Ubud and Beyond
With the arrival of our friends James and Rosie we made our way to Ubud for a few days of simple luxury. With a view and pool dropping off into the canyoning rice fields and away from the bustling streets and markets of Ubud centre it was easy to see why so many people venture this way to get lost and escape the worries and anxieties of the modern world. A £6 massage and evening swim later we were floating around without a care in the world. Side note; If you ask nicely James might tell you about his naked yoghurt massage and rose petal bath…
Whilst Ubud has all of the tourists traps that you expect it has still managed to maintain an honest sense of authenticity. Smiling locals pass you by at every corner welcoming you to Bali. The walk into the centre takes you past beautifully crafted homes where ducks swim and paddle happily in the rice paddies and electric green trees and grass fields catch the breeze in the humid air releasing the scent of the local herbs and balms that are being grown all around. Whether it’s a call to prayer humming in the distance or the soft beat of a drum nearby Ubud is truly a place where all of your senses are teased.
One of the main things that bought us to Asia is the food. Oh yes, I loveeeee me some chicken satay. With this being Veale and Rosie’s first time to Asia they were keen to get stuck in trying as much local food as possible so what better way to do just that than a cooking class.
The first hour of the class we were whisked off to the morning food market where our guide kindly prepared a whole selection of fruits for us to try. From mangosteens to rambutan and a few other juicy delights, I was in fruit heaven!
Between the hustle and bustle of the stands, spices were displayed in abundance and flowers and vegetables lined the ground around us. Once familiar with the types of herbs and flavours we were going to be using we headed to the traditional family compound to prepare our dishes with the helping hand of a hilariously wacky Balinese lady.
Mixing together all of the classic Indonesian ingredients of lemon grass, chilies, shallots and garlic our taste buds were tingling ready to taste our dishes. Here are a few snaps of the finished results.
Chris and I then made our way to Gili Trawangan, which is renowned for it’s parties. We weren’t disappointed. Two nights however was more than enough for us. I am sad and also happy to say I am no longer the 18 year old girl I once was; dancing on bar tops and shaking my bootay to Sean Paul. This is now reserved only for birthdays in the jam at home…and dancing with mum in the kitchen to bumbalao by the gypsy kings.
Meeting back up with James and Rosie after they spent a few days of pampering on Lombok island we island-hopped across the water to Gili Air.
For me I had always pictured the Gili Islands as having the crystal blue waters and white sand that you see in brochures, it didn’t really blow me away in terms of beauty, but the people, the food and the super chilled vibes on Gili Air are what make it so special… And the scuba diving!
I have, like most people always feared the deep blue ocean. Throw me and snorkel and I will happily paddle around clear water, but put me on a boat with a tank heavier than me and make me fall backwards into the unknown… That’s pretty freaking scary!! Fear put to one side we all took on our SSI open water course with full enthusiasm and within three days were qualified divers.
There really is nothing quite like being 18m under on the ocean floor with sea turtles cruising past you and clown fish rubbing their bellies in anemone to put the world into perspective.
A quick stay in Lombok to get us to the airport was enough to know that we will one day return to explore it’s luscious landscape. We now make our way to Malaysia, a place I really haven’t researched much at all, but that makes it all the more fun!
