Bali

Happy New Year- 2009! 

We recently returned from our Holiday trip to Bali, Indonesia.  We left the Saturday after Christmas and arrived in Bali around 1:00.  The Grand Hyatt-Nusa Dua is a beautiful resort and didn't disappoint us at all.  If you had blind-folded me and dropped me at our resort in Bali, I would have thought I were in Cancun, Mexico except for the building architecture.  

The resort sits right on the Indian ocean.  Here are a few photos of the resort:

                                       Koi ponds.  Remember this for later.

This was taken at the Club lounge.  When we booked Bali, Jim booked a package that included breakfast every day.  Little did he realize that he had actually booked us in Club level.  It was perfect for us, though.  We had breakfast every morning and appetizers and drinks every afternoon.  The staff helped us book our excursions as well.  It made the trip so much easier and relaxing! 

                                            Pool area, beach and ocean.

The resort was very large and spread out.  It didn't fill up until New Year's when we noticed the beach chairs almost all taken that day.  The vast majority of guests this week were Russian!  Our boys got a first hand experience of Eastern European beach practices, including "banana hammocks" and a few topless bathers.  Interesting when you have a pre-teen boy!  We also noticed a few Japanese guests,  one German family, and one other American family (who happen to be our friends!)

                                                The grounds near our rooms.

 Our rooms were on the second floor to the left here.  We were required to book 2 rooms now that we are a traveling family of five.  The extra space was great as the rooms were a bit small and the boys are a bit big!

                                             The pool in the morning.

The pool complex was fun.  It had two slides for the kids and a pool bar to grab quick drinks and lunches.  It did fill up by the end of our week, but we were always able to find chairs.

                                      Our view from the beach the first day out.

Up Next:  We did two excursions this week: a bike tour and a white water rafting trip.