Note: I've had this post on the go for a few days now as I was trying to track down a couple of photos that I particularly wanted to post...between 2 video cameras and 2 cameras we had between us these photos seem to have vanished. What makes things worse is that my new video camera has crapped itself :-( So I've had to just bite the bullet and post this without them....
The adventure was a complete success! Everything that was worrying me faded into oblivion as we made a successful journey to Bali. Whilst Will didn't sleep well during the daytime flights he was his usual happy self and charmed all the people on board - especially the Balinese air hostesses, one of whom just picked him up from my arms and smothered him in kisses. Good thing I'm happy to share him around and good thing he's a natural flirt....I think he gets that from his dad!
I'm thinking this may take a couple of posts otherwise you'll get bored and stop reading half way through...
We caught a domestic flight to Perth, then had a short wait before boarding a flight with Air Asia to Bali. For a budget airline I was actually pretty happy with them. The seats were small and leg room was terrible but food and drink was pretty cheap and the cabin staff were great. The landing was probably the rockiest I've ever experienced on a commercial flight but I'm not one to get scared or squeamish when travelling.
My first impression of the place was one of obvious hardship but not absolute poverty. People were genuinely friendly but at the same time eager to get your business. It's hard to relate to the sometimes aggressive sales tactics and deception that people use to get by and it put me off right from the word go. I barely did any shopping as I just like to browse and you just can't in Bali. No sooner would you glance at a display in a shop, sometimes adding a comment like "that's nice," and the shop keeper had the item off the rack, telling you they would sell it at special price for you!! Mum and dad went shopping and I just put in a request for a couple of things...My parents are now the world travel experts after their mammoth journey this year and even they said that they didn't feel so harassed in places like Vietnam and Cambodia.
When I tried a pair of sunnies that completely shattered in my hands I decided I didn't need to shop anyway :-)
I have to say that the Balinese really go out of their way for you though. Taking a baby overseas involved a lot of planning and predicting...especially for a control freak like me. I was so happy that everywhere I went they were happy to accommodate us and do anything for Will. Whether it was heating up a meal or bottle for him, providing a cool wash cloth or just smiling at us and appreciating that we had him with us and it wasn't considered a pain in the butt. Australian businesses could take a real note from the Balinese in how they welcome families into their businesses. Sometimes I no sooner enter a store or cafe in Australia and the shop assistent will make no attempt to hide their look of annoyance...though it usually changes to a smile once Will starts charming them :-)
My favourite part of the holiday (other than Simeon and Em's lovely wedding) was that we were able to just relax. I wasn't interested in travelling for hours to go on elephant rides and the like...I just wanted to swim in the pool and enjoy the sunshine and then go back to the comfort of airconditioning. We stayed in a somewhat dated hotel/resort but it was comfortable and in a good location in the old section of Nusa Dua. Simeon, Em and their entourage stayed at a much ritzier place not far from us and we enjoyed visiting them a couple of times. I think a trip to Bali would be even better if you had kids that were a bit older as you wouldn't have to be so careful with meals etc. It was hard finding suitable things for an almost 9 month old to eat. I'm just glad I brought an eski bag with a couple of frozen meals that I could spread over our stay.
This is the super high highchair that Will got to use at our hotel.He looked like he was up high in a throne and he loved it!
I have to tell you what Will did when we arrived at our hotel on the first night. He was so hyped up by about 7pm (his normal bedtime) because of all the new experiences and lack of proper naps that when we got into our hotel room and sat him on the bed he literally was on hand and knees bouncing on the bed and laughing. It was hilarious!!
My parents were amazing to us on the trip. Not only did they help us financially to get there in the first place but they made sure Pete and I had time to go off for massages and swims etc. Will's routine was a bit funky and he'd only sleep if I fed him to sleep otherwise he would scream the hotel down. I knew it wasn't a good habit to let him get in to but I didn't want to deal with angry hotel guests etc. Apart from being a pain in that way, he was really good the whole time. He would wake ridiculously early in the morning but I think that was more to do with his sense of time being all over the place.
Will loved his first experience in the water and was a real natural. He would just throw his arms out and kick and try to swim to us all the time. He didn't get phased when he got water up his nose or got mouthfuls either. I've got us booked in to baby swim lessons and am excited to start next week!
A lovely fellow guest at the hotel saw us playing with Will in the pool and offered us her daughter's floatie. She'd bought it for her to use in the pool but her daughter didn't fit in it.Will loved it!
Just before we went to Bali I found the cutest little hat for Will at Big W and he was loving it and didn't even try to take it off. It's pretty cute hey - especially for a legionnaire style hat!!
I was really bummed towards the end of the trip when we realised we'd lost it. We tried to find a small enough hat for him in Bali but had zero success. So this was our makeshift solution - hanky on the head. Dad tells me this is what they used to do in England...though knowing how cold it is in England no wonder it wasn't overly effective! Very cute though hey!
Now, on to the actual ceremony....Before we went to Bali we had very few details about the wedding. We knew that it was happening on Saturday 8th October at 5pm on a beach. I wasn't sure what sort of ceremony it would be but it was so lovely - better than I imagined. When all the family and friends met up at the resort we strolled down to a lovely spot on the beach nearby and waited for the bridal party. The celebrant was a protestant Christian and was decked out in full on robes and everything. Simeon was getting emotional while he was standing on the beach waiting for his sweetheart and had us all choked up for most of the ceremony too :-)Even seeing Em from a distance as she walked along the beach she was absolutely radiating happiness.
Loved her beaming face!
Sim was emotional but held it together well.
You can tell they adore each other and I'm so happy for them!
Pete took some great smoochie shots!
I got my dress made in 2 days. I took a photo with me of a dress I liked but couldn't get the material I was after and the look wasn't quite right but I liked it in the end.
After the ceremony we all went back to the resort and had a lovely reception dinner at a restaurant right on the beach. It was a gorgeous balmy night and the atmosphere was perfect.