Bali, Beach, Family, Friends = Wedding: Goodbye Tanjung Benoa

Wednesday 29th June - Friday 1st July

This morning is time for goodbyes. Some of the group are staying on at the Novotel. Some are heading home. Some of us are heading to new adventures. The Bride and Groom are off to enjoy their honeymoon and finally being on their own!

Farewelling the Bride and Groom

With Rod and B heading home today, and Michele and I heading to Seminyak, I wanted us to share a memorable farewell lunch. So, after dropping our bags at Bali Ayu, what better place than Biku!! It became Michele and my favourite last year when we stayed almost next door at Tony's villas. Loved it so much, just had to share it with Rod and B before their flight home.

High Tea
I think this was from the children's menu - cute

Not only do they make a great chai tea
I love the pot
I want one!!

My absolute favourite at Biku
Soto Ayam
They also make a fabulous guacamole with potato skins

Hugs and kisses all round as we say our goodbyes to Rod and B. Just a short stroll for us back to our hotel. Bali Ayu is in a good location not much further along from Biku. Almost next door to Sarong.

Nice room, lovely outlook to the pool
Lucky we didn't want to watch tv!

Huge semi open air bathroom
Looks like a fireplace to me?!

Looking through the dining/bar area to our private entry
Stairs lead to the second bedroom which we didn't use
Would be perfect for a family

Small but very nice and very welcome pool area
Don't want sound snobby but I'd rather not share my holiday with
young bintang-swilling holiday makers playing pool and playing
loud music by the pool
This was perfect - they could have their harmless fun and we could enjoy our peace and quiet!

Ok, we were going to head to La Plancha for sunset drinks and then onto dinner. With only a couple of nights we wanted to fit in as much as we could - but a relaxing massage in our villa (and a few cocktails made with our duty free and a jug of pineapple juice) took precedence.
So it was straight to meet with friends at JP's Warung Club. Food and drink prices are quite reasonable. Although I can't recall what we ate, I know we enjoyed it and the wine was drinkable!
Wednesday night is a good night to go - our favourite band is usually playing:
http://jps-warungclub.com/khatulistiwa/
Just love this band - nothing like I hear playing where I work that's for sure!

An extra treat for us. Another band Saharadja were also playing that night.
Apparently they hadn't played for 12 months when they returned on the previous Friday night.
They returned on the Wednesday night for "Satu Lagi"
http://jps-warungclub.com/saharadja/

And look who made a guest appearance. Bali's "most famous" bongo player - who also played at our sunset drinks on Seminyak beach and at the wedding!

A late night for us but so worth it - good company and great entertainment - only downside being that as none smokers, Michele and I just had to get out of there in the end, the cigarette smoke was killing us!

The next day's plan was for shopping. Maybe for 1/2 day, then back to relax. Of course it wasn't going to be a 1/2 day ;-). Two girls out on their own to shop!! A taxi to Jalan Padma and walked from there. Wanted to go to Tommy's leather. No time for made to order but hoping there might be something there to suit. Tired of copy bags that look great for a while but before long start falling apart. Find Tommy's and a couple of bags I love! The power's out, so can't use the eftpos and I don't want to use all my cash. Nothing for it but to take a wander down Garlic lane while waiting to see if the power comes back on. Into Dolphin leather. Wasn't impressed but that's because we were only looking at buying 'off the rack'. Could well have been a different story if we were wanting to have something made to order. Then down to see Ketut. Didn't want or need much but stocked up on Rod's favourite 'round the house Bali shorts'. The power was still out at Tommy's, so decided on only one bag. Really happy with it. Red, my favourite colour with plenty of room to hold my slr and an extra lense for when I want to take my camera and not look like I'm taking my camera!

Michele bought a couple of leather bags up Jalan Padma as we started to head back. With a search for a decent money changer, and a stop for lunch at Cafe Seminyak. We'd walked so far, why not keep going? Found a large batik shop just before we got back to Jalan Lasmana. I was exhausted, so plonked myself down while Michele got stuck into exploring what was on offer with renewed energy, being in a kind of a fabric heaven! At the top of Jalan Laksmana is a range of clothing, jewelry, homeware shops that are all worth a look. A favourite of mine is Sol and Luna, where I always seem to find something :-)
http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.baliholiday.com/images/map_seminyak.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.baliholiday.com/about_seminyak.htm&h=650&w=693&sz=98&tbnid=lsoWUwSVg1cGWM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=96&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dmap%2Bseminyak%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=map+seminyak&docid=5nQy6HhMI6qOeM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=TsV1TtqBM8OcmQXy9dzhDA&sqi=2&ved=0CC8Q9QEwAg&dur=2911
We never seem to make it past here!! That was well and truly enough walking, a taxi back from here to have some more fresh pineapple and midori cocktails and soak our shopped-out muscles in the pool!
Refreshed, it was time to get ready for another night out - the reason we decided to add a couple of nights in Seminyak, to help celebrate Sues' birthday.
First on the agenda, sunset drinks at Potato Head. Lucky for us, we could walk from Bali Ayu.

Looking at Potato Head
as you come down the drive.
There can't be any old shutters left anywhere in Indonesia!

Seminyak sunset from Potato Head

Great cocktails here!!

Drinks with the birthday girl

Families enjoying themselves on the lawn and pool area

Lucky we weren't planning on staying for dinner, we could only have the table till 7.30. The place was booked out, so get there early!! Nice place great but expensive cocktails. glad we went there and tried it but I think I prefer the beach bar where we went for the girls day out. Not quite so pretentious :-).
Staff at Potato Head were most helpful in phoning ahead to Pearl restaurant and arranging taxis and off we went! Next stop Jalan Double Six and a short walk down a laneway to Pearl.
http://www.balihotelpearl.com/default.asp
Dinner at Pearl was the perfect way to celebrate Sue's birthday. Beautiful setting, delicious food and great company.