Adding To My Ciao Bella Collection

Ciao Bella, my favourite store for travel accessories, recently launched their own range of products: Ciao Bella Travel Exclusive (see here). Now you all know that I love my Ciao Bella things; their practicality and style. They're perfect for keeping all your bits and pieces organised. I was contacted by Ciao Bella not long after they launched their range asking if I'd like to review one of their products. Well of course I said yes!! I picked out the piece and quickly as always, I received it a few days later.

I decided on getting the CBT Exclusive Bare Essential Bag. Now I don't know about you, but ever since I've been travelling my mum always taught me to pack my underwear in a separate bag. Her reasoning for this was that if security or customs happened to go through my bag, I wouldn't want my undies being thrown around, would I?! Makes sense. I've always used just a plain old boring plastic bag so I was excited to get something a little more sophisticated.

I used my new lingerie bag recently during my weekend Bali getaway. While I was folding my delicates and putting them into the mesh pockets and packing it into my suitcase, I had a sly little smile on my face. It looked so cute sitting in there with the pretty underwear prints on the bag!! And it was nice to know that if customs did need to look in my suitcase, my underwear would be safe in its own little bag.

The bag is well designed, as are all of Ciao Bella's products. It is a great size for a weekend getaway like mine or even a week or two, it could easily hold all your underwear nice and neat inside. The bag zips around the middle and on the inside are mesh pockets on each side. You can see in the picture that even after stuffing your underwear into the pockets, there is still plenty of room to put your bras in the middle. Over the weekend, I had about 4 or 5 pairs of underwear and 2 bras in the middle; it all fit perfectly.

At the moment, the CBT Exclusive range is a bit limited, but I look forward to seeing what they add to the new range! The Bare Essentials Bag is a very welcome addition to my ever growing Ciao Bella Collection. Is it silly that I'm excited to use it all again for my trip back to Bali in March?!:)

Just to let you all know, you can still get 10% off your purchases by entering the special discount code ANNA10 in your suitcase on the website. Click here to head over to their site. Happy shopping!!

 

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The March Plan, Part 2: Lembongan Harmony Villa's

This is probably the part of my March holiday that I'm most excited about. Having had a taste of Lembongan Island in February last year when I visited the island with the Bali Hai day trip (see here) and seeing many photos of the island from fellow travellers, I decided it was a place I MUST stay. Since I didn't know much about the island, I was at a loss of where I should start. I seeked out the advice of Lembongan regulars who helped get a better idea of what kind of place I would like to stay in and what budget I was looking at. I found that what you paid for a nice place on Lembongan was significantly cheaper than what you'd pay in Bali.

I came across what I believe is heaven on Earth, by the name of Lembongan Harmony Villas. At the price of just $120 per night not including breakfast, I will be staying in a gorgeous (and private) 1 bedroom villa, with a patio area and a plunge pool with a killer view over the Playgrounds surf break and Bali in the distance.

When I was first planning this trip, I had my heart set on staying at these villa's so I completely rearranged the dates I'd be there so I could get a booking and I'm so glad I did. I've been keeping an eye on the reviews as I always do and they are consistently glowing. I am just SO excited.

Click here to check out their website.

 

Images are from www.lembonganharmonyvillas.com

 

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La Finca

A while ago, I discovered and started following on Instagram a restaurant in Bali called La Finca. For months, I drooled over their food photos, craved their beautiful Sang Ria's and imagined myself relaxing with both in their beautiful Mediterranean setting. Last week, I snuck off to Bali for a quick 3 night trip to meet up with my parents during their 2 week stay. It didn't take much to convince them to try La Finca with me after showing them the photos I had admired for so long. Due to a tight itinerary during my stay which involved catching up with family friends and a surprise birthday party, we could only manage to get there for lunch.

I emailed the restaurant the week before my stay and got a fast and professional response from the founder and owner, Thomas. He also reassured me that they would be able to cater for my mum's gluten intolerance and offered to let us order off the less limiting dinner menu rather than lunch one, giving my mum more options for her meal.

