Fun Times & Farewells, Bali

Sorry about my lack of updates in the last few days... I have been unable to get internet connection and rather than get concerned about it, I have continued to slip into Bali time where each day slips into the next.
Tuesday the 26th, I continued to say farewell to family and friends at Blue Karma, those that remained continued to relax by the pool over a cocktail or two or do some last minute shopping.

Nina & Nonno (Phillip) by the pool

Aunty Carmel & Nina

Olivia & Aunty Fran take time out from shopping

Tuesday afternoon we all headed towards Ron & Lee's Villa Hai again, Mum & Dad were keen to see the Villa and have a housewarming drink in the new Villa - needless to say they loved it.
We then met up with everyone at Ultimo in Seminyak for dinner. It would be our last dinner with some of my family who were heading home the next morning.

The boys and their beautiful kissing cousins Olivia & Jess

Jack, Aunty Carmel & Harry & Ultimo's

Harry and his Aunty Nan

Harry with his Nanna & Nonno

Fran, Carmel, Sonia, Rosetta & Phillip with lychee Bellini's all round

As always, the stragglers continued on after dinner - and being so close to the champagne bar we thought it a shame not to stop in... Shamus, Andrew, Olivia, Richard and I sipped cocktails and champagne and shot the breeze while watching music videos and solving the problems of the world.
Shamus got a hard time when he decided to order a mango daiquiri - it seems spending a few days with the girls had rubbed off...

Shamus and his Mango Daquiri

A champagne bar hostess and Shamus

Eventually, we all headed back to Blue Karma, tomorrow would be a big day... we would be up early to say goodbye to Mum & Dad and some more family and friends.

It was emotional to see everyone off on Wednesday morning the 27th, it could be another 6 months before we see everyone again....

Liv waves goodbye from the cab

We then had to start packing up at Blue Karma and moving back to Villa Hai. It was another sad task to say goodbye to all of the beautiful staff at Blue Karma. They had let us take over and felt like part of the family, laughing and joking with us and catering to our every whim. We had definitely put them through their paces and they had stood up to the test...

Richard with Ardita who organised the function at Blue Karma

It was then back to Villa Hai to Ron & Lee's and to spend a night with Uncle Barry and Aunty Jac before they flew home the next day. So Wednesday afternoon was a lazy one by the pool, drinking the bottles of champas I was given for my birthday (Thanks Liz & Shell)....

Having a champas with my 3 40 glasses

Jack takes on the palm tree again

Richard with a Bintag - now there's an anomaly haha

While the cousins all played together in the pool and the bath...

Tom, Nina, Harry, Lola & Jack in the bath at Villa Hai

Wednesday night was back to Naughty Nuri's for pork ribs and margarita's at Aunty Jacqui's request....

Nina joins in the Margarita shake at Naughty Nuri's

Thursday morning the 28th of June and it was a last brekky with Uncle Baz and Aunty Jac before they caught a taxi and were off to the airport... there were hugs and kisses all round...

The 2 Jack's share a goodbye hug

Nina & Aunty Jac

Richard gets a cuddle in

Uncle Barry waves goodbye

Thursday was a quiet day, everyone was happy to lay by the pool or read books while the kids watched movies and caught up on some sleep.
Richard and I went for a morning walk and were on our way to the Changgu Cafe for a juice when we saw a terrible accident.
A motorcyclist had hit a dog as it ran across the road... We stopped in our tracks and moved quickly as the bike came hurtling towards us along with its driver. The driver must have slid a good 40 metres along the road on his body before coming to a standstill. Richard &  I rushed to his aid trying to stop anyone moving him but, as is with Bali, things happen differently and the locals were pulling him off the road with little regard for broken bones... he managed to get to his feet and I was shocked but not surprised to see how much skin he'd lost. We left him when we could see he was ok and headed towards the cafe - a juice was the last thing I felt like.

By afternoon,  Richard was getting frustrated with no internet connection so he took off up the street back to the Canggu cafe to tap into their WiFi and do some work, Lee also was feeling the same and headed up to the Canggu Club in the hope of finding some internet access - no one found what they were looking for.. it seemed the whole area was internet free.
Olivia and I took the girls for an afternoon high-tea at a funky little cafe in Seminyak called Biku and after hogging ourselves on delectables like scones with jam & cream, cupcakes, sandwiches etc... we rolled out of the cafe and headed home, determined not to eat dinner....
Dinner was spag bog for everyone (haha), it was nice to have a home cooked meal.

Nina & Lola, ready for high-tea

The girls get stuck into their high-tea

Friday the 29th of June ... and I was up and back the gym with Ron, Lee & Olivia... back on the power plate... I could definitely feel it after a week of excesses and no exercise ... but I felt a lot better for it.
We then headed back to the Villa and before long Shayne and the girls (The Cheney's)  were there, they had come to spend their last day in Bali with us, and we were all off to the beach for a surf.
The kids had so much fun taking on the Bali surf - the boys Byron Bay surf lessons had paid off, after a few wipeouts, they were looking like surfing pro's.
We then all headed towards the Canggu Club for lunch and a swim, as well as a spot of touch rugby which had everyone's competitive juices flowing....

Playing touch rugby at the Canggu Club

Georgia takes a plunge

So does Nina

Richard had promised to take the Cheney girls, Georgia & Ashley for a bike ride, so off they went... braving the traffic, I think they loved every minute....

Georgia, Richard & Ashley go for a ride

By late afternoon we returned to Villa Hai where we said our goodbye's to the Cheney family who were heading back to Melbourne. It had been so nice to be able to have them at my 40th and be able to buffer them from the culture shock that is Bali...

Goodbye hugs for Megan

Ella, Ashley, Nina & Georgia share a goodbye group hug

The boys have one last Bintang

Shayne & Richard share a moment, in between Bintangs (of course)

The evening was a quiet one for me, we had farewelled the last of our beautiful guests and after a big day at the gym, in the surf and playing touch rugby, not to mention a week of partying I was cactus and feeling every bit of my 40 years.... but again there were stragglers who were determined to see the sunrise.
I'm not sure if they made it - but they all looked a little worse for wear come morning.