Bali

Ok, I'm getting really lazy with my blogs.  I'm almost leaving Melbourne, and finally decided to do my Bali blog.


I got to the airport in Denpasar and was so excited to be picked up with Kelly!  It was nice to know that I'd have a week and a half on vacation with my friend.  We stayed at the Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa, which was a 5-star hotel.  Amazing breakfast buffet, beautiful views and nice weather.  I was very happy knowing I could relax for 4 days!  Unfortunately on the 2nd day I got sick, and was miserable for about a day and a half.  I felt like death, but finally started to feel better the day we were leaving.  Fortunately, we went scuba diving before I started feeling horrible.  That was my 2nd time scuba diving, and I didn't get sick on the boat this time!!  It was a small boat, and there was a crew of 4 guys and 5 "customers."  As we were going to our first dive location, we passed through some islands with big cliffs, and the water was so rough, it felt like the parting of the Red Sea and we were the Jews running from Pharoah down the middle.  The waves were so high on both sides of the boat, we couldn't see out.  It was pretty crazy.  The waves were crashing on cliffs, and the water was getting so high.  I got a bit scared that we were actually going to be diving in this weather.  Fortunately, when we got to our location, it was much calmer.  The coral and fish were beautiful, I was in heaven.  It was even better than the Great Barrier Reef.  Our next location was even better.  I felt like I was swimming through Little Mermaid's kingdom.  So many colors and schools of fish, and those shells that look like big lips were all around.  I was having the time of my life. 

We had some great dinner in Nusa Dua too.  Kelly kept complaining that there was a lot of Italian food, why she would complain about that, I don't know!  I think that was my savior! 

We also had the best massages, and cheap too.  Tell me where you find a 90 min. massage for $40 in LA.  We also had a 5.5 hour spa day for $125.  Amazing!! 

Our Spirit Quest tour started in Ubud Saturday morning, but we drove up Friday morning to get to the hotel, check in and then head to the Elephant Safari Park.  It's no secret I'm not an animal person, but I knew I had to take a ride on an elephant.  Before we went, we were in a "waiting area" and had the chance to feed the elephants and take pics.  Kelly has some great pics of me being totally grossed out when the elephant's nose at the bottom of his trunk touched my hand.  Blech.  Then, they wanted me to take a picture touching the trunk.  I was not happy with that idea, but took one for the team.  I told Kel to hurry because I was going to run away as soon as she was done.  Of course Kelly was in heaven playing with the elephants.  I was using hand sanitizer every chance I got.  However, it was a cool experience going on the ride.

I can't talk all about the tour, because first of all, I didn't write notes, and it was a bit ago.  However, it was an extremely spiritual experience, which was good considering it was a "Spirit Quest" tour.  We went to some beautiful temples, and learned the correct way to dress and pray so we could get into the most holy parts of the temple.  Because the tour went through Rosh Hoshanah, it was very satisfying to do my own praying for the new year, and what I want for myself, family and friends.  I was very at peace. 

It was very hot and muggy in Ubud, Bali, and we were surrounded by gas guzzling motor bikes.  Families of up to 4 people could fit on a bike smaller than a Harley.  It was crazy.  Way more bikes than cars in Bali, and there's no lanes, so it was pretty much a cluster.... trying to get anywhere. The streets were very narrow and there was almost no sidewalk for people to walk together in, so we would all walk in a single file line.  Everybody was so nice there, we've never seen people so helpful and welcoming.  Taxi drivers were relentless, and would ask, "you need taxi? you need transport? no? what about tomorrow?" 

Because the tour was "Eat, Pray, Love" themed, we ate Italian food, and met some characters from the book.  Ketut Liyer, the old medicine man that Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) taught English to and lived with for a few months, told me I was going to have 3 children if I wanted, and he also guessed I was impatient.  How did he know?!  We met Wayan, the woman healer who worked with Liz, and who Liz gathered money for to buy a house.  We had her famous "vitamin lunch," a bunch of veggies and spices, so I didn't eat much of that :) 

The most interesting part of the trip was when a shaman and healer, Gide, came for a visit.  I had a private session with him.  He was able to read my palms, and gathered a lot about me by hands, and he gave me a healing massage of sorts.  He told me things about myself that he wouldn't have known, but were true, and also gave me some hints about the future.  His big theme was, if you work hard enough, and want something bad enough, and will something it to happen, then it will.  So, I'm working on some things, and we'll see if it will happen :)

The trip was incredible, and Bali is one of the most picturesque places I've been to.  I suggest you all go visit there at some point.  It was hard to leave, but it was also going to feel good not sweating once I walked out the door!