Are We There Yet? I’m Itchy

Sadly it was time to be on our way and kiss Kho Tao goodbye. But we were looking forward to the next adventure in Indonesia. Little did we know it was going to be quite the adventure getting there. It only too about 72 hours. It started with a ferry then a truck then a taxi then a train then a bus then another bus then a plane then a taxi and finally two bemos. Throw in a couple of sketchy hostels, greedy drivers trying to rip us off, a million jumbo rats and a rash all over my body and you’ve got the longest 72 hours of my life.

Written on a walkway in Ubud.

The original plan was to land in Bali and catch a bus over to another island in Indonesia, Java. But things do not always go as planned. Upon arriving at the bus station our taxi driver negotiated a pretty fair price for the 14 hour journey that was to leave in thirty minutes. Great! We freshened up in a nasty bathroom and borded the bus. I had an odd feeling. The conductor seemed skeezy, the bus was cramped (but not unusual) and the locals seemed agitated. Thirty minutes went by and then another sixty and we still had not pulled out. I had a bad feeling. Something inside was yelling at me to get off this bus. Oddly Laura had the same feeling. The number one rule of travel- ALWAYS trust your instincts. So we got off knowing we were probably going to lose our money. While “negogations” took place between us and the conductor, I stood in front of the bus so it could not leave and Laura scrambled to get our luggage off. Finally after another bus company came over and scolded the conductor for cheating us we received half of the fare back. We will take it. No Java for us, we are staying on Bali.

Our hotel in Ubud, Bali. It was AMAZING!!!

That night when we found a place to stay, I started noticing itchy bumps on my back and arms. I just assumed it was bug bites from one of the many transport vehicles. This is not uncommon. In the morning I discovered it was definatly not bug bites. The rash had spread and I wanted to claw my skin off. But onward we went to Ubud. During the short trip I literally had to clinch my fist to keep from scratching. This sounds dramatic but I was miserable.

We found a hotel, grabbed lunch, and then I was off to the local clinic. Turns out it was just an allergic reaction. No worries. Four prescriptions later and I was feeling much better.

In the rice fields.

Our time in Ubud was simply spent exploring the town and the rice fields surrounding it. The airs holds such a peaceful silence even though traffic can get chaotic. The smell of inscence hangs all around. And brightly colored flowers and fabrics can be found everywhere from the temples to the streets. It is such a beautiful place where you can find relaxation and rejuvination. It is no wonder Ubud is described and depicted as a small piece heaven and paradise.

Flowers that had been tossed into the street.

Bright fabric in the market.

A local woman in the rice patties.

Rice patties outside of Ubud.