Day 8: Exploring Every Corner of the Island

Another day, another improvement in sleep! Jai was up at about 5:40am, but the other kids didn't wake until 7:00am. After our early starts at the beginning of the trip, this felt like a huge win.

Nanny arrived early and took the kids for a walk along the beach while Sam and I escaped for an iced coffee at a little local café. It was a lovely, quiet start to the day before we all met back at our accommodation for breakfast.

Then it was time to jump back into our trusty little buggy and explore the rest of Nusa Lembongan with Nanny. We discovered a gorgeous beach club on the other side of the island, where the kids enjoyed another swim while Nanny treated everyone to ice blocks.

As we explored the island, we also got to see the seaweed farms at low tide. It was amazing to see just how far the ocean disappeared, revealing rows and rows of seaweed farms stretching across the seabed. There were locals out harvesting the seaweed by hand, and as we drove around the island, we passed piles of freshly harvested seaweed drying along the roadside. It was fascinating to see such an important part of everyday life on the island up close.
We also noticed it was a special celebration day in Bali. The streets and temples were filled with beautiful offerings, and many of the locals were dressed in their traditional clothes. It was really special to witness and gave us a little glimpse into the rich culture and traditions of the island.

Unfortunately, it was then time to say goodbye to Nanny and Uncle Jackfruit, as the kids had nicknamed him. They headed back to Sanur so Jack could catch his flight home. It was suckey saying goodbye after such a fun few days together, and it had been so special spending time with him again after so many years.
While waiting with Nanny and Jack for their boat, Grayson and Jai decided the obvious thing to do was to bury Henry in the sand (don't worry they left his head sticking out!). Henry thought it was hilarious and happily let them cover almost the rest of him before making his grand escape.

Back at the villa, Jai had a nap while the rest of us recharged. Once he woke up, we jumped back in the buggy and headed to Dream Beach, where the kids played on the sand and we explored even more of the island's winding little roads.

By now, Sam has become an absolute expert behind the wheel, confidently navigating tiny one-way sized roads, that somehow seems to fit traffic going both ways!

As we drove past the beach club from earlier, the kids voted for "just one more swim." None of us needed much convincing. We cooled off in the pool and enjoyed some of the best coconuts we've ever had, with fresh lime and mint added to the coconut water. They were unbelievably refreshing.

We made it home before sunset, and Sam took the older kids on a little mission to the local warung to pick up dinner.

By 7:00pm, every single one of us was tucked up in bed, completely exhausted after another day of exploring, swimming and making memories.

Trip Statistics

- Iced coffees enjoyed in peace: 2
- New parts of the island explored: Lots
- Ice blocks consumed: 4
- Beach club swims: 2
- Fresh coconuts declared "the best ever": 2
- Traditional Balinese celebrations witnessed: 1
- Sand-covered siblings: 1
- Seaweed farms discovered: Too many to count
- Times the kids asked for "just one more swim": We've lost count
- Bedtime: 7:00pm (Everyone was happily defeated!)
- Family memories made: CountlessRead more