Author: JellyfishKing

We’re off to Edinburgh today. We decided to take the train for the experience. Sitting together share a drink and watching the countryside roll by. Nice and simple, huh? Not so, as it turned out. I have booked the 11am train to Edinburgh some months ago, but a few days ago we were horrified to learn that the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) was having industrial action issues with train drivers threatening strikes. They cancelled our train!

They website and app said we could change the time of departure or get a refund. The only train available was the 3pm, which would get into Edinburgh about 7.30pm. Less than ideal, but at least we knew we would get there. Clive suggested we still get to Kings Cross early and see if we can get on an earlier train. LNER did announce they would put extra trains on for the weekend as the strike was averted at the last minute.

We got to Kings Cross about 9.00am and enquired at the LNER desk and the attendant said just get on the next train, our tickets would be good for any of the trains today. The next train was 10:00 so we waited outside for the platform to be announced. Once we got the go ahead we stormed the gates will a huge crowd. John stayed back with Dad, as Clive, Anthony and I raced forward to find seats to suit our party of five. The staff were all saying “all free seating today”. We did indeed find a group of four seats, with Clive a few rows back, and settled down. People were still streaming on the train and it wasn’t too long before the people that did book our seats came and asked us to vacate them. Arguments ensued and we could tell things were about to get ugly when a somewhat large guy started physically threatening another man near us. Anthony, John and I got out of our seats and looked for others that were spare. Nothing doing – I guess we’re standing. There was quite a few others standing too. Luckily Dad and Clive managed to hold on to their seats. Whether it was free or some kind person gave up their seat to Dad, I don’t know. But we were grateful.

Some people disembarked at Doncaster and a seat opened next to Clive and I grabbed it. On the next stop, York, Dad’s whole block of four seats became available so Anthony, John and I joined Dad. Clive held onto his seat. So finally, we got some relaxing and enjoyed the rest of the trip.

We crossed the river Tweed into Scotland. First time I’d been to the country of my birth in 54 years.

We arrived at Waverly station around 2.30pm and got the escalators up to Princes Street. The Royal Scots Club, was a 10 minute walk from the station and the streets were so busy it didn’t look like we were going to easily catch a taxi. So we decided to walk with our luggage. It turned out to be more than 10 minutes and much tougher walk because Hanover street was quite steep. Again Anthony had booked a a nearby hotel for himself. We eventually got there, unpacked and met up again down in the club lounge for our first Scottish beer. Scottish beer tasted pretty good, so we headed out the Royal Mile for some more. First stop was Deacon Brodies Tavern. My cousin Graeme, his partner Sarah and son Max met us there for a little catch up. Graeme stayed for a couple of pints. We took some time after to explore the famous Edinburgh Royal Mile. The laneway to the castle was blocked off due to the works associated with the Tattoo that had taken place the week before.

The next day was going to be a day of reminiscing for me. Leaving Scotland at the age of seven in 1970, I still remember snippets of Edinburgh. I wanted to visit those places again 54 years later. Clive and Anthony caught the hop-on hop-off tour, John went to see a Football match (Hearts v Dundee) and Dad joined me for a walk down memory lane.

Dad and I caught an Uber to Blackwood Crescent. We lived there in 1968 and wanted to see the street and see how well I remembered it. It was exactly how I remembered it! We were a little unsure what the house number was though. Dad thought it was number 20, with the yellow door (pictured below). We then retraced the route to my first school.

Left at the end of Blackwood Crescent, down a narrow laneway to Causeway Side. Left onto Sciennes House Pl, right onto Sciennes, then left onto Sciennes Rd (yes they all have the same name). Along Sciennes Rd until to get Sciennes Primary School. Again this was exactly as I remembered it.

