Posted by I have always dreamt of traveling overseas but my life path went different ways and it was a struggle to save money when it comes to being a single parent at early age and raising two girls, working at different jobs. Life wasn’t easier for me until the right man came along and found me…He took us, my two girls and I, to Bali, our first trip oversea (his third time in Bali). When we arrived at the airport, it was so warm I couldn’t understand why I worn jean and I was literally sweating. The drive to where we stayed in Kuta at Kuta Townhouse for the first night (we found out at the end of the week that it was owned by an Aussie man) was hectic. I couldn’t believe how narrow the road was with so many motorbikes, scooters and cars so close side by side, there’s no road rules, just beeping at each other to let them know we are overtaking. It was scary at first but after a while I got used to it, I have not seen a single accident. It was a low season it rained in the afternoons, after we got to our room at the hotel, we went for our walk through the markets to the beach and then back to our room to rest for the night.
In the morning we went to the shopping mall but it was closed until 10am so we went walkabout. I took the photo of a wall with glass debris, I laughed at the thought that it’s a barb wire Bali style. We got back to the mall to do a bit of shopping before heading back to Kuta Townhouse to get our baggages.
We headed for Ubud – the arrival from Kuta to Ubud was smooth, no rush like in Australia, no dramas. We got into a taxi, again with the narrow road and all, it felt so real nothing like what you see on tv documentary about what happens in Bali; how they lived their lives and all those cars and motorbikes so close to each other, there was no give ways. When I watched the documentary I thought that was dangerous, but being here in Bali for real, I was so intrigued. I fell in love with Bali. The best moment in a taxi from Kuta to Ubud was watching a dad with two kids between 7 & 9 year olds in front and back from their dad riding a scooter right by my side, it made me smile.
We stopped at Jambe Asri to try out the Luwak Coffee and different flavour teas. A Luwak, civet cat, feed on coffee berries, digests the fruit and expels the beans, which the farm people collect, wash, and roast, a real delicacy. The teas we tried out was Herbal tea, Lemon tea, Lemongrass tea, Rosella tea, Red Ginger tea, Ginger tea, Coconut coffee, some others I could not remember. It was a good experience to try those coffee and teas that Australia don’t have.
The lunch at Bebek Tebasari Resto restaurant was lovely and they have a beautiful view of the rice field.
We got to Capung Sakti houses and stayed for four days, it was so beautiful and relaxing. The reason why we chose this place to stay because when I looked online for accomodation in Ubud, was that the creator of the Fair houses is the founder of the foundation to provide free health & medical care for the poor, sick, disable and disadvantage, so we are donating to the Fair Future Foundation and they own a Fair Warung Bale (Fair Restaurant Bali). They are the only one restaurant worldwide which supports and funds a comprehensive and massive public health and medical care program. Both foundations gives 100% of its profits to the local population, to fund Health & Medical Care program for people in need. The Capung Sakti Houses gives more than 80% of its profits to the Fair Future Foundation. The Fair Warung Bale and the Capung Sakti houses are very closely related to the operating mode of the Fair Future Foundation. And it felt good to help and care for the Indonesian people, also at the Fair Warung Bale those who cook the food are the young and disability people. aged between 15 and 20 years old. I would totally recommend them if anyone stay in Ubud plus the accommodation cost at the Capung Sakti are good price. People there are very lovely and friendly, click on the link and check them out Capung Sakti.
A day out at the Monkey Forest and a scooter ride on a wet afternoon.
A walk up the road from Capung Sakti and a ride with my man…..
A day trip to Mount Batur Volcano, Batur Lake and Tegalalang Rice Terrace.
Our last two nights in Nusa Dua and sunset in Kuta before heading back home. It was really awkward staying at Goodway Hotel and Resort because we were surrounded by Koreans/Chinese/Asians at breakfast and not one english person seen since our two nights stay. I would not recommend that hotel nor stay in Nusa Dua, Nusa Dua is a nice place to explore for the day but not a good place to stay. Its good for those who are rich and need security because there was a lot of security guards with guns.
I have enjoyed my first trip in Bali and look forward to coming back, the trip was worth it.
Cynthia A. The life of a deaf introvert! 