Bali 2016 Day 4 – Bali Collection and Nusa Dua dinner

It was raining the whole night up till the early morning. Didn’t regret the sunrise shot I took on Thursday as that could be the only sunrise I was going to see this whole trip.

We got off to breakfast as usual in the late morning. The staff had to rush out to put on the rain protection for the furniture that were out in the open to prevent them from getting soaked as the rain came back suddenly. They also laid towels at the bottom of the doors to prevent water from seeping into the restaurant.

Baby K developed a keen interest in papaya and was asking for it frequently. It was great that the fruit platters were served everyday and there was papaya. The staff knew what baby K wanted papayas too, and looked happy to see him.

Special fish.
Special fish.
Spring roll.
Spring roll.
Satay.
Satay.
White omelette.
White omelette.

Also struck up a conversation with a German couple who found our baby K adorable, whom themselves had a 11month old back in Swiss while they were out here in Bali having a holiday but were missing him already. Just so easy to connect with people who were parents themselves.

We had an afternoon dip in the pool as the rain started to clear up and the sun peeked out of the cloud for some time. After that a bath and followed by the same routine of going to the seaside in an attempt to get baby K to sleep which he did doze off. Upon return to the room he would wake up and refuse to go back to sleep. Tried another round at the beach, even strolling to the other neighbouring resorts but to no avail. Decided that we would go to Bali collection for lunch.

The resort arranged for the drop off at the Bali Collection and we had our lunch at Paon Restaurant. Baby K behaved only for a while before going cranky. He ate some lunch and then became fussy and whiny. We left the restaurant and as we tried to enter the shops to shop, he cried wanting us to stay outside to walk. It was an extremely helpless and frustrating moment. Mommy tried to carry him to sleep and I kept my distance from them since he kept wanting to sit on my hipseat, we failed in getting him to sleep. It was already then time to go to the entrance, as we had already arranged for the pick up 1.5 hrs later after drop off (which didn’t arrive as the driver forgot about it, had to call the resort). Baby K nodded off to sleep then.

Paon restaurant.
Paon restaurant.
Bee Hoon.
Bee Hoon.
Mie Goreng.
Mie Goreng.
Juice and coconut.
Juice and coconut.
Map of Bali Collection
Map of Bali Collection
Stores in Bali collection.
Stores in Bali collection.
Bali collection fountain.
Bali collection fountain.

We hadn’t master the trick to manage his nap times, his fussiness and whining, all this came along with his sickness just this week. It had wrecked havoc on a supposedly chill holiday. Got back to the room and baby K continued to nap as mommy took over the carrying.

This was the first and only time that we managed to have the resorts’ afternoon tea that was available everyday at 3-5pm anywhere we desired. Of course we had it in the villa due to the napping baby. There were some biscuits and tarts with a drink each, had a cafe latte and mango juice.

Afternoon Tea.
Afternoon Tea.

After baby K awoke, we quickly pack for dinner and proceeded to reception to ask for a free ride to Bumbu Bali, a restaurant with a good standing on tripadvisor. The recept helped to call the restaurant to check for availability as they knew its popularity. As predicted, we were told it was fully booked. They informed that we could just be dropped off at a location nearby to check out the other restaurants. So we got on the vehicle.

Arrived in a short 5mins drive and we walked awhile to find restaurants that would provide Indonesian cuisine. Got into Ketut’s BBQ kitchen which was supposedly highly recommended on Tripadvisor too. There was also a small crowd.

We ordered sweet and sour chicken and Mie Goreng together with fresh juices. It was quite a cosy place but it didn’t have a high chair for baby K. The staff stacked cushions for him though yet he preferred to walk around. There was a huge teddy bear from the restaurant that the staff placed on a chair beside him but he lost interest quickly.

Nusa Dua street.
Nusa Dua street.
Ketut's kitchen.
Ketut’s kitchen.
Ketut's chicken seating.
Ketut’s chicken seating.
Welcome drinks with nuts.
Welcome drinks with nuts.
Mie Goreng.
Mie Goreng.
Sweet and sour chicken.
Sweet and sour chicken.
Baby K with Teddy.
Baby K with Teddy.

After the meal, we called the driver to pick us up again, as there weren’t much things to see along the road unlike some of the more touristy streets of Bali.

Back at the room it was about packing up, cleaning up and then going to bed. A wedding dinner was being held and had some songs and music up late. The music wasn’t loud enough to be disturbing and we don’t know when that ended as we were already asleep then.

