I have had so many visions about what Bali would be like. It's always been a romantic notion to pack up and go to Bali someday. I can't believe I am really here.
My friend Alison in Tiburon connected me with her friend Alice who lives here. We had talked via email and then she surprised me by coming to the airport with her sweet Balinese family to meet me. They had a flower necklace for me, some cold drinks and snacks. She also gave me a local cell phone to use, which was so very kind. I am looking forward to spending some time with Alice and having her show me around. We visited for a while in the parking lot of the airport and then my driver drove me about 45 minutes to Ubud where I'm staying.
My first impression of Bali was that Denpasar was a busy place full of industrial buildings. There are a lot of businesses where people are carving beautiful furniture pieces and where large statues are made. Gorgeous Buddhas, Ganeshes and many others. The traffic was crazy and there were so many people on motorbikes weaving in and out through the cars. There didn't seem to be traffic rules except for the street lights and roundabouts. People came up to the car at stoplights wanting to sell me magazines, newspapers and snacks. Some played a harmonica or a guitar and had a big smile on their face. My driver, Wayan was a very kind young man who spoke English very well. I felt like I pestered him a lot with questions but he didn't seem to mind too much.
I came to Bali without doing much research, which is the way I like to experience new things. I didn't do a lot of reading about the culture or the land. This trip came up rather quickly so even if I had wanted to, there wasn't much time. It's think it's nice to just be in the moment and not have expectations....
Wayan and I drove to Ubud and he brought me to the Aura Hotel which is so sweet. It's a small place down a very narrow road. There are just 14 rooms here and a beautiful swimming pool. I have a deluxe room because there weren't any of the regular rooms available. It's really nice but is a little bit out of my Bali price range at $50 per night. I'll stay here for 4 nights and then move to another place that's around $25 or $30, which is average for a nice room.
I was so tired when I arrived, I could hardly see straight. But after putting my things in my room, went for a little walk around to stretch my legs and get the blood flowing again. I am in a great area of Ubud, next to several wonderful cafes, The Yoga Barn and some great little shops. There is a beautiful rice field directly across from the hotel where people are out each day harvesting.
I slept pretty soundly until 3:30 am and when I woke up was not at all sure where I was. It was SO quiet.....
I had meetings scheduled the first day with Meg, Rob and Rucina and I sort of floated down the street to meet them at the cafe. They were so kind and we spent a good few hours together talking about the Festival and getting their wonderful help. They have all lived here for many years and know everyone and everything that's happening here. Great connections to have.
After lunch Meg offered to drive me around and show me Ubud. This was especially kind of her because she is a very busy woman who owns several businesses, including The Yoga Barn, Kafe Kafe Restaurant, Bali Spirit, an art gallery and she and her Balinese husband are producing the Bali Spirit Festival coming up in March. We got along so great and I adore Meg. She really is a get-it-done kind of gal (obviously). At the end of our tour, we went to her cafe where her darling husband and two kids were. We had dinner together and Kadek, Meg's husband showed me around the family temple that is in he back of the cafe. Before we went in, however, he asked me if I was on my menstrual cycle because if I was, I wouldn't be able to go inside. In Balinese tradition, a woman is unclean and will offend the gods if she is menstruating. It was all very fascinating and Kadek is a wonderful teacher. He and Meg invited me to a local ceremony next week, and he will also take me to the Monkey Forest that he and his family helped to restore in recent years.
I got some pretty good sleep last night and woke up at 5 am today. I walked through Ubud and loved seeing people getting ready to go to work, cleaning their doorsteps, getting children ready for school. Everyone smiles as you walk by, and they say hello. Beautiful, loving people.
After breakfast I went to a yoga class and then came back to my room for a delicious nap. I think I'll go out for a short walk this evening. My body is still feeling a bit stiff and sore from the flight, I think.
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