Traveller's Tales

I spent 6 days in Bali at Nusa Dua in October 1996.  Most of that time I occupied myself by lazing on the beach or in the hotel (the Melia Bali Hotel) and in its luxurious gardens, as the sole purpose of my trip to Bali was to chill out, after having spent the previous week in hectic Hong Kong.

I found the Balinese people working in the hotel to be extremely polite and attentive - nothing was too much trouble (as I discovered one day when arriving late for breakfast - I ordered Danish pastries and the waiter serving me insisted on having some more pastries baked after these had run out). This was a little unnerving at first as back at home in the UK, you are not likely to receive the same kind of attention. 

When I stepped outside the hotel to visit the local market, the gentle sounds of the Gamelan orchestras provided the music, which was a perfect accompaniment for this serene environment.

The hotel provided a great choice of restaurants which were all set in the grounds of the hotel.  One night I thought I would try the chinese restaurant, having recently acquired dexterity in the use of chopsticks (and here's a photo to prove it).  If you are going to try some local nosh, try a Balinese curry at your peril.  The one I had had some lethal chili peppers lurking in it, which I discovered too late... several glasses of water later I had just about recovered.

Author: Dorraine Bennett       ©2001 Dors Productions