70 for 2 adults and 2 children, so we decided Daryll would take the kids up and take some photos for me.

They disappeared up the tower.

They were a little disappointed to discover that they were only allowed on the 'tip of the boat' the rest was reserved for people staying at the hotel, so the magnificent pools and gardens we had heard of were off limits.

Look at the tiny specks on the top - they are people!

Would we recommend the visit - difficult call, if you haven't been up towers before - sure.
If you have and enjoy walking around on what appears to be the bow of a ship - sure.

Did I stop feeling sick once my kids were off the top of this structure - yes, but not before!

Otherwise, well, take a look at the pictures here and decide.

Amazing views,
marvellous constructions
good feng shui for singapore - No!
water this high above the buildings - No!

Interesting to see how this pans out for Singapore.

Views over Singapore from the Sky Tower

The 'deck' of the Sky Tower

Singapore Panorama

What is this thing in my cake?????

2010-10-31T15:04:00.000+11:00

Arriving early for high tea at raffles, we wandered through the shops and always enjoy looking at the bakery stores (I previously worked as a french pastry chef and love to look at the new creations)

We marvel at the amazing cakes on display and the kids are begging and pleading for one - not a chance we tell them as we are about to have high tea at Raffles

They made these amazing Earl Grey tea cakes with entire chocolate sphere with cut outs - beautiful!

However on looking further, I notice on some of the cakes, this very strange looking object (see below in the Rum Baba cakes)

What am I looking at, it's funny how your mind plays tricks like this.

What could this be, it is shiny and appears to be glass, but why would there be glass in the cake.

Look at the Rum Baba Cakes - what is that?

The only other thing I've ever seen that resembles something like this is inserted where the sun doesn't shine, so I am sure this would not be on a cake????

I finally convince myself it is a lolly (candy) and that is why it is shiny.

As everything is so delicate I am confused as to why they have a large hard lolly on the cake, but I can't work out anything else so I am convinced that must be it.

Take a look, see what you think it is?

After high tea at Raffles, we decide to take a long walking tour and come across another cake store, they too have cakes decorated like this. On my own now, I ask to speak to the chef (I just have to find out what it is), he explains to me that it is a plastic tube filled with liquor, so as to not make the cake soggy it is not added until you are ready to eat it, then you squeeze the tube, the liquor soaks into the tube and you have a lovely fresh liquor cake.

He also tells me, many customers just pull it out and drink the liquor - trust Singapore - always something new and interesting!

Liquor pipettes

High Tea at Raffles

2010-10-31T14:45:00.001+11:00

At the commencement of this journey everyone was allowed to choose something special for the family to do.
Daryll chose Casa Luna in Ubud
Emma chose Universal Studios in Singapore
Gabe chose Waterbom park in Bali

I chose High tea at Raffles in Singapore.............................

Realising that a booking was usually required, we asked our hostess at the Novotel to make the booking for tomorrow, all confirmed, we set off.
Nicely dressed we left at 2.30pm for a 3pm high tea, deliberating over the MRT ($1.40 each X 4) and walking vs the taxi (we guessed around $10), we took the taxi.

The courtyard at Raffles Hotel

After roughing it for so long when we travel, it is so nice to take a taxi, arrive at the place as fresh as when you left and feel so comfortable. (unlike the usual damp all over from humidity feeling with your hair plastered around your face and red stripes running up from heat stroke on your neck)

Disembarking the taxi we realised the bill was $5.40 and was actually cheaper than the MRT would have been.

We arrive to be informed high tea is 3.30pm, not 3pm, how peculiar, we wonder how we go the wrong information!
Never mind, it is a pleasant day and we walk around the shops, selling scarves for $495 that you could buy in the local markets for $3, watches that are 3 for $10, for $660 and then the usual gucci and tiffanies stores that Daryll & I so regularly frequent - hehe!

We throw in some Home school history lessons as we walk around regarding Sir Stamford raffles and the discovery and building of Singapore. We delight the children with tales of dining in the very same bar that a tiger wandering into many years ago and created history.

High Tea in the Long Bar - Raffles Hotel

We are tempted with some beautiful essential oils and do a little credit card damage here as it turns out. We rest in the courtyard and before you know it we are seated in the beautiful long bar.

Our table is beautifully set with silver cutlery, teas and coffees and a 3 tiered delight for the children plus one for us - lovely!

The children are given a pot of hot chocolate whilst we have lovely tea.

A harpist fills the air with beautiful melodies and a heaving buffet of delicacies await us.

Emma's Hot Chocolate at Raffles

We decide to delicately sup of the little treasures that await us, however, having a strong dislike of queues, Daryll whispers to me, "here's what will happen, everyone will sit around sharing their platters, then get up to the buffet and there will be a long queue, let's get ours now and then come back to these" OK, that makes sense, we go to the hot food section, there are 4 types of dumplings, only one vegetarian, that's fine, we collect a few on a small plate and sit down - oh my goodness, how is it possible that the same food can taste soooo different in different places, this is the best dumpling we have every had!!!!

It is divine, we relax back and enjoy our afternoon tea, we are hungry as we make sure we had no lunch, we text family to say where we are and wish you were here.

The phone suddenly fills up "have a cake for us, enjoy your tea, sounds better than the sausages I am having, etc, etc"

We chuckle over the messages and continue to dine.

Pretty soon we realise we are in trouble, we send back a text to Australia that reads:

HELP...

AT RAFFLES...

We need back up....

We're in over our heads.......

Gabe's Hot Chocolate in his silver pot

We've done the three tiered tower, cranberry bread and butter pudding, vanilla pod sauce, scones with clotted cream, fresh raspberries, creme caramel, dumplings, cucumber sandwiches, dragonfruit, chocolate tarts, chocolate eclairs, chiffon cake and the waiter just advised us that due to the lack of vegetarian options the chefs are whipping up something special for us

Send in the back up immediately......

They send back useless responses like, "don't worry we'll have Jenny Craig waiting when you get back" as if that's going to help right now!

Daryll replies with an SOS call that "Lesley was last seen head first submerged in the fresh vanilla pod sauce and is needing surgical extraction from the scones and clotted cream"

It does nothing, they reply with "enjoy, eat some for us"

Don't they realise the seriousness of this situation.

As our sides begin to tear, right on cue the waiter arrives with platters of freshly made samosas and spring rolls "your special offers from the chef"

GREAT!!!!!

We push them around the plate, the kids (who by the way never eat anything) start eagerly hoeing into them.

We can't believe how quickly they are devouring them, Daryll and I look at each other and reach for one, Oh, my goodness, excuse me, I am having a religious experience, how can a spring roll taste THAT good?

I have never had one as good as this - wow!

Oh, no, we are in serious trouble now.

We taste (just a little) bit more of well..... everything and then it is time to waddle out.

We thank the staff for a truly wonderful afternoon and decide - we are definitely doing some serious walking for the next 6 hours or so! The kids agree.

FOOTNOTE: High teas was around AUD$196 for the 4 of us and upon returning home we asked the kids what was the most memorable part of the journey, they both said 'high tea at raffles'

Arriving back at the hotel, we were met with a note, apologising saying they were unable to secure a place for us at high tea and we were currently waitlisted, had we not got the time muddled up and gone early, we would have received this note (popped under our door 4 minutes after we left) and not gone. Lovely synchronicity again!

High tea in the long bar

Chocolate Lovers Heaven

2010-10-31T14:12:00.000+11:00

Hersheys Chocolate World Singapore

A happy day ended at Universal Studios - what more could you want?

Leaving the main gate into the coolness of the night air, we glance over to discover .......................

DRUM ROLL HERE

TA DA

THE HERSHEYS OUTLET - Oh my goodness, how did we miss that on the way in.

Yes, that IS a real Hersheys bar

For those (unlike myself) who do not have an unhealthy addiction to Reeses peanut butter cups this may not be earth shattering, to those who have yet to try these, you need to have one to understand the depth of my passion, add to this the fact my daughter has a peanut allergy which means - none of these get eaten except by ME! so they are safe to store in the fridge for when I want them (Daryll knows better than to touch them & Gabe whilst he too loves them, just knows they are off limits without direct offering, nope, they're mums - don't even ask!)

Enter Chocolate lovers heaven..............................

We weren't here very long, I think it was only 1-2 hours at the most.

A little bit of syrup never hurt anyone - did it?

Oh, the decisions, can we take it home, will we be allowed to take it through customs (the answer, yes if it is sealed and you declare it), will it melt, how many kgs can I actually carry around for the rest of the night.............

Oh the dilemmas!

Daryll patiently waited outside (strangely enough it is not really of great interest to him - something a bit wrong there I think just between you & I, maybe he was dropped when he was little, it's certainly not hereditary as his mother understands quite where I am coming from and it seems his brother gets it too!)

Hershey's Syrup - enough for all!

Uh, Oh - too much chocolate!

Decision made - wait for it - not sure if you'll be proud or disappointed with us. Gabe & I choose a Hersheys hot chocolate mug each (a real one to drink out of - not made from chocolate), Emma - a cookies and cream bar and a bag of reeses caramel clusters as a gift!

Candylicious

Phew - we made it out without too much damage, rounded the corner bag in hand and WHAT IS THIS!

Another outlet, with chocolate trees outside covered in candy and even bigger than the last - Nooooooo!

It's Candylicious!

I'm not even going to tell you what's in here - you have to go and see it for yourself, but it is amazing and yes, they do have a chocolate cafe and a chocolate ice cream store within..............

Universal Studios - Singapore with kindness!

2010-10-31T13:49:00.000+11:00

Public transport conquered, we arrive at universal studios, the staff on board Singapore Airlines told me to take my boarding passes as it gives many discounts (pity they didn't tell me that in Bali - would have saved US$20 on the entry to water bom park)
So I am set, I show my passes and ask for a discount - "no madame none at present" I am informed. OK, as an afterthought I ask "is there any discounts for any other offers" (always worth an ask), "why yes, can you pay with mastercard?" Sure!

Always ask if there's any special offers current!

We are informed that this will give us 4 X $5 food vouchers and a $25 merchandising voucher + a further $20 merchandising voucher (saving $65) Great - we usually don't buy gifts at these places, but how lovely for the kids to be able to choose something anyway.
The only mastercard I have is my dads, so we swipe away and I text him to say we've just popped $220 on your mastercard (around AUD$196), the kids are given their vouchers and I tell them this is a gift from your grandpa as we used his card and you must be very lucky for Pa to be able to let you each choose something to bring home.
They are delighted - always worth asking.

Universal Studios Singapore

We arrive at the universal studios gates and it is quite exciting.

The kids can't believe they are here and we enter, walking down the hollywood inspired street filled with shops, around the corner we are greeted with a massive ship and the cast of madagascar being unloaded from the boat, the street booms with the sounds of "we like to move it move it" and the kids - OK and Daryll & I are grooving away, Austin powers would have been impressed - groovy baby!

The cast from Madagascar

Suddenly those crippled feet are fine to walk, run and play, amazing how that happens isn't it - it's a miracle! and without any dedicated healing either!

We groove our way through Madagascar and enter "Far, far away" A signboard welcomes us and the streets are filled with the music of "Touvak is a perfect place".

We board donkey's Dragon's roller coaster with signboards warning us of carrying illicit elves and magic potions.

The mini roller coaster does a fairly decent job of dislocating my head from the top of my spine, throws in a few whacks in the back, adds in a quick sideways movement to make one hip higher than the other for the rest of the week and finishes off with a little rolling, rotating lurch designed to place your breakfast back in your mouth instead of your stomach where it had been happily resting. Even the kids looked a little green and exclaimed "we do NOT want to do that again".

Shreks f**ting toilet

Climbing the hill to Shreks toilet the kids squeal with hysterical laughter at Shrek farts from his toilet (I am told it was NOT a fluff it was a fart mum - apparently there's a difference)

The day is filled with one ride to another, most have a wait of 10-30 minutes and then right on cue the skies open.

Now if you have been in the tropics you'll know what I mean, if you haven't, imagine walking outside in the rain and someone picks up a 24gallon drum of water and tips it over you - about 120 times - get the picture?

