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LIve - Bali - Hong Kong (3/24 - 4/8/2018)


Travelcat2
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hi Jackie

I am really interested in hearing your excursion stories as I have not had great experiences on them and usually book our own trips

But since they are paid for, we are going to try it again.One of the major things that annoy me is "be back on the bus by 1" and there always someone who holds up the whole bus because they don,t show up until 1:15

Joe

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5902de07ba7e41f4d42228866cca1f57.jpg

 

Different view of Noodle Bar area

 

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Some of the many signs that you have to look through at airport exit in Bali to find your name. Ours wasn’t there but we did find Regent.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Sounds like a Toto toilet. When we saw one of those it was scary. The toilet does everything if you know what I mean and they are expensive. The seat is heated on some models.

 

Yes - they are Toto toilets which are big in Indonesia. It does have the heated seat (which isn't really necessary in the hot weather here) and it does everything. It is the subject of many conversations between Regent passengers.

 

So, let me start at the end and work my way back to the beginning of the day. Several of us are not taking the full day tour tomorrow but hope to take a taxi to where they have the Seafood BBQ and ride the bus back. Interestingly (or not), another Regent poster asked me what I was going to post on CC about the excursion today and I truthfully couldn't answer.

 

First, the hotel implemented a new rule 3 days ago whereby buses can no longer drive up to the lobby. So, we get into very tight vans and drive about 2 blocks to the entrance where we squeeze ourselves out of the sardine can (oops - should have said van) and into the small, uncomfortable bus. There are 25 passengers per bus which leaves room and there is a back entrance. No disabled seats on the bus but the first row was left for them.

 

The tour guide and bus driver are wonderful - wish that we had that caliber of tour people on all of our Regent excursions. However, with the heat and humidity being higher than it was in the Amazon, the day became quite grueling. Visits to a batik factory, wood carving factory, a village and temple were difficult due to the heat - standing around dripping with perspiration. The thought of going to similar places tomorrow became a "no-go" for some of us. I should add that the tour guide gave all of us ponchos so we were to drenched on the way back to the bus.

 

Dinner was mediocre and came with one beer. Three quarters of the way through the meal, the skies opened up and it was pouring on the food, drinks and people. My timing was great because I just went downstairs to wash my hands before the last course. When I arrived back upstairs, people were running in - trying to find seats inside. The tour guide made sure that we received another beer. This may have been the most fun part of the meal. I cannot say enough about the kindness and service of the people in Bali. We noticed this on our last trips here - it is something that we appreciate about this beautiful island.

 

For those passengers doing the tour tomorrow and on the morning of embarkation, everyone will be on the same buses as they were on today with the same tour guide. I think that keeping passengers together is a good thing. We get to know each other as well as the tour guide. The people sitting around us were wonderful - very nice and considerate as well as interesting to chat with. Being rather a hermit around most people, I found myself opening up and enjoying the conversations.

 

It is interesting that the majority of Indonesia is Muslim but Bali is 95% Hindu. There are temples everywhere (small ones in or next to homes) and places where the people do their daily offerings of food and flowers.

 

Time for a shower and a good night's rest.

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Re your too rare Cathay Pacific steak, many of us would love to get a rare steak on a plane; they usually come out medium to well done. I would have given them a second chance to get it right, but totally understand your being full on bread, etc. and not wanting to wait for a new steak to be prepared.

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TC, when I read your plans for your days in Bali, I wondered how you would manage with the heat and humidity. Having just spent three days in Bali on the Navigator, it is definitely as hot/humid as the Amazon if not hotter and so many of the food places and tourist attractions are open air. We made good use of our cooling towels!

 

Glad you arrived safely and are enjoying Bali. it is one of my favorite places also.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

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Hi Tc: I too want to wish you very happy and healthy travels, with few if any glitches.

I probably won't tune in for the travelogue since that's a part of the planet we don't know at all and one of the places I'd most love to visit. (I actually enjoy heat and even don't mind humidity. As you probably remember, being cold makes me almost desperate.)

All those nifty places are too far for us to travel now, so I'm thinking reading about them may not be a great idea. That's ironic because excursions are probably the main thing we care about when we cruise. I think it's a dandy idea to concentrate on that aspect. Very sincerely hope you have a grand vacation.

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Sounds like a Toto toilet. When we saw one of those it was scary. The toilet does everything if you know what I mean and they are expensive. The seat is heated on some models.

We are in the EVA lounge in Taipei and I wasn’t brave enough to push any buttons. I did enjoy the heated seat though!

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Hi all from Bali. TC2's decription is on target. Today we chose to stay at the hotel and enjoy. We did venture out to a shopping mall this morning. Just an FYI for the fucture we usen UBER it took about 15-20 min to get there and the cost was $1.40 each way. The swimming pools here are great and beautiful as well.

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bce0c9d95d103927d001b92ca619a30c.jpg

 

Everyone had to wear a sarong to enter the temple

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Those statues are so realistic! This one looks just like Dennis!

LOVE the photo....John said to tell D "he looks great!"....giggle!

Continue to enjoy!

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Dennis looks cute in his dress.

 

The toto toilet is something else. We had several versions on our China trip, and it was a bit intimidating, particularly when the instructions were only in Chinese. I was afraid to push any buttons.

