Again I wake to thunderstorms and heavy showers drowning out any other sound so I lay in bed dozing for another hour or so hoping the weather isn't going to stay this way.
Once we are up and about, you can already hear the change in motion from the last two days.
I hadn't noticed the slight but constant drone of traffic before, but after the quietness of yesterday, I think I would hear a pin drop.
We chat about what we might do today and as Trevor has decided he wants a few more pairs of "cargo" type shorts I think a little bit of retail therapy is just what we need. The only place we have seen them is in the group of shops at the rear of the Jayakarta Resort in Legian. I was keen to start the day with a decent coffee and as we haven't been to Mugshot for nearly a week this seems as good a place as any to begin.
We find a taxi fairly easily and ask the driver to drop us in Jl. Werkudara and then get into a conversation about how so many streets in Bali have more than one name (well I did anyway).
Spying an Ogoh Ogoh effigy on my left as we head down Jl.Raya Seminyak, I hope it's still there when we come back so I can take a photo. Crossing over Jl. Arjuna, we are now on Jl. Legian yet I was expecting to turn right at the intersection.
I look questioningly at Trevor who just shrugs. One of our standing jokes is that he has no sense of direction and I have no judge of distance, so no answer there.
The driver finally turns down Jl. Padma and now that I have some idea where we are, I suggest we'll get out now, maybe he got confused when we were talking about street names.......?
At least there's plenty of places to have something to eat, although quite a few are still closed. I suppose we can always have a look for Ketut's shop again now we are here.
We walk across the road to The Lokha just as the skies let loose. Bolting up the steps we realise we left the umbrella at the villa. Doh!!
A kind staff member show us through to look at the pool and we ask about the "Super Deluxe" rooms as we are considering staying here next visit. He offers to get a brochure for us with the prices.
It's stopped raining now so we head over to Garlic Lane. It's very quiet and some of the shop owners are in our face when we first enter, but I sidestep them and keep going as I'm determined to find Ketut's shop this time. Up to the far end where I think it is only to realise I have been looking on the wrong side of the road.
I notice a sign here for another "fixed price" shop but don't recognise the name. Walking across to the little lane where Ketut's shop is, we discover she is closed and not back till the following week. Laughing aloud, I know I'm just not meant to buy anything here this trip.
It's around 11.00am by now and we look for somewhere to have some breakfast and a decent coffee (I hope). We settle on a little cafe just near the Losari, no one is in here but we think what the heck as it looks clean enough. Once we look at the menu we realise we are in Swish, which I've read about. Lucky for us the staff are very obliging as we decide to move tables when it starts raining again.
Trevor decides on the "big breakfast" with all the brekky trimmings and I choose Eggs Benedict, we look at each other and laugh. The whole time we've been perusing the menu we talk about how this or that would be nice, yet still end up choosing the same thing we always have when we go out for breakfast. Talk about "creatures of habit".
The food is very good and I can't complain about the coffee either. It's very pleasant sitting here watching the world slowly wake up again.
We laugh as we watch this guy walk by drinking his Bintang and then come back empty handed, only to wander past about 10 minutes later with another Bintang in hand. By the time we leave he's gone past another two times, same story.
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| Garlic Lane 11.45am day after Nyepi |
When we get back to Jl. Padma we wander down toward the beach, but there's some very dark clouds rolling in so we turn back and head down Jl. Padma Utara hoping to find a bit of shelter if it does bucket down again.
We need to find an ATM as we have to pay for Villa Frangipani when we arrive tomorrow, lucky for us there is a Kodak money changer near the entrance to Garden View Cottages on our right. The shop is a little busy so I wait outside and get offered many, many handbags by this smiling guy.
We continue along here watching over our shoulder as we dodge a shower.
Reaching All Seasons Resort I decide to wander through as one of the ladies from my work is thinking of staying here in a few months.
Deluxe room ground floor balcony
It's started raining again now so we decide to head to Mughot for an iced coffee and rest. Funny how we always sit here for ages. Refreshed after this indulgence we head up to our favourite little shop to look for Trevor's shorts.
At first we get the usual sales pitch but when we ask for cargo shorts or "shorts with lots of pockets" the penny drops and the owner "pretends" he remembers us. I doubt it, but we go along with the joke anyway.
Unfortunately they don't have either of the sizes Trevor wants but if we can "pay a deposit" then he will go and get some from his supplier.
"He he, no way. You go and get from your supplier then we pay when we're happy with them".
It was pretty hot in there so I went across the road to the Jayakarta for a look around. The rain had settled now and it was starting to warm up. Passing Apartment Block A on my left and Block B on my right, I wonder if any of the ones facing the street get any breeze.
