Bali

  So the original plan for Bali (that of the Eat, Pray, Love trifecta, which incidentally made Bali the touristy place it is today), was a continuation of our motorcycle diaries. But like all well-designed schemes, it quickly underwent a major change. Namely the motorcycle part. A quick assessment of the seemingly insurmountable traffic congestion, obscure road signage and the weeping scrapes on the limbs of many a tourist convinced us to scrap it. With a week left, why tempt Lady Luck?

Ubud

  From Lombok, we took the slow ferry into the harbor at Padang Bai. A tout quickly shepherded us into the designated shuttle,which dropped us off in Ubud, a place we've heard about all the way back in Bangkok. And...we've never seen so many tourists and, what that entails, so many persistent touts. I can see the attraction. Colorful Ubud, with its intricate Balinese architecture and maze-like courtyards, galleries for art purveyors of every kind and the Indonesian take on Hinduism, suffused with the incense smoke of the morning food offerings, is pleasing to the eye. Advanced infrastructure, catered to the tourist demand, makes for a comfortable stay. Ubud offers something both for the body and the mind – spas, markets, temples, cooking and yoga courses, cultural performances and language lessons all compete for attention. But take a little time outside of the city central itself, and you can still recognize the origins of the pull of this place that started the tourist hype in the first place. Rice paddies, green and fringed by palm trees and tiled by muck-spattered villagers in the traditional ways, hint of the olden days. And they get even better way outside of town. Once you manage to leave the made-to-order and mass-produced souvenir shops, that is.

Monkey sanctuary

Cute, but beware, they sometimes bite

Suckling pig

Typical courtyard.  Right from our front door.

Morning offerings

Luwak coffee.  Yes, we tried a cup.

Padang Bai

  Beaches in Bali differ in size, access and the color of sand, but they do have one thing in common: huge waves. While that may make for surfers' paradise, many beaches are not recommended for swimming, with red flags warning of strong currents. We had our goal: find the perfect beach. Researched showed us that our best bet was to go back to Padang Bai on the east coast of Bali. Considering that most tourists simply pass through the harbor and a few steps from the main strip promised a more simple life, we retraced our steps. Indeed, we found what we were looking for. Every morning, roosters competed for the honor of the loudest wake-up call (which annoyed the hell out of P). Chickens scattered on the road, while, in places, pigs, squealed in the background. Kids played loudly and joyfully in the courtyards, the noise only occasionally obscured by the calls to prayer. A village life, pungent smells included. But the nights were blissfully quiet.

  A short hike up some convoluted coast paths accessed a hidden beach, with white sand and clear, aquamarine water of the Indian Ocean. Earlier in the day, swimming is possible, although by afternoon, furious waves pound the shore, as if driven by Poseidon himself. Just a few steps south, as we found out by mistake, is a long beach with luminescent black sand. Not swimmable though. And a 20 km motorcycle ride to the village of Bug Bug offers up another sandy attraction. We had to try them all.

Kuta Beach

  Our time almost at a close, we moved closer to the airport by the famous(or infamous, depending on the interpretation) Kuta Beach, a monopoly on the touristic trail in Bali. Closest approximation of the vibe: Miami spring break. Its prominence on the party scene started as a surfers' haven, a given with the ridiculous waves that upstage the wide swath of white sand. And that's still the case, although its reputation as a playground for the young travelers has somewhat obscured that fact. Parties rage on until early hours of the morning, many places plying patrons with free booze, if not of the highest quality. Despite the revelry, the atmosphere is not as sleazy as in other places. No advertising of Thai ping pong shows, for instance, although you could easily score some rejuvenating Cialis, if you have the need. Maybe not the greatest place for our final days in SE Asia, but it will do.

  And for our concluding act, an overnight stopover in Kuala Lumpur, with a manic search for spices and Tandoori chicken. Pawel's off to Poland for some sailing and home-cooking, while I slowly make my way back to Chicago. Mom cannot wait ;)