Halcyon Days...

Halcyon days of summer...

Since the last visit eight years back, we have not had much luck with Bali as a vacation spot. Thailand has always managed to oust Bali from our list and so I was agog to learn from my other half that he had booked us a pool villa at the Kayumanis Nusa Dua for our annual trip.

Rewind to 2001...We had enjoyed Bali tremendously during our 2 week long stay where we had covered most of the island. Nusa Dua was given the cold shoulder treatment then as it was a case of too many places, too little time.

Forward to the present...We decided to have a more laidback holiday armed with the initial goal of making it to hedonistic Seminyak or more specifically the uptown Ku dé Ta to ring in the new year. As Kuta segues into Seminyak, our long absence from this Arcadian island proved to be costly for the surge in traffic assured us of a supper instead of dinner slot. The silver lining to this otherwise horrendous experience was that New Year's eve was the following day so we had time to put Plan B into action. Eventually, we ushered in 2010 with the touristy Nusa Dua crowd instead.

On the topic of accommodation, Kayumanis is perfect to a fault. With a personal butler and chauffeur to ferry us around the Jimbaran area, it sort of make up for the Nusa Dua beach which I can only say plays second fiddle to Thailand's jaunty beach paradises.