The Rice Fields Were Calling

I had decided last night before going to bed that I was feeling better and it was time to take my trip to the much anticipated Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary that I had seen on my arrival date.

I woke up nice and early the next morning with a smile on my face. I had a plan. During breakfast, I noticed off in the distance a marvelous scene of lush green fields. I don’t know how it had slipped past me for this long. I had been eating in the same location for the past couple of days. It may have been attributed to my illness or the inability we all have, at times, to look at something but not really see it. Well today I saw it.

I asked the lady serving me my morning banana jaffle about this magnificent place I could see and she gave me a rough outline of the path I needed to take. I was excited, really excited… I had a new plan. The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary would have to wait for another day. The fields were calling my name and I was listening.

I packed up my gear, grabbed a large bottle of water and headed down the path to see what I could find. I felt like a kid on Christmas, minus the pj’s and presents, but I was excited and had no clue what goodies were in store for me.

As I started down the path, I immediately saw the lush green fields of rice that I had seen earlier during breakfast. It was a spectacular scene. Wide-open country full of terraced fields as far as the eye could see. I marveled at their primitive, yet ingenious irrigation system.

Their irrigation system was based on the simple principle of water being taken from its main source (the river) and directed to different areas by a system of trenches that were on the outskirts of each field. The fields were terraced so the water would gradually step-down to another level until it had reach all fields from top to bottom. It was essentially a giant set of steps with water flowing down them being helped along by gravity. Pretty clever.

I began taking photos of everything. Everywhere I looked, I saw beauty. To the workers in the fields, I must have seemed crazy because they see this gorgeous scene everyday. To me, it was fresh and exactly what I had come looking for. I had hit the jackpot this time. It was just nature, its unlimited beauty and I. It was setting up to be a perfect day.

As I continued on my walk, I encountered many workers, both male and female, that would stop and say hello to me. They were very kind and would ask if I would like a coconut that they were carrying. (They carry everything on their heads) I would politely explain to them that I had a long journey so I would have to pass but asked if I could take their photograph. Most were more than willing, almost proud to be asked, like they were a celebrity. I thanked them with a smile and moved on further down the path.

It was a little intimidating at times, for the workers carried either a hatchet or a grim reaper like blade with them. At any moment, they could of held me up or cut me into pieces. Though I never felt threatened, I always kept my wits about me and made smart decisions when dealing with them. Like I said earlier, they were more than willing to share a smile and give me directions if need be. They were very hardworking individuals with a good sense of balance in their lives. They seemed happy with what they were doing and I didn’t seem to bother or disturb their way of life.

Halfway through the journey, I had a decision to make because I had come to a fork in the road. Five minutes into my decision I knew I had made the wrong one when a local from across the river was yelling and motioning for me to turn around and go back to where the road split. I did just that and was met by a young gentleman named Gooste. He explained to me the errors of my way and I obliged to follow him on the right path.

Gooste carried me across the river and showed me where he lived. He told me he was a local farmer who also painted as a sideline business. He sold his prints out of his home to people that were walking along the same path that I was now on. We talked for a while and I gave him a small amount of money to buy some cigarettes that he needed.

This is something you run into a lot, people asking for money. It is a tricky thing because you can’t possibly give money to everyone that asks. I felt Gooste had helped me so I repaid him by giving him some money for his efforts. I usually don’t cave like this, but he seemed genuinely nice and sincere.

A while later, I came upon an organic farm that served fresh fruit. It was a nice little place set atop a wooden structure that allowed you to see the fields in a 360-degree fashion. I ordered a fruit salad along with a banana smoothie and sat back and enjoyed the view. My pit stop came at the perfect time. Five minutes into my stay, the skies opened up and it rained for a half an hour.

I talked to some locals at the organic farm and they informed me that Ubud was only a 10-minute walk from their farm. I waited out the rain, enjoyed my fruit salad and off I went to finish my trek that I had started some hours before.

I came to the town of Ubud a short time later, got my bearings of where I was and headed in the direction of home. I took photos of people on the street the whole way back, a stark contrast to the fields of green I had taken earlier. It had been a really great day. I finished my spontaneous day off with a refreshing dip in the pool.