@travellingwiththeateam

The day started with an early morning walk along to Echo beach. Known as one of the best surfing points in Bali, with its stunning black sand and advanced reef breaks that help to create the much sought after enlarged waves.

Being a Saturday, there was a bevy of both tourists and locals vying for the best spot to pick up the breaks. Such is its popularity and infamy, most mornings there are two or three professional photographers waiting to catch a surfer enjoying his perfect wave.

We spotted kids as young as 9 or 10 heading out, although most are intermediate, right up to the season pro’s.

Our plan today was to return to Potato Head beach club in Seminyak, where we’d spent a couple of enjoyable days back in early April.

The girls are big fans and after a long Grab journey of over an hour, we were all excited to be back, only to discover that the place was closed having been booked out for a local wedding! Given the size of the place, that’s going to be one large expensive wedding to remember.

As a result the girls decided to go off shopping in Seminyak, whilst we went out to the beach and visited the W Hotel pool and bar for a coffee stop.

The W Hotel is one of those iconic chains that draws a wealthy crowd, hence when we asked about hiring one of their beds we were taken aback to find out the min spend per person was over £100!

Instead we choose a more palatable option, sitting for free at the bar and had a wander around the pool grounds, before returning to the beach.

Back on the sand we soaked up the glorious views padding along the soft sandy beach.

We’d been recommended Finn’s, another beach club up the coast so decided to make a visit.

Thankfully there was no surcharge to get in, and having managed to secure a bar table in the sun, close to the pool, we took root and ordered some Bintangs and frozen cocktails for the girls.

The place was buzzing and so the drinks were flowing…!! With the majority of the party goers in the 20’s and early 30’s, we felt like the oldest swingers in town, although we tried not to show it.

Funnily as the girls partied in the pool, and we took a few photos, some people next to Amelia and Meg thought we were their friends. Amelia quickly put them straight on this!

As the afternoon wore on, the party in the pool grew ever louder and redder, with shot drinking races and champagne popping all around us. Quite the contrast to our experience at Potato Head which was a more elevated and chilled affair. Needless to say Amelia and Meg loved it, and it’s the nearest we will get to clubbing on our tour!

With the late afternoon sun starting to drop, we left Finns and took a leisurely walk along Berawa beach back up to Canggu.

Once back in the ‘normality’ of Canggu, the girls took us on a short tour of the bar strip showing us the places they intended to visit later that evening once they’d got shot of us oldies.

After a little bit of googling, Amelia found a trendy restaurant called Sari, which proved to be a great find. The open stepped layout meant we looked down into the lower casual seating area which was dressed with an array of plants that made the place feel so homely (in a Balinese type way).

Like all the other dinning establishments in Bali, there are no walls, windows or doors, just a big open space and comfy seating, plus the all important 2 for 1 cocktail happy hours. So it was Pina colada and G&T’s all round!!

The mix of local and international foods was just what we all wanted, and soon Amelia and Andy were digging into their spicy chicken burgers with fries, whilst Michelle went with a healthy Indonesian chicken salad and Meg had deconstructed spring rolls. All were delicious and we soon polished off both the cocktails and the lovely food.

After another enjoyable day, we returned to the Airbnb for an evening of relaxation for Andy & Michelle, whilst the girls changed and dressed for another party evening back in Canggu.

We waved the girls off and they caught a Grab back into Canggu, whilst we had a more sedate evening, plugging into a new series on Apple TV called the Lady in the Lake starring Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram.

Another chilling day in the sunshine of Canggu beach.

First up was Andy, no surprises there, who headed out for his 10k run to Berawa beach & back.

On his return Michelle and the girls started to wake and we had an alfresco breakfast of sourdough bread and coffee, from Barō bakery a great find only 2mins up the road.

It was then time to enjoy the comfort of the Airbnb. It’s a great find, with a large open plan kitchen and living space with a master bedroom above. Outside is an open deck, seating area and the plunge pool, with an additional two storey building opposite with two further bedrooms with en-suite at ground and first floor.

The morning was spent relaxing and reading by the pool, enabling the girls to fully recuperate after their sickness bug the day before.

With Meg and Amelia happy to snooze on the sun loungers, we went down to the beach for a dip, and a walk to Canggu central for a late afternoon drink.

We have been so fortunate with the weather, whilst there has been the odd light rain, it’s always been early evening or over night. The days have been generally full sun, with the odd cloud, and pleasantly warm around 30 degrees.

We decided to take a break on Echo beach and watch the surfers crafting their skills. It’s such a serene scene, sitting watching the waves and letting the day roll on by.

