Today was our final full day in Bali, and I personally was ready to come home. Bearing in mind that the packers from Toll will be there within hours of my arrival in Cairns it's going to be hectic. There are so many things that I still have to do that it’s actually very difficult for me to be mindful of the present. Keiko and I went to Botanik for breakfast and I finally had a soy coffee it’s sometimes difficult when you have an allergy to enjoy things that other’s around you are having. After a smoothie bowl that I could give a stamp of approval.
Keiko and I went to seek a manicure at Carmel her favorite massage parlour but they were full so we went to the more expensive Cecilia, and I had my brows done, the lovely girl did my greys complimentary and also redid my chipped big toe.
I raced back to the hotel to meet Vicki as per our prior arrangement but she wasn’t there. I tracked her down and we power walked to Ayung spa where we’d booked our two hour package, costing $24 in a Spa that doesn’t resemble a knock shop (like Carmel) I thought it was pretty good value. The massage was nice , definitely not as good as Sanur. Vicki however loved it and booked another treatment for the next day. We had an hour to have a quick lunch before our outing to Uluwatu that Keiko had organised. We went back to Warung Cantina, big mistake the ayam goreng asam was horrid, it tasted like that disgusting Canton Sweet and Sour bottled sauce. From then on my body started rebelling even more than my usual lactose issues.
Our pickup was at 230pm so we briskly walked back to the hotel and enjoyed 10 minutes of reprieve from the heat. Denny was there right on time, we’d paid a deposit that morning when we booked. Keiko was keen to give him the rest of the money but I insisted that we pay upon our safe arrival back at the hotel. The car was airconditioned and he spoke good English, Vicki sat in the front and had a long chat. I was fading in the back so tried to doze a bit. When we arrived at Jimbaran beach we requested to stop at a cafe with a beach view as we still had hours to go before the fire dance at Uluwatu temple he agreed, but drove us to the temple where there were only very run down stalls selling coconuts and tinned items, there was nothing pleasant about it at all. Vicki and I ordered a banana pancake which had sugar banana in it which every Indonesian knows is not the right banana for cooking as the fructose converts to a horrid substance which coats the tongue.
Off to the temple we went I’d borrowed Vicki’s pashmina as both her and Keiko had bought a sarong, the entry fee was high for Bali but sarong and sashes were included in the price. There were hundreds of people, we still had an hour before the performance so we climbed the steep staircase with the rest of the throng. The deep azure water was as intense as the water on the Amalfi coast just not over run with boats or buildings toppling into the deep blue. It was a bit odd that no sooner had Vicki and I clambered down exit steps that he beckoned us to go back up again – unbelievable , we declined, barely hiding our annoyance. A large tour bus was marching towards the amphitheatre so we hastily followed them to get seats. We secured one just near the entrance. The crowd surged in like a giant beast, the noise was rapidly increasing, ruining the tranquil vista. Our seats were prime and we were able to take numerous photos and videos. The peak of excitement was when the fire got out of control and blazed so high that Keiko and I simultaneously squealed and jumped up, clambering to get away in case of fire. Vicki commented later that I had mentioned Work Place Health and Safety and their lack of importance in Bali.
Denny shepherded us back into the vehicle, it was mentioned on the brochure that we were responsible for paying for our own dinner. Although Keiko had the name of a recommended affordable place he seemed hell bent on taking us to his ‘Brother’s workplace. We were driven in them welcomed, we followed the smiling waiter through the restaurant down to a table setting on the sand, there seemed to be hundreds of patrons sitting outside, the view of the twinkling lights on the other side of the bay was picture perfect. To underline the perfection fireworks went off it was surreal. Reality kicked in really fast, when we tried to order. The menu was only seafood (I was already sick, and didn’t want to eat however I didn’t want to ruin the girls night) I attempted to order two hundred grams of seafood but was told the minimum spend was 500gr. Since there was 20 percent tax we would have each been paying at least $60 Australian. We looked at each other in horror, to add insult to injury we were told that only those feasting on the banquet could sit outside. We unanimously stood up a and told Denny that we could not afford these prices. He seemed shocked, holding our heads up high we did the walk of shame back outside. Denny told us that all the restaurants here at Jimbaran bay were similarly priced. Personally I thought he was lying and was there for a kickback. I was secretly relieved as I was keen to get back to hotel so I could go to bed.
We ended up eating at a Warung across the road, all I really wanted was a cup of tea, I should have stuck with that instead I ordered a small margarita pizza as I was over indo food. What a fool, as I tried to sleep that night I regretted my decision immensely.
