A Short Break on Bali
Author: Shirlz
January 2022
A few days before Christmas I took a slow ferry across the Lombok Strait from the port of Lembar to Padang Bai on Bali. Getting aboard involved a PCR test and mask and the enormous boat was nearly empty. I found a place at a table on the exposed upper deck and had a good view of the surroundings. I was interested to see the state of the water and how the ferry would handle the strong current. Needless to say, there were no problems.
As we approached the Bali coast I had a magnificent view of Mount Agung, the tallest volcano on the island.
Ruth was there to meet me when we docked at Padang Bai and it was a short, scenic drive to her house near the beach at Labuan Amuk.
It was low tide the next morning and we went for a long walk on the black sand beach. The volcano once again visible through the clouds and hordes of small spidery fishing boats moored in the bay. Ruth’s yacht, Tropicali, rides comfortably to a mooring quite near to the fishing fleet.
On the walk back we were lucky to reach a group of fishermen hauling in their nets. We had seen them start the job of pulling in the enormous net which had been set out in the bay, when we started our walk. Now, nearly an hour later, we could see that they had a good catch and the nets were heavy with fish. Crowds of people came down to help and carry their share away in baskets. Ruth and I bought 3 beautiful silvery ones for a BBQ.
Next day we drove up to Ubud to fetch Muzzi and Rob who had been spending a few days there. Ruth took the scenic route and it was a wonderful chance for me to see a bit more of the island. We stopped to have a look at a fish processing place where a traditional method of preserving small fish is carried out. It was smoky and aromatic and it felt as if we had been transported back to an earlier time. The fish are boiled in salty water on smoky fires to cook and preserve them before being packed in hand-woven baskets. I think it is called Pindang.
Next stop was a rather more touristy coffee place in Sanur. The coffee was good and it was interesting for me to walk down to the water’s edge and see, from the land, the part of the strait where I had battled so hard against the current. Today, all looked pretty calm.
After picking up the travelers we took a very beautiful and circuitous route back, stopping at some shrines and temples along the way. Acres of brilliant green rice paddies.
Christmas Day started with a champagne breakfast and gift-giving for the children of the family who share part of the property. The Hindu shrine was also suitably adorned with offerings. The main course was a very special roast pork affair, which I did not have to eat as there were many, many other interesting vegetarian Balinese dishes to sample. A great occasion.
Two days later Ruth dropped Muzzi and Rob off at Sanur, where they hired a scooter to do some more independent exploring, and then very generously drove me all the way to Ubud and helped me to find a place to stay. Although there are no tourists at the moment, finding accommodation needs a bit of forward planning, which is not one of my strong suits, as the ‘home-stays’ were not expecting anyone and so no rooms were ready for casual arrivals. I was eventually very happily settled in the luxurious ‘Honeymoon Guest House’ where I enjoyed a beautiful room with marble bathroom which included a two-person size tub. What a treat!
I spent 3 days in Ubud exploring the town which is reputed to be the cultural centre of Bali. The first day it rained heavily (this is the rainy season) and I took the opportunity to visit the Museum Puri Lukisan which has a collection of Balinese art. The brochure I was given at the entrance recommended a route that started with the earliest works. I mistakenly went the wrong way and went backwards in time. This was actually a good move as the more modern works totally captivated me with their incredible complexity and I spent far longer than expected, being totally absorbed by them. By the time I reached the more ancient pieces I was tired and was more interested in where to go for lunch.
The rain had cleared up and I spent the rest of the day exploring the interesting narrow streets and walkways of the town. I was disappointed to discover that the traditional dancing performance that is normally held every Friday evening at the Royal Palace had been cancelled due to Covid.
The weather was fine the next day and I set off after breakfast to do the Campuhan Ridge Walk. One of the rites of passage for a visit to Ubud. It starts close to town and a paved path takes you along a narrow ridge through jungly countryside and rolling hills. It was easy going and at the end of the official walk I carried on a bit further to a small village where there were some artists displaying their work. One of stalls really caught my eye and I was sorely tempted to invest in an exquisite miniature by the artist, Sumara. The detail was astonishing but, not surprisingly, the price was way beyond my budget. A refreshing ice cold drinking-coconut set me up for the walk back.
Day 3 was another fine day and I decided to explore a rice-field walk that started very close to town. This path was also used by scooters so I had to be a little careful as it was narrow with deep water furrows either side. The views of the rice fields were classic and there was a very good coffee shop at the furthest point.
Back at Ruth’s place for New Year, with Muzzi and Rob also there for the celebrations, and soon we found ourselves heading back to Lombok on a very crowded ferry. Hak, the trusty driver, was there to meet us at Lembar for the trip back to Gili Gede. What a relief to see that Speedwell was still safe!
January 14th, 2022 at 14:22
Thanks for continuing to share your trip with us.