Early Thursday morning, the 1st of November, Richard and I were up and in the lobby of The Seminyak Hotel ready to greet the Magic Group who had flown in from Perth for the start of a four-day campaign of drinking, eating, shopping, meetings, more drinking, eating and shopping before some more drinking and eating.
After almost a year of not seeing anyone it was so nice to greet lots of familiar smiling faces and some new faces who had joined the group in the past 10-months.
Everyone was greeted with welcome drinks and the weary travellers slowly retired to their rooms, except a few stragglers, including Richard (no big surprise there), who were on a mission to see the sun come up.
One of the stragglers, who shall remain nameless, ended up sleeping in the hotel lobby. We all laughed the following night when all the lobby pillows we removed after dark... a very subtle hint!
That same Thursday morning, the alarm went off at 7 and Richard and I were up for brekky before Richard began a day of meetings with his team.
With only 2 hours sleep under his belt, I didn't envy him.
I made sure everyone was happy with their plans for the day before I snuck up to bed for a few more hours shut eye.
By late morning I hit the streets of Seminyak on a mission to buy some clothes for Richard who needed to wear something a little nicer than the caravan clothes he'd packed for the big welcome dinner that evening.
The afternoon was quiet. I set up camp by the infinity pool in the hotel to have a swim, some lunch and watch the world go by on the beach. It felt strange not to have Richard or the kids around me for the first time in months.
That evening, we met everyone in the hotel lobby before we were all transported to one of Bali's newest restaurants called Slippery Stone.
Dinner was amazing and world class and it was so nice to sit and chat to everyone about the past year....
Again there were the usual stragglers who were the last to leave. And we all watched on in awe as Karl and Angel challenged each other to a shooting match....
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| Cheers! |
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Bottoms Up
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No doubt once again, there were a few sore heads and green gills the next day.
Friday the 2nd of November and everyone was up bright and early ready for a day-long group activity. After bringing the group up to Bali every year for the last ten years it was getting hard to find something that would be a different experience that everyone could participate in and enjoy... But this year we managed to pull it off beautifully with a group cooking class.
We were picked up at 7am and taken up into the hills, to the beautiful village of Ubud. The trip up through the hills proved challenging for some who were suffering from car sickness, Bali Belly or a hangover (I would bet my house on the latter) poor old Bali Belly has been unfairly blamed a lot on this trip.
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| Dave has a terrible bout of Bali Belly? Not! |
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| The aromas of a Bali marketplace |
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| Sampling and learning about the local produce |
We were then taken to a rice field and told about how the rice crops work.... each family owns a paddock which produces white rice three times a year. The red and black rice, which they use a lot less of for desserts, are grown one or two times a year...
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| A world heritage listed rice paddy |
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| Learning how it all works |
The final port of call was to a private home where we were taught about the configuration of the Balinese family compound. I felt like we had been allowed into the life of this Balinese family.
Their homes are all set out the same with meeting places to one side, a room for the family elders and then other areas for the younger family members.
We all learnt something new when we were told that the placenta of every baby born in that family is planted within the compound for good luck and to ward off evil spirits.
Not quite pre -lunch conversation but interesting. It wasn't long before everyone was ushered to the back of the compound to be handed an apron and put to work in the kitchen. Everyone had a job to do... chopping, cooking, grinding etc...
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| The cooking instructor shows us how it's done |
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Terrance, Dave & Richard ready for their cooking class
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It was great to see everyone, even the blokes, not only getting involved but really enjoying themselves....
It wasn't long before our first course was served and then we were all back in the kitchen finishing off the main meal....
The food was amazing and it ended up being a great day, hopefully one that everyone will reminisce over for years to come.
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| Richard (in traditional headgear) with the cooking teacher |
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| The empty bottles say it all |
By late afternoon, we all rolled out of the place, full to the brim and were taken back to the hotel where everyone ended up cooling off in the pool for the rest of the evening.
Saturday the 3rd of November and after two early mornings for everyone, we all got to have a sleep in. We met in the lobby at midday and we were all taken to one of Richard and my favourite restaurants, Naughty Nuri's which specializes in Margaritas and Pork Ribs.
It wasn't long before everyone was getting into the Naughty Nuri's spirit, clapping as the staff did their Margarita dance....
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| Enjoying lunch at Naughty Nuri's |
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| The kids meet us for lunch |
Anyway, as is normally the case, lunch turned into dinner and by around 7 the last of us left Naughty Nuri's. It was upsetting to have to say goodbye to the kids for another one more night.
Back at the hotel the pool was the popular choice for the evening where we all sat for hours chatting around the pool bar before Richard and I retired to bed, leaving a few behind. That few ended up having a sing a long well past midnight.
Sunday the 4th of November... it was a slow start for everyone, the last few full-on days of shopping, drinking and the humidity finally catching up.
After everyone had breakfast it was time for a group photo and farewells before everyone got on the bus.
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| The Magic Group |
There were hugs and kisses all round. Everyone was full of thanks for a memorable few days but really, it's us who were thanking them for another year of hard work and dedication.
Again to you all, Richard and I reserve the right to make the last - Thank You!
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