Rafting the Ayung River

I had been toying with the notion of going whitewater rafting for some time now. I had done it with my family once before and remember I enjoyed every second of it.

After talking with some people, I was informed that since it was low season in Bali prices for rafting were fifty percent off. This brought the grand total to thirty dollars. With these thirty dollars, I received guest house pickup, two hours on the river and lunch after we were done. It seemed like the perfect deal so I took it. I was booked to go the following morning.

I awoke early since the driver was picking me at 8:00 am. I figured I would be hauled along the hour-long trip to the river in a shuttle bus. The driver came and we left the guesthouse to what I presumed to be our transportation. I looked around and saw nothing sitting outside. Many things popped into my head. The two that seemed most logical were his vehicle was either parked up the street or he had a motorbike and I had been hosed by the company that sold me the ticket.

Thankfully it wasn’t the latter and to my surprise it wasn’t a shuttle bus either. It was a brand new top of the line SUV. And best of all, I had my own personal air-conditioning. I was in control of it. What a beautiful feeling it was. The driver even opened the door for me… I felt like royalty.

The drive up to the whitewater rafting company was very peaceful. The driver spoke only a tiny bit of English and once again, unfortunately, I wasn’t fluent in my Bahasa Indonesia. I enjoyed my quiet journey by marveling at the countryside. It was nice riding in luxury and watching the people, places and things as they slowly passed by.

We arrived at the rafting company at a little after 9:00 am. I was immediately greeted by the owner of the company who welcomed me and told me a little bit about the day. I could tell this was a well-run operation, easing mind that I hadn’t been suckered into a scam, something that had troubled me the night before. You never can be too sure because people will promise you the world to get at your money.

After the owner was done with me, I met my rafting partners. There was going to be four of us in the raft plus one experienced guide.

Scott and Rachel got married the week before and were here on their honeymoon. They were from Santa Monica, California. Scott is in Commercial Real Estate and Rachel works for a Non-Profit Environmental Agency that works with climate change. Pam was from Calgary, Canada and she worked as an accountant with a large International Firm. She was here on vacation like me. Our guides name was Nici. He was a likeable character with a good sense of humor.

Our team got geared up, armed with a faded red helmet that looked pink, a life jacket and a paddle. Nici went over some basic safety tips with us and explained that in the unlikely event that one of us fell in, we were to lie on our back, don’t panic, and wait for someone to rescue us. It sounded simple enough. The other instructions were to paddle forward, paddle backward and ‘boom’ which meant to hold on.

We pushed our raft into the Ayung River, hopped in and set off down the river for our two-hour journey. It was all getting pretty exciting. What I didn’t pickup on was that two hours was a long time to be riding the rapids. Most trips get done well before that.

As we moved along the Ayung River, I soon realized why it took two hours. The river didn’t move very fast. Not like the rapids we are used to in the States. Needless to say, there was a lot of paddling.

The pamphlet I received from the company described the trip as this: “Sobek’s two hour, visually spectacular rafting trip down the Ayung River is a mix of excitement, breath taking views and informative and educational sightseeing. Carving through some of Bali’s most fantastic landscape, the Ayung River provides a thrill the moment you push off from the riverbank. Class II & III rapids wind through deep valleys, cascading waterfalls, dense tropical rainforest and towering cliffs.”

The description was pretty spot on except for the wildness of the river. Everything else was great about the trip. We saw magnificent landscape, went under many waterfalls, and were taught some educational things by Nici. I definitely didn’t have any complaints about the experience.

At one point, there were maybe 40 workers that were carving into the rock on the side of the cliffs. After a few years, moss covers these carvings making them appear to be ancient, as we saw further down the river. It was amazing the talent these skilled workers had. I could have been fooled by the carvings authenticity and I’m sure many others will in the years to come.

We would stop every now and again to hop in the water or take some photos. I think the breaks were mainly for Nici to get his nicotine fix. He was always happy when it was break time. I didn’t mind because it gave me time to take in my surroundings. I guess it was a win-win situation.

