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Published: January 11th 2024
Don’t think there are no crocodiles because the water is calm… ~ Indonesian Proverb
HE SAID... Today (and tomorrow) we were exploring
Sanur– by foot.
Locations > Sanur is a bustling coastal town in southern Bali.
Transport Walking (and the occasional resort shuttle car).
Accommodation …The Pavilions, Sanur…
This enchanting resort is tucked away from the madding crowd in a magnificent tropical garden just one block back from Sanur Beach. It offered us a very welcome retreat at the end of our Indonesian adventure, and we’d booked it especially as a treat for my birthday. I’ve described its key features at length in the
highlights section below. It was a huge improvement on Bumi Ayu Bungalows, our accommodation on the first night we arrived in Sanur. The less said about the Bungalows, the better.
Cuisine – Day 1 …Breakfast (Bumi Ayu Bungalows, Sanur)…
Despite my reluctance to talk about the Bungalows, I do need to describe our breakfast experience. The open-sided dining area was reasonably comfortable, and the continental breakfast – fruit plate, crusty toast with jam, fruit juice and coffee – was reasonably refreshing. However, the grumpy bored waitress was another story. She was so over her job, and I was too scared to ask for another piece of
crusty toast and a little more jam. And my life wasn’t worth asking for the Wi-Fi password either! She did perk up as the morning progressed, but not enough to make the experience enjoyable. I was happy to leave the Bungalows behind.
…Lunch (Warung Bali Bagus, Sanur)…
In the mid-afternoon we walked to Warung Bali Bagus, a tiny eatery just along from the long, narrow and beguiling entrance to The Pavilions. Despite being renowned for the best crème brulé in Bali, we opted against dessert and ordered:
>
grill mahi-mahi (grilled fish with Balinese tomato salsa and rice) – the fish was amazing
>
nasi goreng rendang (beef stew with fried rice) – the beef was so rich
> banana juice (me) and mango juice (Ren).
This was such a great meal, and the fruit juices were very refreshing.
…Dinner (The Pavilions, Sanur)…
Snacks in our villa.
Cuisine – Day 2 …Breakfast (The Pavilions, Sanur)…
Breakfast was quite the thing at The Pavilions. For a start, we were required to order our breakfast preferences the day before (via an online app). While the process was entertaining, it was difficult to predict what we were going to
feel like for breakfast a day in advance. The arrival of breakfast was a piece of theatre. It was carried to our villa by the resort’s incredibly friendly staff, who carefully laid out each item on a table in our private courtyard while we awkwardly watched on. I say ‘awkwardly’, because we always find it difficult to watch people working without helping.
The breakfast itself was okay, but it wasn’t wonderful. The bread had the consistency of cardboard, the fruit wasn’t fresh and Ren’s banana pancake was dense, doughy and dry. However, my healthy breakfast bowl – which comprised granola, yoghurt, fresh fruits and coconut – was great.
…Lunch (Warung Amphibia, Sanur)…
We relaxed in the villa until midday, then headed out into the searing heat for my birthday lunch. We knew where we were going. We’d scouted out Warung Amphibia, a tiny eatery on the bustling beachfront the previous afternoon, and it looked perfect. We’d even had a drink there. We used the resort’s shuttle car to get to the beach quickly, rather than tackling the busy Jalan Danau Tamblingan by foot (and deviously cutting through luxury beachfront resorts in the pretence of being a resident. Sanur
needs better beach access!).
We settled in plastic chairs that sank into the sand and ordered their ‘famous’ mixed seafood platter. This dish is Warung Amphibia’s speciality – a selection of grilled seafood on a large plastic dish with green vegetables, rice and garlic potato slices. It certainly doesn’t get any better than this! The wind off the Badung Strait was howling along the beach, and the hazy panorama beyond the offshore reef to Lembongan Island, Ceningan Island and Penida Island was hypnotic.
The menu specified that the platter would take between 20 and 25 minutes to cook. If you order the dish, the menu advises, you should buy a drink and enjoy the sand between your toes (and the view) while you wait. Which, of course, we did. I ordered a large Bintang beer, while Ren ordered a whole coconut.
We couldn’t believe our eyes when the dish was plonked on our wooden table. Lobster (crayfish), scallops, calamari, prawns and a couple of large fish. All whole, and all enhanced significantly by a spicy tomato sambal. It was incredible. We sat on the beach with the ocean breeze sweeping across the table as we picked every
last morsel of tasty fish from the bones of the fish. It was an amazing birthday meal.
