Japan and Bali

[lapassionata]

Re: Japan and Bali

In my end, I find my beginning: the last breakfast at Kumara Sakti. I seriously seriously have to go back there for a yoga retreat or detox seminar or SOMETHING.



Goodbye room...



...goodbye statue of a deity that they make offerings to every morning...



This picture is one of the only records I have of my visit to Ubud's art museum. They had an amazing exhibition of wood carvings that were hands down the most beautiful I had every seen. Then I met the guy who helped to curate the exhibit and the moment I heard his Canadian accented english I just had to get the story. Turns out he used to attend university in the small town that I've just moved to (it's pretty much a University town). We chatted it up then exchanged face-book contacts. Small world. Anyway the grounds were very beautiful but the rain, the rain, the rain.

[lapassionata]

Re: Japan and Bali

Somewhere in Ubud that day, I lost my trust Asic trainers to a deluge of sewage laden storm run-off. What I learned from that episode is that in Bali, when it rains, just stay indoors.
Consequently I arrived at Furama looking and smelling like . My villa was still being prepared, so I got my complimentary tea service in the dining room with a few horrified chinese guests looking on. Sorry for putting you off the crumpets and Earl Grey, luv. When I finally got into my room, I just cleaned up and crashed. That was really the end of my vacation because the next day it rained some more and I got sick.

So rather than end the trip on a list of complaints and embarassing details, I would much rather you envision me that night, exhausted and happy, sprawled facedown on crisp white sheets under a lazily spinning ceiling fan. With the AC quietly humming and the evening light creeping tentatively across the wood floors. A pretty Zen moment.

I'll end with some pics of the villa I stayed in at Furama, in case anyone is interested in what it really looks like apart from the model suites shown on the website. It's a nice place. Only thing (bedsides the bathroom fiasco) was that the "private plunge pool" was a 2 foot deep inlet from the pool. If I had "plunged" in, I probably would have broken my neck.

So thanks for following along, and commenting . It was an amazing experience, and it was great to relive it and have other people be enthusiastic about it as well.

[Marielle]

Re: Japan and Bali

Great, all your photos! And the report!

Ha! I would've been whining all the way to the top too
it certainly does not look pleasant! What a pity it was so cloudy and raining! And I would be contemplating my common sense too finding myself with a strange guy in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere!
And those baboons! Eek! I remember them from Kenya - scary creatures!

Sorry to hear you were sick towards the end, there is nothing worse when travelling!

Funny you met that guy, I have also met people I know(!) in India and Kenya, small world indeed!!
(And a friend of mine who comes from a Caribbean island, not Jamaica, met people he knew from there in China!)

[seemiyah]

Re: Japan and Bali

Everything about this report was wonderful! The pictures, the narration and you!

[lapassionata]

Re: Japan and Bali

Thanks for taking the journey back to Bali with me, Marielle! I almost don't want to say once in a life time experience, because I'm making it my mission to get back there within the next five years. Maybe I can convince my program to leg me do a month elective there studying maternal-fetal health or something. It's all about the learning experience of course You said you were also planning to go to Bali? I'm looking forward to that trip report!




<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Marielle</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Great, all your photos! And the report!


Ha! I would've been whining all the way to the top too
it certainly does not look pleasant! What a pity it was so cloudy and raining! And I would be contemplating my common sense too finding myself with a strange guy in the middle of the night in the middle of nowhere!
And those baboons! Eek! I remember them from Kenya - scary creatures!

Sorry to hear you were sick towards the end, there is nothing worse when travelling!

Funny you met that guy, I have also met people I know(!) in India and Kenya, small world indeed!!
(And a friend of mine who comes from a Caribbean island, not Jamaica, met people he knew from there in China!) </div></div>

[lapassionata]

Re: Japan and Bali


We're definitely on the same wavelength! Next time I want to make a more spiritual journey, get some meditation and soul cleansing

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Gen</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Bali

I soooooo need to be at an ashram right about now.

I am here still reading passionata </div></div>

[lapassionata]

Re: Japan and Bali



<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: seemiyah</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Everything about this report was wonderful! The pictures, the narration and you! </div></div>

Thank you for saying that. I got the warm fuzzies after seeing this comment. I'm really glad you enjoyed it!

[JamBrit]

Re: Japan and Bali

Truly an amazing trip report!! What a treat!! Your such a brave and adventurous soul... Both your pictures and writing are captivating...

Thanks so much lapassionata for taking us along on your journey and what a journey it was!! Looking forward to your next adventure wherever that may be....

