Rice terraces and all day spa days

I had grand plans of finally attending a yoga class and improving my mind and body and stuff but for the next few days I take it easy and stay close to my hotel again. I do sneak out for pizza at some point though.

When I take the short cut from my hotel to the busy part of Bali I have to share this narrow path with two way traffic of bikes and monkeys. Today is the least amount of bikes I’ve ever seen while taking the path.

I book an evening tour to see rice fields (Tegalalang) and a show even though my stomach is still uneasy. I take medicine and head out to visit the rice fields in a town nearby. It is too far to walk so my only option is to hire a taxi or take a private tour such as this one. (No I am not renting a bike. It is very scary on the roads so not an ideal place to learn).

The iconic rice fields are beautiful to see. I am there in the afternoon and it seems like the crowds have passed for the day because it isn’t very busy. My driver tells me about the different growing stages and how they are irrigated and harvested. I take one or two kitschy pictures even though I feel ridiculous doing so. I didn’t shell out money for the bali swing though. I hear screaming above from people on the swing while they are trying to do their iconic swing photos.

I also notice a zip line across the fields that is actually a bike. I don’t see it in action but it seems scary. I have at least one friend that would try to talk me into that if she was here to see it.

We head back to Ubud and my driver drops me at the market for a couple of hours. It is hot and my stomach is starting to make trouble. I really don’t care for shopping; there is no browsing because as soon as you show a little interest in an item a person will come up to you right away and start putting things in front of you and talking nonstop. I cannot shop under that stress. The thing is, if they let me be for a couple of minutes I probably would buy a couple things. Instead I get anxious and can’t decide therefore I walk away. I contemplate walking back to my hotel and forgetting the rest of the tour. After about 20 minutes of walking around the market I sit in front of a circle K and start reading. Eventually it starts pouring so I put on the poncho I’ve been carrying around forever for the first time. Other travelers see my poncho and ask where I purchased it. I tell them I brought it from home and this is the first time I finally get to wear it. Now I don’t regret adding it to the bulk of my backpack. I don’t want to visit a cafe during this time because I still don’t trust my stomach and I am too far from my hotel room. I eventually meet my guy an hour before my show is supposed to start and ask him to take me back to my hotel. I am not going to be able to sit through a show tonight. It is sad because it seems like a nice cultural dance show.

Treat Yo Self

Have I said that massages are so cheap here? I decide to treat-yo-self and book a half day spa package at a nearby spa (not the same one as before but one not too far with good reviews).

I first stop at my favorite cafe and get a nice breakfast. With all my misery in this town this is a bright shining light.

I head to the spa where I begin 90 minute massage which is part one the experience. They take me out to a private room with a very large tub. It is nice and relaxing but even 90 minutes is not long enough when it is time for my facial.

For my facial there is a couple of rounds of face mask and cleansers then a thick layer of honey topped with layer upon layer of cold wet cucumbers that sit for 15 minutes

After the facial I go back to the main room to start my hair mask. There is washing and then cream hair mask treatment. It all feels very nice on my scalp.

I am served ginger tea and sweet potato snack at the end.

I must feel good because I decide to go out for dinner. The only problem is I really don’t have an appetite. I just starting taking the probiotics today so maybe they are messing with my appetite. I force myself to eat anyway and head back to the hotel. 3 years ago I would be finding a place to get some after dinner cocktails. How have times changed.

Next Morning

After breakfast at my hotel I thought about going to a yoga class since my stomach seems to be on the mend again. It then starts raining. It is already a minimum 30 minute walk so I decide to spend the morning in my room getting things done back home while things are still “open” for me to do so (13 hour time zone difference makes things hard).

I am craving a burger so I go out for a late lunch and some shopping. I buy a shirt that will come in handy in Oman when I have to cover up the majority of my body.

I also stop at my favorite ice cream chain in town and get a very weird vanilla charcoal ice cream. Nothing is wrong with the flavor but picture eating vanilla flavored sand. It has a weird texture but it sort of works for me.

I am still not able to locate the piece of art I want to purchase. I need to buy it before I try a shipment home tomorrow since I leave soon. This is always my problem. I am a terrible shopper. I will walk away 99% of the time initially then I have the hardest time finding the item I had my eyes on originally. I know some people are impulse buyers but I have the opposite problem. I need to be more impulsive.

Finally tried the me goring at breakfast one morning but stomach wasn’t ready for it yet

Back in Ubud

Due to my Lombok/Gili plans falling apart I decide to book some relaxing time in Ubud. After all, last time I was here I got pretty sick and missed out on many things so this can be a kind of do-over.

My hotel has a nice pool and my only bathing suit is looking really sad – like a hole can form at any moment bad. It is time to get a new one. I also need money and I start remembering things about Bali like how funny the ATM’s can be. It took me five until I found one that would give me money. Bali gonna Bali. I also forgot or blocked out the taxi guys. You get asked if you need a taxi once a minute while you walk around Ubud, no exaggeration, and it is not just the guys who see you walk by and show the sign and say “taxi”, it is the person out of nowhere whispering taxi in your ear, it is the person yelling at you from down the street “Hey lady taxi”. It is a unique experience that you just tune out eventually.

