The Payogan Villa Resort & Spa Ubud

... We had a grand kingsize bed, celing fan and large bathroom with hot water. The room was mainly wooden to fit in with its surroundings, decorated with Balinese stone and wood carvings, paintings and fresh local flowers each day. A buffet breakfast is provided inclusive of the charge with fresh fruit, Indonesian noodles, sausages and eggs any style (including omlets).

After exploring the hotel gardens we went for a dip in the main pool and lay in the sun ...

... so had another quite day. It was Zacs birthday, and mum got him a silver frog - his favorite animal. We also got him a birthday cake. We went to see a dance in the evening - but the driver took us to the wrong place twice - by this time it was too late! we settled for another dance - which was canceled. Then being fed up choose to walk to the puppet show on monkey forest road. We were told it was only Mondays despite the hotel reception telling us it was on tonight!

... are the first
ones there. But to me there is no welcoming vibe here – instead it
feels a bit pretentious not unlike some yoga places in Washington, DC
where people dress ultra-natural cool in their brand name yoga wear
and funky accessories. Maybe I was just feeling self-conscious
because we were sweaty and wearing our “street travel gear” and I
had pus oozing out of an insect bite on my ankle. Anyways we walk
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia carlaandmike

... hat plant rice in the verdant green rice paddies beyond... all the while the sun sets behind the distant palm trees turning the sky a deep orange... and a collection of colourful kites, big and small, are silhouetted in the sky as they dance in the gentle evening breeze.

I was hoping that Ubud would fulfill my Bali fantasies and it didn’t disappoint. While our time in Nusa Dua was certainly relaxing, it was rather sterile, and Nusa Lembongan had a fishing village ...

... br>These shops sold lovely shelving units (big round circles with lots of shelves inside), chairs and tables. They were lovely but far too big for my rather large and rather full suitcase (those of you who have met me on my travels will understand this!!) and I doubt my purse would have coped either.

So despite having to avoid temptation I had a lovely time wandering ...

... have to keep trying every single day for weeks....and I just don't think I am going to do that, so I think this is the end of my surfing days...lol. (Cuau, maybe if I had come to Bali with you last month it would have given me the motivation to keep trying! aw too bad!) Scuba diving in my ocean sport. :) But after that I was well ready to go see something more of the "real Bali"...where I am now, in Ubud! Photos coming soon...this place is too slow!

... products. We found one man though with the most amazingly collection of shell necklaces and we each ended up buying about 5 necklaces each, each one for the equivalent of a $1.50. We set up a dolphin watching and snorkeling trip for the morning, talked to the scuba diving place, and went home to go swimming before dinner. Sitting on the third floor of a restaurant, we listened to live music while we ate fresh fish, caught from the sea in ...

... the smaller fish, like sardines, etc. This in turn attracts the big predator fish like barracuda, marlin, and Mahi Mahi. The fishing was great! I took lots of gravol and wore my magnetic bracelet to make sure I wasn't "chumming" off the back of the boat for the entire 6 hours. As soon as we put a line in the water......... bang.......... fish on! We actually only landed 3 fish in the boat as they are to big and thrashing ...

... used here that we almost forget where we really are. That is until we assume too much. Then it all comes screaming back. Along with enlightenment and forward thinking, there always seem to be reminders that not everyone is on the same wavelength. The extremes between supposed wealth and poverty here can be much more apparent. Life is what it is, everywhere. Once again we are happy to move on. On our final morning, Jon-Jon and I plus all of our ...

... on a country road (with less traffic, but still traffic), when a motorbike came around the bend really fast. i freaked out, stopped short and so i toppled. i didnt actually hit the ground, but the bike did fall on my ankle, not ideal. that itself wasn't actually that bad though, but thinking as much, i walked on it quite a bit the rest of the day, which was a really bad idea. it became quite swollen and unhappy with me. but now, two ...