26th January

It’s raining, the roads are temporary rivers! We decided to have a sorting day…planning the next part of our trip, booking up transport ( so tricky to do online for Bali and so straightforward for Vietnam) hotels and trips. Managed to drop clothes to the laundry and go out for breakfast between the showers! Went to the taxi rank to negotiate the trip to Gilimanuk… I’d done my research and the going rates are between R 700,000 and R1,000,000. The guy gave us a price on R1,200,000. I offered R 800,000 nothing doing there so we went to another local provider. We’ll be collected at 8am Saturday morning and taken to the ferry port for R 770,000. (£40) There is a huge taxi war in Ubud against Grab and Gojek ( like Uber) . Local taxis say it’s taking there work… I think our nearest taxi drivers like the short trips into town and plenty of time to sit and gossip! 

We went out to a local warung for a second breakfast. The staff there were tending plants they were growing ready to plant out

Sometimes it rains but it is strange to have such warm tropical rain

25th January

Today we visited the grounds of both the Royal Palace and the Saraswati Temple. I made some new friends who were tourists posing for photos in the traditional Balinese dress. I asked to take a photo of them and after that I had to join there photo shoot … a giant blonde(?) amongst the petite dark-haired people! Pottered through the nearly empty side streets to a lovely restaurant for lunch and walked the long way home. 

Girl gang

Temple entrance

There are some pretty big lizards here

Royal palace

We have geckos sharing our apartment 

24th January

Up before sunrise ready to do the hugely popular Campuhan Ridge walk. Whatever guide you read it’s a ‘must do’. We’ll I don’t agree! It was like Hyde Park with so many tourists out for their morning constitutional,  shouting out to one another ‘Hey are you doing the ridge walk?’ There are some lovely views…you can see the mountains in the distance. After a while we decided to stray off the ridge walk and into some forest where it was calm and truly beautiful. Luckily there was a restaurant with forest views just off the beaten track an ideal location for a well-earned breakfast! 

Boo!!!

Cattle egret

Healthy breakfast

Its a jungle out there

23rd January

We negotiated a deal with a local taxi firm to hire a car and a driver to take us to a nearby waterfall. It was approximately 15 kilometres away but due to the traffic congestion in Ubud the journey took just under an hour there and just over an hour back. This is why we walk!! It was an interesting journey especially when we got closer to a local volcanic mountain. The driver dropped us off and the ticket man saw us safely to the road crossing man who, armed with a red flag on a stick, saw us safely across the road. We walk through the jungle to the waterfall where we were met by a very solicitous waterfall attendant. He was great …took loads of photos of us and told us about the contours of the pool and where it was deep etc. We  walked to the top waterfall and it was wonderful to feel the cold spray of the mountain water. Later we swam in the pool and lounged around the edges watching the wildlife. We were so lucky to be the only visitors for a while. Most people came with a guide, posed where and how the guide advised and left - another waterfall done! There are so many companies offering these ‘photo opportunity’ tours. What’s the point? 

One of many photos taken of us at the waterfall

Photo opportunity location

We went for a little wander around a local street then headed to a shack in the car park for a drink. We only wanted a cold drink to take in the car but the family offered us their seats and wanted to chat so we obliged. The dad asked where we were from and when we said UK he asked if we knew his friend… Elizabeth 😂😂. I said I’m sorry she died but I’m sure you know Charles! They were so lovely and interested in life …They asked about our trip, we showed them currency from Vietnam and let them have some. Showed them some from the UK but didn’t give that away ! They taught us some Balinese words and explained that they speak Indonesian too. It was lovely to meet them. 

New Balinese friends

We were starving when we got back so headed into Alchemy …healthy food and healthy portions. There was a power out … fairly common it appears - but despite the fans stopping and the lights going out everyone continued to get served and enjoy their food - cooking on gas.

Vegan poke bowl

Vegan protein bowl

22nd January

Today was a very special day meeting up with my nephew Oli and his partner Mel. They took us to a beautiful restaurant called Sayan House. The setting was superb with great views and a welcome breeze blowing through.