We continued down to The Meadows, a large park. I remember walking here with my Mum. We took a seat and took in the view of Arthur’s Seat. Onward through the Meadows via Jawbone walk. I couldn’t remember that path, but Dad was disappointed to discover that the whale jawbone arch had been removed. The path took use to the other side of the Meadows and that left a short walk to Greyfriars Bobby. The memory of the statue of the little dog and his story have been with me for a long time since my aunty Jean pointed it out to my cousin, Steven and I on the bus all those years ago. Bobby stayed by his master’s grave long after he died. A monument to his loyalty is loved by many. There was a queue to take a photo with him. Anthony and Clive joined us and we had lunch at the Greyfriars Bobby Pub. Dad, Anthony and I had Haggis, Neeps and Tatties. Clive was having “none of this foreign muck”. Dad was mortified that they substituted his neeps (swede) with carrots. The Haggis and Tatties were good though. Anthony and I tried to console him by say they’ve just substituted one crappy vegetable with another crappy vegetable.

After lunch we caught an Uber to Princes St Gardens to take some photos of Edinburgh Castle. I don’t have clear memories of the gardens, but do remember it being more flowery. It was a nice stroll, but the day (and the stairs) was taking its toll on Dad and he wanted to go back to the hotel for a rest.

What a great day! Highlight of the trip so far. It was so special to share that experience with my Dad. I have to say I did get a bit emotional at times.

Anthony messaged me saying he was booked in the Mary King’s Close tour. I said I’d join him at the Royal Mile. The tour was great with a talented guide explaining the hidden streets and the characters under the Edinburgh City Chambers. There were no photo allowed unfortunately.

John, Dad and Clive joined us back at the Royal Mile for dinner a Bella Italia. Early to bed as we start the whisky tour to Islay early tomorrow.

Flying Jetstar to Queenstown was quick and simple. Coming into Queenstown, we flew straight down Lake Wakatipu affording a stunning view of the town on the right-hand side. Already Queenstown was looking like a postcard. We caught an uber, arriving early to our hotel on Frankton Road, Swiss-belsuites Pounamu. Our room wasn’t ready yet, so the receptionist suggested we stroll into the town centre. Jane was keen for a massage and found a Thai place (Sao Thai Massage) in town, I continued exploring the town centre and foreshore. I stopped at Pedro’s By The Lake for a beer (or two) while waiting for Jane. Jane found me and we stayed there for lunch.

Back at the hotel, we got ready for dinner at the Nest. I had made dinner reservations quite a while ago. The restaurant had commanding views over the lake and township. We were lucky enough to score a window seat (perhaps the Filipino waiters helped us out). The G&Ts, wine and food were top class. Being as south as it is, Queenstown doesn’t get dark until around 9pm (in February), so the colours of the view changed throughout the evening. What a magical start to our South Island leg.

Day 11 was our Milford Sound tour, so we were up and out at 6.30 am to meet the tour bus. There was a little confusion about the meeting place, but we met up eventually without holding up the schedule too much. The tour was a whole day travelling from Queenstown to Milford Sound in the Fiordland National Park, with a cruise up and down the length of the inlet. It also included stops in Te Anau, Eglinton Valley, Mirror Lakes and the Homer Tunnel.

Andy, our driver and tour guide was excellent. He was constantly updating us on the landscape, history and Māori culture, with some quirky stories thrown in. His favourite saying was “not too shabby”. Andy reminded me so much of Rhys Darby’s character Murray from Flight of the Conchords.

When we entered the Fiordland National Park the landscape changed dramatically. Steep mountains, glacial streams and waterfalls were everywhere. It was like driving through a fantasy world. Andy stopped the bus numerous times for photo opportunities.

We reached Milford Sound in around four hours, to a perfect picture postcard day – sunny and with a few fluffy clouds. We boarded the boat and cruised up the sound stopping at each waterfall. The captain “stuck the boat’s nose” into the Tasman sea and returned hugging the northern side of the sound. At the Stirling Falls he steered the boat right underneath the falling water. I got a little wet, but it was a great experience. Andy said legend has it that a facial from that water takes 10 years off your looks. Check out the photos and judge for yourself. Milford Sound and the Fiordland National Park are magnificent. Jane and I had to pinch ourselves to realise this was indeed a real place.

