Bali

I am going to have trouble articulating how much I have loved every moment since we arrived on this island, but I will try.

Perhaps I am surprised at how enthralled I am because I had very little expectation for Bali. In fact, aside from the obvious "ooooh Bali!" thoughts, I was actually feeling a little less excited about what I envisioned here because I thought it might be too luxurious and resort-esque for my taste...and I feared I'd actually NOT be able to relax because of the guilt I'd have for such "gallivanting". Yes, I'm fully aware that I AM gallivanting to an extent as I travel with such freedom (and I thank God every day for this incredible opportunity), but I also want to make sure that I am constantly learning and exploring and not lounging like a lazy American on an extended vacation. Get my drift?

Well, my worries that there would only be resort culture here were totally unwarranted.

There is so much culture, natural beauty, history, and anthropology wrapped and bundled into little packages everywhere you turn on this island. Like I mentioned in my previous post, Bali is magical. I definitely have been put under its spell.

I'll start at the beginning, when we arrived in Bali last Friday night. Things started out a little roughly, as we arrived very late after immigration lines and then struggled a bit to find a decent place for a decent price. Not only was it around midnight but it was still the tail end of the Hari Raya (end of Ramadan) celebration and tons of Balinese people came to the beaches too (like Kuta where we chose to go first)...

However, we DID find a bed, and things only went up from those first hours!

Saturday morning. We woke up and started to explore our new town of Kuta.
It is a pretty touristy area, so there are lots of beach shops and men and women selling everything from sarongs to wooden frogs to pineapples and pendants...not to mention Balinese surfers shouting that they will give you lessons for "good prices" However, there are still locals everywhere, and the amazingly wonderful and evenly spaced surf that goes on for miles of coastline completely makes up for any of the "touristy"-ness. So, after finding a spot to park our stuff, I walked the beach, and eventually caved when 2 of said surfer dudes told me that, in 2 hrs., I'd look like the surfer on their hand painted sign (disregard the fact that surfer was a large, brunette man riding in a barrel wave). So, I took the bait, got some knockoff $2 board shorts, and spent the next few hours with my surf "teacher," Naga (NAH GUH). I even stood up for more than my previously held 0.2 second record and feel like I actually surfed some waves (albeit baby ones)! My success was definitely more due to the perfect waves than to my skill, but it was a blast either way. AND, it only cost about $10, just in case you thought I spent all my food money on surfing...don't worry!

So, clearly, the first day in Bali was awesome. We then relocated to a home stay for the 2nd night (they are very popular here--many families live on compounds and rent out different bungalows or apartments on their property) to cheapen our room tab. We found out that our new place, Diana House, was also home to a plethora of creatures (birds, bunnies in cages, cats, roosters, dogs, you name it). Not the cleanest spot we've stayed, but totally doable. After another half day in Kuta, we boarded a bus North to the town of Ubud.

Ubud was also incredible in a totally different way from Kuta. Envision rice paddies, art galleries and batiks and wooden carvings everywhere, women walking down the streets carrying all sorts of things on their heads while wrapped in gorgeous fabrics, and fabulous mansion-like home stay options around every corner. Plus, there is a big monkey sanctuary there and a huge yoga crowd...an exotic, intoxicating vibe overall. And, did I mention, the food and clothing were also to die for.

The fact that these "corners" of the world exist does not cease to amaze me.

Our home stay in Ubud, Ubud Sensasi, was such a phenomenal experience. The room we were in had rattan ceilings, carved wooden doorways and detailing all over, TWO balconies, and it was VERY clean! And it had a gorgeous view over rice paddies. AND it cost about $10. I told the owner I wanted to move in...she might let me. Don't worry, I was (half) kidding.

In Ubud, I went for some great, exploratory runs around the area, did lots of browsing in and out of the art galleries and shops, took a billion pictures as usual, and talked to as many locals as I could about their artwork, crafts, etc. So many of the Balinese people are so passionate and talented, and they are also so approachable and willing to tell you their stories. Really cool.

THEN, it gets even better.
You will not believe what Arati and I did in Ubud this morning.
We woke up at 1:45 am (yes I'm about to fall over and pass out because I haven't napped since...), and got picked up by a couple of Balinese guys who drove us to our early pre-trek breakfast of coffee and banana pancakes. Then, we drove to meet our guide who led us with his flashlight up the side of Mt. Batur--a dormant volcano! My Science students would be so excited! (Well, let me believe that they would be at least). Also, the stars were amazing and clear in the night sky, i.e. I could actually see constellations that I had always just pretended that I could pick out when other people talked about them. The hike took about an hour and a half, and we were safely seated atop the crater for the sunrise. I will never forget the beauty of that view. The sunrise, clouds BENEATH us, and the crystal clear lake in front of us made for a panorama that was absolutely breathtaking. After attempting to take it all in, we then hiked around the caldera for a while to explore the craters and steam vents before descending...and this was all before 9:30 a.m. - woohoo!

Needless to say, I'm feeling very, very blessed these days.

After our volcano trek, we packed up and said a sad goodbye to Ubud and got onto another bus bound for the coastal town of Padangbai. We are leaving on a morning ferry to go to the island nextdoor, Lombok, tomorrow morning, and we did not even plan to stay the night here. I'm so glad we "had to" because of schedule conflicts.

Padangbai is a really cute fishing and diving town, where the water in the swimming beach, Blue Lagoon, should be used to paint every building on earth. It is intense and gorgeous. Although we don't have much time here, the vibe has penetrated already. To keep it simple, I'll sum it up with the words: bright, laid back, family-oriented, inviting, and cheerful. Also, envision black volcanic rock cliffs, lush green hills, and little beaches with topaz water. And, again, the food is delicious. So far, I'm pretty sure Indonesia is in the lead for my favorite food as a country (even though we haven't left Bali yet) ...it's going to be hard to beat.

On that note, I'm going to get some dinner (or whatever meal I'm up to now since we started with our 2am breakfast). Stay in touch, and let me know if you have any ideas for a job for me here ASAP! Terima Kasi (= Thank You in Bahasa, the language here).

AND, if you haven' t gotten the hint, BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS NOW! I'll meet you at the airport.