Are you ready for this???
Day two onwards!
We literally left W Hotel about 3pm isn, and drove to our new digs (talk about understatement) in Seminyak, approximately 5 minutes from W. We were splitting away from Mario and Di and the kids here, as they had booked to their own 3 bed-villa which was a beauty and literally 5 minute walk from ours, or if you are Mario 1 minute scooter ride.
So we pull up in taxi and in front of us believe it or not is Craig/Katherine and the kids just landed from Lombok, and about an hour later in comes Pete/Deb plus kids from their previous local in Bali.
Amazing isn't it. We have not been together as a group for over 6 years, and it was just SO easy to do and literally all arrive at the same time. Incredible and we have now made a pact that we shall be doing this every year somewhere in the world. What fun, what and experience and so very very nice to see everyone together again.
The sad thing though - BOOM both Amy and Ollie got whacked by fever for 3 of the 5 days there. Such a shame. It just came and WHAM they got knocked down by it and on the second to last day so did cowboy Will, Pete and Deb's little lad. Such a shame as it kind of land-locked us to the villa and the little restaurant down the road (literally at the end of the road), even the beach was visited by us for about 30 minutes and then I had to run Amy home to get medicine inside her.
Shame, but not all was lost.
Also not too many photos therefore as we spent most time in the villa and there are so many you can take of the same location over a 5 day period, so only the different ones to follow!!!
So unassuming is the drive down to the villa. Down this little road. This the one I mentioned before re the barrier there, at the end, see it? Well right there is the restaurant I mentioned - really nice, mixture of recipe origin but my twice eaten favourite - fried Indonesian Duck - holy crap, exquisite!!!!! Worth a trip just for it!
You then rock up at an also pretty unassuming entrance as beautifully showed off by my darling Amy in her new dress she chose and bought that very day. Kind of gives nothing away does it, nothing special really.
Even in to the courtyard entrance, again nothing special really, kind of nice, could be a bit bigger - there's a lot of us staying here.
Then BOOM.
F*CK OFF you are kidding me?
Are you serious???
This is the entrance facing back to that unassuming entrance. Yes a pool table, yes this is one little bit of it all. Yes there is the kitchen and then a dry kitchen and accommodation for the 6 staff is behind. Yes 6 staff, and Manager in Dora who was amazing!
Let's have a turn left and look at the living room area and the bar, with fridge and wine fridge even. Our gorgeous mates Craig & Katherine showing it off in style - I believe with Craig sporting a local wine beverage in hand - good man!! What a place, but hold on ........ there's more .............
How about turning 180 and facing the other way now. Here is beautiful Mary showing off from the pool table to the actual pool now, and gardens behind. OMG it's just beautiful is it not. And of course Mary, he he! Had to say that and not mention Facebook I have just been told.
Come on babe how can I not mention FACEBOOK with a pose like that, wine in hand, perched sexily on the edge of sun lounger, pool behind, sun on back, gardens in view. It SCREAMS of Facebook Facebook, ha ha!
Yours truly now up for a pose too, had to be done. I hear screams of BLOGGIE BLOGGIE!!!!
How about now I take you for a walk upstairs to the tope floor where there were 3 rooms, one for us which was stupidly big. Kindly the guys gave us this as we had Amy sleeping with us in the same room. Amazing room though. Here is the walkway to our room from the main part of the villa.
How about a little look down from that walkway at the pool and lounge area? OMG!!!!!!!
How about chasing Amy back from the room down our pathway to the main house.
It HAS to be - FaceBook FaceBook - beautiful pics of Mary in pool on a boiling sun day. All else were out and the kids were sleeping off the temperature with loads of Ibuprofen etc. Poor little things!
How about a view from the main house back at the 3 rooms, yes 2 below and entire top floor for us which is one room, yes ONE room. Holy cow!!!!
Sitting in the pool, I thought again I'd take a nice snap back at our bedroom on the top floor. Just amazing it really was. And only opened in August so we were literally the third tenants only!!!
Here's a quick snap across the length of the main house of the villa from the corner of the bar. As you can imagine a well stocked fridge of local beverages and you really did not have to wander to be having fun with friends here. Kids to bed, adults remain and party. Just superb! And during day just sat around chilling out, reading, swimming, sunning, chatting, and having amazing food cooked for us by the chef in residence!
This is again shot from the bar, but now facing down the connecting corridor to the bedrooms. This is below the walkway you saw Amy running across.
This is the one time I think that Amy was able to go in the pool, literally next day she was knocked down with the virus thing. But he she is with new boyfriend and strongman, Charlie. They had great fun together in the pool and for rest of vacation Amy was, "Uncle Mario where's Charlie?", "Aunty Di where's Charlie?"