[tuffstuff]

Re: Japan and Bali

love love love that furama room, even if the pool shallow! Hello is not fa swinmming is to soak u foot a u spirit. Der!Passionlady, pls give a idea of cost of things, like rm rate pls an tanks.

[SandiF]

Re: Japan and Bali

Lapassion...

I thoroughly enjoyed every moment in your trip report. The writing and the pictures... awesome! You've made me bump Japan and Bali on my countries to visit in the future.

Mi gwine have nuff questions for you so stay tuned. Ah yes. Japan and Bali will see me come next year.

[Laurel]

Re: Japan and Bali

WOW ... LaPassie ... all of what everyone has already said up there.

thanks so much for sharing your incredible journey with us ... yes ~ you MUST go back ~

sorry about the Bali Belly ... ugh - that is harsh ~

again ~ simply divune!! loved every minute!

[Seveen]

Re: Japan and Bali

i had watched this trip report building and today i finally had the delightful pleasure of sitting down and getting to savor it slowly and feast on each picture - gurl you can write!

you are a delight! you definitely have loads of get and go and curiousity and i enjoyed <span style="font-weight: bold">every</span> picture you took

so happy you were adventurous with the food tasting and trying - the presentation is awesome and your pics had me drooling

make sure you save this trip report! it's TOPS!

thank you for sharing

[Marielle]

Re: Japan and Bali

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: lapassionata</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You said you were also planning to go to Bali? I'm looking forward to that trip report!</div></div>

Afraid I've had to put that plan on the back burner for now, as there's family stuff going on (aging parents) that I have to take care of...

Just so's none of you keep checking this space for my supposed Bali trip report!!

The good news tho is that my son passed his final school exams with flying colours!! He'll be off to university eventually.

[TreSmall]

Re: Japan and Bali

Oh my, what a wonderful journey I just took with you, from start to end and I loved each and every part of it. I truly enjoyed how eloquently you describe the details, as well as your feelings about each situation you encountered on your journey. I thank you so much for sharing this. BRAVO

[lapassionata]

Re: Japan and Bali

Hi everyone I came by to take a look at the report and I was so tickled to see your comments!

<span style="font-weight: bold">JamBrit</span>- Thank you so much for that lovely comment, I am really glad you enjoyed my report. As for where the next big adventure will be, I think I want to experience an African sunrise before I turn thirty

<span style="font-weight: bold">Tuffstuff </span>- Now I can be a bit more balanced about it, but by the time I came to Furama I was pretty out of sorts. The sewage-y flood waters, the side-eyes from the other guests and the broken toilet were making me lose my bliss But yeah, the room was fabulous, one of the best places to be stuck while it rained. Furama was my most expensive room, and it came in at about $150 a night. And you got a complimentary 30 min massage, high tea, and daily breakfast. White Rose in Kuta was about $52 per night with breakfast. And Kumara Sakti was about $65 per night (I paid in rupiah), and as you could see that breakfast was AWESOME . I spent more than I needed to, because I booked most of my accomodation online (except for Kumara Sakti), but you can fly in and get just as good at cheaper rates I've told. And there is a 20-odd percent tax on food and accomodation, so you have to factor that in. You can probably get the same amount of service with half of what you would budget for a trip to Jamaica - excluding airfare of course. (I'm not being disloyal here, I love my Jamaica to bits )

<span style="font-weight: bold">SandiF</span> - I am so glad you enjoyed the report. I endorse these two destinations fully . Bring on the questions, I could talk about this experience for hours nonstop In fact, I think I've become THAT insufferable friend who starts every sentence with &quot;Well, when <span style="font-style: italic">I</span> visited Japan...&quot; or &quot;You know, that reminds me of the last time I was in Bali...&quot;

<span style="font-weight: bold">Laurel </span> As always I am blushing at your lovely comments. I'll be back like Terminator, but I just don't know when. Student life over and now the bills start chipping at away at the disposable income \o/. Is it better to do one small trip every year or the one big trip every three years?

<span style="font-weight: bold">Seveen </span>- Thank you Ma'am I've read and love your trip reports so this is high praise. In fact you and Marilyn and Mokatee and all the other cool ladies who solo travel and don't give a care (yeah I've been following the travels from 2002!) have been part of the inspiration to get out there and find my bliss. I've been lurking, but I've been learning.

<span style="font-weight: bold">Marielle</span> - Congrats to your son!!! What does he want to study? Is he staying at home or going away? Boy I was so excited to leave home...until I had to start taking care of my own laundry and cook my own food , and suddenly the apron strings just didn't seem SO bad anymore .

Hi <span style="font-weight: bold">TreSmall</span>, thank you for reading, and thank you for your lovely comment. I'm truly glad you enjoyed it