The Best of Uluwatu

Bukit Cafe Tomato Egg Bake and Bacon

Single Fin Sundays

Single Fin

Fresh juice at the Corner Cafe

Bukit Cafe Breakfast Burrito 

Suka

After two months in our Uluwatu nook, we're sad to leave but feel accustomed to life in Southern Bali and ready to release our "Best of Uluwatu" list to link you with some of our favorites.  Many of these places you'll need; some of them, you'll want; others you'll wonder how you lived without.  We agree on most, but for a few categories you'll see our personal thoughts...overall, you'll can't go wrong in Uluwatu.  

The best motorbike rental company...

• Ulu's Family, on the right as you turn off towards Single Fin
• Safe bikes, deals for renting for longer periods of time, personable service

The best place to buy, rent, or customize a surf board...

• White Monkey Surf Shop

The best nightlife...

• Single Fin, Sunday Nights
• You have to get there early to get a table, but even if you can't get one you'll enjoy an epic sunset, bird's eye view of awesome surf, great DJs, and people from all over the world

The best driver...

• Mario, WhatsApp +62 896-9832-4488
• Kind, helpful, and so reliable

The best activity coordinator...

• Agung, WhatsApp +62 896-8393-0428
• Organized Mt. Batur, secret waterfalls, Gili transport and beyond
• We met him back in February and he's a gem

The best laundry...

• Padang Padang Laundry, across from Buddha Soul; this small place accounts for every item when you drop it off, giving you a copy of that record that you bring back for pickup
• Laundry smells great and is nicely folded, but they get busy and often need two full days

The best dive company...

• Bali International Diving Professionals
• Avandy Djunaidi is the Yoda of diving; don't learn anywhere else. (Note: He's not technically in Uluwatu, but he'll arrange transport and he knows underwater Bali better than anyone else.)

The best daytime beach...

• If it's low tide, get down to Single Fin and head left though the caves.
• You'll find a secret beach with shipwreck ruins and a lot of privacy

The best sunset...

• Balangan Beach Sunset Point
• Use maps.me to get here through the Bingin Beach entrance; the black sands are worth it

The best place to get a book...

• Yeye's is an Uluwatu staple- great food, beautiful atmosphere, awesome gift shop, and huge selection of books
• Trade two you've read for one that you want

The best breakfast...

• Bukit Cafe- anything on the menu
• Buddha Soul- the chocolate smoothie bowl, and all of their other healthy options, will keep you coming back 
  • Be sure to try Om Burger for lunch (same owner, epic black rice buns)
• Corner Cafe- There are two, and they're both great.  Cash only, but great prices.

Best juices and smoothies

• Yoga Searcher- fresh, healthy, organic (you can do yoga in the back and even book villas there)

The best Italian food...

• La Baracca is a newcomer to the Uluwatu scene, but the owners are from Rome and their food is exceptional (Jay's Pick)
  • Beautiful nighttime ambiance and personable service
• Rolling Fork is one of our favorite places to enjoy a long, slow, blogging dinner (Chantal's pick)
  • Homemade pasta is a must, and the lava cake will make you wish you started with dessert

The best milkshake...

• Suka Espresso has pretty much the best EVERYTHING
• Their Unicorn Milkshake is unbelievable 
  • This isn't about a milkshake, but the Lemme Wrap (chicken wrap) will change your life.

Monkey Whisperer

Here we are, with our epic trip on the homestretch. It’s been an amazing adventure-filled journey, and we are taking it all in with one more full week in our rooted town of Uluwatu before heading to Lembongan to close it out. We truly do feel like locals around here as we are recognized and waved to with a big smile by many of the locals along the main road. We have left our mark on this town and have been privileged to call it home for the past 2 months. Chantal and I spent a few days in Ubud when we were here in February, and we both agreed that we should revisit the food and yogi capital of Bali with a side of a monkey forest. For the movie lovers, Ubud is shown in “Eat, Pray, Love” and really does a great job showing the culture and arts of this hipster area.

Lazy Cat Cafe Entrance, Central Ubud

Ubud Temple Architecture

On a whim, we booked a one-night stay in a villa walking distance from central Ubud, packed a small backpack, and zipped ourselves up there on the motor scooter. This was, by far, the longest journey we made on the scooter that composed of 34 miles of local roads, highways, tolls, and bridges over the beautiful Bali Sea. Mind you, this was a 2 hour trek through towns, cow-filled country lands, traffic areas that we weaved through, and uneven terrain, but we flew through like the locals we were.