…Dinner (The Pavilions, Sanur)…
Snacks in our villa.
Highlights …Exploring Sanur by foot…
We were at the tail end of our Indonesian travels, and we were completely exhausted. We were also nursing head colds, sore throats and raspy chests, which limited our capacity (and desire) to venture far from our peaceful haven. As a result, we subconsciously restricted our treks to a stretch of beach that measured approximately two kilometres in length. Each outing involved a four kilometre round trip, which required significant rest and recuperation before venturing out again. The sun in Sanur is hot and bright, so shade is very popular. Despite the heat, we loved our short exploratory jaunts.
We would wander along the busy Jalan Danau Tamblingan, cut down onto the beachfront and return along the promenade. We retraced this journey many times, and we didn’t grow tired of it. Access to the beach is limited along Jalan Danau Tamblingan, so we often had to discreetly cut through private luxury resorts. We were convinced the staff would eventually recognise us as intruders and order us off
the property, but we managed to get through each time.
Sanur’s beachfront is fairly ordinary, but it has great views to Penida Island (and distant Lombok) in the east. As part of our reconnaissance mission to check out Warung Amphibia as a birthday eatery, we settled at one of the restaurant’s tables on the beach and refreshed with a cold drink. The place passed with flying colours. While we were there, a young couple ordered drinks at a table opposite ours, then walked down to the beach with their surfboards, paddled out and surfed the small swell beyond the reef. It was great to sit and watch them. Their drinks were ready when they returned.
Our daily walks also involved visits to local mini marts. Our villa was so comfortable, we were opting to relax with drinks and snacks each night rather than venturing out to local eateries.
…Our retreat…
‘Villa Muthaya’ was spelt out in letters across the narrow wooden entrance to our private courtyard, which had a small pond teaming with fish. The villa itself was comfortable and spacious. On our first night, the bath was brimming with flower petals, and we were welcomed with
a delicious lime, mint and coconut water drink. Each night, two staff members would perform a ‘turn down’ service, which always included a small gift appearing on our bed. The first was a Balinese hair scrunchie; the second was a bespoke tube of incense. As they left, the staff members would light a mosquito coil in our private courtyard, which kept the bugs at bay as we caught up on our travel notes in the balmy evening.
We’d eventually move inside and relax in the villa’s open plan lounge. We’d enjoy a glass of arak and a variety of snacks, including a bag of pretzels we’d squirreled from our Qantas flight to Jakarta three weeks earlier. This was luxury at its best. It shone so brightly in comparison to the many places we’d stayed during our Indonesian adventure. It was, after all, my birthday.
I would sit in our private courtyard and catch up on my travel notes in the early dawn, with fish swimming in the pond and squirrels running through the foliage. As I sat writing, I could hear birds making the exact sound (“toque, toque, toque”) mimicked by male singers at the traditional dance performance
we had experienced in Ubud.
At some point we would go online and order breakfast for the following day. Our favourite options were beginning to shine through. Balinese coffee with warm milk; tea; watermelon juice; pineapple juice; healthy breakfast bowl; farmer’s omelette with mushroom and parmesan. We would relax in the villa until midday, then head out into the searing Sanur heat.
…Birthday in Bali…
It’s my birthday, my b-b-b-birthday!
Just before we settled for breakfast on our third day in Sanur, the unthinkable happened. The doorbell to our villa rang, and when I opened the door, four staff members (three male and one female) walked through with a small cake and candle, singing happy birthday. One of the male staff members filmed the whole thing. Ren and I were in our complimentary kimonos, which we found in the wardrobe with some bamboo slippers. It was so, so embarrassing!!!
We celebrated my birthday lunch at Warung Amphibia (which I describe in the
Cuisine section above). Feeling content after such an amazing meal, we slowly made our way back to The Pavilions, cutting through the same luxury resort from the previous day. When we entered our villa,
a birthday gift was lying on our bed with a card from the staff. It was a painting of a Balinese woman’s face on a wooden frame. I absolutely loved it, and I was heartened (and very gratified) by the hospitality from the staff at The Pavilions. The place is amazing.
After a Botim chat with Ren’s family, we relaxed in the villa for the remainder of the day. Our sore throats and raspy chests were not improving, so it was the perfect time to recuperate in our private haven.