There's no getting away from it, everyone rushes for cover and we just make it to a stage show of water world where actors scream around on boats with explosions, fireworks and booming crashes.

The rain lets up just enough to leave here and rush to another area, we decide "it's not that bad" then BOOM, the streets are now under about 12 inches of water, our shoes are full and we are squelching around.

Sure, we could spend $6 each on a plastic raincoat, but we'll just throw it away and then there's more plastic in the environment I try to convince myself, truth be know, I'm probably more tight about the $24 than the eco principle - much as it shames me to say it.

Raincoats and Merchandising Gifts chosen

Gabe & Daryll head off somewhere and Emma and I are drowned, we rush into a store and muse over the cost of 2 plastic raincoats, whilst I am deliberating a local grabs me by the arm and says "wait, I have a discount card, see if it is cheaper" Oh, OK, he asks and it is, Alright - I decide the universe has allowed him to offer, I may as well buy 2.

"OK", I say to the salesgirl, she asks if the payment is to come off the same card as the discount, "No, I will pay cash" I say, "yes, of course it is" the man booms to her and winks to me "we can't have wet weather ruining your experience, it is no money to me at all"

He insists and won't take any payment, he says it is his gift to us.

Somewhat amazed again, that I have forgotten my abundance balances and connection to spirit in the fun of a theme park, Emma grins up at me and we offer thanks to the man and spirit for our blessings.

Fairy Godmothers Magic Potions Shop

We don our capes and set out, it's great!!!!! We can now go anywhere and do anything, we meet Gabe & Daryll huddled in a cafe, they both burst out laughing at the sight of us wafting into the restaurant and we share our story.

We race out and get Daryll & Gabe a coat each and we're set again.

We take the water ride we hadn't previously wanted to do and all laugh hysterically as the entire ship of water dumps in Daryll's lap and he catches it in his raincoat.

Marilyn Munroe

Due to the rain, almost all of universal studios has emptied............. except us!

We are free to go anywhere we like, ride anything we want - no queues - too easy!

We all stop and commune with spirit and give thanks for this special day, then race off to play again.

We meet Princess Fiona, Marilyn Munroe, Shrek, some androids from the future.

The highlights were the free concerts, put on on stage at varied time throughout the day - do these if you go, they are as good as any stage shows we've seen and the are all free once you have entered.

Emma and Princess Fiona

The food was surprisingly good and with our vouchers we had enough to cover lunch and most of dinner. It's pretty well priced.

For lunch we dined in a middle eastern arena and dinner at an American diner - great vegetarian options too.

The kids discovered American grape lemonade which I am pretty sure a grape has never been near, but it was delicious and good fun!

We travelled to the lost world and rode with the Jurassic park dinosaurs, the last bit on the water ride where you are raised up into the mouth of the waiting T Rex as if offered on a plate for dinner was a bit much for the little one (OK - me too) and the look on our faces - it's always THOSE points they place the automatic cameras isn't it was pretty funny afterwards even if not at the time.

We ended the day at the Egyptian section - WOW! I've lived in Egypt for a while in the past and whilst I am not comparing it to the wonders of the lost worlds, it was still amazingly spectacular.

Emma and Daryll outside The Mummy Ride

I pointed out to Gabe how amazing it was that this was all man made (meaning unlike the real Egypt) he sighed and looked at me (you know that "Ohh, I guess I will have to explain this to you slllooowwwlllyyy" look) and said "Mum, the structures in Egypt are not naturally occurring landscapes, they were built too you know"

Oh, yes, well, of course, I knew that.......... just a little lost in the moment!

We decide to enter "The Mummy" roller coaster, inspired by the movie with Brendan Fraser, Gabe thought it was hysterical that I clung to him as we were walking in the corridors, he kept explaining "this is just the queue mum, it's not a haunted house, nothings going to happen, mum, you're cutting off my blood in my arm, mum are you REALLY scared, mum you are sooo funny" Oh yeah, sure, I was laughing!

Gabe with a character from the tombs of Egypt

We finally arrived at the real roller coaster (after I realised the walk was actually just the queue - hrrmmpph, I knew that), climbed in, the seats were done up REALLY **#@ tight - now I should have realised that this is done for a reason eg - in a moment you will be hanging upside down with the blood draining away from your vital organs, but oh, no, I'm in a nice big high seat with a high head rest, quite comfortable, it never entered my mind that the reason it has a high head rest is so that they don't get sued by someones head snapping off their neck and clogging the tracks of the next ride.

Wow - what a ride, a completely indoor roller coaster where you are plummeted into pitch darkness and holographic images are projected all around you, the scarab beetles feel like they are crawling all over you and it culminates in a room where real (yes it is real this time) fire lights up all around the inside of the tomb, you can feel as if you are enclosed in an ancient tomb, just as the heat starts to become unbearable the floor opens and you are dropped (this is not a roll, it IS a drop) into pitch darkness with screaming images racing up the walls past you. Amazing!

It is like one of those movies that you just have to watch again because too much happened to take in in one sitting.

We disembarked and Gabe looks up at me and bursts out laughing, shouting "mum, why is your face a different colour, it totally is - it's like you're grey or something, you have no pink left in your face at all, woo, hoo, this is so funny, I'm not joking mum, your face is a completely different colour, come on, lets go show dad.................. ohhhhh, drats, the pink is starting to come back now, that was so cool, I've never seen anyones face a completely different colour before mum, hey mum, do you want to do it again?"

Hmmmmm

"Hey look mum, there's a photo of us on the ride where it drops, hey look at you mum, hahaha, you're so funny, you know you actually looked like you were scared mum, that's hysterical, come on let's find dad and show him, come on mum, hey mum, you can let go of my arm now, hey mum, your nails are still stuck in my arm, come on mum, let go of me now, there you go, it's OK, come on you'll feel better out in the heat"

The Mummy for littlies - a car drive around the ruins!

An amazing ride, don't miss it, I'm good not to do it again, but it was very amazing!

Dinner eaten at the diner, we were advised that the gates had closed and universal studios was now closed for the evening and would we be so kind as to head out at our leisure - what already! How can it be 7pm already.

Too much fun - we thought the day was done, little did we know what treats awaited outside................

Public Transport in Singapore with kids

2010-10-31T12:46:00.001+11:00

We read that we needed to purchase tickets early to go to Universal Studios, so we set off bright and early, encountering some new friends at the buffet, time got away from us and it was later than expected.
We were advised it was relatively easy to get to, walk out the front of the Novotel, get the MRT 3 stops, hop off, jump on the sky train and you're there............. sounds simple enough!

I'm sure once you have done it a couple of times it is........... however, our trip consisted of:

Entrance to Clarke Quay MRT

Walk out the front of Novotel
cross the bridge, locate the MRT, go downstairs,

MRT Ticket Machine

stand in front of the ticket machines reading EVERY notice for about 15 minutes,
ask the tourists next to us who shrugged their shoulders, ask the locals, who speak rapidly in Mandarin, ask some other locals who point to the ticket office,
go to the ticket office, chat with the man for 10 minutes who explains the best way to go is buy a tourist pass for $8 each for the day which allows entry to every form of local transport, decide to buy this, then ask how much just for the legs we are doing, realise it is about $20 dearer for the tourist pass,
go back to the ticket machine with correct change, pop it in the machine, realise the machine takes double that as it issues a ticket with a refundable balance once you return it,
go back to the ticket office for more change,
pop it in the machine and it spits out 4 tickets - do a victory dance at managing to secure 4 tickets and high five each other,

No going backwards in these gates!

pop the ticket in the gate, walk through, retrieve ticket, Daryll does the same and Emma, realise that both parents should never go through the gate first and leave one child on the other side, run up and down the fence trying to get Gabe to put his ticket in the right slot, wildly wave at locals to help him get through, phew, all together again, resolve to front and back the children in the future.
Locate the MRT map and figure out which line we are going on to head in the right direction

Singapore MRT Map

Look up to see the signboard counts down and our train leaves in 12 seconds, 11, 10.......... run!
Retrieve 1 child from racing down the up escalator, lift them over the top of 1 escalator to the other as we pass in opposite directions in a commando move that a movie director would have been proud of
Get on board, settle down whilst the kids delight in standing up to see which way the train curves as it goes around bends
Catch one child in mid flight down the train as the train hurtles off rapidly on one bend
Restrain both children by clinging to one, hanging on to the overhead arm strap and winding a leg around the other one to keep them in one location.
Phew - three stops and we get off - at Harbourfront
Realise that most of our shopping centres in Australia would fit into one corridor of this location and we could miss our flight home before we find the donut shop, let alone a sky train
Ask directions
Follow said directions and find ourselves outside on the wharf, ask directions again, keep following around the waterfront
Arrive at ticket office to be told it will cost around $384 to board and enter universal studios - what - are these sky trains diamond encrusted - well yes, actually madame they are swarovski crystal encrusted and all newly refurbished, but if you want the cheaper sky train, go back inside the shopping centre and up to the 5th floor and right to the other end
OK, back along the wharf, carrying one child now who apparently has developed a crippling inability to walk one step further in the heat (even though it is still only 9.15am)
enter starship shopping centre, walk another 26795miles to get to the other end of it (well it felt that far!) Up 3568 winding escalators (well, maybe 5!), past a massive food court that we decide is really just a holding bay for another 200 restaurants and to the sky train ticket machine
Buy tickets - plenty of change to now do so, catch one child that has wandered into the restaurants in search of free food, extricate the other from asking a man why he is so fat and why his nose is on a funny angle

Sentosa Sky Train

Tell the children that if they watch the countdown on the train sign it may magically explode when it gets to zero - feel a little ashamed at lying and yet strangely proud of getting them in one place to stand still and quietly watch a board for the next 55 seconds
Shrug at the children when it doesn't explode and board the sky train
Ah, we're in the zone - everyone accounted for, Singapore public transport conquered, on our way to universal studios, they kids are excited at seeing the ground well below them, the exciting scenes of roller coasters are above us and the streets way below - we're pro's at this now!
Discovered the late sky trains from Sentosa are free, perfect, left via this and then................ took a taxi back to the hotel (it was cheaper than 4 MRT tickets!!!!!)

An Abundant Singapore

2010-10-31T11:51:00.002+11:00

With such mixed feelings we departed Bali and arrived in Singapore around 3pm.

You may recall earlier on in this trip Daryll and I had put a theory of abundance to the test.
A long time ago we had a series of experiences that led us to realise the abundance of the universes is widely available to travellers and can be accessed by request.
We realised that all you needed to do was ask for it and trust that all would be provided.
On several occasions since then we spent a little more than the budget allowed and simply requested to the universe to replace it.... then trusted!
Upon returning home we always found in some strange way the amount we had spent had been exactly replaced (I will write a new article on this soon & explain how it is done / works).
In Bali this time, the universe had created some situations where instead of making a financial choice we were co-erced to choose both, again, as if by magic, the funds appeared.
I had sent out a 'manifesting abundance' email to our mailing list before we departed and had been sharing tips and techniques with both the healing circle and the spiritual development circle on creating abundance and manifesting your requests.
During this journey Daryll had been immersing himself in healing energies and prayers and I had been communing with spirit greatly, offering assistance where required and following the abundance mediation daily.
Things were flowing beautifully.

For us, Bali had been our reconnection, Singapore was really (in our minds) an expensive add on so we didn't have 10 hours sitting in the airport and the kids could visit universal studios.
We really weren't expecting anything else.

AFTER we booked the airline tickets, we realised that we arrived on race day of the grand prix and EVERY hotel was fully booked - never mind that the price jumped from $130pn to $600pn just about everywhere.
Interestingly as always, there was nothing we could do about it, so off we went.

Unable to get accom' we visited several travel agents - they too came up with nothing, 1 finally called back and said "good news - I've got a family room on sentosa island for you - available for 4 nights - it's US$2900.00 per night - OK?"
Hmmmm................ let me think about that - uh nope! (US$12,000.00 for 4 nights - just think what the orphanage could do with that sort of money - I think better allocated elsewhere)
So that wouldn't work.

