Getting there: Bali's notorious traffic was mostly tucked up neatly in bed after our night flight from Auckland and the driver seemed to be honking his horn only to keep himself company.
The arrival: Even the few short minutes in the humid heat between the air-conditioned car and the air-conditioned lobby meant a cup of iced lemon tea and an ice-cold flannel was the best thing we had seen all day.
The room: We were in ground floor room 4022. Two single beds and a roomy monsoon-head shower. Our small balcony overlooked the manicured lawn that led to the Zen pool and that quickly bore the path our feet made as we headed poolside every day.
The toiletries: Pump-action shower gel and conditioning shampoo. The toothbrush and toothpaste packets were not replaced after they disappeared into my suitcase, headed for charity.
The service: We'd go out and we'd come back and the room was made. A small army of gardeners and housekeepers were always ready with a smile and a good morning — and an extra big smile came if we tried the local greeting "salamat bagi".