Lowlights …Getting sick on holiday…
We’d both picked up a head cold in Lovina (which came with a sore throat and raspy chest), and we weren’t getting any better. If anything, we were getting worse, and it was impacting the comfort of our sleep. We stocked up on throat lozenges and cold & flu tablets at a nearby chemist, and rested as much as we could in our villa. The Pavilions became a sanctuary and haven of solace for us both. As exhausted travellers, we were very appreciative of having such a beautiful place to recuperate.
…Broken cameras on holiday…
Ren’s camera died on our second day
in Sanur. As we walked onto the beachfront, her attention was piqued by a line of iconic blue wooden outriggers bobbing on the shoreline. As she framed the shot and pressed the shutter, an error message appeared on her screen. Ren typically takes between 100 and 200 photos per day on our travels. This was a significant lowlight for both of us. All responsibility for photography now fell to me…
…Obnoxious foreign tourists…
When we checked into The Pavilions, an argumentative, aggressive and loud Australian tourist was complaining about being charged too much for a bottle of wine he’d had in his villa the night before. His wife was standing outside the reception area, buried in her mobile phone. The resort staff were polite and accommodating. What is it about foreign tourists? Why do they feel so entitled? Why do they feel they can speak in such a belittling manner to service staff?
SHE SAID... We woke feeling excited about our last few days in
Sanur. At the end of our trips, we usually love booking ‘somewhere nice’ for a few days. We are usually tired from all the trip activities, and really appreciate a few
days of relaxation before boarding that long or medium haul flight home. This time we’d booked a few days at The Pavilions Bali, and we were very much looking forward to moving out of the very average Bumi Ayu Bungalows and into our quiet and secluded. The crowded Bumi Ayu Bungalows wasn’t at all to our liking. And as if to hilariously reiterate this point, when Andrew opened our room door to get his shoes from our little patio that morning, half the people in the pool copped an eyeful of him in his underwear. 😄
Our room opened directly onto the pool terrace, so we’d kept our curtains closed. We’d also taken some cold & flu medication the night before, and had slept in a bit. These were the possible reasons why we had no idea the pool was already packed at 9am! At least this lot had the decency to be quiet at that time of the morning. This was in stark contrast to the evening before, when the chatter was so raucous that I could distinctively hear multiple conversations between Australians on the other side of the pool!
After Andrew recovered from his unplanned ‘one
man show’ (and I had stopped belly laughing), we trotted over to Bumi Ayu Bungalows’ open-sided breakfast room. There were two staff members serving – one was very grumpy, and the other was very bored. The girl who bothered to serve us demanded that we order straight away. It wasn’t like we were holding the kitchen up – it was 9:30am and breakfast didn’t end until 10:30am! She stood over us at our table and yawned loudly while we tried to scan the menu quickly. Thankfully we’d met Su (from our group) on the way to breakfast, and she’d given us a rundown on what was good on the menu.
Our meals of toast and jam were eventually slapped down on the table, and to be honest, I was so gobsmacked by the staff behaviour that I can’t even remember what else there was. I plucked up the courage to ask for a second cup of tea, and when she eventually brought over a pot that I’d watched her brew specifically for me… she poured me half a cup and took the rest of the pot away! Who does that? Surely the rest of the tea in that pot
would be merely chucked out? Andrew wanted more jam, but decided it wasn’t worth the hassle.
This place was rapidly plummeting in our esteem with every passing minute. We were so thankful that we would be checking-out very soon. Of all the Intrepid hotels we’d stayed at on this trip, the restaurant staff at this one would rate as the worst by a long shot. Anyway, we distracted ourselves by engaging in our favourite pastime – people watching. 😊
We’d already gathered that this was an Australian hangout, but what we hadn’t realised was that everyone seemed to know everyone else. At first we thought it was a family holiday, however on eavesdropping a bit more (which is not hard to do when conversations were being yelled across tables), it blew my mind that these people seemed to know each other merely from holidaying here in previous years. There were discussions that ‘Frank’ hadn’t made an appearance this year, and someone else had postponed their trip because of a birth of a grandchild. I have heard of people going to the same destination every year, but to also stay in the same hotel so often that you get
to know the other guests? That’s pretty out there! I wondered if it was a kind of Timeshare holiday scheme, but I didn’t think they operated out of hotels.
We lazed around our hotel room until check-out at 12pm, then walked a few hundred metres to our new resort – The Pavilions Bali. It might not have been that far (as the crow flies), but walking there involved marching down a long shade-less lane before negotiating the busy and noisy main road of Jalan Danau Tamblingan. However, on turning into The Pavilions’ long bamboo lined driveway, the impression of being transported into another world was immediate. We had been dreaming of peace and quiet for the last few days, and here we finally were.