Just before departure I sat down and meditated, a website immediately popped into my mind that I had never heard of, quick internet check and - yes - they existed - (Don't you love it when that happens?)
They suggested the Novotel as we could have both kids in the room, however only triple not quad rooms were showing, however if we wished to upgrade to the exec' floor - yes there were vacancies with a quad.
It was AUD$40pn more to upgrade which the (unknown to me) website promised would provide the upgrade, complimentary cocktails and canapes, full buffet breakfast, gifts for the kids, internet access, club lounge, etc, etc
OK - book it ! DONE!

Oh, my goodness, the thoughts then begin, "I've never heard of this website, I just gave them my credit card, what if it is some strange man in his apartment in the middle of Africa promising other people that he has a spare $10M from a deceased uncle which he will drop into their account and split with them if they just give him temporary access to all their banking details as he's having a few temporary 'governement concerns' which are restricting his own account. What if the booking doesn't exist and we have no where to stay, what will we do, we'll be homeless in the middle of Singapore"
Oh for goodness sake, "mind - stop this nonsense, you'll be fine, it's a credit card, you can contact the bank, there will be somewhere else anyway, CHILL out!".
OK, phew - it's fine, cup of tea required..............

The afternoon dawns, we arrive in Singapore, on board the flight I was ritually practicing my daily abundance meditation. Most thoughts of abundance and being spiritually guided are forgotten.

Isn't it funny how we tend to have pre conceived ideas about the universe only providing lessons in certain places.
EG - I'm on my way to India - here I will be spiritually awakened and my life's path will unfold before my eyes, I'm on my way to Bali - my heart will open and I will be swept away in a sea of bliss, I'm on my way to Singapore - fantastic to visit trade fairs, solve business deals and create financial opportunities for trade.
We set these restrictions in place for ourselves so many time with a past or preconceived idea about what the experience holds for us, forgetting to "BE" to allow any opportunity to come to us no matter where we are.
It makes sense that if you are communing with spirit, or on a path to find yourself, or destined to meet your true love and soul mate, it doesn't matter a hoot to spirit whether you are in Ballarat or Beijing. Venus still exists in the sky and universal energies still surround us no matter what path we take.

Standard Singapore Taxi

We depart Changi airport (streamlined, clean and simple as always for efficient Singapore)
As far as I am concerned, this is the business end of the deal, get a taxi, go to the hotel, do some shopping, visit a theme park, eat some expensive food, go home....................

The kids are tired and we trudge out and wait in the taxi line, a queue of standard taxis line up and one by one people are placed in them and zipped off to their next destination.

Singapore limousines

Our turn arrives and the next car slides up, but instead of a taxi - it is a shiny white limousine.

Daryll proceeds to load luggage in (he's so funny, his energy is always - "well, that is correct, madame, this is EXACTLY the sort of service that one would expect - it is my right to the royal treatment")
I tug on his sleeve and tell him I heard that the limo's have a much higher flagfall than the standard taxis and will cost triple the price, Oh, he steps back and turns to the assistant, who over-hearing my comment replies "Yes, mam, that is correct, if you order one, but this is next in line, so it will be the same price, please alight"

Ohhhhhhh............. OK, jolly good show, the limo driver ushers myself and the children then Daryll into the limo - couldn't have HIS guests lifting their own luggage!

All boarded in, we depart for the Novotel, used to 5 star clients, the driver is eloquent, well educated and proceeds to share his thoughts and travel tips with us.
The kids look out the window and sigh with pleasure at their comfortable wide seats, Gabe grins and says "well, isn't this nice mum" we all nod approvingly.

The usual kids bickering stops, they smile at us and each other, they look out the window interested in where they are (instead of the usual electronic devices that would have otherwise occupied them in a cramped taxi).

It dawns on me, why abundance is provided by spirit, for surely when you are comfortable in your surroundings you are able to connect with spirit more easily.
I am reminded of a visualisation I shared with my ongoing development circle where I asked them to close their eyes and picture themselves living in a hovel. See the dirty floors and the cockroaches running around, see the dust everywhere, feel the cramped environment with everyone in each others way and imagine the dirty street with drug dealers outside your window. Notice how you feel. Now sit down in this environment and meditate - commune and connect with spirit, send blessings out into the world, open your eyes and see your children/friends/partner and notice the love (or lack thereof) you feel to them.
 

Freshly made tea and coffee

Then allow that image to fade, image yourself walking into your home, it is clean, fresh, their are lovely flowers on the bench, a beautiful view into a well kept, quiet garden, friendly neighbours, the bills all paid, a bowl of tropical fruit sitting next to the freshly made tea/coffee.

Now sit down in this environment and meditate - commune and connect with spirit, send blessings out into the world, open your eyes and see your children/friends/partner and notice the love you feel to them.

It is noticeably easier in the 2nd scenario to feel connected and spiritually awakened.

Delicious tropical fruits

Hence we realise the importance of taking the time to make the very best of the environment that you are in, how everything you do can and will assist you to attain greater connection and therefore greater abundance in your life.

Too often in society we are told it is not godly to have wealth, that you must suffer to follow your spiritual path - yet in the above scenario, we realise the exact opposite.
I would love you to say this to yourself every day "It is my RIGHT to be abundant" It is!
When you are abundant, you are free to love, to send blessings out into the world, to do good deeds for another, to be the best you can be.

Some suffering often happens in our lives, it teaches us lessons and assists us to grow, but in almost all cases of people I have worked with (particularly in the western world), they are not meant to live in abject poverty. It is their right and their path to have their needs met and to blossom with abundance. In all cases of clients and students I have worked with, their abundance levels and manifestation skills have increased by following a visualisation and learning procedure and / or having a healing abundance balance done with myself or Daryll.

This means that if this change can occur for all of them, it is NOT their life path to be stagnant, they ARE meant to grow and blossom........................ however I digress............... more of this in another article, back to Singapore!

Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay

We arrive at the Novotel and proceed to check in (all thoughts of the dodgy booking are gone from my mind - I feel connected and 'know' all is good)

They look up our name and quickly make a phone call, immediately a lady arrives at our side "welcome Mr & Mrs Mitchell, I am your personal assistant for your stay here, this is the check in for our standard guests, I will be escorting you to the 24th floor for you priority check in if you would be so kind as to come with me - Oh, no please do not worry regarding bringing your luggage - that is what your personal concierge is for".

We are promptly ushered into the private lounge, the kids are settled and offered any form of drink they would like (with their own waitress), a steaming pot of tea, coffee, milk and lumpy hand made sugar (I love those brown lumpy sugars) arrives served in silver pots for Daryll and myself.

The view of Singapore is just magic and the kids begin pointing out land marks they know.
Emma has been studying the Sands Sky tower at school and is thrilled to have a perfect view of it.

The Sands Sky Tower at night across Singapore

Paperwork solved, we meet our "team" of staff and are warmly welcomed to use the lounge at any time we like. They apologise profusely by saying that as children are not allowed in the lounge during breakfast and cocktails they have organised for us to share the (larger) buffet breakfast downstairs every morning and if we would like to visit the cocktails lounge on the 7th floor please order anything you like on the house and we will bring down some snacks if you like.

Fine by us!

We check into the room (in fairness, it is fine and comfortable, not the flashy 5 star we may have expected - but comfortable and clean)

We share some wonderful snacks and ice cold lemonades in the lounge where we are treated like royalty.

It is getting on now, so we decide to go for a stroll along clarke quay. We are horrified at the prices of food here and begin to think the cocktails and canapes may be all the kids are getting for dinner here - perhaps combined with a cup of 2 minute noodles we brought from Bali.

HUGE ice cream sandwiches for $1

Crossing the bridge the kids are excited to see the "ice cream sandwich man - just like on the amazing race - Ppplllleeeeeaaaaaasssssseeeeeee - can we have an ice cream - it's only $1"

OK, the ice cream man proceeds to cut a HUGE chunk of ice cream off in their chosen flavours (mango, coffee, durian, yam, chocolate, etc,etc) and place it between wafers - it is enormous and YUUUUUMMM! really good!

Deciding that this could take quite some time to eat we stroll along the Quay, munching massive ice creams.

Korean ladies showering Emma with Gifts and blessings

Emma encounters a group of Korean women who are here as part of a promotion for Korea, they are charmed by Emma and shower her with gifts of hand made flower brooches.

It seems the gifts and blessings just keep flowing.

I realise that the blessings we received in Bali are still continuing and it is with great delight we recognise the connection to spirit and the universe that exists no matter where we go.

Farewell to Bali

2010-10-17T23:53:00.001+11:00

So, it seems like an eternity since we arrived that moved in the blink of an eye, but so many things had changed, we'd traversed from expats to tourists and back to 'home' again.
No one wanted to leave Bali this time, and it wasn't just the "I don't want the holiday to end" type feeling, it was gut wrenching, like we were leaving a place we belonged in again.

But life moves and changes and is never the same from day to day.

We had rekindled some old favourite haunts, fallen out of love with some previous favourites and discovered new favourites.

On the last evening, we decided to take the kids up Jalan 66 for a bit of nostalgia.
Years ago this was the seediest nightclub in Bali (& one I personally worked as a dancer at, hosting full moon rave parties and all night disco events), even back then it was a dive (one we totally loved - but a dive none the less).

Zula Vegetarian Restaurant

Riding down 66, all the electricity was out again and it seemed eerily quiet, tourists sat hunched over candles in dark restaurants and locals sat on the street outside the front of their shops, we drove past a local vegetarian restaurant and decided we must come back here for dinner (more further on).

Arriving at the beach where 66 used to stand, we were surprised to find it had been revamped and made into a VERY exclusive and horridly expensive restaurant, disappointed we walked along the beach wondering what had become of our old haunts. In the distance cool laid back reggae music soothed our ears - all hope it not yet lost!

We walked on to a little shack on the beach decorated by rows of paper parasols lining the beach down to the water with lights underneath them.
On the beach around them were long beanbags where you could lay back, watch the waves, sip on a sangria and share plates of tapas.

Ah, yes, that was more our style, the kids delighted in the little shack that looked like a beach treehouse, built so carefully it felt like it would blow away in the wind.

Further on, there were the delightful little warungs selling Nasi goreng (friend rice) and "japples" the Balinese often replace 'F' with 'P' and vice versa which has created much fun for us in the past (especially when they invited us to 'parties' and told us to 'park your care there'.

Bali Beach Sunset at Night

Alas - the kids were hungry, although they loved to run along a moonlit beach.
So we headed back to Zulu's.

Yuuuummmmm............... our new favourite restaurant as it turned out!

Their menu is like a little novel, each dish has a story behind it explaining the positive benefits or the list of ingredients it contains

Here's the blurb from their website (copied with permission from the manager):

Zula is a Middle Eastern term for hospitable home. It's a place where one welcomes their friends. It's merely an invitation to enter ones home, to relax and rejuvenate with with proper food and drinks. Zula is a home away from home.
We do our best in using as much organic as possible. Most of the dry goods are imported and certified organic. Since there is no national accepted and legal definition of "organic" in Indonesia we can only offer what is offered to us and trust. Mineral water is used in cooking and filtered water for washing and sourcing of the vegetables. We do our best to treat food right...with love and care. The quality of care, attention, and respect food is given during it's preparation is as important as the quality of the ingredients.

Cool beach hangouts

The food and it's preparation is based on macrobiotic understanding. It provides a wholesome, balanced meal that includes all vital nutrients, vitamins, minerals , fibers, and micronutrients. You'll find that our menu is versified with ethnic origin vegetarian cuisine and an abundance of health drinks and juices. Our desserts contain no sugar, dairy or artificial flavoring as well as the rest of the dishes. Zula is the only place in town that is totally vegan. therefore we are proud to say: WE DO NOT USE ANYTHING WITH A FACE OR A MOTHER. Find us at: Jl Dyhana Pura (gado-gado), Seminyak, Bali

We had the best meal here with gorgeous plates of food to share and divine drinks. The staff were lovely and we recommend it to you.

The night was cool and crisp as we departed Zula's, donning motorbike helmets and leaping aboard for the last time, we swung past the Bali Boulangerie (I know we'd just eaten........... but we saved dessert and coffee for here), the kids loaded up on enough sugar to get them back to Melbourne next week.