Our raft journey ended after much conversation, many beautiful scenes and a few rapids that required Nici to yell ‘boom.’

We departed our raft and headed up the long stone path towards the top of the towering cliffs. We were once again greeted upon our arrival and handed towels for showering. After cleaning up a bit, we sat down for a wonderful meal they had prepared for us.

The four of us, Scott, Rachel, Pam and I, sat together and had a nice lunch full of conversation. I had a great day and it’s something I’m glad I did. I met some wonderful people and saw some amazing things. It was well worth the thirty dollars and it definitely exceeded my expectations.

My Day with Wayan and Ketut

So the day had finally arrived, I was going on my guided tour around the island of Bali. I had wanted to do this for some time now but was never quite sure whom I wanted to take me on this excursion. That was, until I met Wayan, the guy I met at the restaurant the other night.

Wayan seemed very knowledgeable about the culture and history of the island. He also was a very likeable person. It seemed like an obvious choice. The price was right and I was ready.

I left my place around 9:00 am to meet Wayan and Ketut. Ketut was going to be our driver for the day. He was a very nice gentleman who spoke very little English.

First I’ll give you a little background information I found out about Wayan and Ketut. Wayan was twenty-nine, married and had a one year old son. Ketut was in his mid thirties, married and had two children. Both Wayan and Ketut lived at home with their whole family. That included grandparents, parents, brothers, sisters and their spouses and children.

This is how most Balinese live. Your parents take care of you when you are young and you return the favor by taking care of them when they are old. There are no nursing homes.

Wayan told me that Ketut lived a hard life. His parents were very old and neither of them could walk. They required a lot of special attention. He also worked two jobs and had a wife that didn’t do anything. Wayan told me he was fortunate to have two younger, healthier parents and a good wife.

Another thing that interested me was the fact that divorce is almost non-existent in Bali. According to Wayan, you just make things work.

Now that you got the lowdown on my traveling companions, I will tell you about my day trip across Bali.

We started the day by going to a local village and watching men and women carve brilliant masterpieces from a chunk of wood. It was amazing. I was told that the woodcarvers start at as an apprentice at the age of fourteen and get trained by a master woodcarver aged sixty and above. It is a trade that is passed down from generation to generation.

I was also informed that all the carvings were made in the small villages around Ubud. They were then shipped to Ubud to be sold in the fancy shops for top dollar.

After watching the woodcarvers, we hopped back in the hired jeep and headed to our first temple. ‘Elephant Temple’ was the English translation of it or at least that’s what everyone was calling it.

As we arrived, I envisioning a large, ancient, enclosed temple that bore the scars of its many years of existence. My assumptions were quite wrong, as I would soon find out.

Before entering any sacred place, you must be covered in traditional garb. Wayan grabbed me a sarong, a simple sheet that is worn around your waist to cover your legs. Sarongs come in all shapes, colors and sizes and have many useful purposes which both men and women take advantage of as part of the Balinese culture.

With my newly draped sarong, I bounced down the stairs to see the huge towering temple I had been envisioning. At that moment, I realized that there wasn’t much left of the temple and it was completely outdoors. A few pillars stood here and there, with rice paddy fields surrounding.

The central focus of the temple area was three small fountains that people gathered holy water from for religious ceremonies.

The highlight of the temple experience came while we were leaving. A heavily tattooed man with an enormous boa constrictor was standing at the front gate. Having never touched a snake before, I asked the man if I could give it a go. He obliged and took it one step further by letting me drape myself with it.

The reptile was extremely heavy and you could feel how powerful the beast was. I was having a tough time keeping control over it. I held it for a while and then had Wayan take a photo of me wrangling this gigantic serpent.

After the Elephant Temple, we went and saw two more temples. They looked pretty much the same minus the tourists and people selling stuff. I took some more pictures, admired what I was looking at and we hopped into to the Jeep and headed for our next destination, Mt. Batur.

I was really looking forward to seeing Mt. Batur because, from the postcards I’d seen around Ubud, it looked peaceful, rugged and beautiful.

