Sunday is Sanur Day

Today started with a minor victory, swiftly turning into a rout and retreat:

After rising quite early I was faced with the usual protracted wait whilst Madam went through her mysterious early morning rituals. I decided to seize the moment, grabbed the beach towels and slipped away in search of sunbeds and parasols. I returned, triumphant, having seized a prime bridgehead midway between pool and beach by Madam’s favourite swimming place. Oh how smug I felt as we walked into the restaurant for breakfast (although a tad guilty, having succumbed to the selfish eurohordes’ practices.)

We selected a nice table on the balcony and sat enjoying the breeze while we sipped fruit juice and coffee. Then, up and over to the egg counter to be dazzled by my favourite little elfin waitress. I watched, mesmerised, as she skilfully cracked two eggs with one hand, then flipped them deftly to produce perfect, fluffy sunny-side down eggs :o)

Madam and I returned contentedly to our table to …..AAAAGH!

Our table had been captured by a German family. They sat there, smugly surrounded by two of everything - cups, fruit-juices, napkins. And they were stonily unmoved as we were forced to retreat to a different table, the haughty Frau handing me my cup saying sternly “I don’t like coffee, you take it!”

Much of the rest of the day was spent by the pool or snorkelling out to sea. The victory with the sunbed also proved hollow since hotel occupancy appears to have plummeted over the last two weeks. There were spare beds aplenty :o(

While I lay there, gently sizzling, I began to re-evaluate the Sanur Beach Hotel.

The staff have been simply superb! I am now greeted with “Hello Mr. Peter” and courteous enquiries about our room/holiday/plans. Most of the staff seem to love a little bit of banter - in fact that seems to be true of the Balinese people wherever you find them: Thailand may be the “Land of Smiles” but Bali is definitely the land of joy and laughter. Our room is excellent and the food (particularly breakfast) is first class. The only negative is the sheer volume of guests. In every other hotel we have stayed in we have inevitably come to recognise and swap greetings/ experiences with the other guests. But with a hotel of this size - it just isn’t going to happen and we have only spoken, briefly, to two other couples.

After a stroll down Sanur Village we headed for the public beaches to watch the locals out having fun. But the day turned cloudy and numbers were down. Plenty of barbecued sweetcorn in evidence, but fewer giggling Balinese families.

And so to the Hyatt for a delicious supper before our last outing with Suadi.

Next blog “A Soggy Day with Suadi”

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