There was the last minute shopping in the supermarket here - bypassing the Kopi Luwak (coffee made essentially from the poo of the Lewak monkey - google it - it's quite the delicacy apparently - pass!)

Then the long ride back to the Holiday Inn, where we took a last midnight stroll on the beach, said our sad farewells and thank yous to Bali and retired for the last night here on this journey..................... Thanks Bali!

Fish Therapy - what a hoot!

2010-10-17T23:01:00.001+11:00

A brief blog here, but one that just must be mentioned, especially for those that are yet to visit Asian countries..............

Fish nibbling on the hands

Now listen carefully - I have 2 words for you "Fish Therapy"

No, not the slapping fish over a body to cure all manner of ills as depicted in some fields of natural therapies, I mean real live fish nibbling away at you!

Quite common in many parts of Asia now.

I remember the first time I saw this I had a mixed bag of emotions, which did include:

Ewwww

You can't be serious

Oh - the poor fish - call the RSPCA

Hyuk, hyuk, that's the funniest thing I've seen

People really believe this works - what the!

Well, maybe..................

These ones are hungry!

However, this blog just wouldn't be complete without a mention of the fish therapy centres that have now also popped up all over Bali & Singapore.

The idea is that you pop your feet in, the hungry little fish come along (depending on how many customers or lack thereof the shop has had, the starving creatures may well storm all over you!)

The fish swim up and nibble off all the dead skin and you are left glowing.

Yeah, call me cynical, but I'm not totally sold on this therapy yet.

Emma's Fish Therapy

However, my kids sure delight in popping their hands in every tank they get a chance to do so on.

We firstly encountered this in Sanya (beach resort in China) where they had an entire spa at our hotel dedicated to it. I resisted for several days and then thought "why not".

Hmmm, I had a problem with the humanitarian aspect of it, especially when freaked out tourists jumped up screaming around in the pool, leaving a wake of dead tiny little fish on the bottom of the pool.

Then I had a pain issue with it, when one fish that had obviously been getting more than his fair share of nibbling and had subsequently grown a little large - took a bite not a nibble out of my toe.

Then I had a 'ewww' issue when a local Chinese man covered in lesions and sores popped in to allow the fish to nibble off all his scabs.

I promptly departed at that point, most likely never to return..............

I have studied and preened and thoroughly checked out my skin before and after and personally am yet to see any difference before or after, however, it goes to show, that this world is still a wonderful place, full of surprises and cultural differences around every corner.............. you make up your own mind and enjoy the nibbling!

A day Spa in Ubud - what a mess!

2010-10-17T22:05:00.003+11:00

Now from the previous blog, you may have been led to believe that our day spa experiences are those of (vegetarian) caviar and champagne, well, sure that was pleasant, although people that spend the day in a day spa with children ~~want their head read~~, are very dedicated.
In most cases, we'll take what we can get, even a 1 second sandy rub on the back from a 6 year old can be blissful on aching, weary, well travelled muscles.
Prior to arriving at the Holiday Inn, we were in Ubud, a beautiful place, filled with nature and arty folks. Pretty perfect for a couple of hippy travellers like us actually!
We decided one day, that we had done plenty with the kids and it was time for us to be pampered...........

Off we set, anticipation high ........ we had prepared earlier by asking our son to load every known movie on to his laptop and bring it with a power lead, adaptor, colouring books, reading books, crayons, pencils, word search books, the I Phone and any other possible distraction we could find.
We fondly remembered the days where we could say "let's go for a massage" and just leave, these days we required almost military precision about packing & entertainment to allow a precious quiet time.

Wandering up the street in Ubud, we visited several massage places........... too quiet....... the lady looked down her nose at the kids and their laptop, too posh.... we couldn't relax, thinking the kids may disturb someone....... finally we chose one, sure it was a little rough around the edges, but the prices were fine 55,000rp each (US$5.50) for a 1hr body massage followed by an body exfoliant and a mandi lulur (flower bath) which we were promised we could share together.
Best of all, they were quite happy to set up a table for the kids to watch their movies on and over the radio and the noise from the street, we didn't think they would bother anyone.

We deliberated for a while over the price - doesn't 110,000 anything sound like such a lot ?
Reminding ourselves it was actually AUD$13.75 for both of us for 1.5hrs, we agreed and strangely enough the girls were very surprised we were actually accepting their offer, in a state of bewilderment they led us through to the back room.
The told us to undress, lay on the table and they would return, they looked at us very strangely, in a way that suggested once they closed the door, we may both hurriedly make a break for it out the back entrance leaving them with 2 children in their foyer.

A few minutes later they knocked on the door and entered to find us both laying face down in our underwear (well me anyway, as it turns out I had accidentally given all Daryll's underwear to the orphanage in my swooping up of items. That's another story, which I probably won't share here, suffice it to say there is a large difference between western men's size medium and Asian men's size medium and upon returning to the hotel armed with new underwear, Daryll emerged from the bathroom hobbling quite a bit and really greatly appeared to be wearing a see through brown nylon band aid in place of underwear. He hobbled through the evening meal, taking around 6 tries to sit down at the table, before deciding he was fine and didn't need underwear in Bali for the next month anyway)

So here we were laying on the table, briefly covered in a sarong each, you could feel the sense of relief from the girls that we were actually still here and they set about with our massage.

OK - so it wasn't the Hilton, but when your muscles have lifted luggage, carried sleeping children through airports, walked 10's of kms every day and tossed legs over motorbikes, any pampering is greatly appreciated.

Our tired bodies were pummelled, shaken, rolled and moved........... bliss!

Then is was time for the exfoliant, the girls offered me a choice of 2 powders in containers, both looked like dirt, one said chocolate, the other said coconut, they both looked and smelt the same to me.
I shrugged and pointed to the 'coconut' container, they both nodded approvingly as if I had totally made the correct choice and zipped out of the room.

A moment later they were back........... each armed with a dish of paste, they stuck their fingers in and gently smoothed it over our bodies, OK....... a little gritty, but fairly nice, the paste was smooth and soft and it gently rolled across our skin.
The girls kept rubbing, the paste started to dry out which must have been what they were waiting for, they started vigorously rubbing in the one location.
Now, I'm not sure if our freckles were mistaken for dirt and they just reeeeaaaally wanted to do a good job, they appeared to only move on to the next body part once every pore in the location they were in was about 1mm away from oozing blood from being exfoliatingly eliminated.
Forget the skin being a protective covering, these girls were determined to rid us from the dry haggard looking shells we had walked in with.

I thought about resting on a beach with palms swaying and coconuts swinging gently above, alas I could only envisage the coconut falling off the tree and scraping down my shin leaving a blood red streak in it's wake.
I tried to tell myself my skin would look lovely and to drift off somewhere else, although in the faint recess of my mind I'm sure I heard my body emit a delicate though quite audible groan a little akin to the first wave of pregnancy contractions.

Finally the girls gently touched my skin and waved me toward to bath they had lovingly prepared for Daryll & I to share.

Ahhhh............. A Mandi lulur ........................ Gentle music courses through my mind, romantic notions of exquisite flowers floating in a sea of hot water with the love of your life ..................

Errggghhhhh ...................... music screams to a halt, ours is a pretty dinged up old bath with some lukewarm water trickled in by a hose and some frangipanis floating on top - ah well, they do smell nice and I sure need a bath to wash this exfoliant off............. it will do!

So, it's not quite 5 star, hey I'll take a bath that someone else runs
for me anyday, throw in a few flowers that smell nice - heaven!

The girls make a hasty exit for the door. I think they were a bit worried Daryll would stand up stark naked in front of them, they whisper 'take your time' and wink to me, glancing at Daryll.

The nod knowingly as if to let me know they understand no western man could possibly have a massage and not need it to have a 'happy ending'.

The bed is covered with exfoliant

Daryll & I look at each other and chuckle, he whispers to me "how's your skin" I tell him it was a bit rough at times.

"A bit rough !!!!!!!!!" he exclaims, "I think my girl was determined to rid me of anything that resembled skin at all".

We both giggle away to each other and then cast our eyes to the massage tables and floor, OH MY GOODNESS............. even my kids don't make this much mess!

I am sure glad I don't have to clean those floors

The floor is totally covered with muck, we can't decide if it is the exfoliant or skin that has taken us the last 15 years to grow, either way we are pretty glad we don't have to clean it up. Then and there on the spot, we decide the girls have earnt their money just in the cleaning up.

Emma has begged a 10 minute massage of her own out of one of the girls and they whisper through the door to ask if it is OK for her to have a massage and that they will charge us 10,000rp for her massage (AUD $1.20), we call back that will be fine.

Emma's private massage

Daryll & I slip into the lukewarm bath filled with a few flowers.

Romantic notions aside, we are both pretty intent on getting the rest of this muck out of every body orifice that was exposed to the girls.

Backs scrubbed and Daryll hops out, allowing me to relax and ............. just soak............. any mum does not need to be reminded how special a bath is without a child wanting to climb in with you.

Sure they are delightful and one of my favourite sayings (yes, still, even when the littlest is 7years old) is "ahh, there's nothing lovelier than freshly washed children" (used to be 'babies' but we've adapted to age increases). She always appears after a bath/shower with a towel around her and winks at me, waiting for this saying and the swooping up in the arms towel and all that always accompanies it.

However, the realisation that NO ONE is getting in this bath with you is lovely!

We emerge, dry, clean, refreshed and surprise, surprise - our skin is glowing in a way not seen in a long time, all dry skin is gone, the sunburn that was starting to peel is gone, we look and feel fantastic!

Emma emerges refreshed and pampered in a lovely frame of mind and Gabe's movie is just finishing, ahhhh, don't you love synchronicity!

The girls are thanked and paid and still look strangely bewildered at the experience and we all set off to the next adventure looking all the better for our experience.

A day Spa for kids!!!!

2010-09-27T02:21:00.000+10:00

Having been given some money by a very dear friend before we left with a note that read "get something nice for YOU"

Holiday Inn Day Spa Entrance

I was a little bewildered as to what I wanted to buy in Bali, oh sure, there is tonnes of 'stuff' but - we used to live here, I came dangerously close to liaising with a furniture shipping agency, but that's another story, but what else to buy.

There is: Copy DVD's, silver jewellery, batiks, arts and crafts galore, paintings, clothing, hats, wooden penis's (yes, we are currently looking into the significance of this one - any comments or knowledge please post here re this one - the kids found these enormous pointed things that hang everywhere most amusing and I am sure there is a cultural significance somewhere), but I digress ......... lost in phallic confusion!

There's crash hats and bracelets made of $2 coins, wooden carvings of just about anything you can imagine, stone carvings and on the list continues, but I have what I need in these, so ....... what to do...........

I thought I would take the money home and go out for lunch with this dear friend, but then we are handed a flyer offering 20% off (apparently given to all guests - and for the record, if you are going, I was later told up to 40% if you ask for it - so try that one on) on 'mummy and me' day spa treatments.

Yes, I know, feeling rather like Katie Holmes and Surin, Emma and I stroll to the Holiday Inn day spa, Yes they have 'just the package for us'.

We are enticed into receiving a special "mummy and me" pampering.

Where they promise for 90 minutes (which turned in 3 hours actually) to polish our toe nails, finger nails and provide De'cleor facials.

They entice Emma further by offering Strawberry scented cream for her tootsies.

Too gorgeous........... Daryll insists it will be perfect for us both.

We arrive back 30 minutes later and are ushered into the beautiful waiting room.
Serene music is playing, the fish swim past the glass walled rooms, Emma gazes up with the look of the princess in heaven and waits outside watching the fish.

We are handed warm scented face washers for our hands and a delicious ginger and honey tea.

Ah yes, Emma's diva has emerged now, she is in her element "oh, thank you so very much, my dear" she says to the therapist "just delightful" as she sips her tea.

Forget Emma the traveller, Emma the worshipped and adored has now fully emerged and is rightfully claiming her place amongst the glamorous.

She shrugs her shoulders, flicks back the hair and flounces over to the desk with her empty cup "divine" she tosses at them, gently handing her cup to those who now wait upon her.

