2nd week in Bali catching up with friends!

How excited we were to see our friends in Bali!!!
We first saw Mel Ant and Maddie, we all hung out for a few days in Sanur.
The bubs loved being together and many people thought that they were twins!
We went swimming in the seagara pool on the beach front! The daddy's walked the board walk each afternoon to put the baby's to sleep while the mamas had pampering.
Mel treated me to a facial and foot massage..it was very lush! we had dinners together by the beach!
A couple nights we went to the Sanur festival where we watched music and dance from Bali and drank very cheap mojitos...this is where Mike and Phoenix ate the not so good Chicken....after a hospital visit and $200 dollars less to our name Mike learnt a hard lesson. Lucky the boys recovered quick and we were able to see our friend Ali who lives here in Bali.
Over all we enjoyed our stay in Bali, it was not as relaxing as we thought it could be and we spent way to much money. Also going to hospitals in the middle of the night and having my baby vomit all over me, plus having diarrhea for 2 days is not the ideal holiday but these things happen, after all we are travelling Asia.

Our highlight of Bali was on the last day when we were saying our good byes to our favourite people...it was then we realized that this is a special place and that Bali manage to seduce us in the last moments of our stay!

Thailand's next and we can't wait as it is our second home!!

Shopping in Bali-Sanur style!

The shopping bug got me! It suddenly came over me and I had no control but to shop. I have been looking for a cotton sarong since I had arrived in Bali last week.
We stopped at this little house on the beach front down towards the only high rise in Sanur. There was a sign saying 'Lenny' on the house and there was 3 small stalls.
The woman at the back of the house was refreshing and gentle with a lovely smile...i wanted to spend my money at her shop! After much looking, trying on, lots of nods and smiles I walked away with a beautiful purple cotton sarong and a very cute Bali shirt for Phoenix. I was her first customer for the day and it was already mid afternoon. I watched her do the first sale ceremony blessing where you brush the money over the things in your shop. I was happy to have supported this lovely woman, this was the first time in my life that I did not barter.

Further down on the board walk we came to a row of stalls on the beach front.
Here we found the drum for Phoenix which we wanted to get for his birthday and Mike got a beer cooler. We did barter this time.
Later while Mike went walking with the pram to put Phoenix asleep,I went shopping on my own...oh boy the Balinese are desperate for a sale....'come look in my shop' it is a mantra i have heard so much over this last week. And when you look in one shop you need to be ready to look in all of them, so I had to find some thing I liked from nearly every shop in a quiet row just off the beach until the money run out in my purse. Again i was the first sale.

I wished i could buy something from every one, it seems that the tourist are not shopping and they are only eating and drinking.

A week goes by in Bali

Back again, It is now day 6 in Bali, how time flys. I had every intention to write each day but it does not always turn out that way.
Umm lets see how the milky brain works shall we...he he he.

Day 2 in Bali....Kuta going to Sanur.
We slept in Thanks to Phoenix and started our day with a yummy buffet breakfast at The Green Garden hotel.
After breaky we decided to go walking to check out the area. Mike put Phoenix in the backpack much to his protest but once we started walking Phoenix calmed down. It was so hot walking in the sun that the first purchase that i brought was prickly heat powder!

We found the beach after much walking....you have to find public walkways to the beach as the hotels walkways to the beach are private. This requires lots of extra walking which is not my thing.....I'd rather swim if I could. With a relief from the sun and the breeze from the ocean our walk became cooler along the board walk.

We checked out this really posh resort playground and Phoenix had a go on the swing, if I had my swimmers on I would have jumped in the pool. We kept walking back in the direction of our hotel and did abit of guess work down some long walled pathways back to the main road to our hotel!!
We jumped into the pool as soon as we got back and enjoyed the sun, as the water was cool in the pool. Soon we had to leave so Mike went and starting packing and put Phoenix down for a sleep while I stayed by the pool and chatted to an aussie woman from Perth about shopping!
As we checked out the staff was telling me I had to pay more money because they made a mistake on the booking. I suddenly had to pay another $25 AUS for the room. I ended up only paying half as it was the hotels mistake.

Right on the dot of 12noon our lift was here for the next destination our 1 bedroom villa style accommodation in Sanur. It is called Kuei Condominium. Hiroko is a beautiful Japanese woman owns the 6 one bedrooms villas with shared plunge pool.
It has everything we need for a comfortable holiday with an infant. There is even a bath tub! Which Phoenix and I have used nearly every night since we have been here.


Day 2,3,4,5,6!!! Sanur
We are a 5mins walk through the back streets to the main road of Sanur where you will find many cafe, restaurants and Shops! Another block over you get to the famous board walk of Sanur which goes of 5 km along the beach front...Here is where we spend our days eating and Swimming. With Swimming only at high tide at the beach we have also been enjoying other resorts swimming pools by the beach.
We have found a wonderful pool perfect for infants!!!!At Segara village resort.