With the desire for a cool afternoon drink, we headed to Cabe Bali bar and restaurant, to take in the views with a chilled Bintang in hand.

These last few days, whilst quiet in terms of doing and seeing things, have enabled us to fully enjoy our time with Amelia and Meg.

We intend to up the ante and visit Seminyak and Uluwatu for some cultural stimulation, but we don’t feel the need to rush given our prior visit to the island back in March.

After a pleasant drink at the beach bar, we returned to the Airbnb to pick up the girls before departing for dinner at one of the upscale restaurants in Pererenan. It truly feels like a place to see and be seen.

We decided to go for pre-dinner drinks at Shelter, a fancy BBQ restaurant with Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours and cuisine. The place was close to full when we arrived around 7.30pm, so we had drinks adjacent to the open kitchen which made for interesting viewing. Eight people working at close quarters, passing round the bbq meats and fish, before they are sliced, spiced and decorated for serving. Proper artistry.

From there we had a short walk to Roots, a veggie restaurant we’d visited prior to the girls arrival earlier in the week.

The food, colours, taste and the overall presentation make this a perfect place for non-meat lovers and thankfully it was a big success with the girls too. Added to this we had time to play a few card games and chat over our spiced fries, curried veggies and couscous dishes.

Tomorrow our plan is to venture further afield, and a return visit to Potato Head beach club in Seminyak.

This place is a firm favourite of the girls and brings back happy memories of our first visit to the area some 5 months or so ago in late March.

Another day in Canggu, so that means Andy has his 10k run under his belt, before hitting the plunge pool and having a short snooze. All this and it’s still not yet 9am.

Michelle was the next to appear, so it was time for breakfast, before we settled into a morning of sun worshipping and reading.

After their last night, early morning return, Amelia and Meg were up surprisingly early around 10.30am and were soon snoozing on the sun loungers.

Sadly it appears that the girls night out has had a more lasting impact, with first Meg and then Amelia coming down with vomiting and sickness. Whilst they drank their fair share of Korean wine, both suspect it may be the dodgy ice that has caused their feeling unwell.

With Meg in bed upstairs on one room and Amelia downstairs in the other, we left them to sleep and hopefully feel a little stronger and went for a walk along the beach.

We reached Pantai Pererenan beach about 5pm, around the time the sun started to set in the eastern horizon making for beautiful views.

With no place to be, we walked for about an hour up and down the dark sandy beach before returning to watch the kites being pulled along the sea front.

The kites came in all shapes and sizes, and were being flown by a number of skilled people who were able to get them to dive and move with ease.

Once leaving the beach, we decided to stop off for a drink at Hippie Fish, a balcony restaurant and bar overlooking the beach with great views out to the ocean.

It’s a real paradise for lovers of seafood, although tonight with the girls feeling unwell we decided it was best that we revisit for food another time.

Undoubtedly it is a cool place with a cozy atmosphere. The seafood we saw served looked fantastic, and all the staff were super friendly and made our brief stay a real pleasure. Definitely one to return to.

We returned to the Airbnb sickness ward to find Meg still in bed, but feeling a little better with her sickness now passed, only to then be told by Amelia that she too had vomited.

Such a shame for them both, meaning it’s been a quieter night for us all. Hoping both girls will feel better in the morning and able to get out and enjoy Canggu a little more.

Early morning run again for Andy, who is back in the groove after his China hiatus.

With the Airbnb providing an ideal location for sunbathing along with the odd dip in the plunge pool, we have started to got comfortable with our lazy lifestyle!

The girls have opted for the sun loungers, whilst Michelle and Andy are on the comfy outside chairs catching up with their summer reading.

The R&R days are briefly ‘interrupted’ with decisions over booking trips in Japan and S Korea, or getting ahead on visa applications. We now have both our New Zealand and Australian visas in readiness for visits to each later in the year.

Despite spending most of the last 9 months in the warmth of Australia and SE Asia, much of the last couple of months in Vietnam and China have been on tours, with little downtime for relaxing in the sun. This last week or so has been a welcome return and a great opportunity to bronze in Bali.

Early afternoon we went out in search of a good coffee and some brunch for the girls. St Ali cafe proved to be just the ticket with toasted banana bread and a croquet madam for Meg and Amelia, whilst Michelle became an honorary Aussie with her flat white.

