As expected there is never a dull day on this trip. I know it's been a while, and I have written a post about our adventures in Singapore, but it is on my tablet (which doesn't get internet here). We've been in Bali for about 6 days now and it is as amazing as ever. We're staying on the Farm, the same place as last time. Things look slightly different, as the rice paddies are filled with water and growing rice.
The first day we spent just meandering around the farm and the surrounding properties. It was relaxing and a great break from the hustle and bustle of the cities we had stopped in prior. The sweet smell of the air (a pleasant mix of incense from offerings and farm-y fields) made the smog-stiff air of Hong Kong feel miles away. Bali is amazing like that, even though behind almost every turn (if you know where to go) there is an even more beautiful vista of life at a slower pace, I'm convinced you can enjoy it just as much blind. The sounds of the wind going through the palms reminds me of a gentle summer rain. The feel of the damp earth between my feet and the scruff of Sparky, the most gregarious of the farm dogs, makes me feel right at home.
I could go on, but I do have quite the story to tell. Our third day here MB and I decided to venture to the Mt. Batur, a place I had been by bus the last time I was here, to enjoy the view and see the lake. I should have known better, but I figured we would avoid the hawking early in the AM. The drive started out amazing. Riding through the hills and forests on a quiet country road (by the standards here, this is a very nice and cleanly paved route). We had the road to ourselves aside from a few daily commuters. Then we hit the first town on the ridge of the mountains. It was beyond crowded. School was getting out for some type of break and people were everywhere. We managed to find the views and only be exposed to minor harassment. The lake was another story. No we don't want to buy your stuff or be ripped off by your services, we just came to see the lake. I wanted to wander around, but I felt extremely un-welcomed if I wasn't to make any purchases. These people currently make a better living than us (we are unemployed). It was obnoxious. We were hesitant to even take the camera out for fear of being pounced on by hawkers and there weren't even that many around yet.
The day only went downhill from there. I stupidly bought fruit at the top of the hill, without realising that we wouldn't have gotten so badly ripped off if we had just gone a bit down the hill (I didn't know there were stands there too). I was kicking myself half way home because of this. I paid wayyyyyyy too much for some fruit that was a bit old..the lady wouldn't even let me pick it myself! I'm getting upset just thinking about it so I'll change the subject. We were then going to look for a temple (Tampaksiring), got lost on a beautiful stretch of road leading to a village, then couldn't find the place. MB was starving so we gave up our search and headed to Ubud for some eats. I specifically remember getting lost on this road the last time I biked through and this time was no exception.
I took a turn too early and ended up on a road that I didn't know. Stupid me thought that I would just turn around. However, U-turns are not my forte on a bike so I did what I had been doing all trip, pulling into a driveway, make MB dismount, and turn the bike around. I didn't make it very far in this process. You see, there was this thin patch of gravel (about a foot wide) between me and the most enormous, empty, tourist-bus size lot. The lot was on a hill so I had my hands on the break as I pulled in. Mistake number one. Down went me and down went MB and the bike on top. The bike was fine, MB was a bit banged up, I was in even worse shape. We only hit the ground doing about 5mph, but that's all it took for a nice scraping of the left side of my body. Once again, I was more pissed than anything because I was doing so much not to put MB in a position where this would have happened. He now refuses to get on the bike (smart move on his part haha).
You would hope the story would just end there, but no, it didn't. We lick our wounds after receiving some iodine from some helpful guys at a woodcarving workshop across the street and head into central Ubud to try to find this place I wanted MB to try. We get going down the right road, park our bike, and head to where I thought the restaurant was located. After finding out I was about 4km short of where I wanted to be we tried to get back on the bike and get going. Now remember, the bike started and ran after we fell, but this time it was as dead as a doorknob. We tried and tried and then attracted a crowd of guys trying to get it started, but no go. The starter had came loose and the bike simply needed to be taken in. We phoned the farm and waited while the guys still tried to jump start the bike. Once the mechanic arrived and came to the same conclusion I had guessed all along about 20 mins later we stood up to leave and walk to some food. MB didn't realise that I had put the phone we were using (which was borrowed) in his helmut and I didn't realise that it was his helmut either. The helmut went up, and the phone went into a pond that was right next to us. The phone was pretty much gone by then. We did what all people would do, take out the battery and blow in it. At this point I was cursing the skies for this series of obnoxious events. One of the guys huddled around the bike told us to go up this steep hill to the market and said they would be able to fix it there. So off we hustled up the hill only to find out that the guy didn't have a blowdryer or the tools to open the phone, but, fear not, all the way back to the center of town (a casual 30min walk) there was a guy who could do it. Brilliant. Sweating and feeling completely helpless we began trudging back down the hill and through town. About half way there the mechanic showed up on the bike and told us it was ok to ride. This was all after a massive mis-communication in which I thought the bike would only work in standard. I have never driven standard and was not about to learn on a motorbike in the middle of Indonesia. Thankfully this turned out not to be the case. We, or more appropriately me, decided to call it a day and head back to the farm because we had no way of getting in touch with our hosts, who were on their way to Ubud to meet us.
