Tegallalang Rice Terraces, Bali, Day 3.1

Today I booked a private driver, Deksur, to embark on a few destinations of my choosing. First, I was taken to the Rice Terraces. A gorgeous spot, about an hour away from Ubud. Though, to be fair, maybe rather 20 minutes if they had a) traffic rules that people stick to (e.g. scooters don‘t get to drive in “packs“, children between the ages of 0-16 don‘t get to drive at all - yes, I‘ve seen several small kids on scooters), b) roads twice the size of the current ones, c) mended roads. We got there, my driver stayed at the entrance while I went on to go into the terrace - of course, after having paid a tidy sum. I enjoyed seeing the place, exploring different paths that are seemingly endless. The trouble I soon encountered was the lack of persistence in signs leading the way reliably. Soon, I was alone, away from all the tourists who mainly paid extra just to use the Bali swings - you guessed it - for their instagram. The paths got rather tricky, incredibly slippery and not entirely secure. Mainly, there were very confusing signs where to go, paths weren‘t clearly recognisable. I felt lost after every second turn. That’s what you get for taking the “road less travelled“. I followed the little huts inbetween the rice fields with people who tried to sell you the 7th bottle of water, bananas, snacks. Upon asking what kind of snack the yellow object in question seemed to be, the woman rocked the packaging rhythmically with her hands and said with a large smile and wide eyes: “Oh, crunchy, crunchy!“ Alas, she seemed to have a terrific time describing the texture of her snack. What it was, I never learned. But I certainly applauded her passion for her product. Walking down the terraces is one thing, up, however, another. The sun was burning down on my head, the humidity making it a bit harder. No problem, though. Until I determinedly stepped onto a loose tile that gave way and led my left foot into a knee-deep puddle of muddy water. Quite the mess. I’m truly grateful I didn‘t go for the new pair of **white** pants I had bought the previous day! Luckily, I encountered two rice farmers shortly after who helped me rinse off and even washed my shoes. On I went to the exit. I got there, but it was the wrong exit. Without proper reception, I was lost for a while. Thanks to the tips of another local to go higher up, I was able to reach my driver and got picked up.Read more