Bali people love their dogs, unlike the Chinese (!), and it’s quite common to see our four legged friends meandering into restaurants on their own or just lounging in the shade. Amelia came across the latter who seemed totally at ease a sleep in the entrance to the cafe with not a care in the world. Reminded us all about how much we miss Coco and what a wonderful dog she is and the great company she offers.

On our way back to the Airbnb the girls came across an upscale vintage shop, and we soon lost them for about an hour as they went in search of some bargains.

Early evening we decided to check out an Italian restaurant that had a live jazz band playing all evening.

Fortunately we managed to snare a great table in the restaurant right next to the live band so we were in pole position to watch and listen to a bevy of classics from the likes of Sinatra & Elvis and many others.

When we ordered our food, the restaurant gave each of the girls a red rose, such a nice touch and one that you don’t see much of these days.

Our food when it arrived was classic Italian fayre, a good spicy sausage sourdough pizza along with some healthy and generous salad servings to share.

We soon got settled in and enjoyed a couple of hours chatting and listening to the great live music.

The girls had decided they were going to head off later clubbing, so when they departed at 10.30pm we settled into the latest episode of Slow Horses on Apple TV. How times of changed, if we could role back 30yrs we might have joined Amelia and Meg on their bar crawl together, although we may have still struggled with a finish around 4.30am, when they returned back at the Airbnb.

We were safely asleep at this point, although Michelle’s built in mother reactions meant she got up briefly, if only to make sure they were both safe and had had an enjoyable evening!

Slower start to the day, with the girls having a much needed lie in, so after Andy’s morning beach run, it was time to take things easy and relax by the plunge pool.

The morning passed by pretty quickly and by midday, it was time to pick up the laundry. Walking up we took a few photos of the varied sights, from a young cow munching on the side of a field, to the numerous upscale cafes and restaurants that adorn the street. It truly is an eclectic mix.

This part of Bali’s restaurant scene is definitely aspirational, with Shelter describing itself as a contemporary restaurant, where authenticity meets artistry. Inspired by the vibrant and intense flavours of the Middle East and the Mediterranean, they offer an exclusive dining experience.

Further up the road is Roots, where we dinned a couple of nights ago, and proudly serves vegetarians, vegans, and anyone interested in eating less meat without sacrificing quality, flavour, or fun. We had chosen their signature bowls of house-made shrubs. Their strap line is brighten your day (or night), and stay true to our roots!

On the opposite side there is huge cafe called St Ali, which is a real eye catcher and wouldn’t look out of place in Sydney, or London for that matter.

From there we came across Baked, a bakery offering, you guessed it, more coffee, thankfully with the number of Australians staying in the area these places are all well used.

One of the larger establishments is Brunch Club who clearly know the clientele they are looking to attract with a sign reading Brunch Club Porn Cakes!!

Tracking forward a few hours, after some reading time back at the Airbnb, we took the girls down to the beach and came across a group of locals sitting down for a meal after a religious gathering. It’s a lovely sight seeing them all dressed in traditional white garments.

Our plan was to catch the sunset, so after a wander along the beach and a return to Old Man’s bar, a place the girls visited last time we were in Bali, we found a bar with a great view looking out over the sea.

After drinks, we made our way back to the Airbnb and after a quick turn around, went in search of a restaurant that serves Nasi Goreng, a real favourite with Amelia and Meg.

First round of cocktails down, so just got to find our way back along the beach…..

Fortunately one of the nearby hotel restaurants, Ize Canggu serves a number of delicious Indonesian dishes, so we headed there and made the most of their cocktail offer too!!

The restaurant sat on a mezzanine level and with cocktails and G&T’s in hand we soon settled in.

The food quickly followed, and proved to be the real deal with great authentic fried rice with eggs, chicken and vegetables. A real find and we’re sure there will be a return visit in the coming nights.

Returning to the Airbnb, with an ice cream stop on the way, there was just enough time for a quick card game of Yaniv (taught to us by our Norwegian friends Simen and Julie on the China trip), before we hit the sack.

We are starting to settle into life in Canggu. Andy was up at 7.30am, running along the beach and on his return we dug into some left over veggie pizza from our visit to Milk & Madu the night before.

After this partially healthy start, we wandered to a nearby cafe for coffee.

The place was close to full, half were nomadic IT workers, and the other half were beautiful gym wearing people hanging out trying to catch the eye.

We settled in with our coffees and watched the sea of building works going on close by and across Canggu, with new hotels, restaurants and shops popping up indiscriminately across the once green padi fields.

We feel sure that Amelia and Meg will love the place when they arrive tonight.

