Before I get started with this post, I would just like to say a big ‘hello and welcome’ to all the new readers! I was featured on the WordPress ‘Discover‘ page yesterday, and as such have had a massive influx of new readers. To all of you, thank you for joining along on this journey; I very much look forward to taking you with me around the world.
It says something about the Ubud region that no matter how often I come back to Bali, I always want to return. Maybe it is the cooler climate, maybe it is the abundance of lush greenery or maybe it is just that little extra positive vibe that keeps pulling me back in, but either way, I love the place. Check out this awesome first picture, a horse just chilling out while he catches a lift!
My most favourite and trusted driver – Made Paul Artawan – was once again helping me out and was our driver for another day. His own home is in Ubud, so on the way to the city centre, Made offered to take us on a local road and give us a glimpse of the area that he calls home. Talk about a gorgeous area! Look how leafy it is, plus – no tourists – always a bonus!
After the drive from Seminyak we were a bit on the peckish side so stopped at Maha Cafe for a quick bite before doing some more exploring.
For those wondering what this fella I have been dating looks like, look no further! Meet Matt, the handsome pilot with the ginger beard.
After we had filled our bellies it was off to another Balinese Temple. Located around 50 metres from the main market in Ubud, Pura Saraswati is a lovely little detour. Surrounded by a pond filled with hundreds of lotuses (or loti – which google tells me is the plural of lotus) entry is free, and the Cafe Lotus next door is a lovely spot for a lazy afternoon cocktail.
Entry to the temple is free too, so it is a great stop for the budget backpacker. It is by no means an extensive temple that you could spend hours exploring, but sometimes a short visit is all you really feel like doing, especially on a hot Bali day.
Look at all the many many lotuses/loti! I would love a lotus pond like this in my backyard one day in the very distant future. The likelihood of me ever owning property in Australia is slim to none, so if I want a pond like this, I may have to move to somewhere in South-East Asia.
Here is Mister Matt striking a pose. At 6 foot 3 he is almost as tall as the temple itself!
I have seen and visited a lot of temples in Bali, but I never get sick of them. Something about the burnt oranges and the ornate doors just keeps reeling me back in time and time again.
Nothing like a little bit of Balinese door porn!
After departing Pura Saraswati and having a lovely lunch at Bali Bohemia (check out this edition of Ellen Eats for more info) it was time to head on to another spot in Ubud – Tegenungan waterfall. As we left Bali Bohemia we went past the cutest little family of monkeys; if you look closely, you can see the little baby monkey breastfeeding!
After we said goodbye to the monkeys we met some lovely local ladies working hard. These women all knew Made personally and wasted no time in striking up a conversation. I couldn’t understand much (curse my English only brain) but they all seemed pretty happy and jovial.
Just down the road were more rice paddies and a bunch of ducks! Ubud is full of surprises.
After not too long we finally got to Tegenungan. In hindsight, coming in the afternoon was probably not smart – the place was chockas! When I return to Ubud I will try to revisit Tegenungan in the early hours of the morning, I think the place would be magical without the huge crowds.
Getting down to the waterfall requires going down a lot of stairs, which is fine, but getting back up them with my unfit self was a whole different story – Matt practically had to pull me up the stairs! It was a bit embarrassing actually. I remember when I backpacked through Europe, I ate so much food every day, but I was also climbing heaps of stairs to the tops of cathedrals, churches, buildings and hills to see the cities from above day in and day out – I was bloody fit! It might be time to start thinking about another few months backpacking through Euro-land – I can’t think of a more appealing workout regime!
Anyways, back to Tegenungan. There was way too many people around, so I was not all that keen on swimming, which is a shame, because I pretty much am always keen on swimming! A return trip to Tegenungan at sunrise will have to be on the agenda during my next Bali trip.
T H E L O W D O W N
Getting to Bali: Flights to Bali are frequent, check out adioso.com to find the cheapest dates to fly
Getting to and around Ubud: Hiring a private driver is your best bet – I personally recommend Made Paul Artawan
Pura Saraswati: Entry is free and the temple is located 100m from Ubud markets
Camera: Olympus OM-D E-M1 with M.Zuiko 12-40mm f2.8 lens
What to Pack: Clothing that is light and breezy, sunscreen and water
Remember: Though there is no clothing requirements at Pura Saraswati, covering your legs is considered respectful
Don’t forget to add me on Snapchat and Instagram – @wwellend – for more foolishness and travel adventures!
Finally, I have a question for all of you, my lovely readers. I want to know what YOU want to read about! I am going to free up three weeks of my travel time in mid-2017 and would like you to tell me which of the following trips you would like me to take. Please vote!
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