We arrived in Ubud before check-in to get a head start to the day. We dropped our bag at the villa and hit the town running. Ubud gives off a strong energy that you can feel, with lifted cafés overlooking the streets, detailed and vibrant architecture, busy roads, and people walking in every direction. There was one “touristy” place that we had been before and had to go back to, and that was the Sacred Monkey Forest… dun dun dunnnn. I absolutely fell in love with the monkeys last time (as much as they fell in love with me) and I had to catch up with the homies to see how they’ve been.

Warm welcome

Hello monkey

Entering the forest, the monkeys were everywhere, and the tourists were holding bananas above their heads begging for a monkey to jump on them. If anything, the furry friends of mine would run up their backs, rip the banana out of their hands and scurry off before the tourist's friend could take a picture of the act. Little did they know, the “Monkey Whisperer” was in the building. I went up to the first group of monkeys I saw, calmly put my arm up to them, looked them dead in the eye, and gave a little wink. With no exaggeration, these guys ran up on me, sat on my shoulders and arms, and chilled while random tourists jealously took pictures. “This guy doesn’t need bananas? Who does he think he is?” “None of your business, ma’am. Have a nice day.”

Monkey Whisperer

Secret Handshake

I gently let my friends hop off, and walked away. It was one of those "drop the mic, and walk off stage" moments. Chantal and I enjoyed walking around the monkey forest, taking a bunch of action shots of each other with our furry friends.

We built up an appetite from walking around the streets of Ubud and running with the monkeys, and I almost forgot about the fried duck that I have craved since our last trip to Ubud. I had to have the Bebek Fried Duck. Chantal researched the best spots for it, and we enjoyed an amazing duck dinner with huge geckos crawling above our heads. “Excuse me sir, is that huge reptile-looking thing real up there?” “Oh, it's just gecko.” Good ol’ Indonesia for ya.

We did Ubud right for the 24 hours we had there, and had an awesome villa to sleep in with my favorite bug nets that surrounded the bed. The villa was called Kampoeng Joglo Abangan, and I definitely recommend it for only $40/night. We embarked on our journey back to Uluwatu the next morning and traveled safe and sound, with a pit stop at a local McDonalds. For some reason, the McDoubles and Fish Fillet just tasted so much better in Indonesia. What a great trip, yet again!

Crispy Bebek (DUCK) at Cafe Wayan, Ubud

McDonalds Jimbaran

The Soaked Survivors

Shorelines of Gili 

Yesterday we were able to get on a fast boat back to Bali, though the company informed us we'd be going to a completely different dock because of weather.  We didn't care, so long as we could get off the Gilis.  So at noon, we shoved our way onto a boat and pushed our way to the top deck.  On our ride to the Gilis, we had been in the seats on the lower level, and with small windows the crashing and swaying felt intense.  We decided the covered, open air deck would give us a nice breeze (and we'd be the first to see land).

About 20 other people had the same idea, and as we set for our three hour ride, the guys running the boat put on club music, started selling beers, and it seems liked like a sunny, good time.  People were up dancing and everyone was smiling.  

Jay and I sat next to older German couples, who had also gotten stuck on the Gilis.  Their boat had needed maintenance the day before, so they'd decided to wait a day and rebook with a different company.  Apparently the boat they avoided had been overloaded, a lady fell overboard, and people were throwing up because of the chop.  We felt lucky to be on our fun boat, wind in our hair.

It started with gentle sprays of water, misting our faces.  And before we could even register, waves of water were spraying onto the boat.  We were all soaked in minutes, and remained that way for the final two hours of the trip.  The guys running the boat seemed unphased, and danced on.  

All we could do was laugh and I kept thinking, "I've never done this before."  We showed up at the dock soaked and shivering, all passengers smiling at each other and making remarks of survivors.  We are glad to be back to Uluwatu, thankful for our beautiful time on the Gilis and taking in our last week before our final days in Lembongan. 

The cutest breakfast at Manusia Dunia 

Snorkling Gili Meno

Stylizing the Ombok pool

my favorite wall on gili air

Look closely at my watermelon juice!

leaving our mark on gili meno

Long Hair Long Life

Gili Air, although initially peaceful and undeniably charming, came with a series of unfortunate events.  (Note: There are no pictures with this post, as it has not been pretty.) It started off simply enough; I came down with a cold and sneezed my way around the island, then got badly congested.  Not the end of the world.  I sat reading in a beanbag chair one afternoon as Jay went out to snorkel. 

