Been there, done that, we've been the Bali too!

I know I've had a major hiatus from the blog but when you read these next few posts you'll understand why. The De Rooy's have barely sat still these last three months! And the fun continues..... but I'll save that for another post

Earlier in the year we decided it was time for another De Rooy adventure overseas. Seeing as we had two small children to travel with this time we went with the easy option - Bali! After flying to Darwin (about an hour) Bali is only a two hour flight for us. Much more manageable with two small children than our last adventure to the USA and Canada.

We were extremely blessed to be offered the use of a friends villa in Candidasa (about two hours drive up the east coast of Bali) - a place I visited when I last went to Bali in 1988. Being a bit more out of the way than the other resort hot spots like Seminyak, Kuta and Sanur, Candidasa was the perfect spot to take our two little intrepid travellers.

The De Rooys at Bali Santi in Candidasa

Our super-confident two and a half year old was the hit of Candidasa. Strutting up the street to get lunch or dinner in her pink dress or red shorts and pig tails, she didn't exactly blend in with the locals. More like stand out like a sore thumb! But everyone loved it. She was very happy to chat to anyone and was very good at using the Indonesian words I had taught her. Sometimes it took a little prompting but she could say "Nama saya Miriam" (my name is Miriam) "Selamat Pagi" (good morning) and a few other phrases. Needless to say the locals found this hilarious.

The "De Rooy stack"



Both Allan and I have eaten Indonesian food many times before. In fact, Sate Ayam (chicken) is one of my favourite meals. I haven't found anywhere in Australia that makes it like they do in South East Asia. For Miriam, however, this trip was a culinary adventure. Each day brought new delights and some disasters, but overall it was fun. We didn't make her eat Indonesian food everyday - there really is only so much Nasi Goreng a toddler can eat - but she had to try everything. We had Babi Kecap (Pork in soy sauce) at the Pasar Malam (night market) and Sate Ayam at the Watergarden. Astrid and I had eaten at the Watergarden when we came to Bali in '88. I'd like to say it was a trip down memory lane but being 8 I don't remember all that much. Even Ezzy tried new food, sucking back on a coconut in Ubud.

 

One of my favourite photos from the trip

Our little intrepid travellers didn't not let us down, trekking with us to Ubud, Amlapura, Mt Agung, Tirta Gangga and Tanganan. Probably the roughest day was when we went to Tanganan for a coming-of-age ceremony. Only occurring once a year, the ceremony involved young boys fighting each other with pandanas leaves for swords. Every man, women, child, dog and motorbike for miles around was there and a few hundred tourists as well. It was chaos!!! We had a wonderful lunch with our driver Wayan's family (with it's own culinary delights such as shredded prok marinated in pigs blood.....ugh!) and in true Balinese style they doted on our children. After lunch we took up residence as close to the ceremonial stage as possible. Hours and hours later the fighting finally got started, however myself and girls were so shattered from standing half the day in the heat that we left only 10 minutes after it started. It was an interesting cultural experience nonetheless.

The only bit of ceremonial fighting we saw

Allan rehydrating Ezzy while we waited



After 9 days in Candidasa we said goodbye to Wayan, his wife Comang, Gary (the Aussie hotdog guy), Taman the fisherman and Adi; and headed to Seminyak for one night. Friends from our Church in Brisbane had moved to Bali a few months ago so we were able to catch up with them and they showed us around during our short stay. After being in the relative quiet of Candidasa I am glad we didn't stay long in Seminyak - it was crazy! Our villa was enormous (we were upgraded) and so stunningly beautiful I nearly cried.

Our room looking out onto our private plunge pool (oh yeah skinny dipping!)

Ezzy and I on Seminyak Beach

That was a VERY quick wrap up of our Bali adventure but if you ask Miriam next time you see her she will be only too happy to regale you with tales of our holiday in our "Bali House".