We are taken to a beautiful room, scented with lemongrass, peppermint and frangipanis. Our nails and hands are massaged, treated, buffed, polished and painted. Mine with colour and Emma's with tiny little flowers.

She gazes down approvingly and says to her therapist (in a most sing song lovely voice) "just charming - thank you".

We are then escorted to a beautiful room (having previously dressed in most peculiar disposable underwear and soft robes) and relaxed down for our facials.

All up for the 2 of us for 3 hours it cost 790,000rp (around AUD$100), it could be done at the local shop up the road for a fraction of this price, however we felt based on what we would pay in Australia for a similar service and the beautiful surroundings - it was good value. (however, remember we later learnt YOU may ask for a discount if you visit here). We felt as the Holiday Inn had provided so many 'free' services to us during this stay and the room upgrade, we wanted to honour them by purchasing this lovely service from them.

I wrangled a little with the 'lifestyles of the rich and famous' here, but it truly was a lovely experience and a great opportunity to share together, which Emma is still glowing about and telling people about her "mummy and me" day at the spa.

A bit of a bidet

2010-09-22T20:44:00.001+10:00

The day was warm and sunny, the children swimming, buffet breakfast delightfully completed and I retired to the room to collect a book.

Nature called and a quick visit to the rooms rest room. I don’t know what it is in Asian countries about their toilets, perhaps it’s because the locals are used to squatting to relieve themselves and therefore once western toilets are introduced, the practice still continues albeit a little higher up.

I’ve seen many toilets with signs requesting that the guests do not stand on the toilet seats, whether this loosens the hinges or if it is just faulty plumbing I am not sure.

However, after many attempts I consider myself generally prepared for the inevitable ‘slide’ that often happens once you reach around for the paper, which mysteriously is generally placed so far behind you that you wonder whether most guests here belong to cirque du soleil just to reach the toilet paper.

I’ve become wiser now, I get the paper before I sit down, or so I thought in this case, however just the slight raising of one leg to use the afore mentioned paper and ‘boom’ off the toilet slides to one side, crashing back down.

Now, the drop is only a few centimeters, however the shock that generally accompanies it causes you to tighten up so fast that the muscles in your neck and back contract at lightning speed, so there I sit with a tiny wash of adrenalin coursing down my body, thinking to myself “did I just put my neck out”

I wonder how I am going to explain this injury to people if I can’t move my neck.
“Hmmm, holiday in Bali”, people will ask, “how did you injure yourself?, motorbike riding, surfing in wild swells, dancing ‘til the sun came up?”

Imagine the shame of “actually, I slipped on the toilet seat!”

I gently swivel my head about, phew, no damage done it seems.

Oh, sure, it LOOKS innocent & just a tiny little button

Redressing, I begin to close the lid of the toilet and notice a seemingly innocent sign on the toilet saying it may be used as a bidet. Hmmm, interesting ….. it promises a gentle washing moment and explains that the small wash of water will gently glide back by itself.

“How bad can it be?” I am lulled into thinking, however I have learnt a lesson already with this toilet so I think I’ll give it a little try out on it’s own before I leap in and allow it anywhere near my naked nether regions.

A small silver button lies innocently on the side of the toilet, OK, I give it a push and look in.

Instructions sound simple!

A small water spout gently rises (rather phallically) from the toilet gushing a gentle stream of water, innocently it begins to rise up and rotate gently, but now the water becomes a bit stronger. Rising in height and strength the water whooshes out now rising all the time, it erupts out of the toilet all over my knee (I am standing in front of the toilet watching it), quick as lightning straight up the inside of my leg and before I can move soaks all the front of my knickers, continuing up the front of my dress. At this point all I can think of is that this water is coming out of the toilet – ewwww!

I leap to one side (in hind sight – the wrong side as I now can’t reach the button to turn it off)
The water continues to rise and grow in intensity, I am gasping down at it, thinking of what a mischief it could now be doing if I was actually sitting on it. I try to reach around to turn it off and the water sprays all over my face, YUUUUUK!

I leap back and the water continues, now there is a stream erupting out of the toilet, across the floor, out the toilet door, across the hallway and up the mirrored wardrobe on the other side of the hall. Oh, my, I have no idea what to do, I stare at it as the water begins to flow out the hallway, under the outside door and fill the corridor outside, there’s a splashing sound as if I am caught in a thunderstorm.

Leaping over the toilet, the water sprays all over my screwed up face and plasters my hair all over my head, my beautiful silk lined dress is clinging soaked to my body and I reach the silver tap, turning it as hard as I can, the water is trying to make it’s way through my teeth and up my nose

Oh, this is soooo not fun@!#%

With a twist the water slows and gently the small innocent phallic looking tube lowers and retracts back into the toilet. Oh, sure, now it looks all innocent again.

Toilet designed by Bast**ds incorporated.

I stare down and notice for the first time that the bathroom floor is already covered by towels even though the room has already been made up, I wonder why, yet set to mopping down the floors, mirrors, shower, toilet, cupboards and hallway.

Rinsing off my clothes, hair and face, it somehow still feels very nasty. I try to convince myself the water came out of the tube, not out of the toilet.

Room cleaned, I feel defeated – and by a toilet, I slink back to the pool area and say to Daryll, “there’s a bit of a mess in the bathroom”

He looks up and says “Oh, yes, I am so sorry, I did that, you know there’s this funny innocent looking silver button on the side of the toilet………..”

Four on a bike

2010-09-22T20:41:00.004+10:00

I had been trying to talk Daryll into hiring a car so we were able to travel around on our own and go as we liked. Having driven in Asia so much, he was adamant that this time he didn’t want to. He doesn’t like the traffic jams, the noise and congestion and the swerving around the larger vehicles (Asian road rules often state that the larger vehicle has right of way).

Feeling strangely liberated with no children, he looks to me and says “come on chicky babe, time for us to get 2 wheels beneath us”………………………..

He’s back a few minutes later and says “are you ready to feel the powerful throbbing of transport between your legs” tosses me a crash hat and grabs my hand to the car park.

There it is, the epitome of manly power………… a shiny …………..110cc mo ped!

Too funny!

Hat’s donned, we leap on and he powers up the street, cracking nearly 15kms per hour we are zooming along, the afterthought of wind blows through our hair. We don’t care, we are free!

A couple of middle aged feral hippies on the loose in Bali again – look out!

We wind our way through the streets on Bali and back out into the familiar areas of Kerobokan (where we used to live) the traffic thins out and we get up a head of steam, I call to Daryll “how fast baby?” He looks and says “nearly 40kph, we’re on fire now!”

A strange feeling washes over me as we pass rice paddies, beaches and stone masons, I am home again!

It is unexpected, I had become used to the feeling of being a visitor here, we stop for lunch and a tourist walks up to me and smiles and asks “how long have you lived here for?”

An energy has changed and something I am exuding is different. A feeling of delight and love for the children washes over me, I feel like laughing again and I think of the time when Daryll has asked me “where did the young girl with flowers in her hair I loved go to?” She’s back, I can feel it!

Already we’re talking about how things can change, how our seriousness can go AWOL again, how life can be a delight again.

We find an internet café and upload the latest blogs and images and finally return to the kids clubs, they have had a ball, surrounded by friends they want to stay but look at their parents striding in, swinging helmets from their arms, their faces light up “did you get bikes?” they ask.

“Oh, yes”, we say, sure it may be a 110cc mo-ped, doesn’t matter, we don’t care, somehow youth has been reclaimed and the kids can see it, “see ya” they call to the kids.

Let’s go…………..

We’re off, only 3 helmets, so Daryll takes Emma and I on the bike up to a restaurant, lost several times it is beginning to get dark by the time we arrive, he sets off back to get Gabe.

LaLucciola Mocktails

Emma & I share frozen Berry martini mocktails overlooking the beautiful Balinese sunset on the beach, a wedding party arrive for photos and borrows Emma to be in their photos, she is delighted!

She makes new friends and they play on the grass whilst I meditate and feel especially grateful for this truly special day.

It is nearly 2 hours before Daryll & Gabe arrive looking a little flustered.

I decide I will take a taxi home, so he doesn’t have to do the trip again (I didn’t get an international license this time, thinking we’d hire a jeep and can’t be bothered with the 4 hours it takes to get a Balinese one here), however as we are leaving we see a family of 5 heading home on their mo-ped. We shrug and say “OK, lets give it a try then”.

The roads are calmer now it is late and the 4 of us fit on quite well, we zoom along in the cooler night air, the kids delighting at their sense of freedom, parents escalated noticeably in the ‘cooler’ stakes.

We detour past the Bali Bakery for late night snacks, the kids choose chocolate marshmallows, sugar dusted air puffs (like donuts) and brownies. Enough sugar on board to last a week, we clamber aboard for the cool night air journey home. Emma begins grooving to the local band and the rasta boys groove along with her and nod their approval to us.

I share with Daryll how strange he won’t hire a car for safety reasons but will toss his entire family on a motorbike, he shrugs and says, it’s safer this way hon………. and although I can’t explain it, I agree with him.

Ah, yes, the old Bali still exists for us here, tourists hang out at sports bars, offerings are strewn about and trodden on, hawkers beg you to buy jewellery and DVD’s, but they don’t ask us, they just nod and smile……………….

Arriving back at the hotel, our friend has dropped off another helmet for us, it is strangely reminiscent of a world war 1 motorbike crash helmet – I think I have seen something similar resting on my fathers head in aging black and white photographs when he used to race bikes.

We’re set, look out Bali, the Mitchell’s are back………….. with kids!

From Losmen to luxury

2010-09-22T20:38:00.003+10:00

The first week we are back in Bali feels strange. We are a little disoriented, no one seems to be that nice to us and our favourite restaurants are closed.

We settle in and soon find new favourites, however, the magic of the past seems removed.

Having lived in Melbourne and China for the last 12 years, these 2 places feel more like home than Bali now, never mind, even if this is the last time here, we are determined to relax and allow the experience be unique, rather than clinging to the ideals of the past. We are sure there are still many spiritual and personal experiences that may unfold for us and if not, perhaps we will have a pleasant relaxing time.

After our trip to the Orphanage, doors began to open. It is interesting how once you release you our needs and focus on those of others, energetic doors open to you. Whilst you don’t do things for reward, it is so wonderful how once you align yourself with the energies of the universe, all endeavours are supported.

Holiday Inn Baruna in Tuban Bali

We met the most wonderful people, spoke with shamans, stayed in exquisitely beautiful places and dined like royalty.

Chatting Daryll and I shared that whilst we liked it here, it didn’t have the pull to stay on as had previously happened.

We were determined to share the experience with the children of the ‘real’ Bali as we used to live.
I laid down the law, no computers, no play stations, no kids clubs, no separations, we were a family and in this together to share this amazing experience.

So here we were 2 weeks later, adults exhausted, kids bored, eldest desperate for any form of electronics – basically miserable.

Holiday Inn kids room

Gabe hadn’t coped too well with the required endless meeting and chatting with people. Whilst little chatterbox Emma found this form of socializing right up her alley, Gabe found it confronting and uncomfortable. He missed his programming and designing and the outlets that allowed his mind to flow.

Realising I was in fact clinging to an outdated experience, I decided to relax and let it be what it would.

We discussed what it is that makes people happy is generally their freedom and like the story in www.once-there-was-a-story.blogspot.com of “which part of the elephant do you hold?” how peoples experiences can be different even when in the same location.

I realized I was forcing the kids to have MY Bali experience, instead of allowing it to be their own.

Holiday inn kids whale chair

We decided we needed to check into a hotel that gave everyone the opportunity to embrace what ‘their’ idea of a holiday was.

Knowing the Holiday Inn had kids rooms, we tried to book in there, sadly all full, we even called the hotel directly “sorry, all rooms full”

I sat up until 4am surfing sites for vacancies here or anywhere else that had kids clubs – nothing!

Ah, well, time to hand it over then, I strolled into the quiet, yet warm evening/early morning air with the frogs and geckos beckoning, it was a beautiful typical warm evening.