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Hi all from Bali. TC2's decription is on target. Today we chose to stay at the hotel and enjoy. We did venture out to a shopping mall this morning. Just an FYI for the fucture we usen UBER it took about 15-20 min to get there and the cost was $1.40 each way. The swimming pools here are great and beautiful as well.

 

We should have thought of that - great idea.

 

We're sharing private transportation with another couple to the ship. Even though we'll only arrive at the ship an hour before the buses, we would rather be waiting at the cruise terminal than stuffed in a bus.

 

We are still blown away by the service in this hotel. Even the person @ the Regent desk is great. He arranged transportation for six of us that did not go on the excursion yesterday but wanted the seafood dinner at night. We arrived before the others - got a table in the shade instead of on the beach and, at the conclusion of the delicious seafood meal they found us to make sure that we returned to the hotel with the group. The food was great - shrimp, a small crab, lobster or langoustine (can't tell them apart), a couple of kinds of fish with condiments, rice, a welcome drink and a local beer!

 

After returning to the hotel we had cocktails in the Sky Bar with another couple - very peaceful and relaxing (but still quite warm). Some of us may be adjusting excursions due to the intense heat in some ports at this time of the year.

 

May try to post photos while we're waiting in our lovely air conditioned room with great wifi.

 

Rachel - our Toto is in English and we have tried all of the buttons. Dennis said that the one thing he and I will both miss is the toilet opening in greeting when you get near it! Silly thing to be happy about but it is a nice feature of the hotel.

 

Our hotel also has the international plugs that someone was talking about. I suspect that Regent would have put them in if it was feasible to do so on a cruise ship. We were wondering the same thing about Toto toilets -- the toilets on the ship are so different than what is used at home.

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So, after 2+ years we are back on Voyager. The first thing that struck us is how small it looks compared to the Mariner and Explorer. The ship isn't smaller than the Mariner but the public spaces are. The theater in particular felt small but I do love the fact that there is a ramp rather than stairs. In the two areas where we saw a step, it was well marked (unlike the steps in the theater on Mariner).

 

Lest it sound as if I am bashing Voyager, this is truly not the case - she was our favorite ship from 2006 until the Explorer was launched and we still prefer her to Mariner and definitely prefer her to Navigator.

 

Greeting our extended family was great! Francisco, Daniella, Risky, Darle, etc. There are still several that we have yet to see and we have only been in the theater and La Veranda so I am not yet aware of how different things look, Love the "new" buffet in La Veranda - particularly the grill where they prepare steak, chicken, hamburgers and many other things.

 

Prior to today, we have been in every type of suite on Voyager except Seven Seas forward. We selected this suite for the extra 1/2 bath and did not feel the need to go for a Grand or Master suite for such a short cruise. So far we are impressed with the layout of the suite. The new carpeting, walls and furniture look wonderful. The biggest surprise was the granite in the bathroom. No more ugly dark gold granite. At first I thought that they bleached the granite but my DH said that it was new. In any case, it looks good.

 

As some may recall, I "sort of" complained about lack of drawers on the Mariner. The only drawers were in the closet. In this suite, in addition to the drawers in the closet, there are 5 large drawers next to the desk.

 

Also, there was a discussion recently when some poster said that the doors into and out of La Veranda were sliding glass doors (indicating that this was the case on the Mariner which it is not). Now I see the sliding glass doors on Voyager and they are so much better than before. Passengers are walking into and out of La Veranda with plates of food from the pool deck and now they don't have to open a heavy door or even touch the door. Love it!

 

Tonight is dinner in Chartreuse and we are looking forward to it.

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What great photos! Terimakasi Jackie!! The first time we went to Bali in 1971 was with my father who lived in Jakarta for over 30 years. he explained to us that those black and white checked "skirts" on the temple decorations and the traffic intersection "demons" are to ward off evil... Black cancels out white and vice versa! So accidents are reduced, prayers are more effective and that sort of thing. I hope some of this "spirit" goes with you on your cruise.

 

Your comment about the lack of steps in the theatre on the Voyager hit a nerve with me. I once feel - quite badly - when trying to make my way to my seat in the Mariner theatre. it was darkish and I simply did not see the step. Those steps are dangerous.

 

Please keep sending photos!! They are excellent.

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Gerry, thanks so much for the explanation of the "skirts" on the temple decorations. We have heard a lot of good/evil, yin/yang - the balance of things - so interesting. The people from Bali must be amongst the friendliest in the world.

 

We are missing the hotel (never thought that I'd say that about a hotel). While Regent service is top notch, somehow the service at the hotel is better (and, of course, we miss that bathroom).

 

I'm definitely feeling boring in terms of this thread even though we are having a great time. We are going to stop by the "Meet and Mingle" even though we don't have an invitation - just to see who is there.

 

As has been said by others, the Coffee Connection is too small on Voyager. More importantly, it is difficult for people by pass by each other when getting food. There was a woman looking at the food while Dennis was walking by - she backed into him and he spilled hot coffee on himself.

 

On a positive note, Chartreuse was good last night - we both had rack of lamb which tends to be our favorite meal there. The new soup presentation was good - especially since the soup was piping hot and tasty.

 

If there is anything newsworthy, I'll write later.

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