Seminyak

Because it's been such a long time between tours, it really does feel like the first ever one. I feel as nervous as my first day at a new job, and that's the way I’m looking at it to be honest.

The day finally arrives and i’ve been awake since way before dawn. I mentally calculate how much coffee i’ll need to stay awake without getting the jitters.

We pick up each of the ladies and after the obligatory introductions, we’re off! Im feeling totally in my groove, this is just like riding a bike.

First stop Bungalow Living where the closed borders mean things have been evolving, with a new cafe space being currently set up, so coffee there was off the menu. However we are assured it will be up and running in a week or two.

We are all chatting and laughing and before you know it we are at our next stop and coffee! After coffee we feel normal and can continue shopping.

Before we know it it’s almost lunchtime so we pop a bubbles and toast to Bali opening and our shopping and us. To be honest, do we really need an excuse to open a bubbles?

Lunch overlooking the rice paddies at Warung D’Carik was a lovely break. The meals are always delicious and we’re lucky enough to watch the rice being harvested in the paddy next to our table.

Off we go again, and it’s over all too soon. I’m having such a fun time, I don't want it it to end.

Tegallalang

Picking up the ladies and we are all chatting away like we’d known each other forever. This is what I love the most about the shopping tours, the connection with others.

We can hear coffee calling us, so we found a cute cafe that doubles as a shop selling traditional Bali doors. Caffeinated, we keep going to Tegallalang. This is a 10km road, with shops either side, so I’m glad I had an espresso to power me up.

There is so much to see that we are making slow progress, but we realise that we don’t need to go into every shop, and that speeds things up.

Lunch is a view of the famous Tegallalang rice terraces. We could have a swim but the cool breeze has kept the temperature down and none of us feel the need to cool down.

We park in front of empty shops really close to the cafe, where a tiny Ibu is lying in wait for us to buy bracelets, bananas and postcards as payment for letting us park in front of her shop. I bargain her down to about 20 bananas and some postcards for 50,000. Expensive parking lol!

As we head up the hill to lunch, we have shopped only one side of the road, so now we head down the hill and shop the other side of the road. More purchases are made, photos taken and laughs had.

Bubbles time! This cork flew out of the bottle of its own accord onto a shop roof. Lucky I wasn’t pointing it straight up into the back window of the van, or at anyone! Champagne finished, shopping continued until the shops were closing and it was time to head home.

It has been a huge day and tiredness is creeping in. Another day of firsts over. I'm excited now for the rest of 2022.