#1274 Saturday 20 February

It's April's birthday today .... Happy birthday!

Kaylia has been very happy to have me home again .... the routine resumes.  She's making small changes to the routine though .... she wants mummy for bedtime routine ... not daddy.   She's growing up.

She's loving school and she's making new friends.   I think high school will be good for her.

#1273 Thursday 18 February

I'm at the "Prada Lounge" ..... it's not a patch on the old Prada.  It's just a sectioned off area in the departure area .... with food and drinks for sale ... and comfortable seats.

Clearly you have to buy to be able to sit there .... but it's still a good thing.  But no aquarium!! (Kaylia joke). Still .... Since I'm next to the window looking at the plane I'm flying on, I don't have to worry about missing the boarding call!  This happened at the old lounge.

I'm having a coffee slushy .... I had breakfast at Black Canyon Coffee .... a chicken ceasar salad.  Excellent!  About 7 on the "Stana scale" (where 10 is Stana perfection).

#1272 Wednesday 17 February

It's been an interesting day.  It started with another long walk ... I ended up in a side street next to the Lippomall .... and I found a little gem next door!  It's a small hotel .... but they invite you in for an  inspection .... plus you can use their pool ..... and have a meal.  It's a very friendly place .... I swam and ate till late morning.  I'll remember it.

Then I was visited by Komang (who had given me a ride home from the airport on Saturday night) and heard more details of a hidden side of the Indonesian culture.... how women are treated when a relationship breaks down.

In the evening I went out to eat at a small warung ..... and sat near a man with a guitar case.   Well!  I was hooked.  He is from Brazil ..... Leo

He plays very well and entertained while I ate.

#1271 Tuesday 16 February

 

The problems of Bali ..... Yesterday I changed Au$600 to 6mil Rp ..... I was VERY careful .... counted every note myself. ... watched the pile all the time .... it was at a good changer.  On the way home I spent 100,000 + 32,000 ...... yet when I got home I was missing 2mil !!!!!

So .... if it can happen to me when I knew the risk and was being very careful ...... what chance do our guests have?  I'd bet that many of our past  "thefts" at the villa have actually been the money changers ..... but the guests refuse to believe that it could be the changer .... because to acknowledge that would be shame for the guest.

Lesson?  Only change money at the places with the note counting machine.  Preferably withdraw from the ATM.

Today the next guests are arriving early .... so I am moving out and going to a hotel.  I'm going to one that is a 5 minute walk from the airport so that I won't have to catch a taxi on Thursday morning.

Evening

Well .... This place has 2 things going for it ..... It's an easy walk to the airport.... and it's cheap!  Not much else :-)

I had a long walk this afternoon.... west to the beach ... then north along the beach to Discovery Plaza ..... and back.  About 3 km .   I stopped for a meal .... rice with smoked beef .... excellent.

#1270 Sunday 14 February

The night was spectacular ...... lightning for hours with thunder crashing ..... distant but still loud.  It was a good show ... even for Bali!  I slept with the curtains open so I could enjoy the display.

The morning has dawned heavily overcast and cool..... raining in a half hearted way ...... it will be a very humid day I'm thinking!

Howzat for a logical statement!

The morning was spent inspecting the villa ....... I'll be making a list again this time ..... none of the work I had asked for has been done ..... and there are many things that need fixing ..   I've got to work on a better system with Putu as she seems to be waiting for me to fix things.  That role is getting too hard for me now.  I can direct ..... but it's hard work to actually do it myself.

I'm at Parahangan for lunch .... and the I'm off for a massage.  This massage session will fill my loyalty card so it will be a 50% discount.

Tea at a new warung nearby.  Rendang is on the menu ..... Yay ..... and ceasar salad too.