Reflections of Bali

Yep it was here at last, time to pack and head for the airport for our long anticipated trip to Bali. Last year Gareth & Taegan had suggested we meet them up there and this was it. It had been 6 years since our last visit to Bali and we wondering how much things had changed. Our first big change was that the flight from Melbourne is not the quick little jaunt like Perth was. We left at 2.30pm and after about 5 hours we were arriving just as the sun was going down. No daylight savings in Bali so we had a 3 hour time difference. Change no 2 was we were staying at a different hotel. Poppies Cottages had always intrigued us so we booked online. Very easy, free transfers and on arrival they did not disappoint. There are 23 little cottages all very private and just the most delightful little place we have stayed for a long time. Gareth & Taegan were at Bali Gardens a little further down the beach. That too was just beautiful. They had a great room with an awesome view and the afternoon we spent at their pool with them was lovely! Thanks guys.


Being driven to our hotel on Sat night we were a little confused as it was now dark and none of the roads looked familiar! We discovered why the next day with roadworks on almost every corner and so many roads now only one way it really is a veritable nightmare to get anywhere. Our first adventure was to negotiate Poppies Lane and find somewhere for breakfast. We were saving Poppies for later! Once we had dined on the Watermelon juice & the Banana Pancake we continued down the lane to check out our local surroundings. On the way back we met an unlikely pair coming to see us. We all went back to our cottage for the reunion catchup. An hour later we were ready to head off and see Bali. Well I guess those of you who still visit regularly know how busy it has become. Legian St needed a marathon effort to negotiate it, between more roadworks and more traffic not an easy street to walk now. Still around the corner into Melasti St and things seemed more as we remembered them. A little quieter & a little cleaner and altogether a much nicer experience. We found our friend Made in the same market shop she has had for over 20 years. We all bought our bits & pieces from her and then headed back to spend the afternoon with Taegan & Gareth at their pool. Once back home at Poppies, I gave our pool a test swim and while much smaller it was a delightful oasis in the midst of the mayhem that is Bali.

So what are my thoughts on a return visit after so long. From our very first visit many years ago I fell in love with the whole Bali experience. Things changed along the way but never to the point that it seemed to change Bali itself. As things turned out we were only in Bali for 2 days but if this was what I had found during our first trip all those years ago I don't think I would have ever gone back. The streets are gridlocked almost 24/7, travelling by taxi takes hours with all the one way streets and on foot is no better dodging building sites, roadworks and just generally dilapidated streets. Perhaps in time we will return again but I think we may look to a quieter side of the island. Maybe we have just grown up.

As to why we only stayed 2 days, read on and see. At least Harris holidays are never dull...............