He wasn’t out long when I saw him returning, figuring the snorkeling wasn’t very good.  I should know Jay better, and my adrenaline finally kicked in when he calmly said, “I may need your help.”

As he approached he presented his middle toe, covered in tiny spines from some creature and turning purple.  “I don’t think this is good,” he said.  About a 20 minute walk from our villa, I knew he needed tweezers and alcohol (which I should carry in a fanny pack at this point) so I took off sprinting and told him to ask for the wifi and start Googling.

When I got to the villa (not pretty in my congested state) my wifi clicked in and I had a message from Jay (and Google): sea urchin. Only my Jay would get hit by a sea urchin on the top of his foot.  I grabbed the supplies and sprinted back.  In my haste I’d forgotten my sandals, so hot sand added an extra element of fun to my run.

When I got there he was soaking the toe in vinegar, which we now know is the immediate “go to” for sea urchin stings.  It breaks up the venom.  I did my best to surgically remove the spines and we applied vinegar and alcohol until Jay was ready to walk.  Since we were walking around the island, we decided to finish our walk and ended up finding a Medical Center, aka a room with some stuff in it. (No tissues.  Out of tissues.)

They popped Jay on a table and told him the vinegar was a smart move, and really the only thing that works on sea urchin attacks. They did need to break up the stings as best as possible, so his body could absorb the poison and heal.  They picked up a contraption that looked like a miniature golf ball and proceeded to whack the toe and all of the purple spots repeatedly.  It looked incredibly painful, but Jay handled it like a champ and I shuffled through the shelves to find a decongestant.

I was still stuffy the next morning, so sent Jay scuba diving (his toe was successfully healing) and headed to the dock to book our speedboat back to Bali the next day.

Imagine my surprise when I approached our boat company’s counter and presented my tickets, only to be told: “No fast boats today or tomorrow.”  My series of questions and disbelief in my voice seemed to confuse them, but I managed to learn that the government had grounded all fast boats to and from the Gili Islands because of weather.  Our alternative?  A 9 hour slow boat.  My congested head started to spin.

How long would this ban last?  Ask the government.  Great.  Can I get their number?  As you can imagine, I was not the only confused tourist on the dock.  But we seemed to be the only ones concerned.  Apparently the locals are accustomed to boat schedules being suspended on a whim. 

So we made a series of choices.  I declared that I would not get on a boat for 9 hours (we still may have to…) We figured we needed a hotel for an extra night, anyway, so why not see the last Gili Island.  So here we are.  On Gili Meno.  Hoping the winds swing in our favor and we can get back to Bali tomorrow.

Last night we layed on the beach watching the movie, "Lion" on bean bag chairs, eating fresh BBQ, realizing that island life has its perks, so long as you adjust your clock with the trade winds, have some patience, and watch out for sea urchins.  As the locals say every time they pass us, “Long hair, long life.” No rush.  Couldn’t go anywhere if we wanted to.

Oh, and Jay's toe is fine.   

Already August

Manusia Dunia Green Lodge, Gili Air

I have no idea how it is already August.  Time is a funny thing.  Some lazy afternoons seem to last forever and then all of a sudden the plans we made and adventures we dreamed up have become stories, and photographs, and memories.  Our neatly packed bags are strewn across islands, jammed with sea shells, horse shoes, maps, tickets, and a whole lot of life. 

I'm sitting on our porch on a tiny island called Gili Air.  Jay is sleeping in while I sip tea and blog to the sound of the rooster crowing.  We spent our last days on Gili Trawangan catching breathtaking sunsets and exploring life under water.

Exile Beach Sunset Point, Gili Trawangan

Jay and I love scuba.  I think Jay's as at home in the water as he is on land and scuba is the perfect fit for us.  On the Gili Islands, you take boats out to different spots and our first stop was Turtle Point.  The boat was packed with people and while heading to the spot the locals throw wetsuits, booties, fins, and vests at divers.  Do they fit?  Well enough.  They didn't ask for proof of our certification or number of dives.  The honor system is alive and well in Indonesia. 