We got back to Queenstown around 7 pm and wandered into town for a quick dinner at Madam Woo. The beef rendang and dumplings were nice.

Day 12 was another tour. This time to Mt Cook “Alpine Experience” with a helicopter landing on the Tasman glacier. This is my number one bucket list item – to set foot on a glacier. Again, up at 6.30 am to meet the tour bus. The tour guide and driver was a young Māori guy called Cameron. While he was enthusiastic, he was no Andy. He did his best and seemed knowledgeable about the landscape. The tour group was dominated by Americans and they seemed to talk non-stop and loud. Cameron tolerated them quite well. We sat next to a nice older lady, Bonnie. Originally from Miami, she’s now living in Seoul. She was interesting and not as loud as the other Americans. Jane and I were the only Aussies.

The weather started out bleak and I was worried that visibility would be poor for the high mountains in the Mt Cook National Park. Aoraki (Mt Cook) is the tallest mountain in New Zealand at 3,700 metres. As we entered the National Park the skies cleared, and we got a beautiful view of the mountain itself. Cameron stopped for some nice photo opportunities.

Cameron dropped most of the tour group off at the Hooker Valley Trail. Then he took the remaining four of us to the airport for our flight to the glacier. When we got there the helicopter operator said the weather conditions were not favourable for landing on the glacier today. What a disappointment. They did however offer us a smaller flight onto the mountain with good views of Mt Cook. The other couple didn’t accept the alternative flight and opted for a refund. Jane and I did, however, did the smaller flight (with partial refund).

They loaded us onto the helicopter and to my dismay Jane and I were seated in the middle with no window access. It was challenging to take good photos. We landed on the rocky face and the views were spectacular as promised. We spent eight minutes taking photos and when it was time to come back, the guy sitting next to me offered me his window seat. I graciously accepted and got some great views and photos on the return journey. I feel guilty criticising the Americans earlier. This one was a true gentleman.

Because our flight was cut short, Cameron took us back to the Hooker Valley Trail and Jane and I walked part of it. The weather was quite humid, and we were getting sweaty. Jane decided to remove her tights – I have the surreal photo of Jane getting (semi) naked under the backdrop of Mt Cook. The weather stayed fine for the return four-hour trip back to Queenstown. We stopped at a Salmon farm for a quite bite. The tour was enjoyable despite not being able to land on the glacier. It remains unticked on the bucket list. Something tells me we’ll be back to the south island one day and I’ll get to experience one of the glaciers.

Back at Queenstown we ventured into the town again and had (you guess it) fish and chips at the Pig and Whistle.

Day 13 was our last full day in New Zealand. It’s a day of relaxation and indulgence. First a Onsen hot tub experience, then onto lunch at the Stratofare. Jane was not feeling well and suggested I go ahead without her. I told her to “woman-up” and come with me. “A hot bath will do you good.” She did woman-up and we made our way to the Onsen. It’s a spa retreat up the mountain with beautiful views over the Shotover river. We had booked a “Original Onsen” which included one hour in the private hot tub, a drink and snack. It was a wonderful experience, and it did, in fact, make Jane feel better.

We caught an Uber back into town to catch the Gondola up to the Queenstown Skyline. Again we were lucky with the weather and the cable car ride was smooth with awesome views over the town and lake. We had lunch in the Stratosfare restaurant with the “premium” package. That included a window seat, buffet lunch and a drink. As Jane was still feeling under the weather I had both drinks. Monteith’s Golden Ale and a local Pinot Gris. The lunch had a compressive range of food and everything we sample was fresh and tasty. But the real reason for dining there was the view. Simply stunning. Again, you had to remind yourself this is a real place, not some painted movie backdrop.

