Weekend in Bali

My mum came over with my Auntie Pat for a couple of weeks which has been great fun. She was here to see her grandchild for the first time, help celebrate his birthday and then relax in Bali for a week or so before going back to England.

It was just great to see them both because its been a long time and I am not sure when the next time will be. 

They stayed at the Kuta Paradiso Hotel near to the Discovery Mall in 5 star splendour and had a great time. With Mums birthday also whilst on holiday, the hotel made her a cake and so I am sure that she enjoyed eating that.

I flew to Bali a day earlier than the rest of my family and I stayed in the Adi Dharma hotel in Poppies 2, which is behind the BeachWalk mall and near the Best Western. I had meant to book the Adhi Jaya for an extra night but in the confusion of names I paid for a night there and it was a great hotel. My review for that is here.

The flight with Citilink was non eventful. I left via Terminal 1 and that is nothing special. The flight took me over Bromo and the erupting volcanoes, the south and south east coast of Java and on the cloudless day that it was, the flight and the views were great.

Terminal 1

Bali Beach

Mum and Pat enjoying a Sunset drink

I spent the afternoon and evening with Mum and retired to my hotel for a nights peace and a long soak.

On the Friday I checked out, found a taxi and then went to my next hotel, the Adhi Jaya which is opposite the Discovery Mall and very close to where my mum was staying. The review for this is here.

The hotel kindly provided a car for me so I could pick up my wife and the kids and the mother in law and we arrived just as they were leaving arrivals which was great. This had been Jeremys first flight and whilst there was no screaming through the flight, he had kicked the seat in front for the majority of the flight but had no problems with the pressure or travelling. My looked stressed a little but with her mum there it had not been too bad. 

Once we had unpacked and sorted Jeremy out in the hotel, we then met mum on Kuta beach and for the first time, Jeremy saw the sea and could play on the sand. The sea and the sand both seemed to intrigue and scare him at the same time but I think he enjoyed it.

Saturday saw us in a rented car and we took the opportunity to go shopping once we had visited a couple of places. The first place we headed to was a beach called Pandawa Beach which is on the way to Uluwatu. The trip took about an hour. The beach is very long and full of yellow sand and it was a glorious day to visit. The sea looking out had huge breaking waves and then near to the beach the water was calmer but there was a pulling current and it did not really feel all that safe to swim in, but I did. 

Jeremy was not so keen on the sea as the waves on the beach were faster and stronger than Kuta and the sand turned to broken coral at the edge. But he enjoyed the time with us there.

We left when the hoardes turned up

From Pandawa we took the new Madara Tol road which goes across the sea and marsh and avoids the congestion roads. It is a nice trip and we could see the volcanoes and mountains as the clouds were light. Sadly I could not stop and take any photos but the next time I return to Bali I plan to rent a bike and ride across and stop so I can take photos. The tol way cost 10,000 rupiah so it was worth the extra journey.

A quickly taken shot from the car

Saturday afternoon Yovita and her mum went shopping so I took Jeremy to the pool and we had fun splashing and bouncing in the water. He liked the pool and splashing and I will not have to find a way for him to go swimming so he can become a confident swimmer. That will be fun.

In the pool

After goodbye photos and food, we left mum and Pat in Bali on Sunday afternoon and headed back to the airport. Jeremy again was well behaved in the airport and took to the travelators very well. So much so I spent quite a while walking on them with him. The flight from Bali was OK. He was still kicking chairs and seemed very restless throughout and would not settle. Happily the other passengers around him seemed pleasant and accommodating with this.

All the family that would have their photo taken

And that was Bali and Jeremys first flights, first trip to the beach, first trip to Bali, first time in a pool and his first holiday with his grandmas and family. It was exhausting and a different experience for us all but still great fun. 

Flight home

Getting from the airport to the house with luggage and strollers and people. we hired a car for 250k and whilst it is a little more expensive than a taxi. It was twice the size of a taxi and so there was plenty of room for all.