Ubud

Well, I’m writing here now in the afternoon and although the rice paddies are so serene with lots of animal noises I’m a bit annoyed as I spent a relaxing 30 minutes this morning writing in my penguins aaaaaaand…. I lost it! It saved, but didn’t save. So let me try and replicate what I wrote.

Woke up this morning to a beautiful and serene morning over the rice paddies. We woke up and took photos, as usual, and took in the animal sounds: chirping frogs, birdsong, rooster sensurround and ducks. We saw a line of ducks moving along in a pack, maybe 30 of them, and then they all jumped into a rice paddy, no doubt searching for breakfast.

Though it's a humid and misty morning, it’s shaping up to be a hot, sunny day – perhaps with a tropical thunderstorm this afternoon. It was nice to finally take our time, walking to breakfast, to take notice of the lovely garden. So many colours, textures, shapes and flowers, all flowing into each other through steps, pathways, low fences and the villas. The lusciousness of it is definitely a wonderful smorgasbord for all the bugs, insects and birds. We even saw what we think was a pitcher plant, luring in unsuspecting insects to its smelly depths, never to emerge. Maybe it’s more a smorgasbord for the plants then?

So we arrived at breakfast. For the first time here, the clouds and mist cleared so we could see one of Bali’s three active volcanoes, Mt Agung. This is the troublemaker volcano which stops planes and people, and often the Balinese. It’s crazy to think this beast was causing trouble just three months ago. Being on the first floor of the villa we have a beautiful view over the rice paddies. On one side is red man, on the other is purple man. We’ve said hi to red man as he walks close to the villa, checking out…well… his rice paddy. They have been out this morning, using manual tools to scythe the green plants. Purple man had an egret with him for ages, no doubt gobbling up any insects or snails while he was doing his work. Such hard work.

Part of the villa package was a massage so earlier I sat in the villas’s yellow, brown and red batik dressing gown, waiting for our massage ladies. Well the massage was the best we’ve had here so far. A fragrant oil, on the bed….very nice.

After massages we made our way through the rice paddies, seeking out a sport’s bar to watch the first preliminary season game between Souths and Manly. Anyway our narrow pathway, in the sun, was dappled green, lush and busy with motorbikes, locals and a few tourists. A local council group – I assume – was doing maintenance on the pathway, chopping down bamboo, scything overhangs and one guy with a massive bamboo pole, cutting down coconuts ready to drop and kill people.

Found said sport’s bar and set up for a few hours. Souths lost. But some pesky monkeys started to come into the bar. I wasn’t into protecting Jackie, but I got a picture 😊

It’s not a ridiculous walk back to the villa, but a good hump-a-long.
Now sitting here after a lovely swim in our pool. The frogs are starting their chorus. There’s a chit chit chit, gok gok gok, zzzzht zzzzht zzzzht, bop bop bop, cluck cluck cluck, tk tk tk, wop wop wop, kt kt kt. It’s lovely!!!Read more