Ann and family on a wonderful journey

We traveled with our daughters (16) and (20), several of the older one's college friends, and loved it. Highly recommended is a trip to Amed on the east coast. We hired a car and driver for about $25 daily (plus gas and meals/lodging if staying overnight--often given to the driver at a free or reduced "commission" or "guide"" rate, although our driver stayed with a friend), stopped at the Bali Aga (old Bali) village of Tenganan (definitely worth several hours of time), went through the wonderful beach resort at Candi Dasa, and through the rice fields, near the Mt. Agung volcano, to the Amed shore. We stayed both at the Vienna Beach Bungalow and across the street at the quieter Tresna Yoga Bungalows (phone 081 7479 0480, proprietor and owner is Made Gantiana, who also has a second job at s a porter in the Denpasar Airport) in Lipah, Amed, Karangasem, boasting outstanding views (one attached), spotless and nearly new modern rooms and beautiful landscaping. The rooms at each included showers and modern plumbing; they were about US $20-25, including dinner (fresh fish) and breakfast, although this price will go up depending upon the number in the room. Tresna Yoga seems to be the only accomodation in the area that is Balinese-owned and it is highly recommended and can accomodate families easily--owner Made Gantiana speaks English fluently and has 3 children, ages 12 and younger (the oldest will converse with you in English!) After watching the fishermen sail in their fishing boats at dawn and return, we hired several, together with their 3 hand-made wooden catamarran boats for about US $ 50 to take 8 of us snorkeling (gear readily available for a few dollars) at a nearby Japanese wreck. The shoreline, sailing, and views were the best of an outstanding 2 weeks in Bali. Even though these young men had only a few years of education, they spoke both Balinese and Indonesian, English, and enough words of French and German to accomodate tourists. There were dive shops, restaurants, not a lot of shopping (a relief after Sanur and Ubud), and beautiful black sand (from volcanoes) beaches. And of course the Balinese are pleasant, friendly, interesting, and accomodating. We drank bottled water everywhere, but ate salads and local food. There were no digestive disturbances--we usually have more of those kinds of problems on a simple trip to Florida!