La Finca is located North of Seminyak on Jalan Subak Sari. It first opened in June 2013 for dinner and started offering a lunch menu in October that same year. With his mixed heritage and upbringing in many different cities all over the world, such as Hamburg, Paris, New York Tokyo and Singapore as well as spending many Summer's in Ibiza, Thomas moved to Bali after spending many years in Jakarta. Upon finding partners who shared the same dream he did, La Finca opened. Thomas wanted to recreate the rich and rustic cuisines of Ibiza as well as the easy going atmosphere. Although I've never had the pleasure of travelling to Ibiza, it was easy to imagine that that was where I was sitting while dining at La Finca.

Whether you're after casual drinks before or after dinner, an intimate, romantic dinner or a fun meal out with friends or family, I think La Finca is a place to try. It has a beautiful courtyard garden feel to it, with a huge cushioned daybed area and beautifully rustic tables and chairs surrounded by pressed metal lanterns and decorations hanging from the trees. The Mediterranean feel is carried through into the main restaurant area with huge bamboo pillars, beautiful lanterns and the loveliest table set up I've seen. Sharing the photos on Facebook and Instagram, the thing most people commented on were the gorgeous plates. It was a lovely atmosphere to come in to. I can imagine how inviting and lively it would be at night time, with everything lit up, people chatting while enjoying their drinks and the laid back vibe.

One of the advantages of being the only people in the restaurant is the great service you get, although I'm sure that the service would be just as good during dinner. We were promptly seated and given menus upon arrival and the food came out quickly and nice and hot. We decided to order a bunch of tapas which was perfectly fine with me as I love having a chance to taste a few different dishes. We decided on:

Patatas Bravas Con Chorizo crispy potatoes with spicy bravas sauce and chorizo. If you're not a fan of spicy like I am, this dish isn't for you. The sauce had a definite bite to it, but I loved it.

 

Albondigas Con Salsa De Tomate Y Queso Feta beef meatballs with fresh tomato sauce and feta. This was probably my favourite dish. The meatballs were juicy and the sauce was deliciously sweet. I would have very happily ordered another serving. It was just bursting with amazing flavour.

 

Gambas Islas Baleares truffle garlic prawns with white wine sauce. Although the prawns were the tiniest bit overcooked, it had a lovely flavour and not too garlicky. I think the dish should come with a bit of bread to soak up the delicious sauce that's left, but freshly baked rustic bread is available on the menu.

 

Calamares Fritos De La Casa house recipe crispy fried calamari with squid ink aioli. I love calamari and I loved the crunchy batter on this as well as the delicious aioli. I think a bit more seasoning on the calamari and through the batter wouldn't go amiss.

 

Setas Crujientes crispy mushrooms with paprika aioli. Mushrooms are my absolute favourite! The paprika aioli complimented the dish perfectly but I think it would be better to come in a separate little dish; there wasn't enough of it for the great serving of mushrooms. Again, some more seasoning would be great to bring out the flavours more.

 

 

And Ensalada Mixta a mixed salad with a medly of greens, cucumber, purple sweet potato, grilled corn, red onion, boiled egg topped with a Dijon mustard vinaigrette. Although I didn't try this salad, my parents absolutely loved it, especially the Dijon mustard vinaigrette.

To top it all off, my mum and I shared a half pitcher of Sang Ria which was delicious!! Full of fresh fruit and not too strong. My dad wasn't very impressed that they only had one kind of beer on the menu so more options for those beer fanatics would be great.

The Sang Ria's come in 2 sizes: a jug and a half pitcher. A half pitcher for $15 got us a couple of glasses each so the drinks prices are very reasonable. Their happy hour even includes 20% off your second jug, 30% off the third and so one. A great deal if you're dining in a large group!!