After an hour or so of driving uphill, we finally arrived. You could tell we were at a higher elevation because of the cooling air. It was a welcome relief. Most people were wearing coats or long-sleeved shirts to stay warm but my body wasn’t cold, it just stopped sweating. It was a wonderful feeling to feel dry again.

It was a magnificent scene I was looking out at. It was just like the postcards had portrayed. To the left was a large, towering volcano and to its right was a calm, pristine lake. It looked as though I was looking at a painting. The scene was perfect. There was a little bit of haze in the air from the clouds, but not enough to ruin this glorious sight.

We stayed there for a couple of hours and ate and looked at everything that was around us. It was a very peaceful place given that there were so many people there. This had made the trip for me. I love picturesque scenes that look like they were taken from a fairy tale.

After the time felt right, we left Mt. Batur and all of its beauty behind. Not to mention the nice, refreshing cool air. Boy did I miss that. We headed back towards Ubud. We took a different route this time so I could see other sights along the way.

One particular sight was a rice field. This rice field was lush, green and looked like it had just jumped from the canvas to the grounds below me. It was perfect. The fields were glowing. They were perfectly terraced, stretching as far as the eye could see. There was a fine mist in the air with the sun creeping through creating a mystical look to the whole scene. What a sight it was.

We stopped at a few more places on our way back to town. We arrived back into Ubud just as the sun was about to set. It had been the perfect day full of history and beauty. I thanked my guides and went inside to anxiously look at the photos I had just taken.

The Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary

I finally made it to the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. I stumbled upon the sanctuary my first night in town, nearly a week ago, and now finally made it there.

I awoke early in the morning and had my usual breakfast to start my day off right. I got my daypack put together and headed out for another day of exploring. I knew where I was going, but getting there can always be an adventure in itself. If you keep your mind from wandering while walking about, there are many things to be seen and heard. Everyday there is something new.

Today was no different. As started the long walk towards the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, (I was now staying at the opposite end of town) I stumbled upon a Balinese wedding. The house was decorated with carefully crafted palm leaves that were shaped to make a colorful entryway. It was very interesting to see. The design was beautiful.

As I strolled a bit further, I came across the Royal Palace. It was nice, but a lot of it was blocked off to the public. While I was there, a young college student asked me if I would take a survey about tourism in Bali. I needed a pit stop so I agreed, much to his likening. The survey took around 15 minutes and asked the typical questions any survey asks. He thanked me for my time and I was off again.

The day was getting awfully hot by this time so I ducked into an Internet Café that advertised a/c. As I entered, I soon realized the sign was misleading. The cramped room was the same temperature as outside minus the refreshing breeze. Needless to say, I made my stop short.

I was now almost to the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary. I could see the swarms of people gathering around. As I approached, I saw the same monkeys that I had seen a previous night while strolling around looking for food. Everybody was curious to see a good monkey show, causing a large buildup on the street, and they sure put on one while attempting to get food from the people.

I sat and watched with the others for a while, and then I paid the entrance fee and went in to see what all the fuss was about. As soon as I entered, I knew I was going to be in for a treat. There were monkeys everywhere… big ones, little ones, sleeping ones, and fighting ones.

There was even a small pond in the middle of the courtyard with monkeys swinging from the branches into the water below. It was comical. It looked like a bunch of kids playing on a jungle gym. While watching the monkeys for a bit, I noticed that they have many of the same traits as us. Our mannerisms are very similar. Time after time, they reminded me of little people.

The sanctuary was full of tour groups. I tried to stay away from the groups so I could catch the monkeys of guard. I got a lot of great photos of mother’s feeding their babies, mothers picking bugs out of the father’s hair, and mothers carrying their little ones to higher grounds to avoid the crowds. I also got photos of the monkeys eating bananas, drinking out of water bottles (the way humans do) and playing with rocks and all sorts of other things. These were brilliant little creatures. I couldn’t get enough of them.

Similar to humans, there had to be a couple of bad ones that would try and attack the onlookers and steal their water, food or whatever else they may be carrying. They were clever little thieves and it was fun to watch until they came after you.

