The Finer Things - Staying in Indonesia

An Unbelievable View from Ayung Resort!TripAdvisor informed us of a special promotion at Ayung Resort Ubud; it was a sign of relaxing days ahead.  This 4.5 star resort had amazing reviews which described tranquility, luxury, and an amazing restaurant...All of which turned out to be true.

We treated our four days in Indonesia as a vacation and indulged in poolside reading, wonderful wines with dinner, and restful nights in our deluxe room.  We participated in morning yoga class, took in endless views containing terraced rice patties and distant mountains, hiked the extensive grounds, and watched playful monkeys traverse treetops and rooftops before several enjoyed cooling plunges in one of the resort's swimming pools.  We ventured outside of our accommodations to visit the town of Ubud, a cultural center for creativity and spirituality, and we rafted down the Ayung River, a relatively calm stretch of water when compared with the rapids in Colorado.

In general, the people at the resort and in Indonesia were warm, welcoming, and willing to accommodate all reasonable requests put forth with a proper smile.  Our last day at the resort preceded a red-eye, overnight flight.  The resort's facilities were made available to us after our midday checkout and extra steps were taken to ensure our comfort prior to our evening departure.

We left Indonesia with an honest desire to return, knowing that we have only scratched the surface of what this country has to offer.

Business is Good!

All Hail FREE Business Class!The computer beeped ominously as our boarding passes were scanned.  The Qatar Airway representative fervently worked to clear the issue, but soon asked us to take a seat and await further instructions.  What had we done?  Why were we flagged in the reservation system?  Would we make our flight from Singapore to Denpasar (Bali) Indonesia?  The questions became more exaggerated as we awaited additional information.

Eventually the airline agent approached us and alleviated our concerns; we had been upgraded to business class seats...A message made all the more sweet because our imaginations had whipped up visions of stolen identities, delayed departures and intrusive secondary screenings.

Qatar Airways offers world class service and the premium seats were amazing.  Push one button for pulsating back and leg massage.  Select another and your seat automatically reclines into a completely flat sleeping surface.  Healthy and delicious meals were served, accompanied with exotic fresh fruits.  Qatar Airways surprised us in the best way possible, providing a fun experience and fond memory.