Travel Zette

The flight from Singapore to Denpasar, Bali was about a 2.5 hours and the views from the plane as we came in over the island were enchanting. My hotel arranged to pick me up at the airport for the 1.5 hour ride up to Ubud. I arrived at the hotel after dark and had to wait until morning to see my surroundings.

The location was next to the monkey forest with a shuttle into the town of Ubud. We were given warnings about walking through the monkey forest with food, bags, water bottles or any shiny objects visible as the monkeys would come up, grab it and run off. It was about a 30 minute walk into town through the monkey forest but I decided that could wait for another day and took the hotel shuttle into Ubud. I walked around, explored the shops and at the shuttle driver’s recommendation, had lunch at Ibu Rai, a charming spot right on Monkey Forest Road. I had the daily special, an avocado and chicken curry dish that was one of the best meals I had ever eaten. I selected the chocolate turmeric mousse for desert which was equally delicious. In the evening, dinner at the hotel included a lovely children’s song and dance performance.

The following evening, I had dinner with a couple of women that I had met the night before at the children’s performance. We all wanted to try Murni’s Warung, one of the oldest restaurants in Ubud. The hotel shuttle driver took us there and back. I had Tutu Ayam that was very good. The following morning we were booked on a Bali Eco Tour (total of 9 people). We left in the morning and were driven up to Mount Batur, for breakfast at the Lakeview Restaurant with a wonderful view of the lake and active volcano. The cool morning at the volcano was intoxicating, I did not want to leave! After breakfast and time to take in the view, we biked downhill about 20 kilometres, through beautiful landscapes and quiet towns. We stopped at a rice paddy and were able to walk among the growing reeds. I slipped and was all muddy but there was a cool running stream to rinse off which felt great. In the evening we had cocktails and watched a beautiful sunset at the Ubud Wana Hotel across the street. It began to pour rain and the hotel kindly drove us back to our hotel in a canvas and plastic covered golf cart. It was a fun day and the rain brought slightly cooler temps. I was hoping to sleep better as the heat had been keeping me awake until the early morning hours.

My initial reservation was for 3 weeks in Ubud but after the first week I began to struggle with the idea of staying two more weeks. It was hot, humid, the air conditioning was marginal, bugs buzzing by and dropping in all day. Can I eat this, drink that? I was uncomfortable and wanted to run off to one of the many luxury resorts! I had spent the past six months traveling in heat and humidity (South America, Panama, Caribbean, South East Asia) with only a few weeks break in between. Having lived in southern California for the past 15 years, my body was not adjusting as I had hoped. I was also struggling with my intuition, using my discomfort as an excuse not to spend time on writing and sending a note to a friend. Although, the Internet was slow or not available at times, I tried to relax and adjust my pace to this lifestyle. Five years earlier in my journey, I could not have lived with high heat and humidity or ants and bugs sharing my space. I chose to stay in my budget hotel and take it as a personal challenge in letting go of control. I knew many people would like the time to spend here and I felt grateful for the opportunity.

I spent my remaining days, taking walks to see local sights and trying new places to eat. The food was wonderful and everyone was very friendly and accommodating. There is much to see in Ubud but relaxing is also part of the experience. I learned to be patient and accept, move slowly and notice what was around me…delicate orchids, butterflies and that every creature seemed to know its purpose. I never did go through the monkey forest but did go to the entrance one day to take a look. On my last night, cool air and rain were a welcome relief and I finally gave in and sent the note to my friend I had been holding back. I soon realized it should have been sent sooner and to be more trusting of my intuition.

Ultimately, this time in Bali of enduring heat and humidity, staying in the moment and knowing I can overcome fears, has given me something to help with future challenges. Now, when faced with an uncomfortable situation, I remind myself to find the beauty in where I am and know it is an opportunity to strengthen my courage.