My parents and I all really enjoyed the restaurant and I'm so glad I got to give it a try. We left with smiles and full bellies after paying what came to a very reasonable bill. I look forward to returning to La Finca again, for dinner next time so I can enjoy the full experience and try some of their enticing mains!

I would highly reccomend La Finca to all of you. Definitely try to go for dinner so you can enjoy the more extensive menu and what I imagine would be a lively yet easy going vibe. Click here to check out their website.

 

Address: Jalan Subak Sari number 77, Batu Belig

Website: www.lafincabali.com

Email: enquiry@lafincabali.com

Telephone: 0361 2105080 or 0361 2740088

 

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5 Easy Tips To Avoid Having Your Bank Card Skimmed

Card skimming is something that happens everywhere, and unfortunately is something that happens in Bali too. Whilst on holiday, it's too easy to let your guard down and have a "it wouldn't happen to me" attitude but the truth is, it could very easily happen to anyone. The ATM machines in Bali may look slightly different than they do at home, but they operate the same way so having a quick check of the machine to make sure it's safe to use is very easily done in just a matter of seconds. Here are 5 quick and easy tips that could help you avoid having your card skimmed:

1. Colour

Have a look at the colour of the machine and the colour of where you insert your card. Are they the same? Most card skimmers use the same skimming machine for many ATM's so they may be a completely different colour and style than the ATM itself.

2. Easily removable parts

Card skimmers need to be able to quickly and easily remove the skimming machine to avoid detection, so the machines are designed to be easily removed from the ATM's for a quick getaway. Before you insert your card, give the part a bit of a tug. If a skimmer is attached, it should come off easily.

Skimmers have recently begun using overlays on the keypad where you type in your pin. They're quite rare as they are more time consuming to put on and take off. Have a feel of the keypad. Is it soft or hard? ATM keypads are hard like metal or plastic. An overlay would feel softer than this and will cause the keypad to be thicker than usual. Once again, give it a few little tugs to check.

3. Video cameras

It's very common for ATM's to have video surveillance for security reasons. What would set a skimmer's camera apart is that it would be aimed directly at the keypad. They generally would be hidden on the side of the ATM, near pamphlets or posters on the walls or in the recess above the keypad. Take a second to run your hands along the sides and and top of the ATM to feel for any camera's. Have a quick look as well; pinholes or different colours on the ATM could indicate a hidden camera underneath.

4. Cover your PIN

Even if you don't notice any camera's, take the extra precaution of covering your hand as you type in your PIN. Even if your card information is skimmed, it will be useless without your PIN code. An easy trick is to pretend to press another number before pressing the real one. This will make it much much harder for skimmers to guess your combination. For example, if your PIN number was 1234, pretend to press other numbers so it instead looks like you're typing in something like 61253748. How many possible PIN combinations is that?!

5. Trust your instincts

If you generally stick to the same branch ATM's so you're familiar with how they look and something looks different, check the machine thoroughly before you use it. If your gut is telling you something is up, it's better to be safe and not use it.

It's better to be safe then sorry, especially when you're in another country so when you're going to use an ATM overseas, take a minute and follow these steps to make sure it's safe.

 

Anna's note: This information is not my own, but was given to me by a Counter Terrorism graduate.

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The March Plan, Part 1: Rama Garden Hotel

Well let me start off with the good news: my sister has agreed to come to Bali with me in March! After all the fuss and the worry of who would come with me and whether or not I'd even end up going, it is now all taken care of! What a relief.

Our first 3 nights will be spent in Legian at a small hotel called Rama Garden. It's in a great location, with restaurants and shopping on its doorstep and not not far from the beach. What attracted me to this hotel was how small it is, with just 30 rooms and the rooms all being of the same standard as well as being recently renovated. The pool is the centre of the hotel, with all the rooms overlooking it with either a verandah and balcony. The reviews are consistently good (have a look at them on TripAdvisor) and the price is right, with me paying about $75 a night for a room including breakfast.

