My TR - a bunch of reviews and random thoughts.

[WanderlustNZ]

We've got our Javanese options down to 2, either Yogyakarta or Surabaya. I have actually been to Yogyakarta but it was many many years ago on a school trip, and I don't remember that much of it. I'd like to revisit Borobodur and Prambanan as a more aware adult, although I realise that it will be much more crowded now. Also near Yogyakarta is the Dieng Plateau, with some stunning looking volcanic scenery, a caving expedition or less intimidating cave tubing, and a silver making workshop. There's also Mt Merapi, but that looks like a bit of a serious volcano climb for us and we'll probably just enjoy the views from the other places we visit. I have bookmarked a brand new hotel there which we both really like the look of for about $50 a night. In Surabaya there is Mt Bromo, which is a less intense volcano climb (you can even be taken up by pony which could be fun). There's also some nice looking scenery trekking through rice fields. I haven't found a hotel in this area that stands out yet. It's a pretty tough choice! Starting to wish we'd booked a bit longer and had time to do both Whichever option we go with, we'll keep it simple and just stay put for our first 4 nights.
We have booked in our last 2 nights of the trip in Jimbaran (nice and close to the airport) at Alindra Villas. The pool villa wasn't within our budget, but the one we've booked is a modern Balinese style villa with a semi-open bathroom including spa bath. There is a very nice looking hotel pool too if we feel like swimming. Not bad for $90 a night

Those places in Java sound interesting. I will have to do some googling as I've never heard of either.

Well done getting a cheap price on your Jimbaran accommodation. I checked out the place you're staying and it looks lovely. I particularly love the look of the old rustic style villas.

I'm looking for somewhere with very rustic, traditional style villas for either the first 3 nights or last 2 nights of our stay. I think I may have found a place in Sanur, but am waiting to hear back if one specific villa is still available. This will be the third place I've emailed (with the other 2 falling flat for various reasons), so hopefully it's a case of third time lucky.

 

[zanzibar138]

Those places in Java sound interesting. I will have to do some googling as I've never heard of either.

Well done getting a cheap price on your Jimbaran accommodation. I checked out the place you're staying and it looks lovely. I particularly love the look of the old rustic style villas.

I'm looking for somewhere with very rustic, traditional style villas for either the first 3 nights or last 2 nights of our stay. I think I may have found a place in Sanur, but am waiting to hear back if one specific villa is still available. This will be the third place I've emailed (with the other 2 falling flat for various reasons), so hopefully it's a case of third time lucky.

I love that style of accommodation too

Good luck with your Sanur accommodation. Hope it is third time lucky for you I have to admit I'm a bit lazy with stuff like that and usually just stick to places I can book online.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

I have to admit I'm a bit lazy with stuff like that and usually just stick to places I can book online.

Me too usually, but I've found a lot of Bali accommodation to be a bit different.
The 3 places I've emailed have all offered villas that differ from each other in size and decor. If there is the option of booking online, they don't allow you to book the exact villa you want, just whether you want it to be a one bedroom, two bedroom etc. I've been quite picky and seen the exact villas I want so have been checking first that they're available.

For example, the first place I emailed (Hill Villas in Nusa Dua) I specifically wanted the luxury one bedroom villa Sandat because compared to the other one bedroom options it has a gorgeous outdoor bathroom. The villa was available, but unfortunately they wanted way too much money to put a rollaway bed into the room.

The one we are looking at now (Villa Kampung Kecil in Sanur) has 5 traditional villas that are all stunning, and to be honest I'd probably be happy in any of them, but I have my heart set on one of the 2 bedroom ones, so I'm waiting to hear back if it's available. They're the first place not to get back to me within 24hr which I hope isn't a bad sign.

I think this trip is turning into a cultural enrichment of sorts. The last trip was wonderful for educating my son in science, and hopefully this one will inspire him in the creative pursuits. DH and I are really keen to do a cooking lesson as a family, and I've seen a family friendly one that begins with a tour of the markets. Plus there is a place in Ubud called WS Arts Studio where I'd like us to go for the day to do crafts. The silversmithing particularly appeals to me. I'd love for my son to make me a little necklace pendant of one of his drawings - I'd treasure it forever.

The more I research, the more excited I'm becoming.

 

[zanzibar138]

Me too usually, but I've found a lot of Bali accommodation to be a bit different.
The 3 places I've emailed have all offered villas that differ from each other in size and decor. If there is the option of booking online, they don't allow you to book the exact villa you want, just whether you want it to be a one bedroom, two bedroom etc. I've been quite picky and seen the exact villas I want so have been checking first that they're available.