Swimsuit and clothes shopping in general as an “American” sized woman is depressing. All the bathing suits look like they are sized for children. I finally find one promising place with a bottom that fits and is conservative enough but the top, being XL, only covers 20% of my bust. I am defeated so I give up. Hopefully my suit has another week in it. I see other larger ladies here. Why is there no shopping available for them?

Every time I eat Indonesian food lately I have bad luck so I play it safe and visit a cute Italian restaurant. Finally my appetite seems to be back. I even try a glass of wine.

I also got to visit one of my favorite restaurants in Ubud, Watercress Cafe. Last time I was in town I stayed at the resort next door and the daily breakfast was at this glorious cafe. The hotel is too expensive for my taste this time around but I didn’t want to miss out on visiting this cafe.

Tomorrow I have a sunrise hike planned so trying to get to sleep early.

Scenes from the long walk back to my hotel

Last days of Ubud

Earlier today I had a great cooking class where I got to cook and sample a few different Indonesian dishes.

Not hungry to eat after my cooking class but I still I wanted to have a night out so I end up at a café that has live music playing.

The band is entertaining with their versions of popular western songs. The drummer and his bench drum is especially cool to watch.

It is a nice night out but I don’t stay out too late.

Little did I know the next day I would get pretty sick.

It appears that I have gotten some gastrointestinal or food born illness. I don’t feel well at all and I don’t leave my room for a day or so except to ask the hotel for these below.

A day later I am finally brave enough to try to eat something (but not brave enough to eat the fancy breakfast next door). I head to the grocery store about 1k around the corner. I still feel crappy and my walking is labored. The choices at the grocery store are less than exciting. I buy a loaf of bread plus a couple other things I think I might be able to eat. I carry my stuff back to the hotel. As I am walking back some men start screaming at me. I am confused and irritated. Turns out I was being stalked by a pair of monkeys that were in the process of stealing my groceries out of my bag. I almost have a meltdown at that point. I am sick as can be, can only eat this stupid stale loaf of bread and monkeys are trying to steal it from me. Because of the warning from the men (whom I never thank by the way – angry/embarrassed me!) my bread makes it back to the hotel. It is terrible but at least I am eating something.

I thank myself for choosing Ubud as a location to splurge for the nicer hotel. It is so much better to be sick in a nice comfortable room than a hostel or budget hotel.

Luckily by the next day I am feeling good enough to head out. Unfortunately it is too late to take advantage of some of the other sightseeing things around town. Another city on my to-return list!

I am off soon to travel to Yogyakarta to see a different part of Indonesia. Bye Ubud!

Bali Cooking class

If you have been following me previously you will have learned that one of my favorite things to do when traveling is to take a cooking class of the local cuisine. I still have a couple months of travel left but I believe Ketut’s Bali Cooking Class is the last time I attend a cooking class during my travels.

Like most programs this one begins with a trip to a local market after a pickup at my hotel.

I am always fascinated by local food items. It is always so much better to wander around a market with a guide who can answer all your questions.

After our market visit we go to our kitchen and gather all the ingredients….

They put me to work doing some mashing and grinding.

My arms are getting pretty tired. Making these sauces are hard work. Each one is used for seasoning distinct dishes.

Ayam Bumbu Bali (Balinese fried chicken)

Sate Ayam Sauce Kacang (Chicken Satay with peanut sauce)

Kolak Pisang (Banana in palm sugar gravy)

For my cooking I am paired up with another solo traveler from the United States. She is a delight to chat with. She is on her own sabbatical journey. It is great to see others following similar paths as myself. I don’t approach too many people during my travels so it is always nice to be paired up once in a while.

Ubud Monkey Forest

My hotel in Ubud is very close to the Monkey Forest down the street.

If I am being honest I am not a big fan of monkeys. I can watch them at a distance but really have no desire to get close to one. I know they can be mean and nasty. Later in my Ubud visit I learn to dislike them even more (more on that later). Because it is such a big attraction in the area and so close I decide to go ahead and visit the Ubud Monkey Forest.

Upon entering the park there are some fun statues.

From what I understand the monkeys (Macaca fascicularis or Balinese long-tailed macaque) are free to come and go from the park but stay because they are fed and feel safe within the park.

This guy below is not one I would like to get into an altercation with.

I got to see lots of grooming, eating, and other tender moments.

But I also saw some jungle territorial action and some obviously bored animals. Definitely an interesting day visit but can’t say I’ll be back again.

Later in the evening I stop for a cocktail. I let the server talk me into an arak cocktail before I am fully aware of the dangers of that liquor. The drink is called Arak Attack that tastes what I believe like cat pee would taste like. Note: I get sick a day later. This drink could have been the cause of that illness.

It is ten months later and I am still alive so the drink obviously did not kill me but still not one of my brightest choices……