Our friends often stay in a 2 bedroom apartment here and it's another potential place for out trip in January 2013. I walk through reception and out to look at the pool area, it's definitely a family hotel and the apartments are a bit of a hike to the pool, but the prices are pretty good and the location is brilliant if you love being across the road from the beach.
I turn around and see Trevor walking down the driveway empty handed so I wait here for him so he can have a look at the pools as well.
The shop owner had returned without the shorts as his supplier was closed, not sure who he spoke to on the phone then......LOL!!
We wander back out onto Jl. Werkudara and turn left past the KP and around to the right continuing up to Jl. Arjuna or "Double6".
How many times have we walked along here in the last 12 days.....he he.
Wandering slowly towards the intersection that takes us back to Seminyak, browsing the shops along here I realise there's lots more than I thought and some have some nice stuff for sale. Unfortunately quite a few are still closed. It's easier walking along today with less traffic and the sun is trying to shine.
Up around the corner to the left onto Jl. Raya Seminyak and I'm starting to get thirsty especially when we walk past the restaurant at The Haven. I look longingly in here till hubby says "ok, then" and we head in but can't see any spare tables as it's really packed.
We decide to walk through to the back and see what the grounds and rooms look like. I'm not a great lover of concrete and the balconies of the rooms look a bit small and not overly private, but there's still something that draws me in. I know they have suites and villas, but I'm too hot & thirsty to ask to see any of these.
Back out on the street we continue up past Bintang Supermarket and have a look in Cafe Seminyak. Again it's very busy and too noisy for me, so we head back out, turn left and keep going.
I see the little wine/bottle shop that I'd noticed a few days ago and suggest we have a look. It's lovely and cool in here and there's quite a selection of wines from all over the world. After much deliberation we decide to give their cheaper version of scotch whiskey and vodka a try.
We continue walking along crossing over Jl. Dhyana Pura, past groups of shops that are closed when I see a menu stand. I'm not hungry but the menu looks good and we can see empty tables. Finally I can sit for a bit and have a nice cold beer. Yeh!!!
It's called "IL warung" and I love the decor. It's down a little alley between some shops which then open out to this restaurant. It's after 2.30pm by now so we only share a beer, but I wish we'd found it earlier and didn't already have a booking for Rumours tonight.
I love this ceiling.
Feeling much better we get back to trying to find the Ogoh Ogoh effigy I'd seen earlier as I know we are near. We hadn't gone very far when I see it across the road outside Made's Warung. Fun part was trying to take a photo without traffic zooming past.
I also think this is really cute.
We are almost up to the Queens Tandoor Indian restaurant and no sign of a taxi. I remember Sandy saying her & John used to cut through here to get to Uma Sapna, and as I've already walked back to our villa from there we must be just around the corner. I tell Trevor we can probably walk back from here as it shouldn't be much further.
Turning left down the gang we pass this entrance at the first corner before turning right.
We walk past what looks like the playing field of some school before the gang narrows a little, it is so pretty along here.
We've been walking now for about 10 minutes and Trevor is starting to ask a few more questions in regard to where the hell are we?
I'm trying to sound casual when I answer as I'm sure Uma Sapna is only just around the next corner. (I was starting to have a few doubts myself, but I wasn't telling him that).
We can see the next corner ahead and he says "which way now?" I suggest we keep turning left as I know it comes to a T-Junction on Jl. Drupadi II......somewhere......
He thinks we should keep walking straight, but I manage to convince him to turn to the left.
Lucky I did as this really little but very, very old lady comes out of there with a straw broom screeching at us in Balinese.
Even though we smile and say hello she still doesn't look happy and I suddenly have visions of us running for our lives as she's shaking her broom at us.
We very quickly walk along the next bit with me in hysterics trying to tell Trevor what I'm laughing at. I don't think he's amused anymore either.
Finally we reach the T-Junction and I know where we are, I even recognise a few signs at last. Many of the places along here are closed, which is a pity as I would have liked to visit Vienna Cafe which had appealed to me the first time I saw it a few days ago.
The sun has disappeared and it looks as if it might rain again.......
I have a look on a map before we head out to dinner and all I get is "I can't believe you made me walk all that way to get back to the villa".
Well, it's not like I did it on purpose and it didn't really hurt us........LOL
Having said that, I'm glad we don't have to walk too far for dinner tonight and I don't have try and find my way home again in the dark.
We get to Rumours and sit here trying to decide what to order. There is so much choice and we are not as hungry as we should be. Eventually we decide on Nachos and a pizza called "Sun Goes Down".
We don't really enjoy either and can't finish them. Still it's only cost us around $10.00 as they were both on special. Rolling out the door we head back to the villa for a quiet night to end our stay in Seminyak.
Sitting by the side of the pool soaking my feet for a while, I don't think I could take any more walking today or tomorrow.
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