Sanur pano Dec 2010

Above is a panorama done using that marvellous program Autostitch. Fast, and free. No seams visible, ever. Also done in sRGB colour space, so the colour comes through.

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Bloody hell, I’m cold, in February! Actually — February??? Where’s the summer gone? Only four weeks to autumn. Better head back to Bali, I think.

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Crumbs, I’ve just found what looks like the perfect place. It’s a set of 16 apartments called a condotel, on Jalan Tamblingan. Unfortunately they’re away from the beach, but it has a pool, of course. They’re asking $54 a night. I suspect I could bargain that down for a long stay.

The thing is, each room is 80 sq. m. and has a dining table and lounge area, and a small kitchen. One drawback is that wi-fi is only available in a hot spot in the ‘public area’. I have a high sensitivity wi-fi adapter – it might reach from the room.

Maybe I’ll book a week in the cheap, cheap $22 a night beach guest house, then the rest of a 30 days stay at this condotel. That price of $54 a night is what I was saying is no more than a lease on a villa would cost. If I could get it down to $50 a night. Hmmm…

DANG! Problem, too good to be true. Booked out on the dates I want.

One reviewer says half the 16 apartments are occupied by permanent residents. I’m not surprised.

I’ve emailed them asking when I could get a booking from 7 – 30 days long. I notice their web site offers 20% discount off their $75 standard rate for showing your boarding pass. So they do offer discounts.

UPDATE: I found they have a room from 1 March to 14 March, 13 nights, so I’ve booked it. It was the last one and I couldn’t go beyond 14 March. I’ll try this and see how it goes. I can cancel up to a week beforehand and I haven’t paid anything yet, so no risk.

Further update: the condotel have emailed me back and they can offer me 16 March to 31 March, just not 15 March. So I could go away on an overnight trip somewhere, leaving my bags at reception, and come back. I’ve told them I’ll think on it. It might be best to stick with the shorter booking as I might not like it.

At $54 per night x 365 = $19,710 a year. I’m sure you could swing a better deal than that. It’s a better deal than leasing, I think. No contracts, no surprises, no lawyers. And if I wanted a break back here, I could sub-let it, maybe?

OK, now to book a flight. And consider where to stay for the remainder of the 30 days. (See below)

Kuta Beach 2010. Those trees weren’t there in 1980 when I first went. Nor the cranes.

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I started looking at airfares on Air Asia last night. They say $119 one way, but somehow it becomes $179 even before you start adding luggage. Then it becomes $220 when luggage is added, and even more if you want a meal and choice of seat.

So when Garuda is $213 one way ($526 return) for 30Kg baggage, with two checked bags, full service meal, free drinks and in-flight movie, and a tray table that I can get fully down, why would I choose Air Asia?

I’m all excited again now.

DANG AGAIN! Garuda no longer flies direct Perth to Bali. Only via Jakarta, with a loooong overnight wait at Jakarta airport. No way.

It looks as if I’m stuck with Jetstar and Air Asia, and despite their “$280 return” advertised price, it’s going to cost me upwards of $500 return with all the add-ons, I think. Damn, there’s no choice.

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I’ve just looked at the travel insurance policy I took out ($403 worth) for the Xmas trip, to see if I can claim the leg ulcer treatment. The first clause says:

What you are not covered for
1. Any claims if at the time you take out this insurance and/or prior to you booking any single trip the following apply:

a) You are aware of any medical condition or set of circumstances which could lead to a claim.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t say I was unaware of my potential leg ulcer condition. That’s why I apply Dermeze daily. I think I’d be wasting my time making a claim.

That means I think the whole idea of paying so much for travel insurance that I’ll almost never be able to use is a waste of money. I’ve paid out many hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars for insurance over the years and I have never made a claim or been able to make a claim. I think I’ll just not bother next trip.

Hmmm…         © PJ Croft 2010, 2016