Across from the cafe was a block of land yet to be built upon, where a number of cows were residing, reminding us that only a few years ago this was just another agricultural area of Bali.

As the area has become established, new buildings have appeared, with the latest addition being the Wrong Gym, for all those keep fit fanatics holidaying in Canggu.

After coffee, we went in search of a laundrette, as quite a number of our clothes are desperately in need of a proper clean, after numerous attempts to wash them in hotel sinks as we move around.

With our laundry dropped off and a food shop carried out in preparation for the girls arrival, we returned to our slumber and made the most of the Airbnbs outdoor seating and lounging.

After a few hours of R&R we moved to the beach and checked out the professional surfers on Echo Beach.

Sitting on the dark sand takes a little getting used to, as subconsciously you feel like you’re lying on mud. That said the views out across the sea and the breaking waves make you realise you’re in a special place.

As the temperatures continued to rise, Andy eventually plucked up the courage to go into the water and brave the currents and try a spot of body surfing.

It’s fair to say the waves and currents in Echo Beach are strong and one minute you’re in knee deep and the next it’s almost above your head. After that experience, we soon decided it wasn’t the place to go for a gentle dip!

As the afternoon moved on and the light started to drop, we went for a walk and realised just how beautiful the beach was at this time of the day.

With the European holiday season ended, the vast majority of people still left are Australians in their 20’s and 30’s appearing to be living their best lives.

Tonight we ventured to a veggie restaurant called Roots, a few blocks up from the beach which did some great curried dishes and dips. The food was very filling and reasonably priced, a rare thing when you’ve got so many new restaurants opening and chasing business.

Around 9pm we caught a Grab to the airport to await the arrival of the girls. They’ve been travelling since 2.30pm on Sunday (UK time) and had a lengthy layover, before their final 10hr flight to Denpasar.

They arrived on time with big smiles on their faces, and were still full of enthusiasm and chatting away until we went to bed at 2am, and they carried on until 5am!!

We are all keen to reacquaint ourselves with the bars and restaurants of Canggu, having visited a few times back in March when we were last on the island.

It’s time to enjoy being together and making the most of our holiday time in this beautiful part of the world.

Our last morning at the Amnaya Resort, so we went all out with their healthy & yummy breakfast offer. So colourful and so delicious, they are definitely up there as one of the best we’ve had on the whole 9 month tour to date.

After 5 days being waited on each morning, having our coffee, juice, toast, muesli and then egg & avocado muffins delivered to our table almost telepathically it’s going to be very hard going back to making the damn thing ourselves!

As our Airbnb in Canggu wasn’t available until after 3pm, we made the most of our late checkout and luggage storage and hung around the hotel pool until mid-afternoon.

With the combination of the sunshine and the pool, we enjoyed our last couple of hours of comfort, before jumping in a Grab and heading up the coast to Canggu.

Driving in Bali is a real experience, despite the journey being only 10 miles, due to the heavy traffic and narrow winding roads, the drive took well over an hour.

This provided us an opportunity to take in the changing scenery, with an increasing number of padi fields and the view of the coastline. We eventually arrived at our home for the next 12 days, which sits a few hundred metres from the beach, on a small side road.

We booked the Airbnb as it caters for four and has a large kitchen and living space along with bedrooms for all. Added to this it has a plunge pool and a deck for the girls to sunbathe.

Once unpacked, we headed to the beach to explore and discovered that the sand was a lot darker, almost volcanic in colour. The waves were bigger than down in Kuta and it’s clear that the Canggu tourist is a lot more aspirational, given the wealth of fashionable bars and restaurants that line the sea front.

Canggu is definitely a vibrant and trendy destination with a laidback vibe that the girls will love.

Whether you’re into surfing, wellness or exploring the local culture the place offers lots to see and do.

There are a number of popular surf spots close by including Echo beach and Berawa beach.

Added to this there are the beach clubs and we quickly found ourselves in amongst the great and the good of The Lawn, a chic beachfront hangout ideal for watching the sunset views.

Canggu is also famous for its vibrant cafe scene and we went to Milk and Madu, which proved perfect for late afternoon pizzas.

We’ve heard about a veggie place called Shady Shack which is on our list to visit as it’s got a great garden setting.

The beach setting offers breathtaking views, especially at sunset and when we headed down around 6pm, we found the beach teeming with people waiting for the sun to come down.

Once the sun did set it was great to be amongst the young people who dominate this little part of Bali.

We have 12 days here so plan to check out other places to visit. The girls have told us all about the attractions in Uluwatu and so that’s on our list to visit and enjoy the cultural scene of the cliffs and beaches.