Bali 2016 Day 2 – Stay in Villa, swim in pool

It wasn’t a smooth night as baby K was fussy and had been crying. He wasn’t happy with his runny nose and cough but we couldn’t do much except giving him the meds, which he took already before bedtime.

I woke up to a light peeping through the curtains and was surprised as I had set the handphone alarm for sunrise. Checked and sure enough the alarm was on but I couldn’t hear it. I must have been too tired.

Went back to sleep as baby K had not woken up. The next thing I knew we were only up at 10am and an hour from the end of breakfast. Quickly got changed and with a cranky baby asking for bread, we took off for the same restaurant where we had dinner the night before.

It wasn’t a buffet table but a order as you liked, as much as you want Ala Carte breakfast. Got ourselves an Egg Benedict, Mie Goreng and chicken porridge. Also had yoghurt and fruits and coffee and fruit juice and bread. Filled up so much that we didn’t need to eat lunch. Again the staff were extremely friendly and were happily distracting baby K as he was extremely fussy.

Fried noodles
Fried noodles special
Egg Benedict
Egg Benedict
Chicken porridge
Chicken porridge

Went back to our rooms and did a research on how we wanted to spend our next few days. Wanted to book a tour with the popular private tour provider Agus travel but was informed by the resort that the room phone couldn’t be used to call out. I tried calling thru my handphone but was met with an unavailable message so I dropped a Whatsapp but there wasn’t an immediate response.

We got ready to go out and went to the recept to enquire. We were informed that they also could offer drivers for the day albeit more expensive, as expected. We were interested in visiting the Ulun Darun temple and the Tanah Lot for the sunset and but was told that it would take a whole 10hrs for the trip and costs US$130. The half day would cost only US$70. Don’t want to trouble ourselves further and agreed to that arrangement.

Then we were off on the resort vehicle to the Bali Collection, a shopping area that had the feel of an outlet village. Baby K was asking for milk on the 5mins drive there. After we arrived, he continued to finish the milk while the driver stopped the vehicle at the entrance waiting for him to be done. Then unfortunately he also fell asleep soon after he was done. On seeing this, we decided to go back to the resort, a bad decision regrettably.

After arriving back at the resort, once I carried him from the seat, he woke up and couldn’t go back to sleep. It was plain frustrating as he didn’t nap long enough and we had a wasted trip to and from the shopping area. Went back to the room and we changed into our swimwear to have a dip in the pool. Thought that by going for a swim he would feel sleepy later on.

The pool actually had water that wasn’t cold, really nice for a dip especially with baby. Had earlier blown up the airplane float and ball for baby K to play in the pool and baby K had fun, walking on the step and at the water supply and also with me bringing him around in the 1.3m deep pool.

Father and son at the villa pool.
Father and son at the villa pool.

After the shower in the tub, I attempted to get baby K to nap by reading him stories, fruitlessly. Then I brought him out to the beach when he dozed off on the hip seat. Brought him back to the room immediately after but once I put him down on the bed, he woke up again! Tried the beach strategy again but he was not relenting. Mommy brought him out and finally he fell asleep. This toddler’s napping inconsistency could be a problem when we go on our long trip coming Sept.

Then with mommy incapacitated as she carried baby K in her arms ( and he would just wake up if left on the bed), I took over the chef’s hat and continued to cook baby K’s soup and salmon. By the time I packed everything and was ready to move, baby K woke up fussy again, asking for biscuits. Quickly got him a few and moved him to the restaurant where he made a ruckus in an otherwise quiet atmosphere, so bad I had to bring him out to calm him down. The runny nose was really irritating him.

After a few minutes out, we finally managed to sit him down on his high chair back at our table and gave him a handphone to look at his photos before dinner can proceed without more whining.

Ordered green curry and mushroom pasta and some juices to go along. Dinner was always a rushed affair, mostly spending the time feeding baby K rather then enjoying the food itself. I guessed the food would have tasted great if we had focus on it.

Beef.
Beef special.
Pasta.
Pasta.
Curry.
Curry.
Watermelon juice
Watermelon juice

We got back to the room after the meal with the whiny baby and he slowly became better behaved where I bathed him and read him storybooks. We gave up going to Seminyak and even the supermarket as it was late.

There was a short moment of excitement as we hear fireworks in the distance. Rushed to the beach only to see glimpses of the fireworks before it ended, even before I was ready to take a shot.

At the pathway from along the beach.
At the pathway from along the beach.
View at night from the beach.
View at night from the beach.

10pm and we all went to bed. Better to get some needed sleep and be prepared for a tour tomorrow morning because we had to wake up early, which was challenging with a toddler in tow.