I communed with nature and connected with ‘the spirit of Bali’. When we used to bring groups here, we often shared with them how import it was to ‘introduce’ themselves to the country they were visiting, share their reasons for being here and silently pay respects as a guest. We found so many times when people did this, everything in their experience began to flow and doors were opened for a truly special experience.

I realized I had forgotten this and spent some time, silently introducing our family and making energetic offerings.

The next morning at breakfast, Gabe shouts out excitedly “hey mum, your phone just lit up, you’ve got wi fi here” Ahhhh…….. if only I could get him as interested in cultures, but who am I to judge where his talents lie.

We logged on and of course a family room vacancy now exists at the Holiday Inn Baruna (budget, what budget, that was long gone now!)

Checking in, we are a little unsure the vacancy will actually exist, but hey, worst case scenario, we look elsewhere.

Yes, they warmly welcome us with cold towels and lemongrass and lime jellies, they quietly explain that they do not have a vacancy for us in the room we booked, hence they have upgraded us to a family suite at no extra charge, as such all our buffet breakfasts are included, complimentary newspapers, fruit and free access to kids clubs and kids meals.

As Gabe is 12, the kids club is for 12 and under so he can go as he likes and the 12-18 zone gaming rooms he is also welcome in – he is in heaven.

We arrive in our room, the kids have their own bedroom with beds decorated like boats complete with steering wheels and masts. Their wardrobe looks like a circus tent and Gabe almost stops breathing when he realizes they have their own cable TV, DVD player and X Box. Emma is thrilled to find a bean bag and a chair that looks like a whale.

They beg to go to kids club and reluctantly agree to wait until tomorrow as we share a meal in Tuban.

Holiday Inn Baruna in Tuban Bali (adults room)

The next morning they are at the buffet (which by the way is the most extensive I have EVER seen, with EVERY need you could imagine catered for).

Daryll & recline back on the cushions sharing a pot of tea as the kids race off to kids club. Daryll reluctantly leaves to check them in, comes back 5 minutes later with a mobile phone lent to him and………….. no kids!

Wow……… now this may not seem amazing to you, however this is the first time in 12 years we have been childless. With 1 home schooled and our own business which we all do together, it just hasn’t happened before!

Don’t get me wrong, we adore them and it is a choice we make to have them with us, but the freedom of being childless for just a few hours was totally liberating.

Knowing they were totally happy (Emma was already dressed like a princess with several other girls and

Gabe was immersed in wi fi gaming with the other teenagers), my cultural needs were met as they were scheduled for a workshop in Balinese offering making, mask making and other experiences made fun for them later in the day, they were to be escorted to the restaurant for lunch later…………. We were free!

We looked at each other and wondered what to do!

Should we take a massage, drink mocktails on the beach, go for a walk, oh, my…….. so many options we couldn’t choose… so we drank tea and talked (lovely!)

Fascinating Bali Dry Stone Walls

Soon, the creative juices began to flow and we took off, studying the landscaping and working out how to build the fabulous stone walls, we walked, learnt, chatted and strolled hand in hand on the beach.
By the way - after 2 days of kids clubs - the kids preferred to 'hang out' with us, wonders never cease!

I had been trying to talk Daryll into hiring a car so we were able to travel around on our own and go as we liked. Having driven in Asia so much, he was adamant that this time he didn’t want to. He doesn’t like the traffic jams, the noise and congestion and the swerving around the larger vehicles (Asian road rules often state that the larger vehicle has right of way).

Feeling strangely liberated with no children, he looks to me and says “come on chicky babe, time for us to get 2 wheels beneath us”………………………..

A near murder in our midst

2010-09-20T17:13:00.000+10:00

Emma and Gabe swim near the elephants

The day drew to an end on our African savannah, we had met with healers, dined with lions, swum in lagoons (albeit modern and very nice lagoons) watched over by deer, zebras and elephants.

The night prior, we had been delighted with 2 lovely nocturnal visitors in our thatched roofing – 2 enormous chit chaks, also known as geckos and lizards. I am sure there’s a difference between breeds and sizes, however for the purpose of this story, we’ll call them geckos. Completely unaware of them, there was a scuffling on the roof and a very loud “echko” called out. We all looked up to see the 2 chasing a moth around the roof.

Swimming watched by deers

Gazing up at the thatching, we were enthralled by the way their colours changed to match what ever they were standing on. The night darkened and they moved behind the beams, leaving only the occasional plop of offerings down to us – we placed paper over the tops of our drinking glasses and toddled off to bed.

Coming into our room tonight, there was the familiar calling card on the arm of the chair from our nocturnal visitors that had clearly been active for at least some of the day also.

The children were tired out and we retired to our lodge rooms for a peaceful shared family meal and some television movie watching.

We ended up watching some silly sit com on television about a murder that was taking place, as life took a turn to imitate art at the moment of the television murder, there was a loud scuffling and banging on our roof.

We looked up to see the larger gecko (around 30cm long) had hold of the smaller one (around 20cm) biting him on the back of the neck so hard his head was bent backwards and he began squealing. At first we thought it may have been a mating ritual, but it soon became apparent that something more sinister was a foot.
“Ah well”, Daryll explained to the children, “such is the way of the wild, the roof is around 20ft up and there’s nothing we can do about it”

The children sadly gazed up to the roof as the large gecko starting swinging the smaller squealing gecko around.

“No daddy”, Emma shrieked “you just CAN’T let him die”

Little chik chats / geckos (colour changers)

Daryll explained that he simply wasn’t tall enough to do anything and shrugged his shoulders.

Gabriel began running around the room looking for something, anything that could save the gecko.
All that was about was a few lemon slices which we aimed (rather badly it turned out) and threw trying to knock him off or at the least distract him to let go and allow the little one the briefest moment to escape its peril.

You may not know, but I am actually quite famous (in our household) for my lack of throwing aim

Once Daryll & his mate were having a cup of tea on the balcony and I walked out with food scraps to throw over the balcony (we tossed them over for the possums and birds to eat), Daryll saw me raise my arms to throw and leapt under the table screaming to his friend “duck, mate!”

His friend looked at me and said to Daryll “Oh, come on, I think you are being bit melodramatic how bad can she be?” Daryll shrugged and stayed under the table. His friend smiled at me and stayed sitting.

I raised my arm full of fruit scraps, deliberately aimed in completely the other direction, so as to miss him and thwack – papaya seeds dripped from his ear and ran from his chin.

He looked at me dumbstruck and then to Daryll who shrugged and crept out from under the table.

An hour or so later I came out again with more food scraps and burst out laughing as both men scrambled for the depths of the table.

Another time, I threw an entire bowl of food scraps out and Daryll entered the kitchen just as they bounced into the roof of the balcony and splattered back into the kitchen completely covering me (and the kitchen floor) with scraps.

Back to Africa in Bali and the tale of our murderous geckos, there I was with 2 screaming children, a shrugging husband and a bowl of lemon slices. I hurl 1 into the air aiming for the gecko, naturally it bounced across the roof missing him by about 3 metres. “What are you trying to do?” Daryll asked, “well, I don’t have anything else Daryll, so I must try this”

Daryll sniggered as another wildly thrown piece of lemon bounced off the window in the lounge (instead of the roof over the bedroom).

As the little one shrieked again, Emma burst into tears and tried one last plea to Daryll “every pet I have ever had has died and I just can’t bear to see another die now”

What is it about little girls pleading to their daddies that brings out the protector in men, the raw passion that evokes the need to do just about anything that is possible and a few things that aren’t usually possible just to protect ‘their girls’.

The army couldn’t have rallied forth a more efficient task force, Daryll & Gabe banded together, Gabe calls out “we can do it dad” and races into the bathroom, he comes back dragging some bamboo tied up with reed (meant for drying towels), yet to the 2 soldiers it now certainly looked like a bush ladder.

Passing it to Daryll with a foot on the floor to stop it sliding, Daryll scales the make shift ladder with the precision of a secret service officer.

He calls out to Emma to place cushions on the floor to soften the fall of the gecko and shimmies to the top, with outstretched arms he is still about 2 metres too short, wildly banging the roof pole just makes the gecko hang on tighter and the little one squeals again.

“Daddy, you just have to save him” Emma cries out.

Daryll looks around and sees a large African pot filled with huge umbrellas (I know they are very large as I found out last night walking in the rain, they don’t fit through the passageway beams, I walked through holding the brolly, but it didn’t – result – bent brolly and sore bottom from flying backwards under the beam – you know if I had a camera man following me around I am sure I would have been on funny TV shows and probably quite wealthy by now)

“Pass me that brolly” he shouts with great authority, reaching up he swings it wildly at the geckos, thwack – the little one goes flying through the air, lands (somehow backwards and it wasn’t even me doing the throwing)on the roof of the bedroom and scurries away over the beams as fast as his little legs would go,

Daryll is sure it gave him a tiny wink as it scurried away.

A great team - Daryll and Gabe

Looking up, the big gecko seemed rather confused as to what had just occurred, colours faded back into the wood grain pattern as it slowly slunk behind the beam with just the tip of his nose poking out, laying in wait for perhaps that large moth it had coveted the night prior.

Daryll in Tsavo Lion Restaurant

Daddy climbed back down the makeshift ladder, quickly converted back to a drying rack, a hero in the eyes of those that matter.

Mara River Lodge and Magic Healing

2010-09-20T17:06:00.000+10:00

Our organized driver arrived right on cue to collect us and take us to the Mara River Lodge (for the Bali safari park), complete with Safari car and dressed in safari suit & hat.

Emma and Gabe cuddle the baby white tiger

The children were incredibly excited, especially once he told them he had a baby tiger waiting for them to cuddle.

Amidst excited squeals, we began the usual pleasantries of where do you come from, what is your name, have you visited Bali before?

I answered in Indonesian and our driver raised his eyes “Oh, you speak Indonesian”, “where did you learn, how long did you live here, what did you do living in Bali”

We explained that I was interested in natural therapies and wrote articles about Bali, feeling our way through whether the topic was acceptable or not with this person.

In Bali – it’s not as simple as in the west, there remains a great degree of skepticism and a certain amount of fear of the unknown, the mysteries and faith healing / magic.

6 month old baby elephant

Seeing a genuine interest here, we discussed Balians – the local Faith healers of the village. Our driver seemed most surprised that we knew of such matters, he asked were we sure, I replied “yes, I study sekala dan niskala” (the seen and the unseen – world of energies).

Fish Therapy (to remove the dead skin by eating)

“Ohhhh, he replied, you really do understand!” As if testing us out, he asked “do you know of the Leyaks” (kind of similar to Shamans, however sometimes known as witches).
“yes, sure” we replied. The door of communication was open, he seemed delighted not only that we knew of such things, but that we actually had an interest in them.

Interestingly, the day prior we were walking through Ubud when the afternoon skies opened right on cue with heavy monsoon rains flooding down. Taking refuge in a nearby café, we had settled in with local newspapers.

More Fish therapy - Eww!

Reading through I was fascinated to discover an entire page devoted to the practice of visiting Balians for healing, the respect required to visit, financial renumerations required and where to locate them – wow – how different from when I lived here and it was all terribly secret and kept under wraps.

Our driver asked, “when you made the booking at the resort, did you book with a man?”
“yes, we had” ………. He leaned over and whispered “the man that took your booking is a Balian, I can organize you to meet him if you like”

“There’s another man at the resort who also is a Balian” Fascinating, I always love the serendipity of the universe opening doors when required.

Filled with further conversations, we were advised that it was very strange for a vacancy to open up (we had called the day before) as the lodge was usually booked out 1 year in advance.

It was not long before we arrived at the safari park. As we entered, we drove through the large gates, reminiscent of entering Jurassic park.

Our Lodge at Mara River Resort

The kids squealed with delight as we were driven past grazing elephants, weird looking pigs with huge horns and other peculiar creatures.

Checking into Mara River resort, they greeted us with “Welcome to Africa” (too funny, considering we were in Bali, however we loved it)

Our driver had pre warned the children, once they arrived that they must be incredibly quiet and not move too quickly as there would be a lion in the lobby, subdued into a mix of excitement and fear, they carefully entered the lobby to be greeted by a full sized (and rather moth eaten) stuffed lion with yellowish, glassy eyeballs. He rolled about with laughter looking at our bewildered kids.