After this whole ordeal we were both exhausted, tired, in pain, and a little fearful that we would not find our hosts on the road. Fortunately they found us and after exchanging stories we agreed to meet back at the farm later. On the way home I stopped at an Indomart to pick up some beer and maybe find a stain remover to get the blood out of my shirt and shorts. We didn't find any stain remover (it turns out that dishwashing detergent and cold water do just fine). But we did find beers and ice cream. So MB and I sat on a few bricks outside of the minimart by the roadside accepting our defeat over some much deserved ice cream bars. We laughed it off as best we could. We are on a six week journey through some tough to negotiate parts of the world. Accidents, in one form or another are bound to happen. Plus, I am convinced bad things come in threes so there wasn't much more that could have happened that day.
Bad days happen. Without them how would you know what a good day is anyway? I still love Bali just the same, although I dream of being able to through rotten fruit at that lady on the top of the mountain. We were supposed to leave today for Bromo in east Java, but MB's eyes have been bothering him a lot and he didn't want to risk exposing them to the sulfur-ridden peak of Bromo. No biggy, we saw it from the air which is probably prettier than seeing it from the ground anyway. Instead we are heading to Surabaya for a day, then onwards to Yogya.
I'll post on Singapore later.
Family and friends we miss you dearly! Someone give Nina kisses for us!
-M
As expected there is never a dull day on this trip. I know it's been a while, and I have written a post about our adventures in Singapore, but it is on my tablet (which doesn't get internet here). We've been in Bali for about 6 days now and it is as amazing as ever. We're staying on the Farm, the same place as last time. Things look slightly different, as the rice paddies are filled with water and growing rice.
The first day we spent just meandering around the farm and the surrounding properties. It was relaxing and a great break from the hustle and bustle of the cities we had stopped in prior. The sweet smell of the air (a pleasant mix of incense from offerings and farm-y fields) made the smog-stiff air of Hong Kong feel miles away. Bali is amazing like that, even though behind almost every turn (if you know where to go) there is an even more beautiful vista of life at a slower pace, I'm convinced you can enjoy it just as much blind. The sounds of the wind going through the palms reminds me of a gentle summer rain. The feel of the damp earth between my feet and the scruff of Sparky, the most gregarious of the farm dogs, makes me feel right at home.
I could go on, but I do have quite the story to tell. Our third day here MB and I decided to venture to the Mt. Batur, a place I had been by bus the last time I was here, to enjoy the view and see the lake. I should have known better, but I figured we would avoid the hawking early in the AM. The drive started out amazing. Riding through the hills and forests on a quiet country road (by the standards here, this is a very nice and cleanly paved route). We had the road to ourselves aside from a few daily commuters. Then we hit the first town on the ridge of the mountains. It was beyond crowded. School was getting out for some type of break and people were everywhere. We managed to find the views and only be exposed to minor harassment. The lake was another story. No we don't want to buy your stuff or be ripped off by your services, we just came to see the lake. I wanted to wander around, but I felt extremely un-welcomed if I wasn't to make any purchases. These people currently make a better living than us (we are unemployed). It was obnoxious. We were hesitant to even take the camera out for fear of being pounced on by hawkers and there weren't even that many around yet.