We had amuse bouches, starters, tacos and a main course with a cocktail and wine and a palate cleanser sorbet. And then there was cake … with candles…and a song!! Honestly that chocolate brownie cake was sublime … had another slice with coffee when I got home 😂. What a way to end my birthday week… so spoilt 💛

Gorgeous girl 

The best brownie ever!

21st January

We took a trip to the most well known art gallery in Ubud,  Agung Rai Museum of Art. It’s about half an hour on foot, but it felt further today as there’s very little cloud cover and we had the full force of the Bali sun. Luckily it was still fairly early. The museum is set in the most beautiful grounds… I was moved to tears by the feel of the place …quite involuntary! On arrival you are offered a free cup of tea or coffee and get to sit in beautiful surroundings. Oh, and there was cake! 

We chatted to a very knowledgeable guide who explained how “foreign” artists arriving in the 1930s influenced Balinese art in form as well as colour and brushes. He explained that up until then artists in Bali sharpened bamboo to draw outlines then bashed the bamboo until it became fibrous to make brushes.

A very gentle and knowledgeable guide

There were some paintings that moved me and it was interesting to see the evolution of Balinese art, but really I could have spent the whole time in the gardens…such peace and beauty.

Eventually hunger got the better of us. We found a fantastic little restaurant with views onto a rice field. I love it when we find these little oases of green amongst the busy city streets. Again we had a fine feast! 

An amazing Balinese curry with red rice. So delicious. Gently spicy.

On our way home we came across a shop selling 100% cotton Balinese made clothes. I found a lovely white top which I bought using my birthday money (thank you Chalk Hill Farm) and Paul went all out and got a funky Balinese shirt! 

It was roasting by the time we got home so a quick change and a dip in the pool…bliss.

20th January

We’re still exploring the local area on foot … a very alien concept in these parts! Everyone hops on a scooter if they’re travelling more than 50 meters. And there’s no shortage of places to buy fuel: it’s available in 1.5 litre water bottles at all the little convenience stores. I was wondering about the bright blue water ….! Paul is quite keen to hire a scooter,  I’m thinking a car and a driver makes more sense…air conditioning, sat nav, local knowledge, no wobbly pillion … 

Anyway our walk took us through little settlements, rice fields and by rivers.

There were tremendous drops into steep gorges along the way .. I’m getting used to the fact that in this country you are largely responsible for your own safety and well-being ..there are no safety railings or warnings you just have to look where you’re going! We have to find time to stop and stare if we want to enjoy the views.

As luck would have it we came upon a one stop shop for all sorts of “pampering” services including a shave so at last Paul has had his beard trimmed! 50,000 Rupiah which is about £2.60!

Fresh faced!

We were caught in a rainy season shower … torrential rain so we had to take refuge in a local cafe where we had a second breakfast… the French toast was delicious and I love the citrus element of the local honey. Paul went for an oats and fruit delight.

So tasty

French toast Balinese style

The showers are brief so we were able to resume our walk. I had my first glimpse of the ripening grains of rice … it took me back 50 years to our village school geography lessons based around a BBC schools programme People of Many Lands. Little' then did I ever dream I’d see rice growing in the southern hemisphere! 

Rice grains

For our evening meal we went back to the small cafe where we had our second breakfast. Very cheap - about £7 for two of us. Lovely simple food. As we were leaving it started to throw it down with rain. Luckily we had an umbrella - not that it kept much rain off. Tropical rain is strange to us - weird being so warm.

A Balinese take on a burrito!

Local dog decided I was a friend and fell asleep on my foot :)

19th January

The best part of today was our sunrise walk along the Sweet Orange Trail just on the outskirts of Ubud. We were early enough to be alone on the trail …  the sights and the sounds were breathtaking. The light was just touching the rice fields making them look so fresh and green. So many different birds busy in the morning light, butterflies as big as small birds soaking up the first of the days warmth…The vegetation so massive and lush and alien to me…I loved it all. We wandered along just enjoying the peace and the natural beauty of our world.

A traditional Balinese house

Beautiful light at 6:30am

How you propagate coconut trees

Bananas growing randomly by the trail

Sweet Orange Trail

I did also very much enjoy our very indulgent smoothie bowl (second) breakfast … so good… so we’ll deserved 😂