I also read that report on the other forum and was leery, but I have yet to find anything to dislike about the Bali Hai. We left our last three days open to fill as we please and so far I expect we will be coming back to the Bali Hai for those three days. The brekky is fabulous, the staff are great and do not wait to be asked. If they see are in want, they rush to please. I even got them to open the gym for me at 4am today. Try that anywhere else I've been and they laugh. Tomorrow we are off to the Tegak Sari in Ubud. I have read so much about it that I can't wait to get there. Then we are off to the Hotel Sanur Beach for five days and perhaps back to the Bali Hai. We have a good part of the staff walking around in clothing we have given them and we are treated like kings. We finish with 1 1/2 days in Hong Kong. The weather is still unsettled. I got caught walking in Kuta near the monument at 6 am today and got as wet as a man can be. I realized I had come out with no money and still let 8 or 9 cabs go by while I waited for a Blue Bird. Before I got in I asked if it would be all right that I was soaked and had no money and come on lets go. He was from Sumatra, we had a good talk and he waited while I went to the room to get money.
The rat and I went out for reflexology this afternoon at the Bali Bagus. It was 450,000 a piece for an hour and was very well done. She is napping and I am typing. Off to the Pantai tonight for dinner. Leroy who responded to a post on the other forum awaited us at the airport. I had contacted him and he wanted 50,000 R to pick us up and drive to the Bali hai. Mainly he wanted to solicit us for more work and it worked. He has one of the larger Kijangs in great shape and is picking us up to go to Ubud tomorrow am. With stops at Jamoko tailors and Cigar, Cigar and the tourist center in Ubud to pick up walking maps he is charging us 105k Rph. I'll give him 200k and some shoes and clothing for his wife. We must have bought 20 pairs of brand name shoes in new or great shape and the Balinese love that they are not knock offs. I'll tell you great story about Janoko Tailors when I have more time. We returned to Mini Seafood last night and it was even better. I have an ugly confession to make. I've been eating so robustly that I have stopped drinking the Bintang for fear of fattening up and being too bloated to enjoy my morning walks. The food is more important to me than the beer and the walks are the most important of all. The exercise is great, the people are amazed seeing me out so early in the neighborhoods I get into and I see so much. I'm having the time of my life. The rain hasn't mattered at all and to think I was apprehensive. For me the terrorism threat is a non-issue. I'm more concerned with getting run over. I better get back before my wife wakes up. Moer later, jj de b