The day only went downhill from there. I stupidly bought fruit at the top of the hill, without realising that we wouldn't have gotten so badly ripped off if we had just gone a bit down the hill (I didn't know there were stands there too). I was kicking myself half way home because of this. I paid wayyyyyyy too much for some fruit that was a bit old..the lady wouldn't even let me pick it myself! I'm getting upset just thinking about it so I'll change the subject. We were then going to look for a temple (Tampaksiring), got lost on a beautiful stretch of road leading to a village, then couldn't find the place. MB was starving so we gave up our search and headed to Ubud for some eats. I specifically remember getting lost on this road the last time I biked through and this time was no exception.
I took a turn too early and ended up on a road that I didn't know. Stupid me thought that I would just turn around. However, U-turns are not my forte on a bike so I did what I had been doing all trip, pulling into a driveway, make MB dismount, and turn the bike around. I didn't make it very far in this process. You see, there was this thin patch of gravel (about a foot wide) between me and the most enormous, empty, tourist-bus size lot. The lot was on a hill so I had my hands on the break as I pulled in. Mistake number one. Down went me and down went MB and the bike on top. The bike was fine, MB was a bit banged up, I was in even worse shape. We only hit the ground doing about 5mph, but that's all it took for a nice scraping of the left side of my body. Once again, I was more pissed than anything because I was doing so much not to put MB in a position where this would have happened. He now refuses to get on the bike (smart move on his part haha).
You would hope the story would just end there, but no, it didn't. We lick our wounds after receiving some iodine from some helpful guys at a woodcarving workshop across the street and head into central Ubud to try to find this place I wanted MB to try. We get going down the right road, park our bike, and head to where I thought the restaurant was located. After finding out I was about 4km short of where I wanted to be we tried to get back on the bike and get going. Now remember, the bike started and ran after we fell, but this time it was as dead as a doorknob. We tried and tried and then attracted a crowd of guys trying to get it started, but no go. The starter had came loose and the bike simply needed to be taken in. We phoned the farm and waited while the guys still tried to jump start the bike. Once the mechanic arrived and came to the same conclusion I had guessed all along about 20 mins later we stood up to leave and walk to some food. MB didn't realise that I had put the phone we were using (which was borrowed) in his helmut and I didn't realise that it was his helmut either. The helmut went up, and the phone went into a pond that was right next to us. The phone was pretty much gone by then. We did what all people would do, take out the battery and blow in it. At this point I was cursing the skies for this series of obnoxious events. One of the guys huddled around the bike told us to go up this steep hill to the market and said they would be able to fix it there. So off we hustled up the hill only to find out that the guy didn't have a blowdryer or the tools to open the phone, but, fear not, all the way back to the center of town (a casual 30min walk) there was a guy who could do it. Brilliant. Sweating and feeling completely helpless we began trudging back down the hill and through town. About half way there the mechanic showed up on the bike and told us it was ok to ride. This was all after a massive mis-communication in which I thought the bike would only work in standard. I have never driven standard and was not about to learn on a motorbike in the middle of Indonesia. Thankfully this turned out not to be the case. We, or more appropriately me, decided to call it a day and head back to the farm because we had no way of getting in touch with our hosts, who were on their way to Ubud to meet us.
After this whole ordeal we were both exhausted, tired, in pain, and a little fearful that we would not find our hosts on the road. Fortunately they found us and after exchanging stories we agreed to meet back at the farm later. On the way home I stopped at an Indomart to pick up some beer and maybe find a stain remover to get the blood out of my shirt and shorts. We didn't find any stain remover (it turns out that dishwashing detergent and cold water do just fine). But we did find beers and ice cream. So MB and I sat on a few bricks outside of the minimart by the roadside accepting our defeat over some much deserved ice cream bars. We laughed it off as best we could. We are on a six week journey through some tough to negotiate parts of the world. Accidents, in one form or another are bound to happen. Plus, I am convinced bad things come in threes so there wasn't much more that could have happened that day.
Bad days happen. Without them how would you know what a good day is anyway? I still love Bali just the same, although I dream of being able to through rotten fruit at that lady on the top of the mountain. We were supposed to leave today for Bromo in east Java, but MB's eyes have been bothering him a lot and he didn't want to risk exposing them to the sulfur-ridden peak of Bromo. No biggy, we saw it from the air which is probably prettier than seeing it from the ground anyway. Instead we are heading to Surabaya for a day, then onwards to Yogya.
I'll post on Singapore later.
Family and friends we miss you dearly! Someone give Nina kisses for us!