I spent a few hours with the monkeys. It was a great time and I would recommend it to anyone. It was much better than a zoo. Although similar to a zoo, it was as if you were put into the cage with the animals. This was a clever concept but unfortunately you can’t do that with all animals. I suppose we could try.

…And They Danced

I attended the much-hyped traditional Balinese dance the other night. I had been pawing at the idea for a few days but never really made the commitment to go.

Well tonight was the night, I was ready to see some art. I had been given the brochure many times on my passing of the outdoor theatre. Not really looking it over much, I had decided to see whatever performance was playing that night. They would all be new and fresh to me.

I packed up my camera gear and headed to a restaurant. I was hungry. While eating, I mentioned to my server Wayan that I intended to see a Balinese Show tonight. He informed me they have many outdoor theatres throughout Ubud and suggested that I attended the one across the street at the Lotus Pond. I agreed after hearing a little about what the show entailed and Wayan ran and got my ticket while I was waiting for my food.

I was really getting excited now because I could see the theatre from the rooftop restaurant and it had a small and intimate look to it. It was just what I was looking for. Every seat would be a great seat.

Wayan returned with my ticket and began to talk to me about my stay in Bali. He explained that tourism had really taken a hit after the Bali bombings and the 2004 tsunami. He expressed his distaste for radical fundamentalists and how their skewed views on life were hurting the rest of the world. I agreed and we both acknowledged that there was no right or wrong religion.

We also agreed that we would all ultimately get to the same place even though our beliefs of how we get there may be different. We left it at that because neither one of us is fanatical about the way a person should think or act nor do I particularly like getting into discussions about religion. I usually steer clear of the subject because everyone has the right to his or her own beliefs as long as its not physically hurting someone.

After my meal, I still had 45 minutes until I had to be at the theatre. Wayan knew this so, since the restaurant wasn’t busy, came over to talk some more about life. After talking for a while, I asked Wayan if he would give me a guided tour around Bali. This is quite common for the men in Bali, it’s how they make their second or third income on the off days from their regular jobs.

Wayan said that he couldn’t go tomorrow but the next day would be perfect. He explained that he didn’t drive a car but his friend would drive us while he guided me through the sites of Bali. We negotiated a fair price, $35 dollars for 8 hours, and agreed to meet the day after tomorrow at 9:00 am. We shook hands and I was on my way to the theatre.

I got there just as the quaint little theatre was filling up. There were three rows of eight chairs on each side. About three-quarters of the seats filled. I decided to stand in the back with a Japanese fellow and photograph the performance from there.

It was an interesting performance filled with music, dancing and many different costumes. I took many photographs of the performance.

The literature describes the show, Kebyar Terompong, as “A classic example of the “Kebyar” style of dance and music, “Kebyar” refers to an explosion of flash, and “Terompong” is the name of the instrument featured in this piece. A key showpiece for dancers, “Kebyar Terompong” requires a high level of technical achievement on the part of the dancer. The performer is challenged to dance dynamic expression, the signature of the Kebyar style… while playing a long row of pot gongs on the Terompong! The playing of the Terompong is embellished lavishly with dance, and the range of expression throughout is exceptional, flashing from strength to refined delicacy, courage to coy flirtation. “Kebyar Terompong” was created in the 1930’s by Mario.”

I had another great Bali experience to remember. They just seem to keep adding up.

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Dancing is an important cultural and regional art, but learning to dance can be intimidating to beginners. A dance class taught by a professional is a great way to get started. Don't be afraid to take a dance lesson just because you've never danced before!

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.

A Few Days Off

I’ve been feeling ill the past few days. It all started the day after I met my Javanese friend Takrip. After my second night of listening to the farm animals and dogs crow at each other, I decided to look for a different place to stay.

It was tough breaking the news to my friend Ketuk, who had trouble understanding why the noises were bothersome. This was hampered by the fact that he didn’t understand English well, so I’m not sure if he fully understood why I left. I enjoyed my many conversations with him, but I needed to get a good night sleep. We said our farewells and I was off.

