Bali Day 1: Saturday, August 5, 2017
Twilight in Bali Hai. I had a small role in my high school production of South Pacific, and this was as close to Bali Hai as I would ever get. At least, it was Bali.
On my first day in Bali, I had traveled from the airport to Ubud via taxi, put my bags in my room at the Ubud Wins Bungalow, and set out to explore the area and find lunch. When I returned, I was extremely tired and needed a nap.
I slept for at least two hours – I was more tired than I thought, and the air conditioning felt really good. By the time I woke up and got going again, it was just past sunset, which comes early in the tropics. I don’t have a clock in my room and my cell phone is turned off because I can’t get a network here, so I was guessing it was about 6:00. I decided to explore in the other direction of Kajeng Lane, heading away from the main part of town.
Twilight over the rice paddies in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.
The lane takes a sharp left just at the entrance to the Ubud Wins Bungalows and passes around the temple across the street. About 20 yards further, it narrows into a motorcycle trail and travels up a hill to come out into an area of rice paddies. There is a well-known trail that leads up from Ubud into these paddies, but this is not that trail. It is lesser known, and just as nice, so it suited my purposes better.
The twilight skies reflected in the rice paddies above Kajeng Lane in Ubud, Bali.
The twilight glow was deepening as I took some photos. It reminded me of the song “Bali Hai” from the musical South Pacific, which I performed in as a senior in high school. This is Bali, after all, and as for the Hai – well, at least it’s sunset and I could feel a Technicolor moment coming on. It truly was beautiful, and I took quite a few photos.
If there had been more light I would have pressed on and come back around the other, better known trail. But it was getting quite dark. There were streetlights out and a half-full moon, so I was able to walk back without difficulty. I continued on up the lane, because I could hear a gamelon orchestra playing up ahead. I wondered if it was the kacek flame dancers they were selling tickets to. But it was a group of men practicing in the community temple part way up the lane. I tried to get some video of them without their seeing, but they soon ended their practice.
Sunset over the rice paddies in Ubud, Bali.
I walked to the main street again and got some extra water at an Indomaret store, as I didn’t want to use the non-complimentary water in the mini-fridge in my room. I also got a Happy Cow ice cream bar, as I’m quite fond of them. I ate it sitting on a cement block while watching the tourists go by. Then I walked back to my bungalow and uploaded photos. I did a Google Hangout with my family and told them I had arrived safely, then I tried to read a book but fell asleep instead.
I heard a gamelon orchestra practicing, so I followed the sound up Kajeng Lane to another neighborhood temple. It had towers lit up with interesting designs. The orchestra was finished practicing by the time I got there.
The Elements Unearthed 