We began checking in, singing papers, filling out forms, the kids wandered off bored asking if they may use the toilet, immediately – they were back squealing something about a lion being in the toilets and amidst “QUICK mummy - you MUST come and see him”, excusing myself I was dragged running into the toilets – sure another stuffed beast was awaiting I was most surprised to see an enormous and very real and alive full size lion laying just behind a plate glass window in the toilets.

Kids Room at Mara

He was huge and right on cue, let out an ear piercing roar, followed by a huge yawn.

Driven by golf buggy to our lodge, we weren’t expecting too much as we entered.
Isn’t it lovely when you don’t expect too much and are so pleasantly surprised, we entered a 2 bedroom lodge decorated fabulously with hand made walls, African artifacts, wood slatted bathroom recesses, large canopied 4 poster beds and a balcony looking out on to a savannah.

There was a bucket filled with carrots labeled “animal food”, great little organic toiletries, tea and coffee, beautiful vase of tuberoses (my favourite) & a basket of tropical fruits.

What a day, we toured the ‘continents’ through animal species, we watched piranhas devour an entire chicken in a matter of minutes and took a swim in the pool surrounded by zebras and rhinos. We gave thanks for this beautiful location and felt especially blessed to be able to share this lovely space.

Canopied Bed at Mara

If you get a chance to stay it is quite special. Everything is at 5 star prices of course, as is to be expected in isolated resorts, bring some supplies with you. However, if on a budget, they do have cup of noodles in the room at bar prices of 10,000rp (1000 in the stores prior), Still although there is a huge price difference, it is still only around US$1 at the more expensive prices.

When we originally lived in Bali there was 1200-1500 +AUD$1, now at 8000=$1 – it was still taking some getting used to, Daryll had to keep reminding me I was haggling over 20c

We bought the kids some hot chocolate and condensed milk sachets – don’t knock it ‘til you try it – they are great! For 110rp each, after some mathematics study, we worked out, they had cost around 0.013c each. For home school studies, we began to work out all manner of prices, with some awakening and boggling results.

Wedding room with umbrellas,fishnets and seashells

The game keepers promised the children they could have another animal encounter before dinner if they came to the lobby, they said the animal was a ‘surprise’ sometimes, the baby elephant, other times, the baby cub or baby orang utan, they said to wait and see.

Eagerly dressing, the kids raced to the lobby for their encounter.
Calling out about what exotic animal awaited them, they were met with an …………………… Australian cockatoo, yep, just the same as the 100’s on our balcony every day – haha! Never mind!

The kids looked on the bright side and said “well, the ones at home won’t let us hold them, so at least we can pat this one”

Us dining watching the lions dining

Entering the restaurant, we were seated right at the large glass windows, the meals were lovely, the kids felt very special to have mocktails made for them and devoured the home made gnocci with cream sauce.
Emma asked the waitress if the lions outside were actually dead as the hadn’t moved all day, she laughed and said “no, they sleep 20hrs per day”

Tsavo Lion Restaurant

Turning back to dinner a few moments later a shower of meat suddenly appeared from the outside roof, well that certainly sparked some interest, the lions immediately leapt up, had some meat, wandered over to the window and peered at the kids meals, turned around and mated on the grass and then rolled over heads reclining and legs pointing up to the skies and fell asleep again. The kids thought it was hilarious.

Day done, we met to chat regarding the Balian and see what tomorrow brings………………

Ubuds Monkey Forest

2010-09-20T16:48:00.000+10:00

Short blog – mainly touristy here……….

Ubuds Monkey Forest

At the end of Monkey forest road, lies the famous Ubud monkey forest.

It is filled with tourists and there now is a fee of 20,000rp per adult and 10,000rp per child which allows the privilege of wandering through a hot and humid forest with eyes and ears required in more places than when you have children (no mean feat).

Jaded by tourists, there are signs to remind you to remove hats, glasses, jewellery and watch your back packs from monkey stealing.

Everywhere there are tourists bending down to look at the “cute little monkeys” only to find they are shortly alleviated of their worldly possessions.

In the centre is a small pond which whilst we were there the monkeys took to playing chasey in. The leapt in and out of the water, diving underwater only to have a larger monkey leap in and rip them out by the neck to begin the chase all over again.

Yeah right - they SEEM cute (for now!)

If you haven’t seen monkeys, it’s worth a look, but do take great care of possessions, don’t try and pick them up or hold them and watch where you are walking as they can turn on you quite quickly.

None the less, it is quite fascinating the see them leaping from trees, running after each other and the tiny babies are so cute with virtually no hair on their heads, clinging to the underbelly of their mother.

A feeling every mother knows

Every so often you come across a mother with children climbing all over her and a look on her face that is familiar to mothers worldwide the “what can you do” look of just allowing the kids to run amok for a little while to gain some much needed rest.

Monkey Babies play fighting

Leaving the Monkey Forest and walking back up monkey forest rd (Jalan Monkey Forest) you will be surrounded by exquisite restaurants and guest houses. Rather than wondering where to eat or stay, the choice will be how many can you fit in, in your visit.

Don’t worry about pre-booking, there are plenty here to choose from and most of the gorgeous little villas and guest houses are not ion the internet, hence you won’t find them prior, nor find them all booked out when you arrive.

Another delight that awaits, which the world seems not to have fully caught on to yet, is the culinary genius that exists in Ubud (and so I am told - around most of Bali now)

Ahhh - Earl Grey Tea!

Great Ubud dining

Whilst the original Nasi Goreng (fried rice) and Mie Goreng (fried noodles) still abound, they are somehow more up market now and the other offerings are an absolute delight. You are sure to fine something you adore here.

Beautiful Ubud and Tjampuhan River

2010-09-16T19:19:00.000+10:00

After the difficulties facing us in Legian for accom’ we were somewhat nervous heading off to Ubud with nothing booked, we had 2 weeks ahead of us and Gabe had been having a little trouble settling here.

Home School Diaries at Casa Luna

The kids had spent a day on the beach a couple of days ago and although slathered in sunscreen refused to listen to us telling them they needed to get out of the sun, the result…………… neon red children!

Not only the kids, Daryll & I had been very dedicated not to be in the sun, knowing how quickly it can burn fair skin, we sat all day under an umbrella – only later to be informed “oh those things, they are UV protective, the sun just goes right through them even though you are in the shade” yep, we sure found that out the hard way.

Ubud Monkey

So with everyone resembling lobsters popped into a pot of boiling water, we decided the sharing a bed thing just didn’t work for the kids.
Every few minutes one would roll over and kick the other in the sunburn where a gut wrenching shriek that I am sure startled even the Ubud monkeys would ensue.

One of the things that you are really never fully prepared for in parenthood is the absolute lack of sleep, however, once the youngest is 6 years old, you get lulled into thinking it’s over and you can sleep again, it’s only when they get sick (or sunburnt) that those memories of being up every 15 minutes (for ever!) seem to emerge.

We therefore decided that a double bed or 2 singles for the kids was a must in Ubud.

We hired a driver whop assured us, he’d drive us to a few and we’d find something we liked.
True to his word, the first place he took us was lovely (350,000 / US $35 per night for 4 including breakfast), however so was the next sand the next, it became difficult to choose and we felt spoilt with the choice.

Our cottage at Tjampuhan Spa Hotel

Driving past Tjampuhan Spa Hotel I wistfully said to Daryll “Hmmm, I’ve always wanted to stay there”, ‘well, let’s then” he said “trust in your abundance Les”, so we asked the driver to turn in, he looked and said “no, very expensive here”, we assured him it was OK and just looking. He shrugged and pulled in.

Arriving at reception, we were told “all full, people have been asking all day” just as we turned to leave the manager said “wait, I have a thought, maybe you like old house……….. maybe free in half an hour”.
OK, we asked “how much” US$135 for 3 including breakfast and 2 big beds, we had decided our budget was around $50 per night, but decided OK if it was meant to be. However, our driver needed to get back and couldn’t wait and they wouldn’t know for 30 minutes if it was free.

TjampuhanSpa Hotel Cottage - Banyan 1

We decided to keep looking, but left our mobile number, we drove a short while up the hill, looked at another hotel, equally lovely, but certainly lacked the charm of the previous, just as we were about to agree a message popped in saying “Banyan 1 room free for you”.

We looked at each other “I don’t know” I said to Daryll, it’s 3 nights and 3 times our budget.
He looked at me and said, “OK, how much do you trust your abundance, CAN you manifest this immediately, I mean – today – within the next hour, well can you? Do you really trust yourself?”

Why is it so hard to back down when someone challenges you, I guess it’s that indeterminable spirit that pushes evolution to press the boundaries and keep trying, always searching for something just beyond our grasp, to make the intangible tangible.
“Absolutely, I answered” feeling just a little uncertain.

We turned around and returned, as we arrived at the counter some women were asking for a room, they winked at us and replied to them “sorry, all full”.

Flying Squirrels leap around trees from our windows

We checked in and were greeted with delightful cool towels and welcome cocktails.
They gave us papers on the history of the hotel and welcomed us warmly, setting off for a walk before lunch, Daryll smiled and said “OK, there you go, divinely organized, as it should be, you have until after lunch to simply manifest another $500 – OK”

Off we went for a divine lunch at Indus where the most glorious views await here of the Tjampuhan river and the gorge, set over lush rice paddies. This is a sister restaurant to Casa Luna and equally as wonderful with their food, drinks and service.

TjampuhanValley Sacred River

Returning, we checked into our room, it was reminiscent of a tree house, high up in the forest with glorious old fashioned poster beds, the kids rushed in and Emma squealed “oh look at your beautiful bed mummy” we looked around at the even larger bed and said “no darling that’s your bed” The grin on their faces was worth it all, at that moment they squealed at the windows as flying squirrels leapt from tree to tree high up outside the windows and they raced to the balcony to get a glorious view of the river and the forest.

TjampuhanSpa carved king beds

TjampuhanSpa underground Hot Springs & Grotto

They were yet to learn of the Spa here, but that’s another blog story……….. Oh and in case you wondered about my challenge, we checked the internet (at the wi fi hotspot in the lobby) and yes, we received a websale for $505 whilst we were having lunch)

A visit to the Bali Orphanage

2010-09-16T18:59:00.001+10:00

Arriving in Bali, we made a call to Dewa who immediately confirmed “All good” I will come and collect you at 12 noon tomorrow.

The Bali Orphanage Welcome

We had checked into Kusnadi 2 days earlier and they gracefully allowed us to keep 3 enormous bulging bags behind the reception so we didn’t have to cart them around (thank goodness as so far they had requested we change rooms each of the 3 days we were staying there)

We departed Australia pretty close to our maximum luggage limit of 80kgs of checked baggage (of which approximately 6.5kgs was ours, the remainder for the orphanage).

The Bali Orphanage getting books

On board the flight I had read a story of a person who arrived in Bali with all the well wishes and a pile of clothing for the children only to be greeted by 20 of the most immaculately dressed children in need of seemingly nothing. Daryll & I had become a little concerned about “what if” with all the clothing, books, etc we had.
Rest assured our fears were unfounded.

Arriving we were welcomed and brought into a small room where some of the younger children had gathered, as school let out for a lunch break the older ones slowly filtered in too.

They each in turn went around and welcomed us, shaking our hands and saying ‘hello aunty / uncle’
They sat down quite reserved – all except one cheeky little boy who began ripping apart a face painting kit the previous visitors had left. He started bashing apart the lid and I had visions of him splattered in paint, the sister (nun) walked over and quietly took it from him, opened it up and gave it back, realizing it was basically a form of make up, he quickly lost interest of moved on to climbing all over the young girl next to him.

The Bali Orphanage singing songs

Gathering together, the children sang us many songs and although it seemed quite happy there is a funny thing that takes place once you become a parent. You immediately become moved to tears by the slightest thing children do. I looked around and noticed all the others visitors were holding back tears (well actually some weren’t holding back their tears, but they were trying to).

Although you tried not to, your mind turned to the thought that none of these children had parents that were able to look after them, not hold or comfort them (some have parents they see on the weekends, but cannot afford to keep them, hence they move to the orphanage).
I looked to my children who were only barely able to fully grasp this concept and observed they had rather melancholy expressions too.

