Bali

A three hour flight was all it took to get to the favoured island of Bali. A blast of heat as we exited the Denpasar Airport was our first taste of Indonesia, where we’ll be spending the next two weeks. Passing through village after village, we were in awe at the amazing antiquity. After arriving in Ubud, the cultural center of the island, we got settled into a lovely Balinese family homestay. Wandering down the narrow passages of our neighbourhood we observed their true way of life, rituals and practices aplenty. When we came to a main street we began passing an overwhelming number of little shops containing intricate carvings, sculptures and statues. We spent the rest of the day browsing through their vast selections, and then tasting our first Indonesian meal. The next day we rented a motorbike to assist us in reaching Gunung Batur, an active volcano in the Kintamani district. With a lake at its base, the view was breathtaking.

Cruising through the Balinese jungle, we spotted magnificent rice terraces shining lush green under the exotic sun.

Our next stop was Tirta Empul, one of the holiest temples in Bali, built around hot springs that still bubble in the central courtyard. Many locals go there to bathe and purify themselves physically and spiritually.

Even though we didn’t bathe at the temple, we sure got wet on our ride back to Ubud when the clouds decided to open. There wasn’t much else we wanted to accomplish that day except warm-up and relax over a pot of tea. Having the motorbike for only a few hours the next morning, we booted it to Goa Gajah, Elephant Temple. The centerpiece there is a cave, the entrance to which is an ornately carved demon’s mouth. Large stone guards stand around pools in the grounds, and a little path leads to Buddhist stupa fragments and a waterfall.

There wasn’t much choice but to spend the evening nursing Wes back to recovery, as he had eaten something that didn’t sit well. However, this allowed us to save up our energy for the following day, our last in Ubud, so big plans. We walked across town in the scorching heat to the market, two levels across several blocks full of every knick-knack you can imagine. After picking out some clothes and souvenirs, we visited the Royal Water Palace and Lotus Temple.

Our last task was to complete a rice field walk, just on the outskirts of Ubud. Not knowing that it’s a three to four hour journey, we found out from a local about half way. Most likely feeling pity for us as most visitors are on bicycles or motorbikes, he led us towards a short cut through his rice paddies. Stopping at his hut for some freshly poured coconut water into our empty bottle, we then carried on down to his sanctuary. Urging us to take a dip in the cool river, we were more interested in getting out of the ravine back to town. We passed a waterfall on the way and crossed a bamboo bridge before climbing up a steep dirt hill into more rice fields. Even though the trek didn’t turn out as planned, the views were incredible and we saw parts of Bali that most miss.

Before we headed down to Kuta the next afternoon we went to Monkey Forest, an exciting viewing of the rascals in their natural habitat. What was supposed to be a 1.5 hr journey turned into three and we didn't arrive to the beach town until the sun was just setting.

The next full day floating in the waves and grazing on the 5km beach was a cooker, but our acquired base tans will come in handy on the Gili Islands!