Another hot sunny day in Kuta, so we had no option but to renew our acquaintance with the hotel pool & sun lounger.

When a hotel is this good and the weather this hot, it’s difficult to see a reason to do anything else other than submit to the joys of relaxation.

In between dips in the pool and periods of reading and sunbathing, the morning quickly slipped away and it was mid-afternoon before we headed out to the beach.

The tide was coming in as we headed up the beach for our daily ‘constitution’, with fewer bathers but more wannabe surfers trying to make the most of the relatively flat waves. At 3pm the temperature was hitting 34c and with little breeze from the sea, it felt hotter still.

We managed a good few miles walk, taking in the serene views and realising our good decision not to go to the Philippines, as September is the month when they experience the most severe typhoons and is the peak of the rainy season.

Instead we did our research and Bali came out tops with the guarantee of pleasantly balmy weather of 30c+, lots of beach lounging, surfing and the opportunity to explore the islands natural beauty.

We have definitely conquered the first on this list and plan to cover off the other two in the coming days.

September marks the end of peak tourist season here in Bali, allowing for a more relaxed and authentic experience without the crowds.

There is a real harmony between the tranquil shores and the still bustling streets. Walking along you can’t help gazing into the crystal-clear waters realising how fortunate we are to be experiencing this time.

After a little retail therapy for Michelle at the Beachwalk Mall, we found our way back to the hotel with Andy heading up to the gym for his 5k fix whilst book reading took precedent at the poolside.

Early evening we decided to make further plans for our stay in Japan, having read that many hotels and activities get booked up in the popular October Autumn season. After finalising our route for the final 10 days of the Japan leg, reserving a mix of ryokans and hotels. Now all we need to do is sort out our itineraries for the key stays in Tokyo and Kyoto.

Tomorrow is our last full days stay in Kuta, before we move to our Airbnb in Canggu for the final 12 days of our stay. Our plan is not to plan, instead just enjoy another low key day in the sun, inter-dispersed with a wander to a beach bar and some light retail therapy!