With our senses (and stomachs) full we made our way down the slope on the Gondola and caught an Uber back to the hotel (day of indulgence remember). We had an afternoon nap, before walking back into the town for the last look at Queenstown. We took the longer route around the Queenstown Gardens, again marveling at the views. Our last meal was at the Pier, Seafood Chowder and a Steak.

Sadly, today we leave the long white cloud and must return back to reality.

Our Qantas flight leaves Queenstown 1.50 pm and arriving in Perth 7pm after transferring in Melbourne. Sounds simple enough. Not so.

I won’t bore you with the details, but we arrived back at our house 11 pm after: Delayed flight from Queenstown – causing missed connection – transferred to a later flight with no nonfiction – delayed flight from Melbourne. Very disappointing from Qantas.

Anyway, what a fantastic holiday. New Zealand lived up to its reputation and more! Highlights for me were lunch at the Batch Winery, Waiheke Island; Milford Sound and beauty of Queenstown. Nothing beat Hobbiton for Jane.

I think Jane and I will definitely be back one day. There still at lot more to see and do.

We’re off to the land of the: Kiwi, the long white cloud, the shaky isles, fush and chups, Un Zud. I don’t want to make a post poking fun at the kiwi accent, so that’s enough immaturity from me. Its always been my dream to visit New Zealand, and I surprised its taken me this long to go. I had spaced-banked a week from our Busselton Beach Resort time share and we had to use it this year. We looked around the world for an available spot. Turangi, New Zealand popped up. It essentially gave us a week in New Zealand for $69. While Turangi is nice, we need to take advantage of what New Zealand has to offer, so we built a vacation around that.

The only one direct flight from Perth to New Zealand is the Auckland run. Its operated by Air New Zealand. I’ve heard great things from Air New Zealand and have never flown with them before, so we booked it. Shortly after I’d booked and paid Air NZ informed us that the are handing the Perth- Auckland leg over to Spanish airline Wamos Air. That was a disappointment, even though they guaranteed the same quality of plane and service.

I tried my trick of trying to get spare seats in between Jane and I selecting seats D and G, leaving seats E and F vacant between us. If this worked Jane and I will have four seat so we can stretch out and get a better sleep. The flight departed Perth at 6.50 pm and arrived seven hours later in Auckland 6.30 am. So, it meant we’d have to try and get some sleep. It worked! We boarded the Wamos Air flight and when they shut the doors we had two unoccupied seats between us. It almost felt like an upgrade.

Wamos Air were quite good. The only fault, if I’m being picky, was the some of the crew’s English was a little poor.

We arrived in Auckland shortly after sunrise. We caught an Uber to our hotel in Epsom. The No 9 Hotel was budget priced but had good reviews and in a good location close to shopping centre and public transport. It also had a carpark, which was needed when we picked up our in a few day’s time. We arrived at the hotel around 8.30 am and waited for the reception to open at 9 am. They allowed us to check-in early (for a fee). Feeling tired from the flight and the time difference, we allowed ourselves an hour nap – which turned out to be three hours.

We walked up to the Newmarket shopping centre for lunch. It was a big (Westfield) centre with a rooftop restaurant area. We had fish and chips at Something and Social and researched how we can get into the city.

There was a train station nearby and we purchased AT HOP cards. This allowed us to tag on and off for all trains and busses in Auckland. It was a short trip into the city by train.

First stop was the Auckland Sky Tower. This 32m structure dominates the city skyline and had viewing levels on floors 51 and 60. It also has several restaurants and bars. There are a couple of activities for the thrill seekers such as the SkyJump, where you actually jump off the tower, and the SkyWalk where you can walk around the outside on a narrow platform. I suggested we do the SkyWalk to Jane, but seeing as she couldn’t even walk on the glass floor panel inside the viewing deck, I think that’s not for us.

The views were indeed spectacular. We sounded off the visit with a martini and signature cocktail in the SkyBar.

