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We fly
Air Paradise
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| 0900 arrival at Melbourne's Tullamarine
Airport to check-in for our 11.05 Air Paradise flight to Bali. Check-in
was at the new International check-in area usually used by Qantas.
My baggage 10 kg overweight, but no problem. In my duffle bag I had packed
a large short-wave receiver surrounded by sheets and clothes so it was
not obvious for my Denpasar arrival and customs check. |
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|
National Panasonic DR 48
|
|
| The aircraft was an Airbus 300-600,
Air Paradise's second aircraft. Owner, Balinese Pak Kadek has managed to
use his name in the aircraft registration PK-KDK. The flight left
on time. |
| Before take-off we were given a 250
ml bottle of mineral water, a nice change to the mandatory 100 ml orange
juice you can never open. Soon drinks were served. The bar was better stocked
than the usual Garuda flight with only a choice of whisky and gin. AP offered
Jim Beam, Johnny Walker, Gordons Gin, Smirnoff vodka as well as a red and
white Australian wine. A second drink was served with the meal. The meal
was a little smaller than the Garuda offering on the same flight. But with
my 1 year ticket around 45% cheaper |
|
|
| than Garuda or 55% cheaper then Qantas,
how can I complain. Later on in the flight we all received an ice cream.
The flight arrived 30 minutes early and it was time to dual with Indonesian
Immigration and Customs. Straight through Immigration - having a visa in
ones passport seems to make thing simpler. I collected my bags and stacked
them on a trolley with the contraband in the lower bag. I also hired a
porter thinking it may help my deception. To the green channel and after
a cursory inspection of my 3 plastic bags, I was waved through. Aaaah!
what a sigh of relief. The radio is not an illegal import and being very
old and second-hand of no commercial value. However the Indonesian Customs
department are notorious for trying to extort money out of you if you have
something unusual. They would have had a ball, had they found the radio.
Soon I was outside and welcomed by Jamal's beaming smile and nephew Dede.
Jamal forgot I was planning to bring the radio. He said "why did you use
a porter?, you have never done that before". Then he woke up. |
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|
Back
in Bali
|
| The first night we went to a new
restaurant in Jalan Oberoi |
|
Rumours
restaurant
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| It was fine - more expensive than
our favourite Sobat but not a ripp-off. Jamal had spaghetti, said it was
so so. I had the Tenderloin steak, good value at $5.50. Wines a little
pricey $21-$46. |
|
Leo
and Erna arrive
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| Perennial visitors from Holland,
Leo and Erna arrived this week to take up residence for 4 months, in their
villa near Warung Sobat . |
|
Wayan
leaves Sobat
|
| Waitress Wayan has decided
to leave Warung Sobat after over 2 years. She now has a new job in
a restaurant in Denpasar. |
 |
|
From
John
|
| Thank you to one and all for the
hospitality whilst I was in Australia. Everyone was very kind, made
it difficult to come back. It was great to see everyone again. I look forward
to returning May 2004. |
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