Monday, September 27, 2010

A day Spa for kids!!!!

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.






Wednesday, September 22, 2010

A bit of a bidet

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

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 cafĂ© 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

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”………………………..

Monday, September 20, 2010

A near murder in our midst

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


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

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.