Back down on terra firma we saw there was a casino, so we thought we’d try our hand. After about 15 minutes playing roulette, we broke even and called it a day. After walking around the city it was time for dinner choosing a restaurant with an interesting name on the docks with a nice view. Botswana Butchery was very nice with a overly cheerful waitress. Back to the hotel by train rounded out our first day experience in New Zealand.

The next day we awoke late and caught the bus into the city. Back at the dock next to Botswana Butchery we caught the ferry to Waiheke Island. We purchased the return ferry with hop on-off bus service to the island. Waiheke Island is 40 minutes from Auckland. It is around 92 sqkm with a population of almost 10,000 permanent residents. It’s known, amongst other things for its fabulous wineries. On arrival we queued for the bus with the other tourists – mostly loud Americans. We decided to stay on the bus until the farthest point to see the sights along the way. Disembarking at Onetangi Beach we went for a stroll along the beach. Coming back to the bus stop we stopped for a beer and Sauvignon Blanc and Charlie Farley’s. Since falling in love with Malborough Sauvignon Blanc – this is all she’s drinking now. The bus was taking a while to arrive so we shared an ice cream too.

We stayed on the bus for a couple more stops and got off at the Batch Winery for lunch. What a decision that was! The place was specular. We got a table outside with a commanding view over the island with Auckland city in the distance. We sampled their Thomas Sparkling Cuvée Rosé 2023 which as very nice in the surroundings. Jane went back to her Sav Blanc and I tried their Syrah (which is what they call Shiraz). We ordered a large tasting plate for lunch and confirmed in our minds that New Zealand is a pretty special place. Just need to get rid of those annoying loud American tourists. They seem to be following us.

It was getting late so we got on the bus and made our way back to Matiatia terminal and back to Auckland. We got back to the hotel and fell asleep. Perhaps the jet lag is still affecting us …perhaps it’s the wine.

We awoke about 10 pm hungry. Jane remembered seeing noodle house on the way back on the bus, so we walked down and found it open. Jane had beef noodle soup and I had stir fried chicken noodles. No wine this time.

Day three was exciting because we were picking up out hire car. We will be driving south the next day ending up in Wellington seven days later. We took the hour long train and bus trip back to the Airport and collected our 1-2 year old Ford Focus from Ezi Car. Yes, it would have been easier to get the car from day one, but at $220 per day we thought it would be a waste of money. The car was nice and easy to drive. Having wireless Android Auto was a big help. This allowed us to use Google Maps for navigation.

First stop was Oakley Creek waterfall. This proved difficult to find as it was in the middle of a construction site. We joked if we were on the Amazing Race we would have been eliminated this leg. We found the small waterfall nestled amongst the ferns with some kids swimming in the pool below the falls. We then made our way to Mount Eden, an ancient volcano with great 360 degree views of the city.

Dinner was back at Newmarket at the Bavarian. I had a 1 litre stein of Dark Lager, while Jane got her nails done. When she joined me, we shared their Crackling Pork Belly.

Off to Rotorua tomorrow.

For my 60th birthday year I had grand plans of flying to Las Vegas and living the high life as a homage to “getting past it”. For various reasons it didn’t pan out that way. After kicking a few ideas around we decided to spend some quality time in our old favourite – Bali (hey – I can hear you rolling your eyes!). This time we’re doing it a little different. We booked private villas in Ubud and Canggu. Jane and I are joined by Bianca and her friend Zoey. My son Anthony will be joining us for the Canggu leg.

Since Bianca and Zoey had different flight we decided to spend the first night in Legian. We chose the familiar Sun Island Hotel and Spa (Legian) hotel. It cheap and central and good place to launch the real trip. We’d stayed there a few times before and has always been cheap and clean with friendly staff. Jane I had dinner – of course the customary “Nasi Goreng and Bintang on arrival”. The location is great for bogan-bali and we enjoyed the walk around the familiar busy Legian streets.

