4 Days in Bali

What a busy start to 2011 what with England and then flying back to Jakarta and then the next day flying off to Bali. Yep thats right, I took another few days out before work to relax and chill in Bali. The paradise island of Asia, or rather Paradise lost I think, but I should get to that.

After unpacking the gifts and stuff, all 23kg of it I should add and hardly any of it was for me as that is being sent out later, and then doing the laundry it was time to get back to the airport and catch the next flight out of here!!!
So as usual we got a taxi which promptly got lost and headed into the city and then with a lot of complaining and frustration turned around and headed to the airport and with some help we got there.
Flying with Air Asia meant the nice new terminal 3 at the airport with its over polished floors and great views and the obvious and natural delay that the airline always has. Surely its slogan should be 'now everyone can fly after a little delay' as that would be more correct and honest. Still never mind. I had jetlag so I was just going along for the ride at that stage.

The shiniest floor ever?

My plane arriving late

Someone actually working hard at the airport other than a tout

Exciting chairs 

Great views of planes landing, taxiing and taking off 

We arrived a little than 30 mins late and went straight to the hotel. We were staying in the Pesona Beach hotel in Poppies 1 for the night as we were moving to Lovina the next day so it was just time enough to acclimatise and relax. 

The hotel was nice although the room was per person not per room but it had a TV and AC and was only 280k with pool and breakfast. Not sure about the quite rooms but it was very quiet and quite comfortable.

What a mess Kuta is.... There is so much building work, roadworks and reconstruction going on it bewildering and it makes life there even worse. And the beaches are well terrible and very dirty. Not a good thing.

Still after a quick trip to Starbucks we found our car and driver and took the high road and slow road to Lovina through some truly stunning landscapes and beautiful places until we climbed up over the mountains and then headed into the cloudy day on the other side at Singaraja and then to Lovina.

Lovina has to be still, my favourite place on Bali, its quiet, not over priced, calm and quite opps I mean quiet and the hawkers leave you alone after a while, there is a great bar and restaurant on the beach and the trees are always in flower which is nice. Oh and the mosquitoes are really big so get the repellent on. We stayed at the Angsoka hotel again as well I like it and its fair priced, 2 mins from the beach very quite and relaxed and all the chalets are in lovely well looked after gardens. There are frogs and crabs running about at night and huge spiders that live in the roof outside and on the glass to make you go pale when you see one quickly but after  a while you ignore them and that takes some doing as I hate spiders!

The dolphin Statue at Lovina

Views from the Restaurant 'Sea Breeze', Lovina

Views around the hotel

On Thursday, it was girlfriends birthday and I thought I would be romantic by taking her firstly to Bali to celebrate her birthday in her favourite place and also to propose to her and ask her to marry me as well. So armed with ring and good intentions, I promptly proposed to her on her birthday and she said yes. So next year, I will be married and blogging all about that!!!

I am more than delighted with that result and whilst it has been a long time coming I know it is right for me and for her and that we are more than suited and am looking forward to getting married.

The rest of the day was spent in relative silence as she was still in shock and awe and as happy as I have ever seen anyone be, it was magical. 

We left Lovina and the stifling heat on the Friday and ventured back to Kuta for one last night and then to fly back to Jakarta on the Saturday. Lots of shopping was done and food ate and drink drank and we had a great time. 

Right on cue the flight back with Air Asia was delayed by 1 hour and so we got back to Jakarta for 12.30am

So tired and happy, here we all are. Back to work today and back with a jolt but a good one. 

Role on the rest of the year and lets hope it is full of more surprises for us all.