The dive groups are small, and Jay and I had one other girl and a "dive master" accompanying us.  (I put that in quotes because we knew he was a certified dive master about as much as he knew we were certified at all.  Honor system.) 

When it was our turn we quickly checked our tanks and suited up, sitting on the edge of the boat like we'd seen others do.  Mind you, we entered from the shore on previous dives so entering the water by boat was new.  I asked a few questions and was quickly shushed by Indiana Jay.  "Just lean back!" he said.  And we did.  And we were fine. 

Turtle Point, north of Gili Meno

As quickly as we fell backwards off the boat, our dive master said, "Let's go down," and our adventure began.  Jay and I, pun intended, dove right in, feeling grateful that we were trained by the legend, Avandy.  We knew exactly what we were doing and had a great dive.  I tend to overthink things, and this trip has been a great lesson in running on instincts and just "doing".  

So many parts of life you can only figure out as you go.  I'm learning that more every day. 

Massive turtles and eels and colorful coral were everywhere.  I can't even put into words our time under water.  It makes us awestruck every time.  Tomorrow we will dive again off Gili Air, the smaller Gili Island closest to Lombok.  Stay tuned for that.

But how did we get to Gili Air?  Funny you should ask.  There are two boat options: slow boat and fast boat done by private charters.  You can imagine which one is the bargain price, and at this point probably know that Jay and I always take the bargain price.  For about $4 USD a person, we took the slow boat (40 minutes) from Gili T to Gili Air.  I don't know that "slow" is the right adjective for the boat; I like to call it the adventure boat. 

If the boat looks sideways, it's because it is.

But we made it to the Gili Air dock

My most vivid memories of those 40 minutes are water flying in, the boat careening side to side, and planks popping up as people walked down the middle of the boat.  You get what you pay for.  I eyed the life vests figuring out a strategy to float our bags and use that flotation system like a kick board to get to shore.  Luckily, this terrible idea never had to be tested.  

The shoreline approached, and the bluish green waters welcomed us to another beautiful island.  Gili Air is even smaller and more remote than Gili T, with all the charm that comes with that remoteness and simplicity.  We are staying at Manusia Dunia Green Lodge, where there are rechargeable lanterns because the electricity often goes out island-wide.  This happened twice during our dinner last night, and the live band just kept on singing.  Jay and I, having forgot our lanterns, walked home in the dark and fireworks erupted over one of the other Gili Islands. Life here doesn't seem real sometimes.  

As we head into the last two weeks of our trip, we're soaking it all up and missing all of our family and friends back home.  We can't wait to share our travels with you.  Thanks to everyone reading along with us- wishing you a beautiful August. 

Reading deck at Manusia Dunia, Gili Air

Peace on the porch, Manusia Dunia, Gili Air

Shells of Gili

Gili Air transport

Gone To Gili

On Thursday, we caught a ride to Pandang Bai where we negotiated a fare to Gili Trawangan, one of the three tiny Gili Islands off the coast of Lombok, Indonesia.  As you’ve probably figured out, there are very few set prices in Indonesia and the speedboats operate with the traditional, free-spirited Bali attitude.  The docks are flooded with passengers, all with tickets to different boats set to arrive at 9 a.m.  The boats arrive every few minutes for the next hour or so and passengers and luggage are shoved onto them while vendors hawk Pringles and Bintangs, often from the dock onto the boats.  Once on the boat, you bump your way about an hour and a half wondering if the life vests jammed into compartments on the ceiling are enough for the passengers, especially since there aren’t seats for every passenger.  At least we aren’t in Titanic temperature water and Jay and I had our scuba masks and snorkels.  This was my thought process.  This boat is not recommended for people with motion sickness, but worth every moment of what waits on the other side.

We stepped off the boat into the water and our luggage was thrown over the side to us.  We walked up onto the dock into another new world.  The Gilis have no cars and no motorbikes.  You can walk.  You can bicycle (through sandy, unpaved paths). You can take a horse carriage.  Yes.  As in an 1800's cart attached to a horse that flies down the dirt roads and makes you cling for dear life to the cart and pray an axle doesn’t break.  I haven’t cared about an axle since I played Oregon Trail in middle school.  

But it all works beautifully. 