The next morning, Made’s brother Ketut picked the four of us up from the Sun Island for the 1.5 hour trip to Ubud. We were late because Bianca and Zoey decided to do their nails and picked the slowest manicurists in all of South East Asia. Ketut (and the hotel staff) were understanding (of course) and we were on our way.

We arrived in Ubud and found our way though little alley-ways to Gora House. We booked the two bedroom villa with private pool. It was a little old but nice and great value. The bedrooms were spacious with a patio area, wet kitchen and a nice little garden. The pool was big enough to cool off. The location is perfect, on Jalan Bisma, a ten minute walk to the main Ubud Strip. Secluded and bordered by rice fields. Jalan Bisma has lots of restaurants and bars.

The girls did some googling and we made our way to Warung Gauri for dinner. It took some finding – it seems like every place in Ubud down little alley-ways. It was worth it. A traditional Balinese warung. Food was delicious. Jane had the Nasi Goreng of course.

The next morning Jane and I were up early (yes you heard it right). I wanted to do the Campuhan Ridge walk. It was close to Gora House and they claimed it was an easy walk even for the unfit (Jane and I). They recommended to start early the morning to beat the crowds. We set off at 7.20. We found the place easily and soon discovered its uphill all the way. We found out quickly how unfit we really were. It was an enjoyable experience and well worth it. Especially being a free activity.

We we got to the end we were exhausted and it seemed like the only way back into town was back they way we came. After asking a few people (thanks Jane) we found out there was a taxi stand 800 metres down the road. We got a lift back into town my a nice young man, Putu. We secured his services for Cretya the next day. We were back at Gora House in no time. As we entered the villa, Bianca and Zoey were on their way out for breakfast. Exhausted, but hungry we followed then to Milk & Madu cafe. A little bit wanky, but the food and coffee was nice. Bianca and Zoey went off shopping and Jane and I went back to the villa for a well deserved nap. We stayed in the villa- had a swim waiting the girls to get back. Jane suggested going for a massage at the River View Spa. I went to find a place to have a beer and read my book. I found the Tropical Restaurant, Jane and girls found me after their massage and ordered lunch,

On the way back to the villa Jane and I bought tickets to the Kecak Dance for that night. At 100,000 IDR (approx. $10 AUD) it was was good value and the chance to get some local culture. The grand finale was the fire dance. It was spectacular and we were all amazed at the dancers courage.

We grabbed dinner on the way home at Ikigai Japanese. The food was terrific. Bianca and Zoey compared the menu and service to Sushi Wawa at home, where they both work.

We all retired early after a full day.

Saturday was reserved for Cretya. A hip beach club style resort with multiple pools and restaurants. This was Bianca’s choice. Putu picked us up at 10 after a light breakfast at SemuJaen.

Jane and I felt somewhat out of place when we walked in. All the people there were young and fashionable. It was only later we saw some people more our age.

We booked a table for lunch before we went, which was both good and bad. Good because it was a much easier entry into the place. We thought we’d have lunch and then go and sit by the pool for the rest of the afternoon. The “bad” part was it didn’t quite work that way. Jane to the rescue. She talked to the pool attendant and got then to exchange our lunch reservation for a day bed near the pool. The minimum spent was 2.5M IDR (approx $250 AUD). We all agreed we could eat and drink that much.

The place is quite big and has activities such as big swings, flying fox and bike on a tightrope. Before we left Jane said she wanted to go on one of those big swings, but she chickened our when she got up close. Jane and I followed the nice trail though the rice terraces with lots photo opportunities along the way. We got back to the beautiful people by the pool and ordered lunch. The food and drinks were pretty good and the service was quick. We sat and ate lunch watching the Instagrammers showing the world what a perfect life they have. I couldn’t help think what the local staff thought of them. They remained cheerful and attentive as all Balinese are.