-M
As expected there is never a dull day on this trip. I know it's been a while, and I have written a post about our adventures in Singapore, but it is on my tablet (which doesn't get internet here). We've been in Bali for about 6 days now and it is as amazing as ever. We're staying on the Farm, the same place as last time. Things look slightly different, as the rice paddies are filled with water and growing rice.
The first day we spent just meandering around the farm and the surrounding properties. It was relaxing and a great break from the hustle and bustle of the cities we had stopped in prior. The sweet smell of the air (a pleasant mix of incense from offerings and farm-y fields) made the smog-stiff air of Hong Kong feel miles away. Bali is amazing like that, even though behind almost every turn (if you know where to go) there is an even more beautiful vista of life at a slower pace, I'm convinced you can enjoy it just as much blind. The sounds of the wind going through the palms reminds me of a gentle summer rain. The feel of the damp earth between my feet and the scruff of Sparky, the most gregarious of the farm dogs, makes me feel right at home.
I could go on, but I do have quite the story to tell. Our third day here MB and I decided to venture to the Mt. Batur, a place I had been by bus the last time I was here, to enjoy the view and see the lake. I should have known better, but I figured we would avoid the hawking early in the AM. The drive started out amazing. Riding through the hills and forests on a quiet country road (by the standards here, this is a very nice and cleanly paved route). We had the road to ourselves aside from a few daily commuters. Then we hit the first town on the ridge of the mountains. It was beyond crowded. School was getting out for some type of break and people were everywhere. We managed to find the views and only be exposed to minor harassment. The lake was another story. No we don't want to buy your stuff or be ripped off by your services, we just came to see the lake. I wanted to wander around, but I felt extremely un-welcomed if I wasn't to make any purchases. These people currently make a better living than us (we are unemployed). It was obnoxious. We were hesitant to even take the camera out for fear of being pounced on by hawkers and there weren't even that many around yet.
The day only went downhill from there. I stupidly bought fruit at the top of the hill, without realising that we wouldn't have gotten so badly ripped off if we had just gone a bit down the hill (I didn't know there were stands there too). I was kicking myself half way home because of this. I paid wayyyyyyy too much for some fruit that was a bit old..the lady wouldn't even let me pick it myself! I'm getting upset just thinking about it so I'll change the subject. We were then going to look for a temple (Tampaksiring), got lost on a beautiful stretch of road leading to a village, then couldn't find the place. MB was starving so we gave up our search and headed to Ubud for some eats. I specifically remember getting lost on this road the last time I biked through and this time was no exception.
I took a turn too early and ended up on a road that I didn't know. Stupid me thought that I would just turn around. However, U-turns are not my forte on a bike so I did what I had been doing all trip, pulling into a driveway, make MB dismount, and turn the bike around. I didn't make it very far in this process. You see, there was this thin patch of gravel (about a foot wide) between me and the most enormous, empty, tourist-bus size lot. The lot was on a hill so I had my hands on the break as I pulled in. Mistake number one. Down went me and down went MB and the bike on top. The bike was fine, MB was a bit banged up, I was in even worse shape. We only hit the ground doing about 5mph, but that's all it took for a nice scraping of the left side of my body. Once again, I was more pissed than anything because I was doing so much not to put MB in a position where this would have happened. He now refuses to get on the bike (smart move on his part haha).
You would hope the story would just end there, but no, it didn't. We lick our wounds after receiving some iodine from some helpful guys at a woodcarving workshop across the street and head into central Ubud to try to find this place I wanted MB to try. We get going down the right road, park our bike, and head to where I thought the restaurant was located. After finding out I was about 4km short of where I wanted to be we tried to get back on the bike and get going. Now remember, the bike started and ran after we fell, but this time it was as dead as a doorknob. We tried and tried and then attracted a crowd of guys trying to get it started, but no go. The starter had came loose and the bike simply needed to be taken in. We phoned the farm and waited while the guys still tried to jump start the bike. Once the mechanic arrived and came to the same conclusion I had guessed all along about 20 mins later we stood up to leave and walk to some food. MB didn't realise that I had put the phone we were using (which was borrowed) in his helmut and I didn't realise that it was his helmut either. The helmut went up, and the phone went into a pond that was right next to us. The phone was pretty much gone by then. We did what all people would do, take out the battery and blow in it. At this point I was cursing the skies for this series of obnoxious events. One of the guys huddled around the bike told us to go up this steep hill to the market and said they would be able to fix it there. So off we hustled up the hill only to find out that the guy didn't have a blowdryer or the tools to open the phone, but, fear not, all the way back to the center of town (a casual 30min walk) there was a guy who could do it. Brilliant. Sweating and feeling completely helpless we began trudging back down the hill and through town. About half way there the mechanic showed up on the bike and told us it was ok to ride. This was all after a massive mis-communication in which I thought the bike would only work in standard. I have never driven standard and was not about to learn on a motorbike in the middle of Indonesia. Thankfully this turned out not to be the case. We, or more appropriately me, decided to call it a day and head back to the farm because we had no way of getting in touch with our hosts, who were on their way to Ubud to meet us.