Out first night together our 80/90's spirit was relived as Omar was playing a gig at W Hotel. So off we all went to watch, coolio! Gig on the beach, few beers and a little dancing. Omar rocked, pretty damn good my friend! Amy still with us, but in a few hours it hits!
Go for it Omar - now is that a concert back-drop made in heaven or what!
I don't want to watch a concert indoors EVER again - spoilt completely rotten!!!
A beautiful first meal together with our mates, left to right - Deb, Di, Katherine, Craig, Pete, Mario and of course my Mary - me taking pic, boo hoo!! There in spirit guys, love you all!
No Mary is not pregnant. That is actually Amy's bum, as she lays on Mary's tummy. Say cheese Amy.
And opposite on the other table is - yeap THE KIDS. Very well behaved I have to say, stuffing down pizzas, and of course Mr Kennett with Mocktail in hand!
And then IT HIT.
Poor little baby. Days of headaches, high temperatures (Still), vomiting, achy bones, stomach aches too - poor little love. Then Ollie had it hit for a day and half as well, dear me!
What to do - well befriend the local restaurant I mentioned. Think it was called Artes. Really nice.
Plain, simply, airy, chillout music, not busy, great food, cold beer and my darlings. So let's make best of a poor situation with the sick ones. We'd wander up here to feed the before we could feed them anti-biotics for the sickness. Oh dear. Food was enjoyed by all - favourite serving I think being the edamame - think we cleaned them out of this - and for me that fried duck Indonesian style - OMG!!!!!
Like before an after shots isn't it.
Above, drugs have kicked in and eating before anti-biotics go in as well.
Below, awaiting drugs to kick in for both, Ollie in PJ's, Amy with cold flannel on head. Dear me pumpkins!
A little fund for me and the gang when they were not asleep was to whizz up and down the road on Mario's scooter. WInd in their hair and all that, but so nice to see smiles from them despite feeling like sh*t they giggled and squealed.
OK OK we did get told off by security, but it was worth it.
I had been using the bike to go back and forth to 24x7 Pharmacy for more and more drugs following the ambulance, Dr and nurse visit to the villa from the clinic for Amy on first day of being ill ALL day.
Me and Ollie.
Me and Amy, bless she had to stand on the front of me, and look at that helmet.
Would you like some Amy with the helmet Sir??
Who is this masked rider with me.
Some visiting pop star, dignitary that does not want to photographed. Nope it's the best one Ollie took of Mary and I having some fun on the bike. Believe me this is the best. Nice half a should shot babe, nice one Ollie - ha ha!
Posers!
Me and the squidlets park in the shade for some posed shots on the bike before squealing off down the road for some giggles.
And final shot for the vacation from me.
We had another stay at home day on last day minus 1. Deb/cowboy Will were with us too as he had been sick and was also running the temperature. All were in bed, Ollie high temp so no pool.
Ah Ha, that's no swimming pool, not pool/billiards. So we had a game of two together in the cool shade of the house. Great fun thanks Ollie.
I just found these snaps on the camera so here is an extended blog - whoopsy, sorry!
Here is yours truly back to the restaurant at the end of the path - yep kids still sick so only place we could escape to knowing we could get back very quickly! Ah Bali Pirates T-short, sunny day, cool in the shade, cold glass of local in my hand - very very nice.
Then I spot the dirty dirty dirty security guard. What's he doing being that sign, is he doing what I think he's doing - oooooooooooohhhhhhhh yucks!!!! Ha Ha, yeah yeah I know. But I saw this and thought it looked real funny so here he is, potentially having a huge wee from behind the sign. OK OK, he's hosing down the flowers, that's right take away my fun, go on!
Yours truly again. Everyone else had gone out. Another sickness day. My two in bed or lounging with wet towels on head. Hot day so a little dip in the pool is in order. Very nice!
Our last full day, and in varying stages of I fell sick Dad. Ollie just chilling in the sun.
Amy sat on the stairs from the living room in her new (that she chose) dress, very beautiful babe.
The last supper for us. Well was beers for me, and grabbing a takeaway for Mary and I to eat sat out side the room. Still we had fun. I bumped in to the rest of the guys at - yep you guessed it - the restaurant at the end of the path AGAIN. Grabbed some takeout, some beer and some wine and back I went. But nice to have a photo of me and the guys finally on the blog, Pete I think was photographer, sorry Pete!
To close thank you SO Much to our friends for organising and in fact suggesting this get together.
Truly wonderful to see you all, and to have us all together after so very very long.
It was amazing.
The pact is cast in stone and blood now, this has to become a yearly thing - The Kennett's will absolutely be there!
Love to all!
