Blogs from Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, Asia - page 4

We left the hotel and drove to the coast to catch a boat to Gili Air, the journey took a couple of hours and the roads were really winding. We grabbed our belongings and boarded the boat. The sea was quite calm so it made for a nice crossing and it didn’t take long. We were advised that if the tide was low, the boat would have to drop us a fair distance away so we’d get a horse and cart for the last bit of our journey to the hotel. Luckily, the tide was high enough for the boat to take us directly to the hotel. we were a little early, so the rooms weren’t ready for us to check in so we sat in the bar and ordered early lunch. The rest of the ... read more

Our tour ended in Ubud and a number of us stayed for a few days afterwards. I've been to Bali a few times in the past, so used these as rest days (aka there were a lot of massages)...and to catch up on exciting things like laundry.... read more

What we most appreciate about living in Ubud is best summarized in all the little things we experience daily. The early morning rooster wake up calls, followed by the daily sing song “Selamat Pagi / Good Morning“ greeting of the hotel staff as they arrive with our hot water thermos. Early morning laps in the pool. Morning yoga practice overlooking the rice paddies and coconut palm trees. Laughter over breakfast with hotel staff and guests. Jumping on the motorbike and going, well, anywhere, because the freedom of the ride is always more important than the destination. The not infrequent complete halting of traffic on a main street for five or ten minutes to allow for a ceremonial procession of Balinese fully dressed in ceremonial garb, women bearing fruit baskets on their heads, men marching along playing ... read more

For the next few blogs I am going to blog my experience this past week to share with you but also like anything else that I write about, it is a memory to remember through words and photos ;) My mind has always been busy, it never stops, I can never relax, even on my sleep. My mind is always going and going and going and I can’t meditate. Lately it has been really hard for me to put the breaks on and relax and enjoy the moment. My attention spam is almost zero as Im already gone while I am here. I’m not really sure where that comes from. Part of it is because my guardian Orisha is Obatala. Also being a chef that travels from place to place and that is in permanent movement ... read more

When approaching Bali, Mount Agung is usually the first bit of land to appear on the horizon. This 9,944 ft perfectly shaped volcano dominates the Bali skyline. In December and January, Agung, which means “great,” sent sparks, steam and rocks flying in a succession of eruptions. This disrupted tourism and displaced many residents seeking shelter away from the mountain. Fortunately, by the time we arrived, Agung was sleeping peacefully. At least for a while. Bali is one of 18,000+ islands in the Indonesian Archipelago. The people and special spirit of Bali makes it our favorite of all. Bali is a Hindu island in a Muslim country. It is the land of “Eat, Pray, Love.” It has its own music, dress, art and at 90% Hindu, its own religion. Bali is called the land of 1000 temples. ... read more