Our check-in was slightly marred by a loud and obnoxious Australian bloke who was checking-out. He was very rudely demanding that a $70AUD bottle of wine be taken off his bill. He wasn’t disputing that he’d had it. On the contrary, he was happy to tell them that he’d drunk it, and that it was apparently ‘shit’. And this was why he didn’t want to pay $70 for it. What an entitled a-hole. Whenever
I see such bad behaviour, I wonder how these Australians behave in hotels and restaurants in Australia. I bet they aren’t half as rude or foul-mouthed! Nothing the very professional receptionist said seemed to register with the bloke. She eventually left him in the care of her manager and walked over to us… but we literally couldn’t hear her over his yelling! She had to complete our check-in process in the adjacent giftshop.
Our villa wasn’t yet ready, so we decided to use the time to find the closest path to Sanur Beach (which was across the road and a block away). We were going to check out a shortlist of potential restaurants I’d made for Andrew’s birthday the next day. It was blindingly bright and extremely hot, and it was no mean feat to make our way to the beach.
Most of the beachfront hotels and restaurants don’t allow access to the beach through their properties, and the streets and lanes with direct access are few and far between. We eventually stumbled upon one, and my levels of happiness at finally finding a shady direct track to the beach was evidence of how hot and tired we
already were. But my happiness met an abrupt end. As we stepped onto the sunny beach promenade and I took my first photo on Sanur Beach… my beloved camera took a very overexposed photo, flashed an error message and died. 😞
There was nothing I could do. Ignoring my disappointment as best I could, we continued our walk along the lovely Sanur Beach promenade. With the sea to our right, the beach promenade was mostly a joy to walk along. It took us past different pockets of beaches, some with families splashing around, some with traditional wooden boats bobbing in the surf, some with shady trees, and some with seawalls that sometimes ended in gazebos. We also passed a hodgepodge of temples, shrines, hotels, cafes, restaurants and bars. Sanur Beach isn’t what I’d call peaceful or scenic, but it certainly has a kind of busy Asian charm to it.
I’m going to blame us not feeling 100% for the fact that we just couldn’t find two of the potential birthday venues I’d researched for Andrew’s birthday. I always underestimate how off-centre being dosed up on cold & flu tablets makes us. Plus it was seriously hot, and the
parts of the promenade with eateries were thriving and noisy. Anyway, after overshooting the mark considerably and doubling back, we finally found all the venues. Andrew decided on a casual seafood place called Warung Amphibia right on the beach. It was perfect for how we felt – very local, low key and offering seafood caught by the warung’s own boats. We sat down for drinks (Bintang beer for Andrew and a lemon iced tea for me) to celebrate not only finding the place, but to also rapidly re-hydrate before our hot walk back to the resort.
We were again, not surprisingly, surrounded by Australians. I mentioned a phenomenon called the ‘Bali Bogan’ in our Notes blog, and now here we were in their midst. For those unfamiliar with the term, it’s used as a catchall term for brash and usually drunk Australians behaving badly in public. They are easily spotted by their Bintang beer singlets and southern cross tattoos. We saw quite a few of these specimens out and about during the day, but on the whole, there were far fewer than expected. Compared to the other southern Bali beaches, Sanur attracts families and a slightly older crowd, and
I suppose that was something to be grateful for. 😉
Once hydrated, we had to make a decision about our walking route back to the resort. We knew of two ways, both of which were circuitous and involved quite a bit of backtracking. Our resort was only a block (albeit a big block) away, but these routes involved walking at least three or four blocks. Our energy levels were ebbing, so we made the very cheeky decision to cut directly through a luxury hotel which we estimated sat almost directly across the road from our resort. We walked into their plush beachside pool area with pseudo-confidence, but I started to feel bad when the path took us past rooms where people were sitting on their balconies. I nearly lost my nerve when we realised the exit onto the main road involved walking through the hotel’s reception area… but very thankfully there was a big group of Australians checking-in and we snuck out without being reprimanded!
Returning to The Pavilions felt heavenly. I’m not sure how they do it, but merely turning into their long driveway with its vibrant green bamboo arch significantly cuts off all the noise, dust
and flurry of the main road. Our villa was thankfully now ready. From the reception building we crossed a little bridge over a pond, and on the edge of the complex that houses the main pool and bar area, the villas were scattered behind high stone walls. We were led to a traditional gate of double wooden doors, and above it sat a little plaque with the words ‘Villa Muthaya’. It was a very cute touch, but I immediately regretted not having the forethought to book the villa under Andrew’s name. A ‘Villa Jones’ sign would have been a lovely souvenir of this birthday celebration in Bali.