Our fav places to eat are Bonsai Cafe which has a public walkway from the main road to the beach. There are so many Bonsai trees in the garden that it is worth just coming to see the Trees. The pizza is yummy and it is right on the beach front.
Luhtu's coffee shop is just on the corner from one of the beach markets, This is a family run business and the woman are so beautiful. Grandma loves Phoenix and he has won all the family's hearts here! He gets spoilt with cookies and cuddles when ever we pass by on our way to the swimming pool.

If you are coming to Bali you must have lots of money as it is very expensive for Asian standards. Just like Australia prices, not much difference at all.

It is lunch time so we are going to the beach now...hope you are liking our blog much love Lou

Family Holiday BALI

1st Day of our holiday Bali

Well I'm on the plane flying Jetstar to Bali with my family, it is now 9.20pm in the evening australian time.This the last leg of the trip and the shortest part which departs from Darwin.

Our little son Phoenix is asleep in between us as we were given 3 seats..Hay...

Our Day started in the Lovely Pocket, Hills of Byron Bay this morning at 4.30am..The things we do for paradise.

The shuttle bus picked us up from our door at 6.30am and we were dropped off at Varsity lakes Train station in Qld to catch the Airtrain to Brisbane Domestic Airport.

On the Mini bus We met a lovely elderly couple who have been together for five years as both had lost previous spouses, they met playing bowls!
They were on their way to NZ!!I love how love can happen any time to anyone at any age.
Once on the train which takes 2 hours to Brisabne, Phoenix proceeded to make many friends....almost the whole carriage had some form of personal contact with Phoenix...Oh boy this child is so social and loves people and an audience!! Just like his mother.
Phoenix won the hearts of anyone he came into contact with today...at times it can be overwhelming for me as his mother to watch my infant be so sure of himself and meet and greet people as he does.

Phoenix has this natural ability to push boundaries of the human spirit, gets to where prada sunnys with the girl sitting next to us on the train, manages to get food tit bits from other parents waiting to board the plane at Darwin international airport.
Shares a pillow with someones grandma....now this moment was my highlight today.
Shared his toys with a little girl while we waited for the plane. And just ate all day!!

My low moment today was when we checked in and we were over in our check in luggage by 3kilos and hand luggage by 2kilos.Phoenix was tired as he missed his morning sleep....It caused me so much stress that I was ready to pack it in and just go home.
Mike kept his cool and in the end we had to part with a couple bottles of shampoo,
My hand luggage also had Infant food which is free so I did not have to get rid of anything else..Thank god as it cost $10 per kilo if your over and you can only have 2free check in items for your baby but Jetstar advertise differently on the website.

Any way I have had my whinge and the day just got better. Mike and I had drinks on the first plane leg...woo hoo I was tipsy at high altitudes just what I needed to chill out. We also stopped at the bar in Darwin airport for a guinness and a steak sandwich for early dinner. In the Pub we set up Phoenix in his travel high chair to watch a little bit of Elmos world and mr Noddle,has any ever seen Mr Noodle...he is such a cool character and very good mime.
At present I am in the plane and we are almost in Bali!! Woo hoo.

So we arrived in Bali at 9pm at night, we would be what you call "FRESHIES" and the Balinese could pick it and tried straight away rip us off. Firstly it was the friendly porters who help you with your luggage from the conveyor belt through to the xray machines at customs then onto the other side of the airport where the money changers are. This is where it is tip on demand!!!! Being new to Bali money I had no idea what to tip....by the end of the first night I would have parted with 60,000 on tips which is $7.50 AUS. No more tipping for us as we are on a budget.

Next was getting a Taxi to our Hotel called The Green Garden hotel in Kuta Area.
At the Taxi window outside the airport we were told 45,000 per person to Kuta. It really should only be just per Taxi..and so it began....new to the game we were then told we must travel in 2 taxi as they said we had too much luggage. No way would we split up as a family on our first night!! This is were I walked away and stood wondering "how was I going to get my family to our accommodation at 9 pm at night with out breaking the bank balance". So I left Mike & Phoenix with the luggage and went walking...another taxi driver said 100,000.
I then followed my nose to a private car company. I found us a lovely driver who charged us 80,000 still almost double but I just wanted to get to the hotel all in one Car!
Our Driver's name was Agus and he was a very gentle man who drove very safe.

Once we checked in at the Green garden hotel, which was a very nice stay for one night, we adventured with Phoenix in the pram for a walk to the shop for a Beer for Mike. Bali felt so similar to The islands in Thailand but also different. We are still working out what the difference is. Perhaps it is the religion?
We all ended up in bed by 1.30am Australian time - 11.30 Bali time. what a long day.

Christmas & New year with our Baby Boy Phoenix

Dear friends,

Wishing you all a wonderful New year for 2010........We were in Upper Main Arm at the local hall were we got married last year. Mike was DJ and Phoenix God parents River and Oliver's Band Positive Timing played & Corrina and Kelly did a fire show!!!!
It was a great night and all the crew was there having a good dance and being very merry!

Hoping you all had a beautiful Christmas.
We gathered in the hills of Mullumbimby and had a lunch feast with 20 friends in the garden.
Later in the day our talented crew entertained each other with Music Circus and Dance.
Even Phoenix did a circus trick with Daddy!!!

Much love to you all enjoy the photos of our family
Big love LOU