Made (Ma Day) took me on his motorbike to the Suci Inn, a guesthouse that was recommended in my Lonely Planet guide. After a few failed attempts at finding its location, we asked a shop owner if he knew of this guesthouse. To our surprise, he said it had closed months ago.

Made then took me to a few other locations he knew of. I was looking for a place that was affordable, close to the main road, and most importantly, quiet. I found this place 30 minutes later after an old man told me about his son’s bungalows up the road. I checked them out and I liked what I saw. The price was right, they assured me it was quiet, and it was fairly close to the main road. We settled on a price, 90,000 rupiah ($9.50), and I said my goodbye to Made.

I’m staying at the Arjana Bungalows and it looks like a resort in Cancun. My room is huge, filled with marble tiling and a bathroom the size of my last place. It has a brand new infinity pool and the outside of my bungalow has a patio with a wicker couch and two wicker chairs. It’s pretty nice. It’s the perfect place to recover at.

The past few days have mainly consisted of me walking around until I feel weak, then I come home and lay down for a bit, and I top off my day by finding something to eat. I’ve also been able to answer a few emails and get some writing and editing done. I also watched a movie last night, which I purchased for $1.60. It’s been nice and peaceful.

My main ailments have been weakness, a terrible head cold, lightheadedness, and getting the sweats real bad. I’m able to keep food down and I’ve been sleeping all right. I’ve been feeling better each day and may even venture off to the Monkey Forest Sanctuary today.

The plan is to stay here until I’m feeling a bit better and then I’m heading to the coastal city of Lovina to do some snorkeling. I may go whitewater rafting on a day trip from Ubud tomorrow if I’m feeling up to it. It looks really fun and the prices are 50 percent off because of the low season.

I think of everyone a lot, especially at night when I have time to reflect on where this journey has taken me so far. I also just heard about the earthquake in Sumatra. No one was talking about it here, but a concerned email from my parents notified me of the situation. You are kind of cut-off from the outside world here. I don’t hear much news of anything.

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Before heading out on your next trip, don't forget to look up some travel advice online. You can find a useful travel map and directions before you leave to make your trip easier. Travel health insurance is also something useful that could end up being a lifesaver.

The Balinese

Sitting around with my two new Balinese friends, Ketuk and Made, I learned a lot of interesting things about their culture.

First, Bali is a Hindu island, while the rest of Indonesia is Muslim. When the ancestors of the Balinese where living in Java, they were forced to convert to Islam or flee the island. They chose the latter and took only a select few people. This mostly included royalty, artists and people with certain invaluable skills. So, when a Balinese person tells you they are descendents of royalty, they probably are.

Second, over 90 percent of the Balinese smoke. Made (Ma Day) told me he had tried to quit several times, but had failed because everyone around him smoked, causing him to crave the nicotine even more. Phillip-Morris is doing a good job over here. Everyone smokes Marlboros.

A pack of cigarettes only cost 10,000 rupiah, which to the Indonesians is a lot, but is only a tad over one US dollar.

Third, from my own observation, the Balinese are a culture of sweepers. Wherever I go, people are sweeping. All day long …sweep, sweep, sweep. Even when something is clean, they go over it again just to be sure. They love to keep busy doing little things like cleaning. It’s very unusual to see.

Finally, the three countries that visit Bali the most are 1) Australia, 2) Japan, and 3) Holland. On the final leg of my journey, the plane was full of Japanese tourist groups. I guess that makes sense now. You will also see a lot of restaurants and activities geared towards the Japanese culture. I guess they know whose spending the money here.

Some other things I’ve noticed: They are always calling you ‘Hey Boss’ or ‘Mr. Rob,’ everybody rides a motorbike, they honk the horn constantly, they are always calling out “you need transport,” they smile a lot and are very friendly people, they ask many questions, dogs are everywhere and are considered sacred (good luck), they wear flip-flop sandals so they can easily take them off before they enter a room, they put out incense type baskets to bring good luck and ward off evil spirits, and finally, everyone is talking on a cell phone.