When those skinny wooden doors were opened, we were welcomed into a private world. Our front courtyard was a tranquil haven of greenery, ponds filled with fish and a small Ganesha house shrine. From a porch area with a table and chairs, sliding glass doors took us into a massive open-plan area. We explored the lounge, a small office nook and a functional kitchen space. A door beyond the kitchen led to a large private bedroom, a colossal bathroom and a back courtyard with an outdoor shower. Both courtyards were filled with
lush tropical plants, and everything inside was immaculately fitted out and furnished in traditional muted earthy textures and colours. I have a lot of love for resort rooms that are exactly as they look on their websites. This villa was every bit as amazing as we’d hoped, and in some respects, it was even better! We were overjoyed! 😊
Our stomachs hadn’t been hungry enough for lunch when we were on the beach, but I regretted not forcing ourselves to have a meal. Having recovered from our earlier hot walk, it was a mission to get ready and head out again. We had a list of restaurants I’d already researched, and we decided on Bali Bagus because of its proximity to us. We were having a late lunch, and we were the only people in the restaurant. This normally makes me nervous, but I needn’t have worried. The reviews of the place had been accurate, and the food was great.
We shared a grilled
mahi-mahi dish (a popular white fish in Bali) and
nasi goreng (fried rice served with a fried egg) with
beef rendang (beef braised in a lemongrass and coconut sauce). I knew my cold had
dulled my taste, because even though by body’s reaction told me it was moderately spicy, my taste buds refused to believe it. My freshly made mango juice was lovely, and despite my scepticism, Andrew enjoyed his banana juice too.
We returned to our lovely villa and gratefully enjoyed our delicious welcome drinks of lime, mint and coconut water that had been left on our porch table. After a long lush bath in the rose petal filled tub (me) and a long outside shower (Andrew), we agreed that it was so good to finally wash away the heat and exhaustion of the day. We’d happily just settled in for the night when the outer gate bell rang. We were both already in our complimentary kimono robes, and panic ensued. We had totally forgotten about the 8pm turn-down service!
I’m not a fan of turn-down services, particularly when we are already back in our room. I honestly don’t see the point of it. We are more than capable of turning down our own beds and switching on lights. And if we needed any top-ups or have had a spillage, we are also more than capable of ringing reception. I’ve had
this discussion with several friends, and it seems I’m in the minority with this view. People who stay in luxury places apparently absolutely expect a turn-down service.
Anyway, we awkwardly sat on the couch while two staff members turned on lights we didn’t need, swept floors that weren’t dirty and topped up bathroom amenities that had only been used once. As much as I carried on about this service, I have to admit I was happy to see they’d lit some mosquito coils in the courtyard and left a small towel dog on the bed. The towel dog was wearing a hair scrunchie (made in a Balinese fabric) as a bandana and carried a note wishing us a good night. 😊
Not long after this, we both popped two cold & flu night-time tablets and were in bed by 8:30pm. I was very grateful that we’d allocated this time at the end of the trip to relax. However, our imagined days of long walks, cocktails and beers on the beach, and afternoons writing our travel notes in our villa… were going to be more restrained. Oh well, these things happen.
It was a very comfortable bed, but
our sleep was somewhat broken. Regardless, our spirits were high when we woke – it was the 29th – Andrew’s birthday! The plan was to have a lazy morning in the villa and head out at lunchtime. In true Bali style, we’d had to order breakfast (via an App) the day before, and at the appointed time of 9am the gate bell rang. Breakfast was laid out on our outside table, and it felt special that Andrew was being spoiled with a beautiful birthday breakfast spread on a gorgeous balmy Bali morning.
Just as we sat down, the gate bell rang again. Thinking the waiter had forgotten something, Andrew opened the gate and was very surprised by a choir of staff singing Happy Birthday and carrying a small chocolate cake with a candle! Now I know this was a very very sweet gesture… but firstly, Andrew REALLY hates having a fuss made. Secondly, Andrew was still in his very short (read: skimpy) kimono robe. Thirdly, one of the staff members was filming the whole thing on his phone. Andrew’s embarrassment factor was super high, and he couldn’t wait for it to be over.