We left around 3pm and got a 30 minute taxi ride back to Bisma. I checked my watch and it reported that I’d climbed the equivalent of 31 flights of stairs – my knees were feeling it. time for a rest.

We had dinner at Cafe Lotus. Probably the worst meal of the trip so far. I ordered Babi Kecap and the pork was very dry. The beer came at the same time as the food, which is not great for me. Jane was happy with her chicken dish however. Back to the villa. We’re off to Canggu tomorrow!

Yes, Bali again. For this five day trip we decided to try an “All-inclusive” package. That means all food and drinks are included. In other words – stay put in the hotel and get fat.

We did just that.

We stayed at the Merusaka Nusa Dua on a Luxury Escapes package.

We touched down at Ngurah Rai International Airport Denpasar, at around 8.30pm. We were met by a representative from Bali Fast Track to escort us though immigration quickly. The last time we used them the airport was empty and we didn’t really need this service – same again this time. I’m not sure we’ll spend the $130 next time. Airport transfer was included in our package and we were met by their transport services.

The Merusaka is a big lovely hotel with three restaurants, a few bars and two large pools. Some rooms had their own private “lagoon” (although one lagoon was shared with 3 to 4 other rooms). Our room was called “Deluxe”. It was quite spacious with a very large bed, a sitting area and a balcony. The bathroom had a free standing bathtub and rain shower head . The bathtub looked luxurious, but we didn’t end up using it. We tended not to stay long inside the hotel room. The room was in Building 3 on the second floor. There was quite a walk to the restaurants and pool areas.

We arrived, checked-in and got to our room around 10pm. The main restaurant, Gading, was open until 11, so we immediately went to test out our “all inclusivity” . We didn’t know what to expect – but wow! we were not disappointed. The menu has three pages of food with quite a wide variety. The drinks menu had 15 cocktails, mocktails, red/white/rose wine, as well as a large choice of juices, soft drinks and iced teas. The only disappointment was there was only one type of beer that was “free” – Singaraja Pisner. While this was quite a nice tasting beer, it was disappointing to see a 20,000 IDR ($2 AUD) surcharge on Bali’s staple Bintang. The spirits and wines were “local” brands. Jane had the red and rose wine and said it was quite good. The cocktails were generally good. The Gin based drinks were definitely better than the vodka based one. I had several dry martinis which were surprisingly good. We filled our bellies and retired, eager to explore the hotel the next day.

We woke up late and went to breakfast in the Gading restaurant. The breakfast was massive and packed full of hungry guests. There was a vast variety of breakfast food, including a “pork station” which had real bacon. The coffee was good too, with espresso options. After breakfast we toured the hotel and settled at the pool. The main pool had three infinity tiers. Judging by the number of people at breakfast I was worried that we wouldn’t be able to find a nice spot to “lounge”. We needn’t have worried though. It seemed like all of the breakfast crowd disappeared. The pool was quite empty and the restaurant and bars were devoid of people also. This trend continued for the remainder of the stay. Very busy breakfast – very quiet lunch and dinner.

Most of the five days were spent lounging around the pool drinking and eating.

Friday after breakfast we went for a walk. We got as far as the Sofitel Hotel. Jane wanted to case the place as a potential for our next trip. We asked to see the rooms and the young Swedish intern showed us the King Deluxe and the Honeymoon Suite. Both rooms were spectacular. He offered us some welcome drinks as we rested in the lobby. Definitely a place to consider. We took the main road back to the hotel via Bali Collection shopping centre. We rested there also with a beer at one of the restaurants. Back to the hotel via the Grand Hyatt (which also has potential for our next trip).

Saturday was football day and we decided to venture out of the hotel and watch the game in a Pub somewhere. Our old mate Pedro happened to also be in Bali and he suggested we meet for lunch at James Cook Sports Bar in Kerobokan (near Seminyak). Made’s brother Ketut picked us up for the one hour drive to Kerobokan. When we arrived, Pedro’s wife, Kerry called us to say Pedro had woken crook and wouldn’t be able to join us. That was a shame. More of a shame was Fremantle’s performance on field, suffering a big loss to the Brisbane Lions. We left early and made our way back to the hotel to console ourselves with cocktails.

