Slimboyfat's family trip to Bali

[slimboyfat]

A while ago in this section of the forum I asked if Bali was a good place for a family holiday.

There were a few positive replies so I thought we should give it a try during the June school holidays.

KW gave a lot of useful information/advice which ,as you would expect, I completely ignored.

My wife booked the trip through a travel agent here in Singapore. Flights for 4 of us on Garuda, hotel accommodation for 4 nights (2 rooms) and transfers for something under S$2000. I am not sure about the real price as I don't get involved in such matters. Someone the other day asked me how much my monthly electricity bill is, and I can honestly say I have no idea, not even a rough estimate. Anyway, I digress.

Lets start off (hopefully) with a video clip from Kuta beach that I have uploaded to that Youtube.



Thanks to whoever made it work.

And next will be the picture thread accompanied by some descriptive words - but I will probably do that later this weekend as I am exhausted after uploading all the pics to the gallery.

[Marmite the Dog]

Just testing...



*edit - nope, that didn't work either.

*edit by dirtydog* working now.

[slimboyfat]

So, we arrived in Bali around 8pm. A car from the hotel picked us up. The driver tried to sell us his own tour packages which he could do a lot cheaper than if we booked from him directly rather than through the hotel. He gave me his card and I said I would bear him in mind. Thats the only thing I don't like about Bali - everyone is selling something and you will get pestered a lot, more so than I have been anywhere else in the region.

Got to the hotel - Harris Resort, Kuta.
Harris Resort Kuta, Bali, Indonesia, Bali Hotel Resort with swimming pool - Official Website

The place is ok, nothing fantastic but good for our purposes as it is near the beach and has a nice swimming pool for the kids. Also it was cheap enough for me to book 2 rooms instead of one, so the 2 kids slept in a connecting room to ours. All the staff were very friendly.

Off to bed early as I knew the kids would be up around 6am and they didnt disappoint me.

Daily buffet breakfast was included with the room and we had ours outside by the pool.



The breakfasts were generally good, especially if you like Indonesian food. The soft boiled eggs were disappointing though.



That was the soft boiled egg on day 1. On day 2 the egg was completely raw but by day 3 they had got it right.

So breakfast done it was time to take a stroll to have a look at Kuta beach.





This was better than I had expected as I had been told that Kuta beach would be really crowded. So quick as a flash, back to the hotel and changed into our swimming attire, then back to the beach to enjoy the warm water and play in the crashing surf.

[slimboyfat]

As we spent most of our time there, I have loads of pics of the beach.





^ These sun loungers with shades are availble for hire from friendly local rip-off artists. Bargain down the price. I think we were getting use of the lounger for about a dollar an hour in the end but again I wasnt involved in this process as I don't speak Malay but Mrs SBF does.

Learning to surf seems a popular past time, whether it be with a proper organised surf school........





or some freelance chancer on the beach like this one below. Ofcourse he probably wants to get into her pants as well as give her a personal surfing lesson.



Unlike Pattaya etc, most tourists in Bali seemed to be reasonably fit - surfers I guess





Playing in the surf was a lot of fun for me and the kids, but the waves are large and the currents strong, so best to swim in the designated areas marked by red and yellow flags. Lots of people weren't doing that ofcourse, and we did see someones body get taken out of the sea by stretcher - a holiday maker from Jakarta had drowned.

One good thing is that the beach is really gently sloping so you won't suddenly get out of your depth.





There are a lot of touts on the beach selling ice creams, massages, stupid ugly braided hair. Some seem to think that you come to the beach to buy a crossbow set or blowpipes complete with darts.

[daveboy]

Also it was cheap enough for me to book 2 rooms instead of one

Sex with the wife again SBF

[slimboyfat]

Our hotel was located just across the road from the beach, then a short walk up a driveway - about 5 mins walk altogether.







The rooms are basic, but clean. The only downside is that the majority of the rooms do not have a balcony.



Our rooms were on the second floor, and offered breathtaking views of the carpark.

I wondered what these two were looking at.



And the answer......