It looks so inviting and comfortable. Oh how I love staying at different hotels! I actually had the chance to go into the hotel during my recent trip. Although it has a sports bar at the front that some reviews have said gets a bit noisy, it is completely blocked off from the hotel part. The pool looked gorgeous; perfect size for the hotel and very well maintained. Now that I've seen it and what a great location it's in, I can't wait for my 3 nights there in March. Click here to go to their website.

 

Images are from www.ramagardenhotelbali.com

 

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East Bali Bike Tour

Back in July while I was in Bali with my mum, we decided to participate in a bike tour. Mum, having participated in a few during past trips, was adamant about not doing one that begins at the tourist trap that is Mount Kintimani. So we were on the lookout for something a bit different, which is how we came across the East Bali Bike Tour. East Bali was a place that we were fascinated by but knew nothing about. We felt that this was a great way to get a bit of a feel for the area as well as have a bit of an adventure.

I booked the tour in the week leading up to our trip and on the day, we were picked up at 7:00 on the dot. The bike tour started up near Amed which meant we had a nearly 2 hours drive ahead of us, but with plenty of scenery and the company owner, Komang, to chat with, time passed quickly. Upon arrival we were given our bikes and helmets before setting off. At this point, I would have appreciated a quick run down of what the track was like as the first 10 minutes was a steep down hill rides on a very rocky track that had my hands aching from using the breaks so much. Mum and I were both thinking that maybe we had made the wrong choice with the company, but soon enough the track flattened out and we turned onto a dirt track that ran alongside ricefields with an incredible view.

There was about 15 people in the group but they were clearly after more of a workout than a leisurely ride enjoying the scenery because before long, they had sped ahead and Mum and I were left with a single guide; Gilang. This turned out to be fantastic. He was funny, had great English and was more than happy to ride at our pace, stop when we needed water or wanted to take a photo and he was lovely to chat to, pointing things out along the way like the peanut and chilli fields we rode past. Mum and I were both thankful for and really enjoyed his presence.

Half way through the ride, we stopped and met up Komang again who would be leading us on a rice field trek. When you say trek, it sounds scary, but it was a pretty easy walk through ride fields that were owned by the locals. This meant that the land could not be developed or built on. It had an amazing "Old Bali" feel and views to match; the only thing you could see for a long way was just green. This part of the tour is optional but I'd definitely recommend doing it. It was a great way to break up the ride, stretch our legs and give our bums a rest from the bike seats.

After returning to our bikes, which had been thrown on the back of the truck to meet us a bit further along the way, it was just a short ride to the end of the tour. We finished our ride at the picturesque White Sand Beach. What a place to finish. It made quite a backdrop to enjoy during our included lunch with its gorgeous white (ish) sand, blue blue water and a cloudless sky, it was perfect. After our long ride, we were ready for a swim but unfortunately the rough waves prevented us from going in. We instead enjoyed a walk along the beach, enjoying the perfect waters temperature. I loved ending the day at White Sand Beach. It was a place I had wanted to go to for a while but didn't know anything about. This was the perfect introduction.

My mum and I both really enjoyed our tour with East Bali Bikes and I'd definitely love to do it again. It was great value for money with its included bikes and helmets, water throughout the ride, a support van in case of injury, lunch at White Sand Beach and of course hotel pick up and drop off. It's a tour I'd highly recommend, whether you're very fit or not and are looking for a bike tour with a bit of a difference. My two pieces of advice if you decide to participate: where a sports bra and be prepared to push through the steep rocky track at the start; it's worth it in the end.

Komang and his staff are great at what they do and have a passion for showing people a different area of Bali and for conserving its beautiful landscape.

If you think it might be something you'd be interested in, click here to go to their website and make a booking.

