February 19 - 25: Ubud, Bali

Our first stop in Indonesia, Ubud is located in the hills on the island of Bali.  Originally a small artist village, the town has grown significantly in recent years due to the number of tourists who are drawn to its multifaceted beauty -- art, gorgeous landscapes and wonderful people.  Despite the hustle and bustle of tourists, we've loved our time here in Ubud and chose to use all our time on Bali here in this town (rather than exploring the beaches).

We were very fortunate to have our good friends Crispin and Ali come join us here for the weekend from Singapore with their amazing little daughter Clara.  We hadn't seen them since Crispin and Allison finished business school 3 years ago so it was a wonderful reunion.  Clara showed off her stellar swimming skills in our hotel's pool (look out for her in the 2024 Olympics!) and we enjoyed some great meals together, including a local hotspot for suckling pig.  The food here in Bali has been delicious and we look forward to trying new dishes at every meal.  Food was definitely not a highlight of our South American leg and so we're exciting that Asia is living up to our expectations so far.

After saying goodbye to Crispin, Ali and Clara we continued our exploration of Ubud and neighboring villages.  A highlight has been several walks through the countryside.  One such walk found us hopelessly lost in a beautiful river ravine.  The farmer whose land we were crossing helped us to find our way, proudly showing us his plants of sweet potatoes and tapioca along the way.

Hindu is the predominant religion (95%) of the Balanese.  A more ritualistic strand of Hinduism than that of India, the religion of the island is palpably felt in everyday life.  Small offering are laid out each morning by housewives before they prepare the morning meal – palm leave constructed boxes filled with rice, flowers and burning incense.  There’s a seamless transition in architecture between the temples and neighboring houses, each decorated with ornante wood carving and faces of the gods.  Perhaps most significantly, the peace and kindness of all the people we’ve met is a testament to how their beliefs influence their daily business.

At 12,000 rupiah to the dollar, our funds are also going along way here in Bali: $3 for a full day scooter rental, $6 for an hour massage, $7 for an amazing dinner for two, $15 for a private bungalow in a small hotel with a pool.  It's tempting to just settle into the relaxed luxury of this beautiful little town..... But alas, the jungle calls us.  We're off to Borneo to see the Orangutans tomorrow.  To a person, each Balinese that we've told we're headed that way has laughed at us in surprise and amazement.  For the record, this part of the adventure is Nader's idea.  But Allison was very glad he dragged her into the jungle in Costa Rica so she's hoping this one's worth the journey as well :)