Since coming to Australia and further to Bali, Indonesia, the standard level of my days have been upgraded pleasantly. Here in Seminyak my Hotel TS Suites has last year been elected by some professionals as one of the best hotels of the world. I have during my life stayed in many top hotels around the world, and this is absolutely one of them. In courtesy and friendliness maybe No.1.
The breakfast included is very rich and variable. I have not eaten lunch or dinner here yet, because just 50 meters away is a very good Swiss restaurant Malo's, where I have with great enthusiasm consumed some best beef ever ( Indonesian ) among other delicious food since my arrival here.
The quality / price is excellent, and some 30-40 percent cheaper than in this hotel.
It's been around 35C outside, so I have spent a lot of time in my very nice room with a TV of 62 channels, including DW, CNN, Aljazeera, Euronews, plus many sport-, movie channels. Today and yesterday I saw Formula One directly from Melbourne on Foxsport.
Sunday, March 20, 2016
Monday, March 14, 2016
A party at Hotel Satriya Cottages, Bali
In the first evening I was sitting alone at the hotels bar in the restaurants first floor around 7.30 pm. People coming in to eat had to go to second floor. It was not too difficult to guess that something was going on downstairs. Then they managed an awesome buffet with a roasted pig in the center. Soon started a flow of mainly big strong 50+ mainly Australian men, over 30 altogether. It was surely not a bridge-club, but a reunion of former rugby players. They were mainly drunk, happily in good mood.
Soon somebody started to by drinks to me too, and there was no use to say thank you but...
When they started to enjoy the buffet , their leader came to me and said " please help yourself there is enough for you too". The roasted pig was best I ever had. There was a good local rock band playing hot music from 70's and the bunch of guys was wild with the band. Some had wives or girl friends with them but they were sent upstairs. I was the only outsider accepted, at least I was the first at the bar. At midnight I retired, many of them too.
Soon somebody started to by drinks to me too, and there was no use to say thank you but...
When they started to enjoy the buffet , their leader came to me and said " please help yourself there is enough for you too". The roasted pig was best I ever had. There was a good local rock band playing hot music from 70's and the bunch of guys was wild with the band. Some had wives or girl friends with them but they were sent upstairs. I was the only outsider accepted, at least I was the first at the bar. At midnight I retired, many of them too.
Saturday, March 12, 2016
Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, Australia
On Sunday Mar.6. I flew from Honiara to Brisbane, from where my very good friend since 1981, Mr.David Maxwell did pick me up with his grandson Brendan. His invitation had been to stay at his home, but his wife Denise had become sick, and instead David had booked and paid a nice hotel for me at the center of Surfers Paradise for 4 nights. I did visit them twice finding Denise in pretty good condition but very tired. David made a fantastic barbeque with beers and very good wine.
The rest of my time I spent strolling along this fantastic city with it's bars and restaurants, including Hard Rock Cafe with it's friendly personal. At midnight Mar.10. I arrived to Denpasar , Bali to stay here about two weeks.
The rest of my time I spent strolling along this fantastic city with it's bars and restaurants, including Hard Rock Cafe with it's friendly personal. At midnight Mar.10. I arrived to Denpasar , Bali to stay here about two weeks.
Honiara /Guadalcanal, March1. 2016
I was strolling in the streets of Honiara to find a travel agency to get to famous battle fields of Guadalcanal of which I had read stories and seen movies in my teenage years.
I found an agency and I told a pretty young lady that I would like to get to see those famous battle fields and djungles; so how to get there? By boat or by plain? She shook her pretty head telling me, that I am in Guadalcanal, and it all just happened right here. So I bought a round trip to most important places for next day with all memorial places of American, Australian, New Zealand and Japanese fighters including a private museum of remains of guns, tanks and fighters and bombers from both sides. I was happy I got there. I was very thirsty too. However it was not so easy to find a place in the afternoon serving a beer. But I then found a nice Chinese restaurant, and I got beer and wine, whatever I wanted. Afterwards I saw a sailing club sign and went there, telling that I am not a club member but cosmopolitan sailor anyway. They friendly asked me to sign their guest book and I was there. I.. immediately I saw a local beauty serving drinks to certain tables, and I found a free one in her area. Her name was Wendy 23 years young and very sexy. During the following days we became very good friends, and I am still dreaming what could have happened, if I had stayed there for several weeks or months.
Next morning on the tour our first stop was the sailing club. On this beach the first Americans landed on Aug.7th. 1942. There was a memorial in the club of a 23 years old hero, Douglas Munro; who died just there, but got later special honor and medal from US. president, maybe from J. F. Kennedy ,whose torpedo boat did sink in these waters, and he managed to survive with his crew here. .
I found an agency and I told a pretty young lady that I would like to get to see those famous battle fields and djungles; so how to get there? By boat or by plain? She shook her pretty head telling me, that I am in Guadalcanal, and it all just happened right here. So I bought a round trip to most important places for next day with all memorial places of American, Australian, New Zealand and Japanese fighters including a private museum of remains of guns, tanks and fighters and bombers from both sides. I was happy I got there. I was very thirsty too. However it was not so easy to find a place in the afternoon serving a beer. But I then found a nice Chinese restaurant, and I got beer and wine, whatever I wanted. Afterwards I saw a sailing club sign and went there, telling that I am not a club member but cosmopolitan sailor anyway. They friendly asked me to sign their guest book and I was there. I.. immediately I saw a local beauty serving drinks to certain tables, and I found a free one in her area. Her name was Wendy 23 years young and very sexy. During the following days we became very good friends, and I am still dreaming what could have happened, if I had stayed there for several weeks or months.
