The prospect of taking an over-active toddler on an overseas holiday can certainly be daunting, but after spending the festive season in Bali with my partner Grace, daughter Eden and my immediate family there was little to be apprehensive about.
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Yes, Eden cracked it on numerous occasions each day and was an absolute terror on the long flight home, but dealing with a toddler tantrum against the picturesque backdrop of South-East Asia is not all that bad.
We were able to enjoy Bali in its entirety — all together as well as on our own at times — thanks to the group babysitting efforts of a travelling party of eight, while having a teenager in tow who was more interested in his Nintendo Switch than late-night swims allowed us to throw open the adjoining room doors and partake in enough moonlight cocktails to have our fill.
Eden also had a great time being the centre of attention wherever we went, posing for selfies with restaurant staff like she was a visiting celebrity and having the crowd in raptures at a drag queen show by taking over the dance floor mid-routine — and keeping control of it for almost the remainder of proceedings.
It was my second visit to Bali, and high on the agenda for me was dragging Grace to a Luwak coffee plantation to enjoy the pre-digested beans in all of their glory.
Upon recommendation from our ever-smiling resident travel guide Sammy we tried a Luwak cappuccino, and it was certainly a step up from the espresso I had partaken of upon my last visit.
As well as stopping in to admire the intricacies of a nearby temple — a must for any Bali visit — on our way to lunch, we also swung by the Bali Butterfly Park for a tranquil hour of admiration.
Lunch itself on that particular day trip alongside some local rice paddy fields was great as always — just watch your step when attempting to get a closer view of the inner workings of the fields.
As I learned the hard way, make sure you look down as well as out or you will end up sprawled across the banks of the fields with an embarrassed glow quickly spreading across your face.
Speaking of visiting celebrities, there's nothing like standing next to Amazing Race Australia host Beau Ryan in his speedos at Waterbom Park to make you reassess your own rig.
Eden certainly enjoyed living it up in the kids’ area of the water park, but carrying her up the ramp dozens of times to go down the same slide certainly got the quads burning.
Other highlights of the trip included watching some of the hours of fireworks on New Year's Eve from the rooftop pool at the hotel, taking in the sights and consuming some ‘Bali water’ — in other words, Bintang — on the Bali Beer Cycle and getting in 18 holes at one of the local golf courses.
Somehow you feel a bit less frustrated when you send yet another ball skimming along the ground and thudding into the bunker when you are playing against the backdrop of pristine Bali scenery.
