“Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” - Confucius

Starting off with a thank you to cousin Suzi Cook and fam for the much needed lip balm and sunscreen lotion, and additional premium face sunscreen from aunt Brenda and uncle Court.  I don’t need more wrinkles than I currently have.  Additional thanks to sister Kelsey and brother-in-law Kevin for the top notch writing pens and travel journal. Been putting both to good use while capturing stories and memories to share.  Lastly, hearty high-five to my friend + work colleague, Ann Marie, for the stack of UX Catalyst stickers I’ve been plastering across Bali. Everyone needs a spark, even in Indonesia.

Today’s post is a big one. Too many stories to share, but will take a shot at sharing the highlights.

Leah and I visited a “healer” on Monday.  Sounds pretty out-there, and it was.   His name is Martin and explained the history behind the merging of Hindu religion with the Balinese culture + customs. What is practiced today is more of a mash up over time, with a focus on nature and community.  So what did Martin tell me (after a thorough inspection of my energy flows … see what I’m sayin’, I told you it was out-there)? 

• That my brain is racing and dominant over my heart, guts and toes.  That I need to slow down and treat my whole body as one unit, not just what’s in my head.
• That I can’t compartmentalize feelings of friendship, creativity, love, work, family … they will all spill into one another whether I like it or not.
• That there are no specific solutions that apply to all.  “You have to be your own healer” and be invested in yourself.

Part of being in Bali is seeing the offerings that locals make.  Each is creative and personalized.  Some include candy, some include cookies, some even have a cigarette as part of the offering.  Leah created an offering to all of the “strong ladies” that she has looking out for her.  Here’s an example from the streets of Ubud along with those preparing for the Ogoh-ogoh festival on Tuesday.

Next update was visiting the Monkey Forest in Ubud.  As you’d expect, there were monkeys everywhere running around 27 acres.  There are more than 1,000, and one grabbed on to Leah’s pant leg as if she was smuggling popcorn.  I wish I was able to snag a pic of her fighting to break loose … but alas … I was too slow.

Big festival the night of March 21.  Streets were packed with tourists, locals, and parades of school kids showing off the large paper mache Ogoh-ogoh creatures.  These are built as part of the yearly celebration to ring in the Balinese new year, and ward off evil spirits.  Pretty marvelous overall.  Music, drums, chants, lights flashing … not an experience for those that don’t like tight spaces, but we had decent seats a safe distance from the ruckus.

The following day was Nyepi, “Day of Silence”.  Airport is closed. Harbors are closed.  All lights are turned off on the entire island.  No sound of motor bikes.  The stars at night were electric because there was no light pollution.  I have pics, but won’t post because they just don’t convey how thick the Milky Way was in the night sky.

Last update is from a mountain bike adventure we booked.  There are some stories you don’t tell your parents or mother-in-law until afterward when you’ve returned in one piece.  This is one of those stories.  It was far from a leisurely bike ride, and a guided trip with a local mountain bike outfitter. We weren’t 100% on our own. We were on full suspension bikes, bombing down inclines that were like double black diamond ski slopes.  Ruts on the single track that were probably 2 feet deep in places. Pedals scraped the sides of the ruts, and you couldn’t pedal.  You just had to keep your wheel straight otherwise you’d wobble and fly over the handlebars. Leah and I both learned the hard way and flew over the handlebars and landed face first.  I got a great view of Leah’s crash where she totally “scorpioned” after wobbling into a rut. (scorpion = you land on your face/chest and feet fly up in the air and swing behind you like a big curly potato chip).  Fortunately, just some scrapes and bruises for us both, and we didn’t need to be helicoptered out from the jungle.  

And then we biked closer to Mount Batur, which is actually a volcano.  It last erupted in 2000, and is probably due for another eruption since they take place every 20 years or so. We passed the legacy lava rock, stopped for lunch and then the rains came.  This was one of those “raining-sideways-I-can’t-hear-others-speak” thunderstorms.  I should tell a fib to my mother-in-law that we hopped in the van, and called it a day.  But like George Washington, “I can not tell a lie.”  We pedaled through mud, shin-deep flooding, avoided falling in rice paddies … and had a close-up view of Bali villages and temples (the one below is from outside of Pura Agung Gunung Raung … one of the oldest temples, and you have to be escorted by a local to enter).

We made it though, and laughed about our experience and perhaps questionable decision making.  But that’s the special sauce behind trips like this.  Others may not do what we do and get in the thick of it … but we will.

Matur Suksma (thank you) to all of our friends and family. 

Brice (and Leah)