 

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The Art Cafe, Sanur

The Art Cafe has recently become one of my favourite restaurants to go to in Sanur. Not too long ago, they opened up a new premises in North Sanur opposite the Besakih Hotel. I had never visited their old premises, having been in South Sanur opposite the Mercure Hotel, but from what I understand they altered their menu to fit in with their new restaurant. They offer a huge range of dishes from Indonesian like Nasi Goreng, to curries, to Western dishes which all are beautifully presented and delicious. In my experiences at the restaurant, the service is great and the prices, in my opinion, are extremely reasonable.

Photos above: snapper rolled in bacon, Nasi Campur, stuffed chicken with mushroom sauce and tarragon chicken.

Photos below: Chocolate Melted cake and Creme Brulee.

I've loved the dishes I've tried there, but none more so than their incredible Melted Chocolate Cake. Oh my, it is simply divine. They are cooked fresh to order which means about a 15 minute wait, but trust me, the wait is necessary to allow your stomach to digest your dinner a bit more and make room for this mouthwatering dessert. It comes out steaming hot, presented with caramelised banana and a scoop of ice cream. Each time I've dug my spoon into the cake, the sauce inside has just oozed out. In all the times I've eaten it, not once has it disappointed me. I've always left with an impossibly full stomach but with a huge smile on my face. If you're in the area, please do yourself a favour and visit this lovely restaurant. They also offer take-away.

Click here to visit their website.

 

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Travelling With My New Nikon AW110

Not long before my November trip to Bali, I decided to buy a new camera. Previously, I was relying mostly on my iPhone for photos and I came to the conclusion that it wasn't the best idea. Seeing as my last trip included activities such as snorkelling, white water rafting, quad biking and what not, I thought that it was about time I invested in a good camera that was reliable and perfect for travelling with.

After a bit of research, I decided that maybe the Nikon AW110 was the right camera for me. It's a shock-proof, dust-proof, water-proof camera with WiFi capabilities, making it easy to transfer photos from the camera onto your smart phone or tablet and seeing as I do all my writing from my iPad, it was essential.

Image from www.nikon.com.au

When my camera arrived, I spent a bit of time testing it out (see here) and was reasonably happy with it. It wasn't until I was actually in Bali that I really found out what a great camera it is. I found the battery life was great, the Easy Auto mode was perfect for those people who don't know when to use the other settings (like myself) or don't have time to switch between them (also like myself). It performed well in and out of the water, in the light and in the dark, and being able to easily get the photos from each day onto my iPad was great. The photos below are all unedited and were taken in very different circumstances, ie different lighting, weather conditions in and out of the water, but all turned out so well.

What I really loved about the camera was how quick the time in between turning it on and it being ready to take a photo was. I was able to grab it out of my bag, turn it on and take a photo in a matter of seconds; there was no need to wait for the camera to warm up and focus. This was perfect for times like when I was white water rafting and wanted to get a quick snap of the scenery before paddling along again.

At places like the Safari Park, my camera allowed me to zoom in on something (an animal in this case) and still take a great photo without compromising on the quality of the photo. For example, check out the photo below. This is in unedited photo that I took zoomed in through a dirty glass window at the Safari Park. Looking at the photo, you could never guess that it was taken in such circumstances.

I also found that it adjusted so well to different lightings. The photos below, for example, were taken just seconds apart. The first one, as you can see, is tainted orange due to the lighting in the restaurant. In the second photo, the camera automatically adjusted to the lighting to get the best photo without the discolouration. In a place like Bali, where restaurants generally have dim or coloured lighting, this was a great feature.

So all in all, yes, I absolutely loved my Nikon AW110. I was so impressed with how it performed and the quality of the photos, especially seeing as it only a compact camera with limited abilities. If you're looking for an easy to use camera that is perfect for travelling, I'd recommend going down to your local JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman or Camera House and checking it out for yourself. I can't wait to take it travelling with me again.

Click here for more details of the camera.