DOCK SALES

Speed Racer

colorful even on a cloudy day

Our beautiful Gili T Home: Pandawa Resort and Villas

POOLSIDE PEACE AT PANDAWA

KING OF THE POOL

Gili T (as Trawangan is nicknamed) is the most social of the three Gili Islands and the largest, though you can walk the perimeter two hours.  The magic, mayhem horse carriages could probably fly you around in 40 minutes.  It’s one of the quaintest, most charming places I’ve ever been. 

The colors of the water and the sky seem impossible; no matter how beautiful the photographs, the reality is ten times more vivid and awe-inspiring.  The beaches are lined with swings in the water, so you can enjoy the cool water on your feet as you watch the sun slip into the horizon.  There’s a childlike simplicity in the swings and the colorful umbrellas and beanbags, the bells that jingle from the horse carts, and the bicycle bells dinging.  Lanterns light up the night and restaurants have live music and amazing barbeque filling the air.  Laughter and music and joy are everywhere.  It’s hard to put into words.  The island is intoxicating. 

From Pirates to Paradise

Chantal and I woke up yesterday morning and felt the urge to do some exploring, and we have talked about visiting Nusa Dua for a while. It is located on the south eastern tip of Bali and would only take about 30 minutes to motorbike there (of course I get us there in 20). Not knowing too much about the area, we googled some fun things to do in the area and somehow landed on Pirate Bay restaurant as a starting point. 

We started our journey driving through town after town separated by country backroads with cows spread across the lands. (That's just what I heard from Chantal as I was too focused on passing the traffic to get us there.) Arriving in the area, there was a huge entrance with 2 lanes with a guard patrolling (one for cars and one for motorbikes). I slowed down, a little, then sped through with my head down. We got a "HEY! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?" and all I heard faintly was Chantal's voice saying, "luuunnncchh," as we scootered in. We got a good laugh out of that because I promised that we wouldn't stop in situations like this anymore; the last time we were interrogated and had to pay 300,000 rupiah for a make-believe international driving permit. Also, I have noticed before that others just speed by because the "officers" are not going to chase after you.  We're becoming more local by the day.

Finally, we made it to Pirate Bay! We parked and scanned the area. We saw the fenced off, pirate ship and it looked like an absolute dump with trash everywhere, and kids screaming in the background. Chantal and I looked at each other and said let's just walk the other way and find a deli or restaurant. We walked around the corner and the path led us to victory. It opened up to beautiful resorts and beaches everywhere. We were in absolute tourist paradise, and quickly realized we were amongst some of the most exclusive, expensive resorts on the island.  Naturally, we decided we belonged.

The MelIa

Luxury lunch set up

We took a detour through The Laguna resort that was beyond luxurious. It had monster pools on top of monster pools that wrapped the resort like a castle. We fell upon a little deli and had the best brunch of our lives that included chicken waffle sandwiches and banana vanilla nutella milkshakes.  Nobody questioned us, and we continued to make ourselves at home. 

The Laguna Nusa Dua

Taking advantage of the amenities 

Lunch time views at the Laguna

Pretending to read the wine menu

After lunch, we went back to the path and walked up the coastline, with more resorts to our left and  sun beds on the beaches to our right with parasailing, kite surfing, and paddle boarding in the distance. There was security everywhere and cameras in every cocunut tree it seemed. We tried to walk into another resort and were immediately questioned by a security man who could have come from the bushes.... "Umm, no sir we don't stay here. We stay at the Laguna Luxury suites." We left and laughed all the way back enjoying all the views. What a great day to pretend we stayed at a $600/night luxury resort and spa.

Pay attention to the sign

Nusa Dua shore

Taking it all in

Making friends at the Laguna

Canggu

Yesterday we set out on a 3 day excursion to Canggu, motorbiking up the western side of Bali.  Canggu came into our plans for different reasons.  Jay met a Bali enthusiast a few weeks before we left who insisted he see Canggu.  I am a kombucha enthusiast and found Happy Kombucha's Instagram back in February, filled with beautiful displays of their super-healthy drink flavors amid dreamy Bali scenes; the company is based in Canggu and I was eager to see the area.  A mini adventure brewed (kombucha pun intended). 

We've had days of rain, but the sky cleared for our adventure and we jammed a backpack full of the things we'd need for the week.  Jay's become a natural on the motorbike, following the locals up on sidewalks when the traffic is too busy on the streets.  It's not my favorite trick, but we are getting places much faster.  I'm squeezing his leg with my death grip less and less and can't complain because I get to see the beautiful world fly by (sometimes directly into our path, but that's a story for another time).