After this whole ordeal we were both exhausted, tired, in pain, and a little fearful that we would not find our hosts on the road. Fortunately they found us and after exchanging stories we agreed to meet back at the farm later. On the way home I stopped at an Indomart to pick up some beer and maybe find a stain remover to get the blood out of my shirt and shorts. We didn't find any stain remover (it turns out that dishwashing detergent and cold water do just fine). But we did find beers and ice cream. So MB and I sat on a few bricks outside of the minimart by the roadside accepting our defeat over some much deserved ice cream bars. We laughed it off as best we could. We are on a six week journey through some tough to negotiate parts of the world. Accidents, in one form or another are bound to happen. Plus, I am convinced bad things come in threes so there wasn't much more that could have happened that day.
Bad days happen. Without them how would you know what a good day is anyway? I still love Bali just the same, although I dream of being able to through rotten fruit at that lady on the top of the mountain. We were supposed to leave today for Bromo in east Java, but MB's eyes have been bothering him a lot and he didn't want to risk exposing them to the sulfur-ridden peak of Bromo. No biggy, we saw it from the air which is probably prettier than seeing it from the ground anyway. Instead we are heading to Surabaya for a day, then onwards to Yogya.
I'll post on Singapore later.
Family and friends we miss you dearly! Someone give Nina kisses for us!
-M
As expected there is never a dull day on this trip. I know it's been a while, and I have written a post about our adventures in Singapore, but it is on my tablet (which doesn't get internet here). We've been in Bali for about 6 days now and it is as amazing as ever. We're staying on the Farm, the same place as last time. Things look slightly different, as the rice paddies are filled with water and growing rice.
The first day we spent just meandering around the farm and the surrounding properties. It was relaxing and a great break from the hustle and bustle of the cities we had stopped in prior. The sweet smell of the air (a pleasant mix of incense from offerings and farm-y fields) made the smog-stiff air of Hong Kong feel miles away. Bali is amazing like that, even though behind almost every turn (if you know where to go) there is an even more beautiful vista of life at a slower pace, I'm convinced you can enjoy it just as much blind. The sounds of the wind going through the palms reminds me of a gentle summer rain. The feel of the damp earth between my feet and the scruff of Sparky, the most gregarious of the farm dogs, makes me feel right at home.
I could go on, but I do have quite the story to tell. Our third day here MB and I decided to venture to the Mt. Batur, a place I had been by bus the last time I was here, to enjoy the view and see the lake. I should have known better, but I figured we would avoid the hawking early in the AM. The drive started out amazing. Riding through the hills and forests on a quiet country road (by the standards here, this is a very nice and cleanly paved route). We had the road to ourselves aside from a few daily commuters. Then we hit the first town on the ridge of the mountains. It was beyond crowded. School was getting out for some type of break and people were everywhere. We managed to find the views and only be exposed to minor harassment. The lake was another story. No we don't want to buy your stuff or be ripped off by your services, we just came to see the lake. I wanted to wander around, but I felt extremely un-welcomed if I wasn't to make any purchases. These people currently make a better living than us (we are unemployed). It was obnoxious. We were hesitant to even take the camera out for fear of being pounced on by hawkers and there weren't even that many around yet.
