An indulgent 5 star day out when you aren't staying 5 star

Calling all backpackers, those who like 5 star resorts but can't afford them, or those staying elsewhere who would like a change of scenery.

There is a way to make use of these beautiful resorts - legitimately!

*Ahem, cough, cough* Not that I would suggest anyone sneak into 5 star hotels, nick a towel and pretend they are paying guest to use the pool facilities, you no longer have to. Now you can do it all above board and have a great day out.

Take a trip to Tanah Lot to the Pan Pacific Nirwana Resort.

Enter the lobby and progress past the awe inspiring beach views, stopping briefly to take in the majestic sight of Tanah Lot temple without the tourists, take a few photos and head to the pool area.

It's a grand affair with several pools, lagoons, 2 water slides, resting bales overlooking the pool, sleeping huts overlooking the beach and great restaurants.

You can advise you wish to use the facilities for the day, pay 200,000rp per person + Tax (AUD$25), they will warmly welcome you, give you an arm band and allow you to get changed and enjoy all the facilities.

Then when you are ready to eat, flash your wrist band and your food bill, up to the amount you paid will be deducted from your poolside credit. Although the food is at resort prices, you should be able to get a mains, dessert and drink (non alcoholic) for your 200,000rp price.

When you have finished for the day, you can take a pool side shower, get changed and perhaps enjoy a coffee by the pool before heading back, relaxed, enthused and perhaps slightly sun kissed.

Hant Drumming Experience in Ubud

We were honoured and delighted to be invited to take part in a HaNT drumming class with  Sergi Kampanella at the absolutely amazing ‎Santa Mandala.

Set high over a breathtakingly beautiful gorge, we made music together, but more than music, the healing vibrations lifted you and soothed your soul in much the same way as a healing session.

The HaNT Drum is a modern tonal drum from the same family of instruments as Tibetan bowls, bells, or a Shaman’s tambourine. It is a great guide to meditative reality. Playing the drum you can immerse yourself as a creator of this new cosmic music, interweaving your personality into the symphony of the Universe.

We were delighted to metaphorically waft back down the mountain to Ubud and embrace our HaNT healing. If you get a chance you may like to connect with Sergi or buy one of his amazing drums for around 3million rupiah (AUD$300).

You can connect with ‎Santa Mandala Here
and Sergi here

It's my Birthday - and there's no one here!

My lovely Bali friends threw me a wonderful birthday bash, but it is strange being away from friends and family for so long.
My darling hubby struggled as he couldn't organise an event or gift personally, so here's my birthday present from him............ a song he wrote and played and all the best parts are the wonderful souls with their best wishes, I'd love to share it with you.

The biggest pizza in Bali

Tartufo is run by a dedicated chef and a friendly happy team of staff and you'll find wonderful Italian food here. My son decided that he was an especially hungry teenager and could cope with very large pizza - you can see the results of that order here and I think it is the first time he was ever unable to finish a pizza. Rest assured, the wonderful stuff that Tartufo even organised a take home box for him.

You can read more here

Hot Springs in a volcanic caldera

Somehow a trip overseas is always better with hot springs!

In North Bali you will find the Batur Hot springs.

You firstly need to head to Mt Kintamani, pay the road entry tolls and fight through the hordes of sellers attempting to extract any sale from unsuspecting tourists.

Head down the mountain and into the caldera around the lake, following on from the road down (which - take it slowly - is an experience in itself) you will come to a strange moonscape location where the lava from the exploded volcano leaves an eerie reminder that all was not well at one point in this part of the world.

Arriving in the small village there are several hotels, resorts and places you can take a dip in the natural hot springs.

We had met a man along the road delivering his wifes lunch at the most exclusive resort and were guided by him to her workplace.

Heres the direct link

I cant remember exactly what we paid, but it wasn't so cheap - actually we ended up putting it on a visa card - perhaps around $20 pp.

For this you received a welcome drink and entry to the 3 lagoon pools and one huge swimming pool - all fed by warm natural mineral waters.

It was freezing the day we came up, we rode motorbikes and had been caught in icy rain so badly we were quite numb, so to slip into the warm waters was certainly most welcome.

If coming up from Ubud (or further south) plan to have most of a day to do this, the drive is around 1.5hours from Ubud, 2 hours from Sanur/Kuta and you will want to spend a few hours here and perhaps stop for lunch and shopping at Tegallalang on the way home.

How to Get Online & Make Calls From Bali Cheaply

Phone Calls,Data,Facebook,Digital Nomads,Cheap Connections

Upon arriving in a new country, one of the most difficult things can be how to stay in touch with friends and family at home or how to connect with people you were traveling with in the country you have arrived in.

Many Australians have returned home from a lovely holiday in Bali only to be shocked by the exorbitant fees that have become attached to their telephone plan.

Recently my friends arrived back in Australia from Bali and were horrified to receive a $7000.00 phone bill. They had not realised how much data Facebook used and had made a couple of phone calls. They argued the point with Telstra and finally had their bill reduced to $3000.00, but still a crushing blow after a nice holiday.

However there is a way around this and it is actually rather simple once you know how to do it.

Click here for a full article including how to make cheap calls