 "Controlled chaos" is the best way I've heard the streets of Bali described.  You have to just go for it, because if you stop and wait for it to be your turn you'll sit there all day.  In a way, our trip is kind of like that- diving into life and going for it.  Of course, obstacles pop up along the way. As we left Uluwatu the police flagged us down and asked to see Jay's driver's license.  They gave us a whole song and dance about needing an international driver's license, which can only be obtained in the home country, and being subject to a fine, but we were "very lucky" and they would give us a "good deal" and allow us to "buy" a permit for the rest of our time here...in case we were stopped again.  They hurried us, because they'd stopped the next bunch of confused tourists.  I scrambled to find the 300,000 rupiah ($20 ish) for the scam permit, but didn't have the full amount in my pockets.  As I started to dig through the backpack the man said, "Give me what you have.  Special deal for you today," and settled for the lesser amount so they could "help" the next set of tourists.  The European couple walking in looked terrified until I rolled my eyes.  On the road again, with our very official handwritten permit.

We made one more stop on our way up, and it's my fault.  I saw a Starbucks and had to see how it compared to my stateside addiction.  The drinks were the same, but the bakery had a complete Bali twist.  purple yam cake, pandan coconut brulee, and corned beef cowboy puff pastries shared space in the glass display.  But my favorite part was the Hindu offering at the counter (found in all Balinese businesses) that included a cake and shot of espresso.  Perfection. 

starbucks hindu offering

the best welcome

We continued our journey north, with the highway crossing waterways and crowded city eventually giving way to rice paddies and narrow streets.  We drove past our villa 4-5 times because the sign was tucked off to the side, but it was love at first sight when we saw Canggu and when we arrived at Ngeluwungan Boutique Villa.  My name was written on the welcome board as we pulled up to the property, and the young staff hasn't stopped smiling since we arrived.

This villa is pure magic.  It's a block from the beach, but nestled into rice paddies.  You can count the number of rooms on one hand, and each is spacious and filled with beautiful wooden furniture.  Plumeria flowers were scattered everywhere when we arrived and we enjoyed refreshing welcome drinks by the saltwater pool.  It's a true oasis, and the skies were blue for the first time this week.

Ngeluwungan Boutique Villa

For dinner, we headed to nearby Echo Beach, which is filled with restaurants and shops along a spectacular black sand beach.  Colorful bean bag chairs and umbrellas line the shore, and fresh fish is grilling from the open air restaurants.  The sunset filled the sky with colors that only seem to exist in Bali, and Canggu found a special place in our hearts.  We're excited to explore here the next few days.

refreshments at echo beach club

echo beach sunset

Team No Stop

On the 4th of July, I hiked the Matternhorn with Indiana (Jay) Jones- it was really Mt. Batur, an active volcano in northern Bali, but it was an epic adventure that I'm not sure either of us was prepared for.  As I recount, Indiana Jay will be giving his two cents (found in italics).

Chantal and I got to bed early that night because we were getting picked up at 1:30am by our favorite driver, Gung (who we met when we were in Bali in February). The adventure to Mt. Batur was about 2 hours away, and we slept through most of the ride. It was really intense arriving to  crowds of people at the base of the volcano, who we later found out were all tour guides who hike Mt. Batur every day. Paying our entrance fee, we were handed baby flashlights as we embarked on our journey up the mountain in the pitch black.

Mind you, neither if us had considered bringing flashlights and had debated trying to skirt the tour guides and hike by ourselves.  We would probably still be out there somewhere.  Although there was a path, there were different trails winding off of it and our flashlights were likely made by Mattel, not REI.  This was not a winding climb; this was an intense hike up loose boulders, sliding gravel, and sand that slid you back a foot with each step.  The last half hour was nearly vertical.  Our guide in the lead, I followed Indiana Jay- though he was bounding up like a gazelle and I was seriously questioning my proclamation to the guide that we "hike all the time". Despite this, we managed to make it to the summit in an hour and a half (most people take two).  Our guide kept asking if we were okay- it was too dark for him to see us lie the entire way up and say we were fine, but we made it. 