Sunday after breakfast we went for a walk in the opposite direction (south) this time. We ended up at St Regis hotel. Wow, this place is truly magical. We made our way around the lagoon with villas sprinkled along the jungle trail. The Villas looked huge, each fronting onto the lagoon. Later we checked on the prices – $700 per night for their basic room, going up to $4,300 for a two bedroom lagoon access – then to $13,000 for a four bedroom beach access with private pool. We’ll definitely have to wait for the lotto numbers to come up for that one. We caught a taxi back to Bali Collection and again walked back to our peasant hotel.

We had a late flight Monday. They kindly let us check out at 1pm and use the pool until our transport to the airport at 4,30. Jane used that time to have a massage and manicure at Zahra Spa. Whilst she had two massages at Meruska included in our package, she loved Zahra’s service and prices.

The vacation was short but immensely enjoyable. We really couldn’t fault the hotel and its staff. If I was being really picky, the air conditioning in the room couldn’t be turned any colder. We were able to sleep comfortably, however, and I didn’t report it. If you want to just stay in a resort, with leisurely walks up and down the beach, Nusa Dua is the place to go. There are dozens of hotels for all budgets. We are considering coming later in the year.

The Package

The $1,599 (AUD) package included:

• All-inclusive dining: daily breakfast, lunch, dinner and poolside snacks
• Free-flow local beer, wines, spirits, cocktails and soft drinks at any onsite restaurant and bar
• One 60-minute Balinese massage per adult
• Complimentary minibar refilled daily
• Roundtrip airport transfers
• Daily access to Tamaya Kids Land (for children 5-12)
• Daily hotel activities, including yoga, volleyball and beach soccer
• Inclusions valid for up to two guests

This equates to $320/night

Estimating the room tariff of $180 it leaves $140 for food and beverages.

We were always presented with a bill for the food and drinks we ordered with the real cost with a 100% discount.

There were no prices on our menus.

I have asked the hotel for an itemised list of the food and beverages we ordered but have yet to receive a reply.

Value for Money

Was it value for money? Immediately I would say yes – because we had such a good time. But it’s hard to tell without the itemised account.

Roughly prices (Australian Dollars) are:

Wine: 115,000 IDR = $12.50
Cocktails: 120,000 IDR = $13.00
Beer: 45,000 IDR = $4.90

Appetisers: 125,000 IDR = $13.60
Mains: 160,000 IDR = $17.40
Desserts: 90,000 IDR = $9.80
Ice cream/Sorbet: 50,000 IDR = $5.40

_{Using the current exchange rate: $1 AUD = 9,200 IDR}

Breakfast was included in the package. That’s a fairly standard inclusion for most big hotels.

We estimated we averaged around $260 a day for food and beverages With the room tariff at $180/night the value is estimated to be $2,200 over the 5 days We paid $1,599 for the package so it lands squarely in the good value for money area.

Jane and I aren’t typically big eaters. I have had a gastric sleeve operation and cannot eat large meals. Jane is a relatively small person (in stature I mean, of course!). In our package we were able to order an appetiser, main meal and dessert each. The portion sizes were quite large and I struggled to finish even just a main meal. Ordinarily, this would be a good thing because we would order a smaller meal, or Jane and I would share one meal. Because we were able to order more, we did. We felt that because we paid a premium, we needed to sample all, or most of the dishes on the menus. This resulted in us half finishing most dishes and being embarrassed when the waitstaff took the half-eaten food back. We understand that wasting food like this in a country with real poverty is not responsible. For this reason we probably will not choose the all-inclusive package again, preferring to take a more respectful approach. We did tip the waitstaff to ease our conscience a little bit.