Bali Travel Journal – Back to The Island of The Gods

Back to Bali – The Island of The Gods

Three yeas ago we visited Bali, known as The Island of The Gods,  for the first time. It was a relatively short stay but it was long enough to trigger something deep within us. When we returned home we went through a long period of what we called “The post-Bali Depression”. What was the post-Bali depression? A strong feeling of not belonging to the society we have lived in all our lives. A society dictated by greed and fed by inflated egos. A society of individuals who only care about their own interests and which have no concern for what happens around them. Of course there are exceptions, but unfortunately, they are the minority. The most shocking part was to realize that in many ways we were an integral part of the same selfish society.

As a result, we went through deep introspection, looked around us and started to question our lifestyle.

Fast-forward three years.

We closed our company, sold our house and went looking for a new way of life. Now, here we are in Bali to retrieve something, though we are not sure what it is. Within the next weeks, we will be looking for the missing link.

Arriving at Denpasar airport

We landed in Denpasar International airport late at night. We were very hungry after a long day with no substantial meals. Knowing that we had a one-hour drive to reach our hotel, we decided to look for a place to eat inside the airport. Smart decision. I had the tastiest sandwich ever at La Place! A pitta-type bread, with falafel hamburger, lettuce, tomato, all topped with pesto to substitute mayonnaise. Absolutely divine!

After regrouping over our delicious dinner, we bought an overpriced SIM card with 8GB for 250.000 RP (around 16€) in order to be able to call a Grab car to take us to the hotel.

Walking out of the arrival area at Denpasar airport made me feel like we were part of those fiction movies where people are attacked by aggressive creatures when they step out into the open. Here, the creatures were the taxi drivers who cling to you like leeches in the attempt to sell their services. It is a deeply annoying experience. The whole scenario made me quite nervous and disturbed the special moment I had anticipated for the past three years.

James eventually negotiated a rate of 250.000rp (around 16€) with a Grab driver who was trying to do some business on the side.

The way to Kemenuh

It was already late and the roads were quite dark, but there was enough light to see the shops on the side of the roads. The rows of one-story buildings, now all closed, made me think of the craftsmanship of the Balinese people. The road from Denpasar airport toward Ubud is full of shops selling stone and wood furniture and statues, different types construction materials, and everything necessary for building and decorating a house in Balinese style. What a dream!

On our way to the hotel, we called to inform that we had arrived and were going to check-in shortly.

This time we decided to stay on the outskirts of Ubud, so we could be close enough yet away from the commotion. Our hotel was located in Kemenuh, about twenty minutes from the centre of Ubud.

As we approached the village, I noticed that the streets were heavily decorated with white and yellow ornaments and wondered what was the special occasion.

After about one hour we arrived at Wana Ukir Villas.

Checking into Wana Ukir Villas

We were greeted on the main gate by a mid-sized statue of Ganesh, the God of beginnings. It was already very dark and there were very dim lights at the entrance of the property.  James and our driver walked in while I waited at the entrance with the luggage. The street was empty and quiet. Slowly, I started to retrieve the Bali mood. They came back after a few minutes to take in the luggage.

We walked through an immaculately clean garden with manicured grass and trees all around. The scent of frangipani flowers accompanied me throughout the dimly lit garden. As we crossed the last doorway from the private area of the property into the hotel area I found myself standing in front of my dream Balinese setting. To the right, four small villas were lined up facing a large swimming pool. An additional villa faced the swimming pool in one extremity, while on the opposite extremity stood a gazebo, typical in Balinese houses, for relaxation and massage.

The owners, Agiman, his wife Ida Ayu and their cousin Rai, finally greeted us. While James organised our accommodation I sat with Ida Ayu on the gazebo, located opposite to our room. In conversation, I soon found out that she is also vegan and practices meditation and yoga when she has time.

While we settled in and unpacked a few essentials, Rai prepared a tray with tea, local sweets and bananas. We were too tired to enjoy our veranda, therefore after a warm shower and tea with rice and coconut cakes, we finally went to bed past 1:00 am.

The first weekend in the village of Kemenuh, Gianyar

DAY 1 – Saturday, June 2nd

We woke up to a beautiful and sunny morning after a night well slept, though our bodies and our heads still felt heavy. We hadn’t been very active during our four months in Langkawi, Malaysia, therefore, our bodies were still getting used to the intense walking that started in the previous week in Melaka.

Waking up to such green and peaceful environment was a very unique experience. The prominent sound was the running water from the statue on the border of the swimming pool. Then came the morning calling of the few chicken running loose around the property, along with the neighbourhood ones. In the background, different twitting sounds of birds completed the perfectly harmonious setting.