For example, the first place I emailed (Hill Villas in Nusa Dua) I specifically wanted the luxury one bedroom villa Sandat because compared to the other one bedroom options it has a gorgeous outdoor bathroom. The villa was available, but unfortunately they wanted way too much money to put a rollaway bed into the room.

The one we are looking at now (Villa Kampung Kecil in Sanur) has 5 traditional villas that are all stunning, and to be honest I'd probably be happy in any of them, but I have my heart set on one of the 2 bedroom ones, so I'm waiting to hear back if it's available. They're the first place not to get back to me within 24hr which I hope isn't a bad sign.

I think this trip is turning into a cultural enrichment of sorts. The last trip was wonderful for educating my son in science, and hopefully this one will inspire him in the creative pursuits. DH and I are really keen to do a cooking lesson as a family, and I've seen a family friendly one that begins with a tour of the markets. Plus there is a place in Ubud called WS Arts Studio where I'd like us to go for the day to do crafts. The silversmithing particularly appeals to me. I'd love for my son to make me a little necklace pendant of one of his drawings - I'd treasure it forever.

The more I research, the more excited I'm becoming.

Those villas look gorgeous - I love their bathrooms!

The activities you have planned sound great. Are you going to visit any of the temples or anything?

Maybe we should start a Bali PTR thread lol!

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Those villas look gorgeous - I love their bathrooms! The activities you have planned sound great. Are you going to visit any of the temples or anything? Maybe we should start a Bali PTR thread lol!

Definitely keen to visit a few temples as well as some of countryside and will probably try and do that on the days we switch accommodation. I've seen a few popular tour companies on TA that also include visits to Indonesian homes, schools and/or ceremonies and I think that will really interest us - a chance to see the real Bali.
I'm also still pretty undecided about the whole monkey forest thing. I'm going to have to do a bit more research.

I'm actually quite surprised by just how much there is that I would like to do and I'm already wishing we were there for longer. But I'm going to try hard not to plan a visit that becomes over scheduled, especially since the purpose of this particular trip is some R&R. I figure we can go into town most days to check out the markets, restaurants, and art and craft activities on offer, but I'd also like to make sure we have plenty of hours still left in each day for enjoying our accommodation, relaxing in the pool, and getting some $15 massages.

I booked our Sanur accommodation last night through booking.com. If I went direct with the resort I had to pay a deposit by international money transfer which didn't appeal to me. So I went with a third party site so I could pay the deposit by credit card. Plus it seemed cheaper than the actual site.
I booked a 2-bedroom at Villa Kampung Kecil, but decided in the end not to request a specific villa - mainly because I couldn't actually decide which one I liked best. If anyone has the chance to browse the site, I'd be interested in your opinion of which one you think looks the best.

Villa B (it's a long word beginning with B that I can't remember) was our initial first choice as it has two gorgeous looking bathrooms and a cosy looking sunken lounge. But then I decided that the Javanese touches inside weren't as pretty as the other 2 and it does look a bit dark.

So then I decided I like the look of upstairs Villa K as the interior (particularly the wood panelling) looks stunning and the big windows make it look light and airy. But the downside is that it is showers only (no baths).

Which leaves the third 2 bedroom villa (I think it starts with a P) which is kind of a compromise between the 2 above and it does have a really nice looking outside porch.

I really feel so very spoilt by the accommodation in Bali, it's all so pretty.

Maybe we should start a separate Bali thread as I've kind of forgotten that I'm supposed to be writing about the USA on this one I still have a whole post on Disneyland to go.
Also, that way people who have been to Bali might better see what we're discussing and chime in with some tips and thoughts.

 

[zanzibar138]

Ok just one more Bali post to answer your questions

I'm afraid I am no help at all on deciding on a villa. They all look stunning to me. Although I have to say I do like a bath on an R&R trip.

I don't think you'll have to do a separate visit to the monkey forest just to see monkeys. Most of the temples and things seem to have monkeys wandering around anyway.

Now, on with the US TR

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Although I have to say I do like a bath on an R&R trip.

That's what I keep thinking, particularly since Bali bathrooms look so pretty. But then I find myself wondering if I would actually use a bath.

We had a big spa bath in Fiji which I was excited about until I discovered how hot is was and suddenly a hot bath never seemed that appealing. We filled it once with cold water when the tide was low and then jumped in and used it as a plunge pool.

 

[PrincessInOz]

We took a bath almost every day in Bali.

And the temples are very easy to get to. The taxi driver will take you to them.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

We took a bath almost every day in Bali. And the temples are very easy to get to. The taxi driver will take you to them.