I’m sure there are many more things I’m missing, but that is a brief overview of my conversation with Ketuk and Made, and also some of my own observations.

It’s Been a Wild Few Days…

First, I should state that this post was actually supposed to go up before yesterday's post. I'll try to get the order correctly from now on. Now that you're informed, go on and read. Also, It's still too slow to post photos. I have many. I took 900 photos yesterday alone. A lot of editing.

It all started in Kuta. After spending a few days hanging around the self-proclaimed surfing mecca, I headed to greener pastures and the rice fields of Ubud. Now my last post had suggested that I would be off to the Gilli Islands to do some scuba diving. Like everything in life, things change, and so here I am in the glorious city of Ubud… the city of art. But more on that later.


I had decided the night before to go to Ubud. The place I was staying at had a shuttle service that would take me the hour or so drive to the (almost) center of the island. Things seemed to be going great. I awoke the day of to catch the 9:00 am shuttle… It never came. I thought, that’s all right; I’ll catch the 11:00 am shuttle. I waited patiently for it, but it never came. Now I was starting to get worried. I knew there was only one more shuttle to Ubud and that was at 1:00 pm.

The whole time the hotel staff was assuring me that this shuttle was sure to come. My faith in them was wavering a bit at this point, but sure enough, a man in a little old van picked me up and off to Ubud we went…. Or so I thought.

When I got into to the van, I asked the driver if I was the only one heading to Ubud that day. It was a logical question since I was the only person in the van and I had just paid 50, 000 rupiah to get me there. He told me, “ Oh no, no Sir…. I only bring you to bus station.” I thought, “Fine, at least I’m going somewhere.”

Needless to say, I got to the bus station and after an hour and half of waiting there; I was finally off to Ubud. It was a nice trip filled with many nice sights of rural Bali.

I was met by a nice young fellow named Made, pronounced Ma day, who said he had a nice bungalow nearby. I took him up on his offer, and off we were on his motorbike.

We arrived at the ‘Teba House’ and I was the only guest staying there so I had my pick of which bungalow I wanted. They were all nice and spacious, so I chose the middle one for no particular reason. We negotiated price, finally settling on 50,000 rupiah (1 dollar = 9,400 rupiah), and I settled into my new home.

I ventured out in the late afternoon to see what I could find in Ubud. Like most of this trip, I grabbed my camera and started roaming around until I found something of interest. That something was the Monkey Forest Sanctuary (cleverly located on Monkey Forest Road). By the time I had stumbled upon it, it was already getting dark out. It gets dark here really early… around six or so. I decided to forgo the ticket price and wait another day to see what was inside. But, from the name, I already had a pretty good idea.

By this point I was getting pretty hungry, so I found myself a nice place to eat. You can sit down at a nice restaurant here and eat for a little over three dollars. It’s amazing how many restaurants there are and how few people you see in them. There just aren’t enough tourists here. The accommodations are the same way and people are sitting around looking for some way to help you and make a little cash. It’s been like this everywhere so far, not just Ubud.

I finished the night off by wandering back to my bungalow only to be awakened by the all-night crowing of various farm animals and dogs. Needless to say, it was a long night.

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Before heading out on your next trip, don't forget to look up some travel advice online. You can find a useful travel map and directions before you leave to make your trip easier. Travel health insurance is also something useful that could end up being a lifesaver.

My Javanese Friend

I had a very interesting encounter with a young man from Java the other day. I had been walking for hours taking photos of the people and things of Ubud on my way to the rice fields on the outskirts of town.

First off, I should explain that I get nowhere when I have a camera in my hand because I take a photo of everything, which leads me to moving along at a snails pace. So when I say it took me hours to get to the outskirts of Ubud, it may have taken a normal person only 20-30 minutes walking. Ubud is a very small town.

Now, back to the story… I was walking, looking diligently for the rice fields when I peaked my lens through a grassy brush-type wall to snap a photo of what I thought were the start of the rice fields. As I was doing this, I heard two people yelling at me in broken English. At first, I thought I was getting scolded for my paparazzi like behavior but would later realize they were just trying to help.

