Day02

Saturday 16 September 2000.

An early morning swim and the pool at the Sheraton Indah is still very nice.
There are few people around in the hotel, not in the pools nor in the restaurants or in the bars or on the beach.

I decide to go for a bit of an exploratory walk along the beach to get then lie of the land. The tide is out leaving the roped floats which mark the hotel�s piece of (partly cleared) sand resting on the flat reef, pools and patches of sand. Further out towards the main reef fishermen are lifting and re-setting their strip bamboo traps, tying them to lumps of dead coral with flimsy and much knotted string. The idea seems to be to anchor the �bottom� ends so that the opening faces down tide flow, thereby encouraging fish to swim up current and into the one way opening. Others are wading the shallows with floating baskets or foam boxes, bent double and peering intently down into the water. The Security Guard tells me that they are collecting shells and small crabs.

Southwards down the beach there is a small headland joined to the shore by only the narrowest of sand strips. At this distance there appears to be a building on the crest of the headland and I think that it would be the sort of place where you could expect to find a temple of some sort. I decide to wander along the beach-edge path in the opposite direction this morning and investigate the headland later.

As I walk along the waters edge sellers appear out of the palm trees at the northern end offering sarongs, shells, kites and massages. The girls get some sarongs that are a bit different to those of past years and I opt for a back massage for Rp 25,000 for half an hour. The massage is good but hard, and probably overpriced but really it�s only A$5.50 and this is Nusa Dua after all!

We decide to breakfast at the Nusa Dua Galeria, (a collection of shops of all kinds originally set up the cater to Nusa�s Japanese clientele, and therefore rather high class and certainly high priced compared with similar outlets at Tuban/Kuta/Legian/Seminyak) a short walk away in the warming morning air. After investigating the nearest few restaurants we decide on UNO�s near the supermarket. An American breakfast is Rp86,031 for two, with tax and service charge added and after a 30% discount was applied. Nice, but not that nice, and not a filling quantity either.
We lined up at a money change situated in a small booth near the restaurant and waited � and waited � and waited! The rate was comparable with what we later saw in Kuta but the computer connection was soooo slow.

While the others went off to spend their recently gained rupiah I had a chat to two locals at the nearby Information Booth. One, a particularly attractive young girl perhaps in her 20�s, was badly scarred on her arm and shoulder from a motorbike accident and probably earnest but terribly unskilled plastic surgery.
They marked on my map the location of the Dijon Deli that we had heard about and wanted to visit. Each year we seem to take over kilos of nibbles in the form of cracker biscuits, pates, cheeses, smoked oysters, dips and so on. We had noticed the increased range of some of the more common items and brands in Matahari�s but would be very happy if we could fill out the selection at Dijons and so save the weight. As it turned out we looked in vain for the place as we passed the God statue with the coiled snake quite a few times but never saw it and did not stop to really search.
Our conversation soon attracted a couple of the local lads who were probably there chatting up the girls (it goes on in every culture I think, doesn�t it?). The usual� �Where are you from?� questions prompted a mini geography lesson with a (dodgy) map of Java, Bali and Australia drawn in my notebook. (Chris actually carries printed maps of this section of the world with the various names of places written in Indonesian. They are an instant hit when he pulls one out, and it inevitably gets passed around with much interest.) I am regularly surprised by their knowledge of Australian cities but the concept of �states� bothers them. I tried this year to use the analogy of the divisions in Java but it was not a total success because I�m not sure of the system there myself. I have to say that their knowledge of Oz is far better than my knowledge of even the main islands of Indonesia.
I make a formal introduction between her and Chris. She agrees, shyly, that he is a very handsome man and that he has nice pale skin and beautiful fair hair, blushing all the time, I think. We are really never satisfied it seems. She was the first but not the last to express admiration for light skin and hair and blue eyes (even though Chris insists in great detail and absolute sincerity that blue eyes are no good in the dark). Most of us westerners with these traits however, spend countless hours in the sun, and considerable agony at times, trying to achieve what the Balinese already have but don�t desire.

Did I mention shoppers and shopping earlier?
Well would you believe that within walking distance there is Armani�s, D & G�s, etc, etc, etc.
And I missed out on all of them � this time round.

We did later wander into Keris Department Store in the Galeria where I checked the prices of some items that did interest me;
- Jacobs Creek Chardonnay �99 Rp160,000 (A$34.50),
- Hardy�s Nottage hill Chardonnay �99, Rp164,350 (A$35.35),
- Rosemont Shiraz �99 Rp205,100 (A$44.10),
- Houghtons White Burgundy �99 Rp164,350
- Martini Bianco Vermouth Rp183,700
- Chivas Regal Scotch 375 ml, Rp240,500, (A$51.75),
- 750 ml Rp396,400 (A$85.25)
- Penfolds Semillon Chardonnay �97 Rp203,000
- Wolf Blass Shiraz Cab. �98 Rp 248,925 (A$53.55)
- Rosemont Estate Traminer Riesling �99 Rp173,850,
and so on.