You and Zanzibar got me thinking and I decided to email in a request for the villa with the nice baths. Hopefully they get back to me within the next day or two and say it's still available.

 

[PrincessInOz]

You and Zanzibar got me thinking and I decided to email in a request for the villa with the nice baths. Hopefully they get back to me within the next day or two and say it's still available.

If it doesn't add signficant $$ to the costs, it might be nice to have the option available. You might well end up not using it, but at least it's there in case you want to.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

If it doesn't add signficant $$ to the costs, it might be nice to have the option available. You might well end up not using it, but at least it's there in case you want to.

You're right. Plus, having the bath doesn't add any $$ to the price. All three 2-bedroom villas have their own special quirks so are all priced the same.

The office at Villa Kampung Kecil got back to me today, apologising for the tardy response. Apparently they have less office staff on over the weekend. Anyway, the Villa I requested because of it's nice bathrooms (Villa Bojonegoro) is available so they booked us into it. I'm very happy. Also, I'm quietly hoping the other villas are empty while we are there. I have read reviews on TA of people getting the chance to stay in multiple villas throughout their stay just to try them out. I'd be happy just to get a bit of a nosey in the others.

 

[PrincessInOz]

You're right. Plus, having the bath doesn't add any $$ to the price. All three 2-bedroom villas have their own special quirks so are all priced the same.

The office at Villa Kampung Kecil got back to me today, apologising for the tardy response. Apparently they have less office staff on over the weekend. Anyway, the Villa I requested because of it's nice bathrooms (Villa Bojonegoro) is available so they booked us into it. I'm very happy. Also, I'm quietly hoping the other villas are empty while we are there. I have read reviews on TA of people getting the chance to stay in multiple villas throughout their stay just to try them out. I'd be happy just to get a bit of a nosey in the others.

Sounds like your plans and accommodation are really firming up.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Sounds like your plans and accommodation are really firming up.

They sure area, and much quicker than I planned. If I'm not careful this whole trip will be planned out before Xmas and I will be left thinking about 'where to next?'

 

[lffam]

They sure area, and much quicker than I planned. If I'm not careful this whole trip will be planned out before Xmas and I will be left thinking about 'where to next?'

this next trip stuff seems to be catching!

Always good to have the next one on the horizon!

 

[Aussie Wendy]

this next trip stuff seems to be catching!

Always good to have the next one on the horizon!

Just catching up on yours and Zanzibars hol plans. All sound very good - and btw Scoot airlines from the Gold Coast have amazingly cheap fares to Asia. Often beat the rest and similar to fly with as other cheapo airlines as my DD found out a couple of years ago. Some deals would have all of you impetuous people booking - lol. I find it hard to resist but have a sterner DH not letting me!

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Sorry, I've been a bit absent from this thread lately as I've hit the busiest working month of the year and things are a bit hectic.

However, I just wanted to pop in to say I finally heard back from Hawaiian Airlines. Their response was okay. Although it read as if my complaint was around the change of plane, rather than the downgrade in seat and lack of communication. I think the change of plane was easier for them to defend than really poor customer service.

They have offered us a $100 voucher per person to be used on Hawaiian Airlines, and we will be emailed more details in the upcoming week. I'm guessing the vouchers will be named and have an expiry of 12 months (meaning we'll never get the chance to use them or pass them on to others), but I'll reserve judgement until they arrive. Either way, I suppose it's a small gesture in the right direction. To be honest though I would have preferred an apology that properly addressed my complaint.

 

[zanzibar138]

Thanks for popping in with an update

At least they've given you a token gesture. But I agree, sometimes a sincere apology is all you want and sounds like it would be better in this case.

I had a similar situation when my entertainment system gave out about an hour into my flight from London to HK. They were great about it and gave me a 100 pound voucher. It went to waste of course because I wasn't going that way again in the next 12 months to use British Airways. We tried to organise our trips that year so that we could fly BA, but it made it so much more expensive/inconvenient that it wasn't worth it.

 

[WanderlustNZ]

During the week leading up to Xmas, I did an Australian cruise.
I was very lucky to have PIO show DH and I around Melbourne for a day and also to catch up with Zanzibar. It was one of our favourite days of the whole trip.
Here is the photographic evidence of our Dismeet.



I'm really not happy with the way that shirt makes me look pregnant. I'm not (incase anyone is wondering).

 

[zanzibar138]

Thanks for sharing! Was so great to meet you both

 

[PrincessInOz]

Great to spend some time with you and your DH; and it was fantastic that zanzibar could have coffee with us.