A New Beginning: Bali Day 1

DAY 1 - To Bali!

Our holiday begins! A short 3.5 hour plane ride ..... our boys did very well, although I think they would have preferred being able to run up and down the aisles rather than sitting in one spot for the duration :)

The edge of Australia...

Our entry to Bali wasn't without it's drama however. It was very hot on the plane and I assume there were a number of bugs flying around waiting to be caught.. Sam was a little out of sorts after the flight, and coughing quite a bit. We successfully manoeuvred our way through the airport in Bali, obtaining Visa's etc and heading to customs quickly. While we were at the customs counter, passports getting checked.... Sam starts coughing and then.... throws up all over the floor. Poor love! Thankfully the staff were helpful and didn't seem too concerned about the event!

We were so happy to finally arrive at our hotel... The Patra in South Kuta. Stunning resort! The view from our balcony....

My first impressions of Bali.... was that it was so similar to Fiji! And those who know me, know that I have a very big soft spot for Fiji :) So I felt right at home the moment we stepped off the plane. The weather was perfect, the Balinese people so helpful and we were ready to begin our holiday!

The Floating Lounge...

My parents kindly watched our boys and put them to bed, so Lewy and I could enjoy a meal out. As it turned out, the Floating Lounge restaurant was right across from our hotel room... so a nice quick walk to eat!

I learnt very quickly to double check that what I ordered actually was vegetarian. I ordered this gorgeous meal, which had no mention of meat on the menu... only to dig into the rice and find it filled with chicken and prawns. No problems - Lewy helped himself to that, while I enjoyed the rest!

This meal was delicious! I found it a bit tricky to find a lot of traditional Balinese vegetarian meals... I will say that I don't want a pizza again for quite some time... but when I did find a good vege meal, it was well worth the wait! Lewy was in heaven with the balinese food - he loved it.. couldn't get enough!

DAY 2 - Kuta

After an early morning start (4.40am.. thanks Jacob) we headed into Kuta for a look around, some shopping at Discovery and lunch at Bali Gardens Hotel.

Entertainment during breakfast at our hotel.

Enjoying a 'Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri'

The afternoon was spent at the pool and the beach...

We met a lovely young man who thought our boys were fantastic, so he enjoyed playing on the beach with them :)

Monday night, Lewy and I headed out to Kuta with Lewys work mate Greg and his family... good luck that we were in Bali at the same time! Greg and his family have been to Bali many times, so they took us on a tour and gave us tips, introduced us to their good friends who own a shop ... and they organised with them to give us 'friends prices' which meant we didn't have to stress over bartering woohoo! Boy, did we pick up so many clothes etc for a very good price! A great night overall!

DAY 3 - Massage!

Sam and Jacob enjoyed a few hours in the Kids Club during the morning, while us adults had some pampering :) Mum and I headed to Bali Gardens for a blissful 2.5 hour treatment, which included a massage, facial, body scrub and then a flower bath. Heaven! All for only $31!

That night called for Room Service dinner, relaxation and an early night.

DAY 4 - Horse Riding

Starting out with breakfast... a gorgeous view at the hotel restaurant!

This outing was very special. I have always wanted to go horse riding on the beach... so it was fantastic to be able to have that dream come true! Mum and Dad spent the morning with Sam and Jacob, while Lewy and I headed out for our ride.

I enjoyed every second of it. We spend 1.5 hours on the beach with our gorgeous horses. My horse was the youngest ... and the cheekiest. Our guide had to keep telling it off as it would keep trying to nip the other horses :)