After they left and Andrew
realised I had filmed the event too, his alternation between fits of laughter and waves of total embarrassment were very funny. I don’t think he believed me when I swore that I hadn’t organised it. He eventually calmed down, but I kept the birthday spirit alive by randomly playing the video to him over the next few days. Andrew is pretty good at laughing at himself, and I have a feeling this episode will make us chuckle for a long time to come. 😊
Back to breakfast. I had ordered banana pancakes with honey and Andrew had ordered the healthy breakfast bowl with granola, yoghurt, fruit and coconut. We also had fresh fruit (pineapple, watermelon and cantaloupe), some pastries, watermelon juice, tea and coffee. Andrew enjoyed his meal choice, but I definitely wouldn’t be ordering the banana pancakes again. The overall quality of breakfast also made us rethink our decision to have meals at the hotel’s fine dining restaurant.
We lingered over breakfast and then spent some time writing travel notes that morning. When it was time to head out for lunch, neither of us felt like walking in the hot sun. So we took advantage of the
hotel’s shuttle car service, which drove us to the exact part of the beach promenade (Sindhu Beach) that Warung Amphibia was.
As I mentioned before, we’d done some research on Warung Amphibia, and we were there to order the shared seafood platter. We knew the platter took time, so after we ordered, we settled in at our table under a sun umbrella with our drinks – a Bintang beer for Andrew and a whole coconut for me. It was fun sitting back and watching life unfold around us.
This section of the beach and the beach promenade was busy with lots going on. There were all sorts of people either looking for a place to eat or swim, or leisurely meandering past on the path. The beach promenade had very distinct sections, and a few of them required keeping your wits about you… because, Beware the ‘massage women’! We had fallen for their ploy the day before, so we watched with amusement as groups of these women waited to pounce on any unsuspecting newbies like us who made eye contact or answered any of their questions (Where you from? Where you going?). They worked in unison, and once
they thought they’d got one, they’d hold their hand and try to physically lead them to the massage stall where they or their friends worked. I know they are only trying to make a living, but it did get very tiresome very quickly when we just wanted to walk without being physically hassled.
It was a very windy day, and on the beach next to us there was a kite surfing guy preparing his power kite and board for an outing. There were also two young blokes testing an old-school kite that was the size of a small car! There were people dipping their toes in the water, and one or two hardy souls were sun bathing (more like sun-baking) in what I would call extremely strong sunlight.
Our grilled seafood platter eventually emerged and it was amazing – crayfish, whole calamari, sambal prawns, scallops in their shells, whole fried fish, and stir-fried greens. It came with sides of rice, garlic potatoes, ‘normal’ sambal and a fiery sambal. Everything was utterly delicious! It was a memorable feet-in-the-sand birthday meal, and I was so happy Andrew was able to celebrate a tropical birthday.
After lunch we decided to
push our luck by again walking back to the main road by cutting through the same luxury hotel as the day before. Neither Andrew or I are brash personalities, and we both dislike walking through private property – but we clearly disliked the long hot walk with lots of backtracking even more. We were almost certain of a showdown with staff when we saw that the reception was empty this time… but my angst was for naught. The receptionists kept their heads down as we guiltily crept across the room and out onto the main road.
We came back to our villa to find that housekeeping had left a birthday present for Andrew. It was a lovely image of a Balinese dancer screen-painted onto wood. The Pavilions really were going above and beyond to make Andrew feel special. We relaxed in the villa for the rest of the day and enjoyed an afternoon tea with the dense chocolate mousse birthday cake.
As with the day before, we had no appetite for dinner after our big lunch. We were content to snack on packets of pretzels and leftover pastries from breakfast. The turn-down service wasn’t as uncomfortable as the
night before, in no small part due to us looking forward to the small token left on the bed (it doesn’t take much to bring out the inner child in both of us!). This evening it was a small tube of incense. 😊
We ended the evening by finishing the snakeskin fruit and coconut arak we’d bought in the village of Sibetan. It had been a lovely birthday, but I was slightly sad that given our flu-ey circumstances, we hadn’t been able to enjoy it to the fullest as planned. However, we both agreed that we’d done our best.
I was also sad about my broken camera. I had tinkered with it and tried a couple of fixes I found on YouTube. It seemed to work in the low light of the villa or on the shade outside, but the glare on Sanur Beach was just too much for it, and it died a second more permanent death the next day. I officially gave up and resigned myself to not having a camera for the rest of the holiday. We only had two more days in Sanur, and they were probably going to be mostly filled with rest and relaxation in the villa anyway.
See you around Sanur!
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Jasmin Baker
non-member comment
On the other hand
Sucks being sick, but this is the best place to be sick! LOL