Travel
I wanted to make another visit. On the
way back we stopped for a quick bite,
and followed it up with a fantastic 90
minute massage (which cost less than
USD24).
The following day we were up early
for a 2am pick up. I don’t know what
possessed me to agree to do it, but I
had signed up for a sunrise hike of Mt.
Batur. The experience started with a
90 minute drive to the starting point of
our hike. The ride was nerve-racking,
to say the least, not only because the
driver was going at a breakneck speed
and passing everything in front of
us. He was doing all of that on a hilly
road that had little to no street lights!
Thankfully we got there in one piece.
Besides not being a fan of heights, I
found the climb to be physically hard. I
was halfway up and about to turn back
when I joined up with another group
that was detouring to a more easily
accessible spot to view the sunrise.
We got there just in time to see what is
easily the most glorious sunrise I have
ever experienced. It was well worth the
effort.
One day we took a ride down into
the heart of Ubud. The town was
compact and bustling with tourists.
As expected, there were lots of
shops and restaurants vying for the
attention of the tourists walking up
and down the streets. It was good to
experience that side of Ubud, but I
much preferred the sense of peace
and serenity that emanated from the
area around our hotel. The stillness
there was captivating and energising,
and just what I needed after a hectic
few months at work.
Bali, I will be back.
TRAVEL TIPS
Entry into the country is visa free,
for stays of up to thirty days, to a
majority of countries.
Ride hailing apps (eg. Uber and
Grab) are not allowed to pick up
passengers from the airport.
Roads leading away from the
Denpasar are narrower and,
depending on the time of day, quite
congested, so be prepared for some
delays to popular areas.
Massages are cheap, so be
sure to indulge.