At the breakfast building, just behind the swimming pool, our day started with a rich breakfast including fruit, toast, boiled bananas (a typical Balinese treat) and Balinese coffee. James, an almost-vegetarian newbie (he still eats fish), cannot do without his morning eggs and black tea with milk!

After breakfast and a short conversation with Rai, we decided to stay in the hotel to rest and recharge. We sat by the swimming pool all morning reading and relaxing. We left the hotel only to find a restaurant nearby to have lunch. Before heading back to the hotel we took a short walk to get acquainted with the neighbourhood. On the way back, we stopped at the local restaurant My G Warung, that belongs to the same owner as the restaurant where we had lunch, to check out the place and the food offer. We were happy to find out that they have a good vegan and vegetarian variety. Wid, the owner of the restaurant, was a kind and well-spoken young man who also owns a homestay nearby which has access to a private waterfall. We agreed to check both out the next day.

On our way back to Wana Ukir James went straight into the swimming pool. I did not have the courage, as the water was too cold for my liking. The rest of the day was spent, again, by the swimming pool.

At dinnertime we were still very tired, so we ordered food from My G Warung. Not long after we made the call, our dinner was delivered, beautifully presented in paper boxes. everything was delicious.

“This is Bali, The Island of The Gods!”.

DAY 2 – June 3rd Sunday

On our second day in Bali, we woke up feeling slightly better, though still a bit tired. Nonetheless, we gathered strength and went off exploring the neighbourhood, as planned the day before.

This time, breakfast was fruit, boiled bananas, toast, coffee and eggs (for James). We are very conscientious about what we eat which makes us picky about our food. We normally do not eat white bread or white sugar and avoid anything processed. James does not eat margarine and most jams, unless they are homemade. Thus, eating in most hotels poses a challenge. Yet we ate what was offered for breakfast (which included all of the above!) and got ready to explore.

Our local expedition started by visiting Wid’s homestay, called Baliwid Villa and some additional ones on the way. The property, though contained compared to Wana Ukir*, was very pleasant. The rooms had enough privacy and were decorated with simplicity yet enough Balinese charm. Some have a small kitchenette for guests who prefer to cook at home. Bali has high humidity, thus most buildings have issues with it.  This was no exception. The property has a central bean-shaped swimming pool and surrounding resting areas. We agreed that if we decide to extend our stay in the village we would continue where we are as it better fits our requirements of peace and privacy.

After our visit, we went looking for the waterfall in the hope if having a dip. The access to the waterfall is made through rice fields, which are located much higher than the base of the waterfall. In order to reach the bottom, one needs to go down very steep and slippery steps. Once at the base, we found out that the water is not feasible for bathing. There is a quarry nearby from which debris makes the water brown. Not exactly the ideal condition for bathing.

We made our way up and continued walking, taking photos and footage, here and there, capturing everyday life. As we walked around town we met Swastika (a very odd name for us in the west!), a very friendly and welcoming young man. Swasi, as most people call him, owns a number of properties around the village.

In the past, he worked for many years in cruise ships, “mostly as a firefighter”, he explained, but also serving in restaurants. This job gave him the opportunity to travel all over the world, learn to speak English well and learn about the western culture and habits.

After quitting his job, during the economic crisis of 2008, he returned home with his hard earned money. Wisely, he started to buy property adjacent to his family’s land and other scattered spots around his village. Nowadays, he builds houses to rent for short and long term to foreigners. Additionally, he also sponsors selected foreigners (who he calls his friends) who want to move permanently to the island.

We spent a couple of hours walking around with Swasi, looking at different properties and land and learning about the leasing of land in Bali. His biggest pride though is the Taman Petanu Eco neighbourhood, a project developed on his father-in-law’s land. Though we are not sure about the depth of his involvement in this project, his dedication and enthusiasm were clear. He explained that the moment the foreign residents started going against the quarry owners he left the project. Why? Because according to Swasi, the quarry, though noisy, gives jobs to local residents, who would otherwise not have a way to sustain their families. He believes that “if they want to stop the quarry, then they must give the people an alternative job”. He does have a valid point.

Around 2:30 pm we were starving and ready for a good lunch. We stopped at our lunch spot on the previous day and returned to Wana Ukir. This time, I  was ready to try the swimming pool. Although the water temperature was much lower than one would expect on Bali, I eventually gained the courage to go in for a swim. Blessed decision!

We hang around the pool for the rest of the afternoon and headed to My G Warung for an early dinner. Their food is really delicious and given that there are not many options around us we decided that this would be our dinner restaurant from now on.

Watch below our first short video about our trip to Bali and discover with us The Island of The Gods!

(If you have not done so yet, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel: Finding The Bliss)