The Bali Orphanage sharing Barbie Dolls

For our children, it was quite awakening at how little these children had and how polite they were.

Songs sung, they asked if we wanted to hand out the clothes & items brought or let them do it. Unsure as to what would be best, we said they were welcome to do as they liked.

The Bali Orphanage sister sharing out clothes

The sisters walked to the massive pile of clothes we had brought and sat down in a chair next to them. Picking up each piece one by one, they determined the child it would best fit and called them over, like it was Christmas each child raced over to collect their treasures.

I noticed some children clearly asking for items that were really too small for them, but wanting them so badly they just didn’t care how small they were.

We had some books on education, signed for them by the author which the sisters were thrilled to receive and Emma had taken some Barbie dolls to hand out.

The sisters asked who wanted them, several hands immediately shot up in the air and Emma handed them out, the girls faces lit up as they received a doll of their own and as a large pile of pop up books were placed on the table even the teenagers picked them up and played with the pop up pages.

Each child received a small pile of clothes and I noticed some quickly disappeared to their room. I thought they must be tired of dealing with tourists, however, they shortly reappeared proudly wearing their new treasures.

The Bali Orphanage making jewellery

We had brought many jewellery making supplies, thinking it may break the ice to share in a craft activity. I asked if the sisters would like me to leave them or they would like to make some jewellery now, the sisters asked the children and the room broke out in screams and squeals which we took as a resounding ‘yes, they would like to make some’.

We lay out a whole pile of beads and jewellery making supplies to show them how to make jewellery.
Usually in the classes I teach the kids sit around and pick up a bead at a time to make their jewellery. I guess I forgot they do not have the luxury most western children have of knowing there will always be more if you miss out now.

They swooped in and grabbed all they could before they missed out then scuttled away to corners to create their jewellery where others couldn't get their beads. The whole table was empty in a matter of seconds and then they all wanted help to make them.

Our kids just watched, pretty gob smacked by the process.

Each child delighted in making a treasured piece of jewellery and some just wanted to keep the beads.
Armed with bracelets and necklaces the lunch bell went and they all came shaking hands and saying thank you before rushing off to lunch.
The room was a little bit of a shambles, but nothing remained!

The boys beds were bigger and made of lovely looking wood, they shared with us their beds were a gift from Australia.

We visited a small broken patch of concrete proudly displaying a new basketball hoop they had been donated. Some murky fish ponds where they were growing fish for food and a small vegetable garden with some herbs.

Their play area was a section of concrete with a few swings and a prayer room, class room and dining room.
Entering during lunch the children were queued up receiving vegetables, rice and omelet. Emma asked me “do they HAVE to eat that?” when advised “well that is what they have, if they don’t eat it there’s nothing more” she asked to have a word in private outside.

Leaving the dining room, she whispered, all those girls sleep in 1 room with nothing in it, my bedroom is nearly that size filled with toys and things and I complain about it, they all eat what they are given and don’t have any other choices, I am so sorry mummy, from now on I will eat my veggies too”
Of course it remains to be seen if that lasts, but I took that as an amazing realization of others and her own privileged world.

We inquired as to what the orphanage really needed and they advised us they now have 1 washing machine, they said it is lovely when tourists come and donate things to the kids and we are always grateful for clothes and toys/books/stationary, however, many tourists do not realize it costs a great deal to educate each child. They explained how each child goes to school as soon as they are old enough and the fees are sometimes very difficult to manage.

They shared that it costs around 1,800,000rp to enrol a child (around US$180) and then up to 350,000rp per month (US$35)to continue with them.
They were explaining how enormous these fees were as if we could not possibly appreciate how expensive it was and I couldn’t help my thoughts turning to the cost of what we pay in the west to put our children through private schools and how 1 years fees, may be enough to educate almost all of the children in the orphanage.
They also explained that when the children are older and need to go to university to study, the fees are even higher, they delighted in how one of the older children currently has a sponsor and how wonderful it is that he can pursue his studies with this assistance.

I believe there are currently around 97 children living here.

We had taken up a donation from several people before we left allowing us to donate $300 to the orphanage which the sisters were delighted with. They asked us to give thanks to all those who assisted and express their gratitude.

The Bali Orphanage farewells

It was time to leave and we departed amongst smiles and waves and shouts of thank yous, back to our world of travel and holidays, swimming pools and milk shakes in restaurants for the children, it seems unfair in how many people’s lives intertwine in such varied outcomes, yet the words of a guru I lived with in India came back to haunt me, he had told me “the best thing you can do for the poor is never be one of them, that way you are able to assist and make the world a better place”.

Dewa drove us home (quietly), we filled up his car with petrol and thanked him for his efforts, he explained he also gets nothing out of the assistance he gives, yet felt he needed to establish a website with paypal account so someone could assist these children.

He says since doing this, many people visit and the good work the sisters do is becoming more noticed.

If you wish to assist – please contact Dewa at www.thebaliorphanage.com follow them on facebook and/or make a paypal donation (perhaps mention you were told about it from Lesley in Australia – it’s always nice for them to know what people’s connections are)

I hope you have enjoyed our visit and pictures.

Legian Money changers

2010-09-16T18:45:00.000+10:00

Bali Money changers sign board

Upon arriving in Bali it seems there are money changers on every street corner and in between too. All offer similar rates, some a little higher than others and there doesn’t seem to be much difference from one to another.

Well, so we thought too, however we had been strongly warned to check your money carefully before leaving.

We looked up and down the street and there wasn’t much difference in the rates AUD$1 = 8100-8200rp, we chose one at 8150 and entered.

Placing 2 X $50 notes on the counter, he proceeded to show a calculator and display 815,000 on the screen announcing “no commission” – OK, we agreed!

He carefully counted out the money and announced 815,000, we watched him count it and knew it to be correct, thanked him, took the money and then counted it out again in front of him, so and behold it was 50,000 rp short, he looked most surprised and counted it again, “oh, so sorry he said, you are correct” he pulled another 50,000 rp note out, added it to the pile and handed it to us.

Suspicious now, I counted it in front of him again, surprise, surprise, now 100,000rpo short. Now, I was a 2wake up to this and had studied his hands as he counted I had no idea how he had done this.
He then announced waving the calculator in front of us 785000 “I take commission!”
No, we decided, collected the 2 X $50 up and left.

Entering the next money changer, same thing happened, this time Daryll and the kids were actively Watching for the slight of hand. Still we couldn’t figure it out.

Entering another, he told us “please enter, these people will try and cheat you, come inside” All eyes were now fixated on this man as he pulled out a wad of arrgghhh 20,000 rp notes (we later learnt this is the first sure sign they will trick you)
He counted out the full amount, right in front of us and we counted along with him – correct.
We counted again, 20,000 short!
Oh my goodness, he apologized and recounted – we counted too, he handed to us and we recounted (much to his surprise 100,000 short)
Oh my goodness, he left the money on the counter in front of us, added 100,000 picked it up and plonked it in a pile sideways and handed it to us – all good! No possible way it had left the counter nor been tampered with.
We counted again (much to his great surprise) and now 200,000 short !!!!!

What! We felt like we were in the twilight zone, now we had been watching ‘breaking the magicians code’ on TV and we were all baffled, no idea how this happened.
We clung tightly to the money and said ‘no need to take it back, we know it is correct, just add 200,000rp to it and we’ll go.

He looked most worried and said “oh, I am sorry, it seems you are very confused and I don’t want to upset you, just give it all back and you can take yours back, you have been in the heat too much and are suffering”
By the beads of sweat building up on his forehead I don’t think it was us that was suffering at this point.
“Please just go” he begged

Now we were even more confused as to what was happening, but we left.

Arriving back at Kusnadi, we got chatting with the lovely girls that work there and asked them how it was possible and what was happening.

Multi tasking Money changers in Bali

They explained they are all illegal and that if anyone offers to change money whilst doing something else such as selling clothes they are not genuine as the genuine money changers ONLY change money. They mentioned they usually offer a slightly higher rate so people enter and then they have a tiny slit in their counter which is almost invisible. When they take the money in front of you, they give it a bang on the counter and an amount of the money falls down the slit under the counter, they then hand the rest to you (having already been counted) and they keep what drops through as their ‘commission’.

She went on to ask if we knew of the Bali jails and told us that if they realize we are on to them as a trickster, they will pack up immediat3ely so that they are gone by the time the police arrive should we call them as they are illegal and face huge fines and potential jail terms.

Ah, so that explained the trick that was occurring and how money could disappear without leaving the counter and also the very nervous beads of sweat.

We change money in the bank around the corner now (same rate – no sweat!)

Legian and Seminyak

2010-09-16T18:36:00.000+10:00

Durians growing

Arriving in Bali, we were met by all the usual pungent smells and sounds, Durian (which oh so slightly resembles stale vomit) mixed with the exquisite frangipani perfume.

Arriving late at night, the streets were warm and still busy, but slightly more serene than in the heat of the day.
We checked in to the Three brothers inn in Legian and walked through what seemed to be acres of garden (we later learnt that we were right near the opposite end to reception)

The kids flopped down on the bed when suddenly Emma shrieked “what’s that” pointing to the roof and backing up the bed to get away …… she had discovered her 1st gecko (lizard) tiny, sweet, yet very loud creatures. After learning what it was she let out a sigh of relief and explained “oh, phew, I thought it was a baby crocodile”.

Hair Braiding at the Three Brothers Inn (Legian)

The boys went for a midnight walk and came back well stocked with water and treats.
The next morning we were able to have a look around and whilst the hotel was quite pleasant, especially for a backpackers, our room had certainly seen better days and we only had a booking for 2 days available.

We decided that was fine and we would easily find another hotel. It turned out however, that this weekend was Idul Fitri one of the largest Muslim festivities and everywhere was full. We hired a driver to take us to hotel after hotel all turning up with nothing, eventually we made our way to our old favourite hotel – formerly known as ‘Rum Jungle Hotel’, it now goes by the name of ‘Kusnadi’.

The staff could not have been more accommodating and pleasant and yes they had a room for us, the only concern was that for the 3 nights we wanted to stay, it was not the same room, in fact we would need to move every day.
Never mind, after being unable to get anything else we happily checked in and they advised us, just leave your bags each day and we will move them to the next room for you, now you may see that as a huge inconvenience, but we thought “how many guests here get to try nearly ALL the rooms?”

Feeling most special, we trotted off for lunch.
WOW!
Bali has certainly come of Age in the food arena, we feel like we are in Jamie Oliver's kitchen for every meal. What a delight.

Durian Tree at The Three Brothers Inn

Whilst where we are choosing to eat, the days of rock bottom prices are gone – the quality is amazing and we are spending on average around AUD$25-40 per meal for the 4 of us, including drinks and desserts. Sure, we could do it cheaper in wurungs and on the beach and if we were here long term we probably would, but as they say, ‘so many places to eat, so little time’. We are determined to try something new each day.

We loved Tekor (right on the beach near Jalan 66 in Seminyak), our old favourite Aromas still serves great vegetarian food, we had a terrific evening watching a movie on the glass atrium roof of the Seaside bar (well at least until the monsoon kicked in and sent everyone scrambling) also near Jalan 66.

Bali now has dairy products, a far cry from when we used to live here, so there are milkshakes, ice creams, frozen frappes and all the things we westerners seem to love.
However, so far hands down the best we have had was the divine salads at Casa Luna in Ubud and (sorry can’t remember the name) a fabo little art gallery served us frozen frappes of mint and lime juice that were simply divine (also in Ubud).

However, Ubud is another blog, I digress, back to Seminyak……………… if you are staying at Kusnadi, request the penthouse 10,000rp per night more (around AUD$1.20) and you have the entire rooftop pavilion and open air bathroom/balcony to yourself.
It was full for us, but hey, we got to try most others.

Sure this area, is busy, traffic is crazy, beaches are a bit mad, but the prices are good with the beach side hawkers and what trip to Bali would be complete without a visit to these famous areas, just watch out for the unauthorised money changers………….. check out the next blog!