As I soon found out, Takrip (short for Muhammad with two other very long names) was just trying to help me out. Unfortunately he didn’t speak very good English and I don’t speak very good Bahasa Indonesia, so we went back and forth awhile until he finally came across the street to show me what he had been trying to explain.

Takrip took me through the grassy brush-type wall and it was like entering a different world. A few seconds ago, I had been on paved streets with motorbikes zipping by and now I was looking at homemade shacks of mud and sticks and roosters and chickens running about. It was topped off by the fact that surrounding theses old, rundown shacks, were the most amazing green fields of rice paddies. It was a magnificent scene.

I thanked Takrip profusely for showing me this and he countered by motioning me to follow him further. I obliged, and off we were to walk along the terraces of the rice fields. Takrip could move very quickly, maneuvering about, but I was not so sure footed. We ventured down to a clearing over a large gorge where we stopped to admire its beauty. I snapped a photo of Takrip there and he returned the favor. It was a great moment and for the first time I really felt like I was traveling.

On our way back up to the road, Takrip stopped to pick a gigantic fruit for us to eat. We brought it over to his art studio across the street and both enjoyed the freshly picked fruit. It had a bitter taste to it, but in a pleasing way. He saw that I was enjoying the fruit so he cut the rest up and put it in a bag and gave to me as a gift. Once again, I thanked him for his generosity.

As I was about to go on my way, he decided there was more he would like to show me. This time we went in the opposite direction, behind his art studio, towards the rice fields again.

So there we were, Takrip and I, off on another adventure. It was pretty exciting. He took me all around, stopping to let me snap a few quick photos of the workers and their fields. We did this for hours, finally ending back at his place.

Takrip proceeded to invite me into his studio and show me his work. His paintings were stunning, mostly nudes… very sensual. He explained to me that he had moved to Bali from the island of Java seven years ago to pursue his art career.

We sat talking in his studio for the next hour while sipping hot coffee. He told me about his life and how excited he was to get back to Java to see his family this October. Being a practicing Muslim, Takrip was going home for Ramadan, an annual Muslim event where everyone abstains from eating, drinking, smoking or having sex from sunrise to sunset.

I showed him photos of my family and where I grew up. He was very interested but had a curious look about his face while looking at the photos of my home. He could not believe they were photographs, he kept saying they looked like miniature paintings.

We ended our day by exchanging email addresses and I was off on my long trek home.

Carnival

There was a rumor going around the pool today that there was going to be a ‘Carnival.’ Now I’m thinking exotic, faraway lands… this is going to be great. The image of ‘Carnival’ in Rio de Janeiro immediately popped into my head.

I had decided to meet Keith (from north England) and Sam (from south England) at 2:00 pm to watch the ‘Carnival’ that was causing such a stir around the island.

We got to an eating establishment around 2:15 pm that had curbside seats for the big event. The streets were filling up with excited Balinese people and many, like us, curious tourists.

We patiently waited for an hour for the festivities to begin, all the while trying to get some more info on what this ‘Carnival’ was all about. We struck out on getting any info but we did learn a valuable lesson. Nothing in Bali starts when it says it’s going to start. The ‘Carnival’ was supposed to start at 2:00, then we heard 3:00, and finally the party started rolling out around 4:15.

‘Carnival’ was kind of a letdown. It was nothing like I had imagined. I would sum it up by saying it reminded me of a small town parade, minus the candy, but add millions of honking motorbikes. That was my take on it. I’m sure it’s much more significant than that and if you were to ask a Balinese person, I’m sure they would tell you the ‘what and why’ of it all. My friend Made (Ma Day) actually drove from Ubud to see it.

ps: It took me 40 minutes to cut and paste this post. The internet here is dreadful. Once again, I had photos to upload along with the post but it was too slow to take them. I even made them super small at 72dpi. I'm still looking for faster internet connections somewhere. I finally found free Wi-Fi, so the hunt continues.

Bali... Such a Beautiful Island

Bali…..