As we were sweating to death up this mountain, a lot was going through my mind. I was convincing myself that we were going to make it even though our legs said no more. As Chantal mentioned, the tour guide kept asking if we needed a break every 10 minutes. I was like, "NO, WE ARE TEAM NO STOP!" Anyway, we could have been the first couple of people at the top since we passed all the "Team Must Stop" people. It was freezing and our guide parked us on a bench hanging off the cliff as he scurried away in a little hut. Chantal and I used our body heat to keep warm on this stiff, unfriendly bench until we said screw it! Let's sit in this hut to hide from the winds. Time went on until we had 20 people, guides and tourists, in this hut meant for 6.

There's a reason why we were cold.  We hiked miles UP a mountain, before sunrise (hence the name "Sunrise Hike").  I convinced Indiana Jay at the last minute that a tank top and shorts would not suffice, so he threw in a windbreaker and long sleeve shirt. I had a long sleeve shirt and sweatshirt over my tank top, also in shorts- I'm not sure why I was so smug.  We were both Balinese Popsicles.  Going up the mountain we'd been burning hot in tank tops, and in Indiana Jay's quest to pass EVERYONE on the mountain we made epic time.  What we didn't factor in (in addition to the flashlight and warm clothes) was that getting up quicker means waiting longer for the sun to come up.  Thank goodness for the hut that housed the rest of the under-dressed tourists.  

Being at the top watching the sunrise with hundreds of other people was absolutely breathtaking. The clouds and fog rolling through beneath us, the huge lake, all the villages, and other mountains gave us perspective on our journey. We took it all in as we stayed up there for an hour or so before we fell all the way down. Just kidding, but I could count on 2 hands how many people wiped out attempting to get down this beast of a mountain. Chantal and I were mind blown on the way down as it shocked us what we actually hiked up in the dark that we couldn't see originally. Our tour guide was awesome and the experience was priceless.  

Sunrise at the top of Mt. Batur

Fog rolling through

Priceless, but not enough for Indiana Jay.  After 4 hours of strenuous hiking as "Team No Stop" (running on a can of Pringles that we split) Jay convinced our driver to find a series of hidden waterfalls.  That 2 hour expedition around dirt roads and villages led to another hour trek down wonky stairs and steep terrain, but the rice paddies surrounding us were almost as beautiful as our destination: the elusive Fiji Waterfall and Sekumpul Waterfall. We joked about living down there in a little hut, half because it was so spectacular and half because our legs were screaming "Team Stop Forever".    

Indiana Jay

These waterfalls were absolute magic. We got to swim in the base of each waterfall and it was the freshest water I have ever been in. The energy and power from these waterfalls were incredibly strong and it almost felt like we were fresh and reenergized after frolicking in them. I felt like the happiest kid in the world swimming in these pools and getting knocked around by the pressure of them. Pictures don't do it justice as Chantal and I both agreed that it was the most magical place we have ever been to. These waterfalls and the volcano are must dos if you come to Bali!

Pure bliss at Fiji Waterfall 

Happy 4th of July! 

Kites and Sea Shells

One of my favorite things to do as a little girl was to go to the bay in San Diego.  I always loved the colorful kites, so free in the breeze.  Sometimes we would attempt to fly one, but most often my mama and I would lay on a blanket and watch the kites dance above us.  

Kites are always flying in Bali, and yesterday at Jimbaran Beach took me back to my childhood wonder.  We braved the motorbike and made the 30 ish minute trek to Jimbaran (north of Uluwatu). We stayed all afternoon and into the amazing sunset.  

One thing I know for sure is that the sun does not set the same way in any two places- it's different sizes, and shapes, and paints different colors on different landscapes.  The sun is huge in Bali and sets directly in front of Jimbaran Bay, a ball of fire dropping into a cool blue ocean.

HINDU CEREMONY AND KITE ELATION 

LAST RAYS OF JIMBARAN

As it set, we watched the kites, children jumping and chasing them, men with carts barbecuing corn, and Hindu ceremonies passing by.  The Jimbaran airport landing strip to our right, we watched planes take off and we watched with fascination as the beach restaurants dragged dozens of tables to the edge of the water and transformed the shore into a collage of chatty patrons.

The energy on the beach was electric and it was beautiful to see so many people taking time to appreciate the colors spreading across the sky. 

It was no different tonight, as we adventured to a different beach after exploring Cafe La Pasion and slipping down to Balangan Beach.  This beach goes from white sand, to black sand, to corroded rock structures that create tiny pools of water; the sun glistened off of them in every direction and there were so many sea shells.  Just like the kites, the shells transported me back to one of my favorite childhood past times where my mama and I would collect dozens of shells and glue them on popsicle stick frames.

