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Published: September 2nd 2011
In June, Bali experienced a different sort of Australian invasion – Simone, Georgia and Byron teamed up with Jenn, Jamie, Zoe and Billie, for a pleasant time in Tanah Lot, the non-Kuta beauty of Bali. Sort of an Eat, Pray, Love, except with sensible, likable people.
The beach shack turned out to be something on a different scale from the fibro cottage in Dromana. Known in unAustralian terms as a ‘villa’, the place was pretty comfortable. It’s close to the beach, has a pool and is surrounded by rice paddies and village people who don’t sing ‘YMCA’. It is about as far away from the stress of normal life as you can get.
Perhaps surprisingly, there’s much to see in Bali, and Jenn and Jamie made a great adventure of sightseeing and experiencing the pleasures of Bali’s spas. Equally, there are a great many ways to do very little in Bali, and all of them seem enjoyable.
The kids needed little more than each other’s company, and Billie seemed happy to be the object of everyone’s affection and attention. Georgia and Zoe were the big girls, with a more sophisticated way of dressing than Byron, whose ‘bucket on
head’ made for alternately robot and Bob the Builder characters. With the addition of sunglasses, Georgia slipped effortlessly into Super-model mode, complete with princess-like expectations of the lesser mortals around her.
The pool was a great hit, with the younger mob playing for hours on end on the stairs that gently led into the pool. Byron had a look of innocence and joy as he poured buckets of water over the head of an unsuspecting Georgia. We thought that was quite brave of Byron, given Georgia’s usual response. However, harmony interrupted was quickly re-established.
Forays to the beach were a special treat. The broad beach and foaming surf made for lovely strolls and wading in the shallows. Byron seemed to love the waves, and constantly raced to the water. Along the way he’d stop and discover shells and other things of interest, and look at them with a wonder that is all too quickly lost. Georgia, always sensible like her mum, played like a fairy along the beach, running and dancing, but never too far from Simone.
Bali’s natural beauty is enhanced by the nature of its people. They seem unfailingly patient and friendly. Siska and Deedy
work in the house, and Neuman cared for the pool and garden. The kids loved each of them, and we’d often find them chatting with them, or just enjoying being near them. The easy rapport they enjoyed underscored the happy and relaxed holiday life everyone had slipped into.
And so our holiday life spanned challenges such as moving from reading on the day bed to lying by or swimming in the pool, strolling along the beach, and confronting delicious meals that had to be eaten. On high-energy days we went to the Changu Country Club for more swimming and eating. And all of this in temperatures that didn’t dip below 25 degrees, or exceed 35 degrees. No wonder Bali is almost Australia’s northern Island!
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