[slimboyfat]

There are nicer rooms available ofcourse, but am not too sure of the price. American boyband The Click Five were staying in these rooms here, but kept hiding everytime they saw a camera. Pussies. I had never heard of them but my son and daughter recognised them and got their autographs etc.



The swimming pool area was quite pleasant for those times you feel like having a sit down and a Bintang beer whilst the kids are enjoying themselves in the pool.

[slimboyfat]

Also it was cheap enough for me to book 2 rooms instead of one

Sex with the wife again SBF

Thanks for the offer. same time same place?

[slimboyfat]

So the kids were content playing in the sea or at the pool, and I was too really, but I had a nagging thought that we really should go and see something else as well. So I called up that driver from when we arrived and arranged a trip to Ulubatu temple to see sunset, then go for some seafood on Jimbiran beach, like wot KW did b4.

To be honest the temple itself was a bit underwhelming and very overcrowded, but its location on a cliff was pretty good. And we did see a Korean tourist get bitten on the hand by one of the temple's thieving monkeys, which is always a bonus.















^ damn i just noticed that mobile phone in the pic.

[kingwilly]

KW gave a lot of useful information/advice which ,as you would expect, I completely ignored.

bastard.

in fact I was staying at this very resort 2 weekends ago....

footy trip. when did you go ?

[slimboyfat]

KW gave a lot of useful information/advice which ,as you would expect, I completely ignored.

bastard.

in fact I was staying at this very resort 2 weekends ago....

footy trip. when did you go ?

10th to 14th June

[slimboyfat]

They also did some kind of Balinese dance performance at the temple, but we were getting quite tired so I instructed my driver (like KW must do on a daily basis) to head straight for Jimbiran beach and some beers and seafood. I have to say that its an excellent spot, but probably better for couples (so lomantic) rather than for families with young kids.






^These jokers only knew 5 songs, and it seemed the big table of German tourists were getting tired of hearing them.

The food took ages to arrive, and when it did I was already half pissed on Bintang and the kids were ready to sleep.





There is another picture of me with a flower in my hair but you won't be seeing that one.

[kingwilly]

hmmm, I was there the weekend before. If you had consulted with me you could have arranged teh weekend before, and gone to watch the AFL football then

[kingwilly]

There is another picture of me with a flower in my hair but you won't be seeing that one.

poove

[jandajoy]

That's a good thread. I can't believe how quiet the beach is. Last time I was there it was packed.

[slimboyfat]

All good things come to an end, and all too fast we were on our last day in Bali. Our flight back to Singers was at 8.30pm but we had to check out of the hotel at 2pm, so we had 4 hours to kill before our transport left for the airport.

So we went to McDonalds for half an hour, then a walk around Kuta for a couple of hours, bought some tat, then back to the hotel for a drink by the pool. And I took these pics with my mobile phone.

We were much darker now than we had been before Bali. Everyone else was brown and I was a lobster colour.











^that woman seems in an awful hurry to get into the shop - or maybe she had a reason not to be photographed.





While we were back at the hotel waiting for our car to the airport, I noticed that one of TDs members had checked in, but I couldn't remember if it was Chitown or Chinthee so I didnt say anything.

[slimboyfat]

Oh yeah and our flight was delayed by three hours, which we only found out when we checked in at the airport.

Nevermind, at least Garuda provided a hearty meal at one of the airport restaurants as compensation.




All in all it was a great trip and I think we will go back again next year.

[kingwilly]

but we had to check out of the hotel at 2pm, so we had 4 hours to kill before our transport left for the airport.

I think normal procedure here is to throw a window out of the hotel window

[Propagator]

There is another picture of me with a flower in my hair but you won't be seeing that one

Hmmmm



I did not get where I did without wearing a flower in my hair

[Loombucket]

Good report Slimboyfat and some nice pictures. Well done.

[Fabian]

but we had to check out of the hotel at 2pm, so we had 4 hours to kill before our transport left for the airport.

I think normal procedure here is to throw a window out of the hotel window

I am sure he tried but they were tight in place.

Nice thread, SBF.

[JoGeAr]

Nice thread, SBF. Great pics. And that's about as close to Bali that I ever plan to be.