Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia

Keluarga: Family

If I’m being honest Luke and I have been travelling for 3 weeks now. I have been fighting with myself throughout this time whether I should or shouldn't start a blog. Well clearly it's obvious and yes, yes I have. Unfortunately this means that as soon as I've started I'm already behind. Which pretty much sum’s up life in general.

Week 1: Seminyak with the family

One of each: a mum (Nettie), dad (Dave), brother (Sam), sister in-law (Jess), husband (Luke) and me (Claire). The perfect sized family- apart from the fact that all of us couldn't fit in a normal sized taxi that is. 

Our Family

Where did we stay? 

Four on Drupadi. Pretty darn toot’n fancy if you ask me. Our first week was well and truly an ease into our next 12 months of life in Asia. We lived like kings staying in a Private Villa "Cinta". This included a private chef for breakfast every morning, a private pool and none other than a disco toilet (mirror on every wall including the roof, so you can see every angle of yourself whilst doing number 2- something I am proud to say I can tick off my bucket list.)

Our daily budget of 50 AUD for the both of us (Luke and I) wasn’t kept to this week, nor did we care as we just wanted to enjoy ourselves with our family. 

This non adherence was mainly due: 

• A Downhill bike tour with Bintang tours, 45 AUD pp. Although a bit steep (lol) in price I would definitely recommend even to those of us who are not physically active inclined. We got to ride for 4 hours, pedalling once per hour. With regular stops including a coffee plantation, local school, an authentic balinese home and many a rice field and temple as we made our way down the mountain (on fully surfaced roads).

Bintang Bike Tour

Ming, our hilarious tour guide on Bintang tours

• Snorkellling in Nusa Dua 18 AUD pp and something although was enjoyable I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND. This occurred due to a combination of mis-communication with our driver, being to polite to say no, and not being prepared enough to know exactly what we wanted aka rookies. We were taken 150m off of the beach in a “glass bottom boat” to an artificial reef. It was nice to get in the water and yes we got to see nemo, starfish etc. But it was a tourist trap if I ever did see one.

Local Fisherman around us whilst snorkelling in Nusa Dua

• Eating out for lunch and dinner everyday along Jl Kayu aya, where we enjoyed many cuisines and some boutique shops. I’m proud to say that I did not buy any items however I well and truly splurged on dinners accompanied by a bintang every night. 

What else did we do in our week in Seminyak?

• Luke surfed on his 5 AUD hire surf board, and caught some totally rad waves man
• Went hunting for sunnies to buy, as Luke managed to break his pair in the first few days (which he is yet to replace)
• Day tripping to Uluwatu and watching the surfers as we gorged ourselves on food at one of the many cafes on the cliff at Single Fin
• Completed a world class synchronised swimming routine with Nettie and Jess
  
• Lazed in and around the pool
• Played cards, quite aggressively - Jess, Professionally- Claire, when it came to the game “spit”
• Pedicures for the girls 8 AUD pp. And can I say this was Nettie's first ever pedicure! Which I deeply respect as honestly they are completely unnecessary however enjoyable they are
• Massages for Dave and the Girls ~ 7 AUD pp
• Luke got bitten by a dog (the skin wan’t broken)- and thanks to Luke's mum for making us get our rabies shots before we went
• Sam got a Bintang Belly, oh wait sorry Bali Belly and I’ve heard it was a very enjoyable flight home..

Single Fin, Uluwatu

Sunsets in Seminyak with Nettie and Myself

Well that was week one. A perfect week with my perfect family... a week with ups and downs, but a week I will cherish forever.

Love,

Claire and Luke (Luke was in my site of vision reading as I wrote this so he counts as a co-author right?)

Gilli Air, Lombok, Indonesia

View as I write this post, Tedi Bungalows, Gilli Air