The day only went downhill from there. I stupidly bought fruit at the top of the hill, without realising that we wouldn't have gotten so badly ripped off if we had just gone a bit down the hill (I didn't know there were stands there too). I was kicking myself half way home because of this. I paid wayyyyyyy too much for some fruit that was a bit old..the lady wouldn't even let me pick it myself! I'm getting upset just thinking about it so I'll change the subject. We were then going to look for a temple (Tampaksiring), got lost on a beautiful stretch of road leading to a village, then couldn't find the place. MB was starving so we gave up our search and headed to Ubud for some eats. I specifically remember getting lost on this road the last time I biked through and this time was no exception.
I took a turn too early and ended up on a road that I didn't know. Stupid me thought that I would just turn around. However, U-turns are not my forte on a bike so I did what I had been doing all trip, pulling into a driveway, make MB dismount, and turn the bike around. I didn't make it very far in this process. You see, there was this thin patch of gravel (about a foot wide) between me and the most enormous, empty, tourist-bus size lot. The lot was on a hill so I had my hands on the break as I pulled in. Mistake number one. Down went me and down went MB and the bike on top. The bike was fine, MB was a bit banged up, I was in even worse shape. We only hit the ground doing about 5mph, but that's all it took for a nice scraping of the left side of my body. Once again, I was more pissed than anything because I was doing so much not to put MB in a position where this would have happened. He now refuses to get on the bike (smart move on his part haha).
You would hope the story would just end there, but no, it didn't. We lick our wounds after receiving some iodine from some helpful guys at a woodcarving workshop across the street and head into central Ubud to try to find this place I wanted MB to try. We get going down the right road, park our bike, and head to where I thought the restaurant was located. After finding out I was about 4km short of where I wanted to be we tried to get back on the bike and get going. Now remember, the bike started and ran after we fell, but this time it was as dead as a doorknob. We tried and tried and then attracted a crowd of guys trying to get it started, but no go. The starter had came loose and the bike simply needed to be taken in. We phoned the farm and waited while the guys still tried to jump start the bike. Once the mechanic arrived and came to the same conclusion I had guessed all along about 20 mins later we stood up to leave and walk to some food. MB didn't realise that I had put the phone we were using (which was borrowed) in his helmut and I didn't realise that it was his helmut either. The helmut went up, and the phone went into a pond that was right next to us. The phone was pretty much gone by then. We did what all people would do, take out the battery and blow in it. At this point I was cursing the skies for this series of obnoxious events. One of the guys huddled around the bike told us to go up this steep hill to the market and said they would be able to fix it there. So off we hustled up the hill only to find out that the guy didn't have a blowdryer or the tools to open the phone, but, fear not, all the way back to the center of town (a casual 30min walk) there was a guy who could do it. Brilliant. Sweating and feeling completely helpless we began trudging back down the hill and through town. About half way there the mechanic showed up on the bike and told us it was ok to ride. This was all after a massive mis-communication in which I thought the bike would only work in standard. I have never driven standard and was not about to learn on a motorbike in the middle of Indonesia. Thankfully this turned out not to be the case. We, or more appropriately me, decided to call it a day and head back to the farm because we had no way of getting in touch with our hosts, who were on their way to Ubud to meet us.
After this whole ordeal we were both exhausted, tired, in pain, and a little fearful that we would not find our hosts on the road. Fortunately they found us and after exchanging stories we agreed to meet back at the farm later. On the way home I stopped at an Indomart to pick up some beer and maybe find a stain remover to get the blood out of my shirt and shorts. We didn't find any stain remover (it turns out that dishwashing detergent and cold water do just fine). But we did find beers and ice cream. So MB and I sat on a few bricks outside of the minimart by the roadside accepting our defeat over some much deserved ice cream bars. We laughed it off as best we could. We are on a six week journey through some tough to negotiate parts of the world. Accidents, in one form or another are bound to happen. Plus, I am convinced bad things come in threes so there wasn't much more that could have happened that day.
Bad days happen. Without them how would you know what a good day is anyway? I still love Bali just the same, although I dream of being able to through rotten fruit at that lady on the top of the mountain. We were supposed to leave today for Bromo in east Java, but MB's eyes have been bothering him a lot and he didn't want to risk exposing them to the sulfur-ridden peak of Bromo. No biggy, we saw it from the air which is probably prettier than seeing it from the ground anyway. Instead we are heading to Surabaya for a day, then onwards to Yogya.
I'll post on Singapore later.
Family and friends we miss you dearly! Someone give Nina kisses for us!
-M