As the sun slipped down over Balangan, Jay helped me find the best shells and I realized how lucky I am to be with someone who marvels at sunsets and will take the time to look for tiny shells in this vast world: someone who understands that it's all the little things that take us from sunset to sunset.

CAFE LA PASION, ULUWATU

The Art of Living

Although we have general plans for things we want to do and see (scuba certification begins tomorrow!), we are generally facing an open itinerary.  We are free to schedule or not schedule- to explore or to be- to sleep when we’re tired and eat when we’re hungry.  This sounds simple, and maybe even silly, but it’s an odd phenomenon to live without confines.  

So many choices in our traditional lives are made for us, and even on trips the time restrictions of vacations generally create a schedule and a pacing.

So what do you do when you can do absolutely anything you want?

You have to be present.  You get the challenge and the gift of being present.  Food is a wonder and an art; fresh juices nourish and add pops of color to the day.  Walking is scenic, rather than mundane.  Smells and sounds are more acute.  Conversation is everything.

It’s an art of exploring the people as much as the places.  It’s a dance of miscommunicating with locals and realizing things taken for granted without a language and cultural barrier.  It’s a deep look at your own culture and norms: What generally drives your life and dictates your time? 

Suarga Padang Padang, Uluwatu

Uncovering Uluwatu

I’m not sure that our first day in Bali could have been any more quintessential of island life.  We landed around 1 am and flew through customs.  At each airport leading up to Denpasar, we got hassled for our tourist visa but, of course, got stamped right through in Indonesia- no cost. Our bag and driver arrived without incident, and we made it to Uluwatu in about 20 minutes with no traffic at that time of night.

Our villa is exceptional.  It’s exactly what we need (minimalist, but clean) and beautiful outside with a pool and neat Bali landscaping.  In true OCD fashion, I unpacked at 2 am so we woke up as official residents of D’Padang.

D'Padang: We live here

We managed to sleep until about 9, at which point I felt Jay flinch and squeeze me.  “Don’t move,” he said. My mind raced to a million possibilities, but my gaze quickly fell on a large spider in the upper corner of our room.  About the size of a chocolate chip cookie (4 inch diameter, if you prefer the scientific reference), this friend was no joke.  Our ceilings are tall and I quickly backed away to the door and told Jay to grab a shoe.  He eyed it curiously, and swears to me it was not a spider, but a special mutant bug with only 6 legs.  I opened the door to our villa and flagged down one of the workers.  He came flying in with two spray cans and handled the beast.  Good morning from Bali!

When we were last in Bali we only had 10 days, and we made a list of all the things we wanted to do when we returned- so we hit the ground running and decided to walk to the Uluwatu Sea Temple.  On our way we, of course, needed breakfast and ended up with amazing fresh juice, free coconuts (why wouldn’t you get free coconuts with your meal?), and amazing organic breakfast burritos and avocado toast.  It was enough to keep us full all day (literally, all day, since we slept through dinner).

Outside Corner, uluwatu

On our 2 mile walk to the temple we also stumbled upon Single Fin Beach, and found some surf that Jay will definitely be taking advantage of.  To get down there, it’s almost like the jumbled market in Aladdin, with restaurants and tiny shops cascading down a cliff, nearly on top of each other.  As you reach the bottom you find a tiny slit of beach between two massive cliffs and paddle out from there.  In the other direction, we found a tiny private beach with a massive shipwreck on the shore.  People lay among the ruins, and a baby played naked- completely unphased.  It reminded me that the most devastating times of our lives, that feel like they’re in ruins forever, can one day heal over and become places of beauty and peace.

Single fin, secret beach

We finally made it to the Uluwatu Sea Temple, where they had us don silk scarves and sashes out of respect.  The silk was not the most comfortable in the 80 degree heat, but the views were beautiful.  Of course there was a cost, and the tiny sea temple on the distant cliff made Jay and I laugh at falling for the tourist trap.  But the monkeys eating potato chips and stalking unassuming, Chanel wearing tourists made us laugh.

monkey brunch at uluwatu sea temple

We concluded the day with our $6 hour massages, assuming we’d make it out to dinner after a shower. We woke up 12 hours later, this morning.