Mountain high and ocean low

Nov 18-20    Padaibang, Ubud, Bali

Ubud is known for artists in residence, many handicrafts, art shops and galleries, Balinese dance performances, Yoga retreats, nice scenery, rice terraces and being close to some other major sites. Many times it's just a chill out zone where people retreat to when they had enough of the crazy beach life in Kuta. On Ubud's main stretch it's busy with plenty of traffic, shops, markets and restaurants. Once you leave that area though you can be in an entire different world within a matter of minutes.

Driving to Ubud was only a small challenge. Once again just a few minutes detour. The roads are quite ok and most of the time you will find a sign pointing you in the right direction. That is if the sign is still readable and not completely covered by vegetation. Or if it can be seen before and not just after the crossing at which you should have turned. We make it to Ubud without accidents, minor delays and head for the Center of town where the Market is located. Although we just wanted to look around the prices are just too low not to at least shop a little bit. Just a teeeny little (I know this is a habit now. I am a woman after all, what's there to do). We find a walk just off the main road that leads by countless homestays small temples and idyllic roads onto rice paddies, just a short walk away. We walk through the rice paddies enjoying the panorama and peace and quiet. What looks beautiful in the picture – the dark clouds – is not so nice when we start to feel the first drops. Since we are in the middle of the rice paddies we make our way back and would you think, within a few minutes we are in the center of town again. That's the charm of Ubud. Nature is just so close. There is one art shop after the other all selling handmade things. Most of it is not to my taste with some other things I would be tempted if I would just be on vacation in Bali and going back home from here. But transporting it is just to much of an issue. So just not look too closely if there is anything I might really like.

After spending some time strolling through Ubud we opt against the Monkey Forest (blame goes to the aggressive Thai and Indian monkeys) and attempt to find some hilly rice terraces instead. And we do manage to find them. It's very scenic again but after the gigantic rice terraces I have seen in China these just don't amaze me so much anymore. Street salespeople here are more aggressive, sending their cute little girls after every step you make. Since the tourist buses must have left for the day a few individuals are the only ones around and all salespersons congregate around them. A brief photo and milkshake stop later we decide not to go back right away but search for a close by famous temple instead, Tirta Empul. It's fairly close by over some scenic back country roads and my amazing navigational skills. It is an important temple with holy springs where the locals can take a holy bath. There's also lots of holy Koi Fish and Holy Monks around. A whole lot of Holiness.

Padangbai and the pool calls. Aaaaaaah! How nice is that! A great dinner and endless talks in the bathtub warm pool end another wonderful day in Bali. Diving tomorrow morning!

Julia has decided not to join me for diving. Although I could stay in and sleep a bit longer it's always nice to make it underwater so I do peel myself out of bed for another adventure. Two dives today. Nice underwater world but unfortunately really bad visibility. Bad I get rewarded with a nice diving buddy from Venezuela in the oil industry – lots of interesting stories there for me – and a sighting of no less than three whale sharks after the second dive. So a productive day after all. We originally planned to spend the afternoon exploring Bali with the car but opt for another relaxing day and morning after instead. I finish Eat, Pray, Love the overhyped book from Elizabeth Gilbert. I mainly bought it just because I am in Bali and felt I should have read it and am sorely disappointed. A few hundred pages of a boring ladies search for spirituality. Really? That made it to No. 1 on the bestseller list? I know again why I don't agree with critics on so many accounts. But the sunshine the lovely people, good food and great atmosphere let me forget about that and just enjoy my time in Bali.

The next afternoon it is back direction Airport / Kuta. Julia's flight is at 10pm and I am flying out early morning so after being stuck in traffic for hours and taking 3 hours for 40 km drive – patience be with us please – I jump out in Kuta to search for a place for the night and bid a fond farewell to Julia. See you in Bangkok!

Off to Labuanbajo, Flores tomorrow for some great diving and to see the famous Komodo Dragons!