At the upstairs Keris Caf� where we had a late lunch, a small, cold Bintang was Rp12,000 (at most restaurant/cafe happy hours a large Bintang is Rp7,000) burgers were Rp13 � 18,000, fries Rp5,000, spaghetti bolognaise Rp18,700,
nasi goreng (very nice but-)Rp19,500 (A$4.20).
Now many would argue that A$4.20 is damn cheap for a spag bol, and it is (or it would be if you could get it at this price in a mid-class eatery) in Australia. But we are not in Australia, we are in Bali where we were to have many similar, good meals at half these prices, and no one was going �bunk root� because of those prices. There is much nice dress jewellery at the foot of the stairs leading up to the Keris Caf�, but when you have made your selection the difficult part comes and you have to run the gauntlet of the serving tribe. First you have to find the right cashiers table. The wrong one simply wont do, but you will be escorted, with great respect and dignity but no haste, to the correct one � which is not always the nearest or the most obvious one from where you made your selection. Even the Shop Assistant who writes you the required triplicate docket and must accompany you on your journey may take you off in the wrong direction. (Is this just because they want to see a friend along the way? Or is it in hope that you might see something else in their department that you will buy?) Eventually the goods and money are passed on to a Checking Assistant who inspects the docket and the counts the cash. The checking Assistant then passes the cash on to the cashier, who counts it again and works the money till. Meanwhile the goods and the second docket are passed to the wrapper who checks the goods against the docket triplicate that is vigorously stamped before the goods are wrapped. Any change due, and the duplicate docket is passed back to the checker who counts it out for you to also check and accept and finally staples the triplicate, stamped docket over the opening of the little (or big) carry bag.
After nods and �Terimah kasih�s� (�Thank you�) all round, with smiles of course, you are able to wander off and the Shop Assistant goes back to her allotted station.
This system is not peculiar to Keris I must say. All of the larger stores more or less follow a similar pattern. There really should not be any unemployment in Bali. This system could, with a little imagination, be extended to street and beach sellers, taxis and other areas, thus possibly requiring even, the importation of labour from other islands.

We also lined up for prescription eye glasses at the Optic store in the Galeria. Frame prices ranged from Rp65,000 (less than A$15.00)to over Rp2,000,000 for Italian frames. Yes, that�s 2 million rupiah. A$430 !
With cheaper frames my single focus glasses for use at the computer (and not to be taken down to the workshop, I promise) cost Rp275,000 (less than A$60.00). These were more expensive that those chosen by the others because my eyes don�t both look in the same direction as most peoples do. The others were ready next day but mine took a week and I had to pay a Rp 50,000 deposit.

Off to a taxi, via a second visit to the Versace shop where there was up to 70% off �normal� prices. But I didn�t understand that the girls needed new clothes for tomorrows wedding in Ubud. This visit takes three quarters of an hour and a few hundred thousand rupiah. I also didn�t understand how you could wear 5 pairs of jeans (all new) to the wedding. I am indeed a simple soul!
I am assured however that they are cheap. Genuine Versace jeans for Rp169,000 (A$35), tops for Rp100,000 (A$21.50).
And then to the taxi � but not to the hotel. We first need to stop at the local markets, on both sides of the road, at the end of By Pass Ngurah Rai. I think Phil must have known about this, or at least suspected, but didn�t warn me. He and Jay decided to walk back to the hotel! By the time we have finished �just 5 minutes� at the markets I am sure that I have walked ten times that distance. I bought a floppy hat to keep the sun off my dome whilst standing and walking. I paid Rp15,000 and later bought another identical one at the Kuta markets for Rp10,000.
But we had to find a new white shirt for the wedding.
A pity really, but we didn�t find one.
I can�t believe that still.
Mind you we did manage to load a few bags into the taxi eventually. �Jalan, Jalan, Jalan�. Walking, walking, walking! �Jalan! And I really did think I was going back to the hotel. I realised that I�ve fallen for a three card trick again.

Eventually we did get back to the hotel and a dip in the refreshing pool.

A champagne or two and a couple of beers, shower, dress (some of those new jeans got a try out before the wedding I have to say) and off to Hanns for a much anticipated dinner.

At Hanns regular whisky is Rp27,000 (A$5.80), premium whisky, Johnny Walker Black Label, Jack Daniels, is Rp29.700 (A$6.40).
Cocktails are Rp33,000, (A$7.10)
Mumm Cordon Rouge Champagne, 750 mils, is Rp850,000 (A$182.80)or Rp37,500 by the glass (A$8.10).
House wines are Rp37,500 (A$8.10) by the glass, a half litre carafe Rp105,000 (A$22.60) or 1 litre is Rp210,000 (A$45.20). Rose house wines are a little cheaper. It�s probably the local Hattens wine.
A small Bintang is Rp10,900 (A$2.35), large Rp16,000 (A$3.45), beer by the pitcher Rp50,000. (A$10.75), Fosters and VB is Rp30,500 (A$6.56), I guess by the can or small bottle.
Soft drinks are Rp8,000, Diet Coke Rp12,000 (A$1.72 and A$2.58).

We have been fans of Hanns since we first ate there, and I have regularly recommended them on the Bali Travel Forum, but this year was a great disappointment to us.
We sat at our table for almost half an hour before we approached a waitress and asked for drinks. She suggested that we go to the bar and order what we wanted. At the bar we were initially refused service but eventually our order was accepted, but not at Happy Hour prices as it was one minute past the deadline! Our protests that we had been waiting fell on deaf ears until the manager (?) was approached and eventually agreed that we could have one round of drinks at Happy hour prices.

Eventually our orders were taken but delays continued. A New Zealand couple and their two children, who shared the bus from the Sheraton to Hanns, finished their meal and were leaving as the first of our entrees was served.
The restaurant did not seen to be totally full and we did book beforehand.
Our plans to return to the Hann for breakfasts while we were at Nusa Dua went out the window.

My entr�e of Crispy Spring Rolls (Rp15,000), were very tasty but were NOT crispy.
The main course of Crispy Prawns with lemon sauce was Rp45,000.

5.10.00