 

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Beji Ubud Resort

My Bali trip in November marked the first time I stayed in Ubud. I was looking forward to experiencing a new area of Bali, but finding the right hotel was hard because I did not know the area. I did a lot of research, read a lot of reviews, asked a lot of people for recommendations, but it was still hard when I didn't know the restaurants or the streets they mentioned. I decided to take a bit of a stab in the dark, and booked the Beji based on one fellow travellers recommendation. It looked lovely with its five pools and gorgeous valley rooms, but it was quite a way out of town. I felt that this would be ok because I had heard that the traffic in central Ubud gets very very busy and the hotel provided a shuttle bus a few times throughout the day.

I spent the months leading up to my stay reading and rereading reviews, admiring photos and researching the surrounding area. I was really looking forward to it and it did not disappoint. My friends and I were absolutely stoked with the hotel. The view was incredible and lush, the pools were stunning and our rooms were just perfect; spacious, comfy beds, a huge bathroom with seperate shower and bath.

Throughout our stay, we always found the staff so helpful. When we wanted to watch movies on a rainy day, they were prompt to bring us a DVD player. When they TV wasn't working, they quickly arrived to fix it before taking it away and replacing it with another one. When we wanted to go to a particular restaurant for dinner, the receptionists were happy to book us in and organise transfers. I think the only let down, if you can even call it that, was the breakfast. It was slightly limited (not something that bothers me personally) and lids were kept off some of the buffet trays, resulting in cold food.

All in all, we found it to be a great, value for money hotel and although it is a bit far from central Ubud, there was still plenty within walking distance, including the spa Bali Botanica and popular Warung Naughty Nuri's.

Unfortunately, due to the weather, we couldn't enjoy the hotel or explore the immediate area as much as I would have liked to, but I look forward to doing that when I return next time. Click here to check out their website.

 

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Jadi Home Cafe

As I'm sure you all know, one of my favourite things about going to Bali is getting to eat so much delicious food!! Mmmmm, my mouth just waters thinking about it.

When I was in Bali in July, my mum and I got a reccomendation from some fellow travellers to try out a bit of a hidden gem. It's truly one of those places you would not know about unless you were told. The place was Jadi's Home Cafe. At the time, we were staying at the Pearl Hotel and Jadi's Home Cafe is conveniently located down the same laneway. If I were to describe Jadi's in one word, it would be authentic. The restaurant is literally a cafe in the owner's, Srie, and only cook, own home which is beautifully rustic with an open kitchen so you can smell the amazing aromas and chat with her while she cooks. What makes it so special is that she cooks with such love and passion. I had the pleasure of talking to her while she cooked our meal and she told us of how she loved to cook food from her home of Borneo. All the dishes are prepared freshly with ingredients she herself has bought from the local markets that very day.

Mum and I, being the rendang lovers we are, went in and ordered our beef rendang dishes the day before. I would recommend doing this because then Srie knows what to get from the markets and can start cooking before you arrive, saving you a bit of waiting time. Our dishes were delicious, with bits of cinnamon, star annaise and bay leaves still being found throughout. The beef, having been cooked for hours, was beautifully tender. I cannot wait to return this month and try some of her other dishes. I've heard her lime chilli chicken, salt and pepper prawns and Borneo fish are amazing so I'll let you know when I've tried them:)

Jadi's Home Cafe is located in a lane way off Double Six in Legian. Look out for the sign for the Pearl Hotel and restaurant; Jadi's is located in the same lane way.

 

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My Favourite Part...

One of the things I love most about having a holiday is the planning. I just loving looking on numerous websites for accommodation, seeing photos and reading reviews. It definitely makes the time waiting for a holiday go faster. There are many invaluable resources now for travellers such as Trip Advisor and Facebook groups for a specific destination where you can ask questions and get lots of answers from knowledgeable people that know the area and can give you an honest opinion of the hotel and surrounding area. 

At the moment, I have two trips coming up but no planning left to do. Who knows, maybe for my next trip I'll be going a bit further than Bali;)