No Bursting My Babble

I don't claim to be an expert but I will say that if you plan your trip long enough, fuss and fret about it as you would over a newborn (I wouldn't know but I am told...), pore over hotels, motels, B&B's, special lodgings, vacation rentals, etc. for hundreds upon zillions of hours, send out countless email inquiries, harass-beg for early bird rates and extra extras, your obsessive laboring will bear fruit and will gift you a trip that shall henceforth, be your benchmark for bliss.

At last...

I knew Bali was big but I did not know that it was big to the litany of Amed, Candidasa, Canggu, Denpasar, Gianyar, Gilimanuk, Jimbaran, Karangasem, Kerobokan, Kintamani, Kuta, Legian, Lovina, Negara, Nusa Dua, Nusa Lembongan, Padangbai, Pecatu, Pemuteran, Sanur, Seminyak, Singaraja, Tabanan, Tanjung Benoa, Tanah Lot, Tuban, Ubud, Uluwatu, Umalas, Ungasan big. (Gasps. Now there's a mouthful.)

Initially, it was Ubud for the arts, Jimbaran for the seafood fiesta, and Nusa Dua for the seascape escape. Easy peasy.

Before long, it was Umalas for the ricefield vistas, Uluwatu for its towering chalk cliffs, and Sanur for its sunrise views. Not so lemon squeezy...

I changed my mind again and decided on a Gianyar forest retreat, Candidasa for its underwater wonders, and Lovina for cavorting with the dolphins. But...

As happenstance would make happen, as luck would have it, as good fortune would bestow, we ended up dividing our time between Canggu, Seminyak, and Pecatu. That is how you do bliss.

Ametis Villa in Canggu was selected almost solely on the strength of these two statements on their website:

1. Canggu is a place that most surfers will know about, apart from that, it is quite (sic), very local and offers lovely views of rice fields as opposed to cement in Seminyak.

2. Ametis is located in the sleepy coastal village of Canggu. It is now the preferred destination for savvy travellers seeking an alternative to the urban sprawl of neighbouring Seminyak. The serenity of Canggu is a refreshing change to the hustle and bustle of Seminyak with its crowded streets and limited parking.

Well, I am an odd girl and found it good for a laugh.

Since the commonly-held view of Seminyak is a locale with some of the best lodgings, restos, and beaches in Bali; I came to the conclusion (convoluted, to be sure) that any place that feels itself worthy to be derisive of Seminyak must offer something special.

Canggu does! Although, I should confess... the word "surfers" sealed the deal.

The hard-core tourists in us had originally penciled in a trip to the Tanah Lot Temple, Alas Kedaton, and the Mengwi Royal Palace on our day of arrival. But we were well and truly knackered by our Singapore exploits (Tut tut, self. It is a sad day when you say "exploits" the same time you recall "museums", "cereal prawns", "endless walking"; god, what a marmishly middle-age thing to say.) and found indoors too great a force to resist...

How to even entertain the outside world when...

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