Today is our last day in Ubud, Bali.  We have been here for a full week but it honestly feels more like two.  If this week is any indication of how our summer will be…then I cannot wait to continue exploring & see what’s next!

Chaotic Driving

We have experienced our first taste of the craziness they call driving here in Southeast Asia. Personally, I LOVED riding around on the back of a moped (while Austin did all the work).  Renting one for the week was definitely worth the $25USD.  We used it to get everywhere!  A 30 minute ride to a historic temple is ten times better when your driving down tiny village streets & every Indonesian kid you past gives you a HUGE smile, waves, and yells “Halo!!” (hello in Indonesian).  I can honestly say our experience wouldn’t have been the same had we not rented one of these bad boys.  It gave us the ability to really see parts of Bali that we wouldn’t have normally seen had we just taken taxis everywhere. There were many times we would drive up a street about 20 minutes just to see where it would take us & what we could discover. If you ever get the chance to rent a moped while your traveling abroad, I would DEFINITELY recommend it!

New Friends

If you have been following Austin on Instagram or Facebook, you know by now that I have a slight obsession with furry friends.  It’s been a bit of a challenge to refrain from petting & cuddling every single animal that I come across (I know that’s not safe here). My mom made me promise her that I wouldn’t touch any monkeys…and well, I broke that promise on my first day here in Ubud when I met Olivia, a blind baby monkey (sorry mom) And the moment I saw that monkey forest I knew all bets were off. Thank you Bali for introducing me to some new friends 🙂

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Delicious Food

I’m sure there will be more talk about the amazing food that we try throughout our trip as Austin & I are both food lovers…but let’s take a quick second to talk about the Indonesian cuisine.  I don’t think I even knew what Indonesian food was before this trip, but oh my gosh is it AH-MAZING!  Although rice and noodles are still staple items, Indonesian dishes are very light with really unique flavors…they are very vibrant & colorful! For instance, there were hints of citrus in the peanut sauce for my  chicken satay (seriously the best one I’ve had yet) and yesterday I had lemongrass fried rice. Because Ubud is such a popular destination for yogis (yoga goers) you can also find some really fresh and healthy food options here.  Exotic fruit is every where & fresh pressed juices and smoothies are a definite MUST!

Temples, Temples & More Temples

Bali is FULL of the most beautiful temples. Words won’t do them justice.  Every time I’m in one, I am continuously thinking …”Someone did this all by hand“. Someone laid each brick, carved each stone, painted each piece of wood, constructed each roof.  It’s amazing…and they are breathtaking.

Handcrafted Goods

I think the one thing that has blown me away the most during my time in Bali is the fact that EVERY. SINGLE. THING is so intricate & beautifully handcrafted.  Every house, every temple, every door, every roof, every side walk, every souvenir is all handcrafted right here in Bali.  The family next door to our villa is currently building their home & watching their progress over the past week has been insane….a lot of blood, sweat & tears is going into that home.  They must have so much pride in where they live once its all done.  They have HAND built their home from the ground up (without wood, nails or power tools) …and its beautiful.

 

Well, that’s it from Ubud, Bali.  Tomorrow we are off to the Gili Islands, three small islands off the coast of Lombok, Indonesia.  The next time you hear from me I will be enjoying a beer beachside 🙂

Until next time Bali…I will leave a little bit of my heart here.

xo Brittany