Bali Brief - Last Night

We had a celebratory dinner last night at The Cat & Fiddle in Sanur with our MTB tour partners.

Great bunch of people.

Tonight we board an overnight flight to Melbourne.

Hopefully we'll leave behind the Bali Bugs and bring home the daily sunshine and evening rain. What a perfect balance.

Bali Brief - Private Villa

Tour's over.

Found a brand new private villa that the owners are promoting by offering the entire 3 bedroom place for $100 a night.

Sold!

Chillaxing by the pool.

Ah.

xx

Bali Brief - Candidasa

Wish you were here xx

Bali Brief - Carrying Sand Bags

The headache cleared and in its absence came some perspective.

Scoffing at swan-fashioned towels and complaining about a not-so-white nightgown in a place where local women walk around carrying cement bags on their heads for not much more than $5 a day makes me feel like one of those indulgent pop stars that stipulate preposterous insistences like having all green M&Ms removed from the packet before serving. Ridiculous.

It's amazing how one's view is skewed when one is feeling unwell. Headaches have come and gone this trip. Possibly due to not replenishing the water I've been sweating out in this balmy heat.

I'm still on an emotional roller coaster about turning 40. I don't know what it is about this particular number that's playing havoc with my mind. It might have something to do with the fact that I planned my mother's surprise 40th at the tender age of 16... and here I am at the same milestone. It's bizarre.

Tour going well. Last day tomorrow

Bali Brief - Bali Scenes

Heading to Batur crater today and staying the night.

No wifi there.

Hopefully it doesn't erupt like Pat's tummy and my temper.

Hopefully will reconnect in Candidasa in a few days.

In the meantime, here's some typical Bali scenes.

Bali Brief - Swan Towel

I've had a cracking headache all day and consequently have the grumps.

I am perplexed why staff spend so much time making towel swans and flower arrangements, when all we really want are for things to be cleaned properly.

I know it's a cultural thing, but I'm rather deflated over my crisp white cotton nightshirt returning from the laundry a rather dull, dirty-looking grey. How do they do that?

At least when the team returned from their mountain biking adventure, they had good reason to be dirtier than before they started. Not so with my former white nightshirt.

Here I am in sultry Bali. I have a headache, am lying on a bed adorned with a brown-toned cloth bird and perfumed flowers whilst wearing a nightshirt that looks like it was used to wash the bikes.

So how was your day?

Bali Brief - Bali Buddha

Today is Day 1 of our RIDE International MTB tour.

It is the arrival and welcome day.

Pat took clients out for an intro to Ubud.

I took scooter to drop off our laundry.

Had breakfast at Bali Buddha.

Delicious.

The hard work starts now.

Bali Brief - Sari Organik

Pat's feeling much better today.

After two days of not eating, he felt hungry today (despite being up all night watching a rat prance about our room while I slept in ignorance).

We moved rooms.

We hired a scooter.

We drove along a narrow steep path along rice paddies to reach Sari Organik, where I had the BEST organic strawberry lassi I have ever tasted. Ever.

Pat thanks you for all the well wishes, it must have worked.

Bali Brief - Pat Sick

Pat starts to burn up and shudder.

I freak out and take him to 24-hour clinic in the wee hours if the morning.

He has loads of tests.

Results?

Very high white blood cell count indicating bacterial infection.

Waited for Pharmacy to open.

Got antibiotics.

Pat's stabilised and feeling better.

Back in Ubud.

Rest all day.

Relieved.

ps. Bloody Pipeline iPhone photo uploader posts current to old.

Bali Brief - Virgin Beach

It's warm and sunny

Bali Reflections

I love this photo.

It was taken in Bali last October while Patrick and I were cruising the island on a scooter. So much fun.

This photo reminds me of life, only I am soooooo tired after a massive day that I simply cannot conjure up words to do it any justice.

So I'm asking you to contribute... what does it symbolise to you? I'd love to hear your thoughts, ideas, feelings and so on.

Until tomorrow, remember that it's okay to ask others to assist when you're feeling tired.

Grace xx

PS. Made a video of my Power Smoothie this morning. Click here if you'd like to see what I look like when I get out of bed - fuzzy head!