What can I say? It’s been a real treat so far. As I’m writing this, I’m sitting on a private patio viewing the exotic plants and animals all around me. Just last night, a lizard was hanging from the outside light fixture. Pretty amazing!!

Sure, the days are hot, but it’s intriguing beauty more than makes up for the heat and humidity. Plus, It’s sunny here everyday. You can’t beat that.

For the past two days, I’ve been combating jet lag. It’s become a real pain. It’s defiantly something I’m not used to. I made the mistake yesterday of laying by the pool, taking a quick afternoon shower, and then laying down to read a book. Before you know it, I was fast asleep and didn’t wake up till half past 11. It was a real bummer, given the fact that I had intentionally stayed awake to try and get my sleeping pattern more adapt to that of the Balinese timeframe (currently 12 hr. difference)… my world has essentially been turned upside down.

I usually wake up at around 4:00 am and read for a couple of hours. I then get dressed and take a stroll along the beach.

I hope to sleep a full night soon. My body is still getting acclimated to everything around me and it’s new time schedule. I’m trying not to rush anything. Getting sick is something I’m trying to avoid.

I have another night here, at Hotel Sayang Mahay Mertha, and then I’m off to the Gili Islands. I will be taking at least three forms of transport to get there. They are located off the island of Lombok, and are pristine and fairly uninhabited, from what I’ve been told. They don’t have any ATM’s or Cell phone service, so I have prepared myself with enough cash to make it through my stay their.

I plan on getting PADI Scuba Certified while I’m there. I’ve been told that the diving is great there. It will be nice to get to a new location. I’m already getting antsy, and want to head out of Kuta. There are too many people trying to sell you things here. It’s a beautiful place, but like all beautiful places, it’s been tarnished by commercialism.

I have lots of video and photos and I promise I will post them as soon as I get the means (time) and energy to do so. Island life has made me lazy.

Cheers,

rl(Tripp)

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I Finally Arrived...

Hello Everyone….

The last few days have been quite an adventure. It all started two days ago, when my family dropped me off at the Minneapolis Airport. Everything went fine there; it wasn't until my second connection flight, from Denver to San Francisco, that everything got a bit hairy.

It must have been the chicken I had at the San Francisco Airport that ultimately did me in. I got terribly sick before my next flight to Taipei, and it just wouldn’t go away. I couldn’t keep any solids or liquids down. Needless to say, it was a long 13 hr. flight to Taipei.

The good news was, that I finally started to feel better after 24 hours of singing praises to the porcelain Gods, and I was able the to board my last flight to Bali, Indonesia.

It’s been a real treat so far here. I made it through customs without any problems, my checked luggage made it here, and I was even picked up from the airport by a guy holding a ‘Rob Larson’ sign. After the long trip, it was well worth the little bit I spent to secure a room at a nice hotel in Kuta, Indonesia. (Less than $15)

With recommendation from the staff, I walked down to Kuta Beach to see the magnificent sunset. It was amazing!! I’ll post video and photos as soon as I get some more time.

Everything I have been doing takes time. We take for granted all the basic things that come so easily to us back in America. I spent most of my day unpacking and walking around the district I’m located in. The people are so friendly and helpful here and I’ve been trying to use what little I know of my Bahasa Indonesia to communicate with them. Everyone is more than willing to help you out.

It’s been a great experience so far, and I hope to update you with the many adventures that are sure to come. I can’t wait for a great night sleep that will contribute to a much needed rejuvenated body. They even have free breakfast here.

I just wanted to let you know that I’m safe, happy and pretty healthy at this very moment. I didn’t think I was going to make it for a while, but I guess you just never know.

Also, the temperature felt pretty good today and they sell three scoops of ice cream for under three dollars. What a country. I’ll post photos soon.

PS: Thanks for the ‘smiley ball’ Dad and I hope your move went smoothly.

Cheers,

rl (Tripp)

--The internet is dial-up and terrible slow so bear with me--

The Morning Of...

I'm off to see the world.... Wish me luck!!


Cheers,

rl (Tripp)