Next morning on the tour our first stop was the sailing club. On this beach the first Americans landed on Aug.7th. 1942. There was a memorial in the club of a 23 years old hero, Douglas Munro; who died just there, but got later special honor and medal from US. president, maybe from J. F. Kennedy ,whose torpedo boat did sink in these waters, and he managed to survive with his crew here. .
Friday, March 11, 2016
SAMOA, TUVALU, VANUATU AND THE SOLOMON ISLANDS
I can finally comment my last weeks in Polynesia and Melanesia even my memory is not very fresh anymore especially when thinking the quantity of red wine consumed.
On Feb.11. I flew to Faleolo, the Samoan capital, a boring place filled up with all kind of churches of different Christian movements. I spent my days mainly sitting in the bar of my Hotel Millenia with red wine bottles looking beautiful views to the sea. I could not use my laptop, my phone did not work there because of Fiji SIM -card, and then came the big bang ..... my Visa card was cancelled, my Diner's was not accepted in Samoa, and I was practically out of money. I called from the hotel phone to Visa Finland, and they told me that even I had not lost my card someone was using it happily in NEW YORK ! They sent me via ATM then as much I needed to get back to Fiji, where I could use my Diner's. I then spent 3 nights in Suva in Holiday Inn. In the second evening was invited to hotels cocktail party, where I was introduced to two fellow Finns, technicians from Wärtsilä working there for 4 months. On Feb.18 I flew to Funafuti a tiny village but the capital of Tuvalu. There was no possibility to do anything because the stormy sea, heavy rains and strong winds, just at the same time when the cyclone Winston , the strongest ever, hit Fiji badly, leaving 49 people dead. There was a small grocery near by, where I could get inexpensive Australian wine. I drank 9 liters of wine, some beers, read a book and made crosswords with me in 4 days. People there were most nice and friendly.
When I wanted to leave my very primitive lodge Afelita ,with 5 guest rooms, to a quite same standard restaurant 2km away, lady Afelita, the owner said, wait a minute I'll ask my daughter to drive you there. So I sat behind her back on her motorbike, and she brought me safely to that place. When I then some hours later asked for a taxi , the young woman in the bar said that she cannot remember taxi's number, but do not worry I'll drive you back. So I sat on the back of a motor bike again and she refused to take any money for the ride. On Feb.23. I was in Fiji again, this time at Novotel Resort in Suva for 3nights. On Feb.26. I was in Vanuatu at the most perfect place on this trip until now. The resort Vanuatu Beachfront Apartments was ideal, and I was the only guest. On a lagoon finest sandy beach, calm and clear sea 20 meters, the pool and the bar only some steps from my sea view room.
The capital Port Vila was most picturesque and pleasant small town in South Seas I have seen, and luckily they had recovered very well of last years cyclone. On Feb. 29 I was once again Fiji for one night to get to Honiara, the capital of Solomon Islands on Guadalcanal Island. This was the place of heaviest fights during WWII for 6 months, when americans finally 1943 won the Japanese troops.
On Feb.11. I flew to Faleolo, the Samoan capital, a boring place filled up with all kind of churches of different Christian movements. I spent my days mainly sitting in the bar of my Hotel Millenia with red wine bottles looking beautiful views to the sea. I could not use my laptop, my phone did not work there because of Fiji SIM -card, and then came the big bang ..... my Visa card was cancelled, my Diner's was not accepted in Samoa, and I was practically out of money. I called from the hotel phone to Visa Finland, and they told me that even I had not lost my card someone was using it happily in NEW YORK ! They sent me via ATM then as much I needed to get back to Fiji, where I could use my Diner's. I then spent 3 nights in Suva in Holiday Inn. In the second evening was invited to hotels cocktail party, where I was introduced to two fellow Finns, technicians from Wärtsilä working there for 4 months. On Feb.18 I flew to Funafuti a tiny village but the capital of Tuvalu. There was no possibility to do anything because the stormy sea, heavy rains and strong winds, just at the same time when the cyclone Winston , the strongest ever, hit Fiji badly, leaving 49 people dead. There was a small grocery near by, where I could get inexpensive Australian wine. I drank 9 liters of wine, some beers, read a book and made crosswords with me in 4 days. People there were most nice and friendly.
When I wanted to leave my very primitive lodge Afelita ,with 5 guest rooms, to a quite same standard restaurant 2km away, lady Afelita, the owner said, wait a minute I'll ask my daughter to drive you there. So I sat behind her back on her motorbike, and she brought me safely to that place. When I then some hours later asked for a taxi , the young woman in the bar said that she cannot remember taxi's number, but do not worry I'll drive you back. So I sat on the back of a motor bike again and she refused to take any money for the ride. On Feb.23. I was in Fiji again, this time at Novotel Resort in Suva for 3nights. On Feb.26. I was in Vanuatu at the most perfect place on this trip until now. The resort Vanuatu Beachfront Apartments was ideal, and I was the only guest. On a lagoon finest sandy beach, calm and clear sea 20 meters, the pool and the bar only some steps from my sea view room.
The capital Port Vila was most picturesque and pleasant small town in South Seas I have seen, and luckily they had recovered very well of last years cyclone. On Feb. 29 I was once again Fiji for one night to get to Honiara, the capital of Solomon Islands on Guadalcanal Island. This was the place of heaviest fights during WWII for 6 months, when americans finally 1943 won the Japanese troops.
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