After stopping at a couple of cool bars early evening for drinks and to people watch (it’s definitely a place to be seen if your young and good looking…), we returned to our Airbnb and its stylish bedrooms and caught up with the latest Slow Horses series on Apple TV.

Tomorrow Amelia and Meg will arrive from the Uk, so we intend to do a food shop first thing, so when they do arrive, they feel properly at home and catered for!

Our final day in Kuta before we move up the island to our Airbnb in Canggu.

The last 5 days have brought some fantastic breakfast options. All pretty healthy and so incredibly filling. The Bircher Muesli was one of our favourites, along with the breakfast bagels filled to the brim with eggs, bacon and hollandaise sauce. A real treat which has helped to keep us going until the hotel’s complimentary 4pm afternoon snack and coffee!

We don’t think we’ve stayed anywhere else in South East Asia where the service and facilities have been as good as at Amnaya Resort.

Bookings.com gives it 4 stars, but we think it deserves to be 5 stars, such is the quality of the overall stay. It’s effectively been half board, given the extensive breakfast and afternoon snacks. In addition the pool, gym and reading/chill out rooms make it feel like a proper resort, meaning you don’t feel like leaving, despite how close central Kuta is.

If we come back to Bali again, we will definitely return for a few days stay.

The little touches around the hotel are what make it, messages from the cleaning staff each day, saying how much they hope we are enjoying our stay, and the smiling & welcoming faces from each member of staff as you walk past them in the resort. Nothing is too much trouble.

After another day by the pool, reading, relaxing and running on the treadmill (Andy only), we decided to venture out and pick up some small souvenirs from our stay in Kuta.

Throughout our tour we have bought a bracelet from each country as a reminder, so today we purchased ones from a Kuta stall. All have been inexpensive, but help to signify our time away and provide a daily reminder of how much we have seen over the last 9 months. With the bracelet numbers growing, we are starting to look like extras from Glastonbury festival…..

We returned to an Indonesian restaurant on the main drag in Kuta we visited on our first night.

The staff were very friendly and the place sold a range of local beers, including Andy’s new favourite Bali Hai, which now makes his list of tried and tested beers in Asia to over 35!

If truth be told, we weren’t quite sure what to expect of Kuta when we first decided to return to Bali, prior to Amelia and Meg’s arrival on the 9th, but we have had such an amazing time.

It’s been low key we acknowledge, but that’s just it, Kuta has lots on offer including shops, bars and restaurants, but more importantly it has a relaxing and friendly atmosphere along with a great beach & views.

Dinner was Nasi Goreng for two, along with a couple of Bali Hai‘s before we went for a walk along the front and came across a themed food market with old American hot-rods on the forecourt.

We couldn’t really work out the relevance of the cars, other than they looked good and had been restored to a high standard, including a 1960 Morris from our home city of Oxford.

Having spent most of the day without the camera, we wanted to capture a few memories of our time in Kuta along with the fantastic hotel.

So after 5 very relaxing days in Kuta, our batteries have now been fully recharged and we move on tomorrow to Canggu in readiness for the girls’ arrival.

We are so looking forward to seeing Amelia and Meg and hearing about their summer to date.

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!

Today was a good old fashioned lazy affair by the pool. After a filling & indulgent 4 course breakfast, we retired to our sun lounger and dug into reading, swimming and generally lolling around.

Around 3pm Andy found the strength to hit the gym for his 5k run fix, and we reconvened at 4.30pm in the hotel restaurant for afternoon tea & cake.

Following our relaxing day, we decided to venture out early evening for drinks and a bite to eat.

After happy hour drinks in an Aussie filled restaurant, we went further afield and visited Dulang Kafe, which specialises in Asian Fusion. With the heat of the day still around 28c, we opted for alfresco dinning and enjoyed a lite bite of chicken and cashew nuts with rice between the two of us.

This part of the trip, definitely feels more like a holiday as we return to a more sedate daily schedule. The 6am starts in China are behind us for a couple of weeks, before we return to Shanghai on the 21st to pick up where we left off and get back to more city excursions and tours.

For the present we are embracing the slower pace, which will definitely fit in with Amelia and Meg when they arrive on the 9th.

We intend to take things easy and make the most of our quieter days, just got to plan a little more for our forthcoming city visits to Shanghai, Seoul and Tokyo in late September and early October.

After our dinner out in Kuta, we returned around 10pm, and made our plans for tomorrow which involve pressing ‘repeat’ and making the most of our hotel stay for the next couple of days.