On The Road... Bali, Indonesia: My Heavenly Island Tour: Part 2!

On the road, those gifts kept on giving, with endless mountains insight, the Indonesian love was real! Not more mongoose coffee? I chose the chocolate instead! Tourists traps were present but I didn't feed into them. A butterfly farm? I was down for all of those random sights and notions, just good vibrations were allowed! Bali was the gift that kept on giving, I wanted to see more, B! 

I had just visited the unstoppably gorgeous 'Taman Ayun Temple' as part of my day long Bali island tour. The drive was scenic, making it out of the built up areas had me feeling calm, I wanted to discover the next stop though! Another mongoose coffee plantation stop? I kept an open mind and embarked on the hard-sell, of course Balinese hospitality was extended. I had already been to a similar place in Yogyakarta but Bali deserved another visit for me. I already knew the situation how the coffee beans were harvested the way the mongooses digestive system intended to. I did enjoy the hushed and scenic feel of this poster for Indonesia's coffee icon. The foliage was green and lush, I clocked those coffee berries because we must remember our coffee comes from nature not in an instant granulated form. I politely declined the cup of coffee because I didn't want to try at again, that wasn't a problem at all. I wanted something sweet! The lady that guided me around the coffee growing area was kind and knew her stuff! Bali was great! 

Chocolate? I didn't hear that ladies script wrong because I educated myself that Bali is an island chocolate factory! Boasting humid temperatures, lush greener pastures, these components produce the perfect home for growing cacao. I didn't remember seeing any chocolate on sale at the Jogja located mongoose coffee place. If I was going to support that local business, it was going to be with my chocolate purchase. Bali's farmers made their bread with cacao production on the island, turning that into something sweeter, damn right! How did my chocolate taste? You know it was delicious, I made it last throughout my time spent in Gili Air. It was the sweet stash that somehow didn't melt in the heat, I was not mad about that, a rich flavour? Yes, I had the best of both worlds in Indonesia, it was a nice little break from the road to see something shaded because the heat was a menace! Where would the next stop be? I was so glad that the previous nights sleep had been sound, I didn't need that big Bali headache lingering any longer! 

On the open mountain roads, my private car drove through lush settings on the double! With one temple snatched, chocolate sourced, I wanted to soak in those endless mountain views. My driver made time for me to take some gorgeous photos from the roadside, I was being spoiled with the choice to start and stop my tour. I especially loved the spot I asked to stop at, it was just heavenly to soak in sights that were simply incredible and void of those 'remote working individuals!' I meant every word that I said and I'm not jealous! It was such a vista, it felt correct that it hadn't become a hotspot for home-stays with idyllic views. It was clear to see that local people made the majority of people outside of the hotspots, I really did think that living in a place like that would be lovely but we all must earn a living and live a part of our lives with reality in mind. Those views saw me envisaging grand plans, anything seemed possible in that moment. Truth be told, I didn't want to get back in the car, I wanted one more look around! Oh!

In my head, I didn't know what Bali would completely look like? On the ground, I loved it even more, away from Seminyak I was able to see another world. With the pace set and a whole more to see, I jumped back into the car for the onward journey to Bali's 'Ulun Danu Beratan Temple'. I learned that my driver was a Balinese dancer, with his long fingernails I did ask some questions. It was actually like he read my mind because I had wanted to see the Balinese dancing before jetting back to my China reality. He knew of a hook up in Ubud and I knew that the stars had aligned. In long and short, we negotiated business and he would meet me at the jetty after I reached Bali from Gili Air. I was already looking forward to another informal tour with this driver, he knew his stuff and had agreed to create another experience for me. It was another sight seen for me and another bit of bread on his table. In the here and now, Bali makes me want to 'Step Back In Time!' Bali, like 'New York City, I just want to get to you! Too much Kylie? No!

Fruit? I did not need another strawberry flashback from my battered state in Bandung! I really needed to get out of that situation but those fruit stalls did give me 'food for thought!' I need to stop! The drive from that photo stop to the next temple took a while, I was offered the chance to have a stop to stretch my legs. Located in 'Candi Kuning', 'Pesar Merta Sari' was my stop in-question. A brief stop it was, I literally walked around the stalls and got back in the car, I wanted to capture those vibrant colours of the fruits for sale. I felt a little bad because I knew deep down that I didn't intend to buy anything but was a tourist appropriate sight to embrace nevertheless. Was I in less pain seeing those strawberries in Bali than I had been when I was in Bandung? You know I had been doing a lot better, it was getting in and out of the car that wasn't comfortable. I did the crime, I had to do the time! I should've bought some fruit because lunch had not happened, I was hungry! No, I wasn't in Seminyak, that was right! Bandung? I didn't know her! 

I had certain questions but they weren't criticisms, I had wondered why I hadn't got one of the islands most instagrammable gates in Bali on my tour itinerary? Now, I did the calculations and looked on the map and I completely get that my tour specialised around the central core of the island. 'Penataran Agung Lempuyang Temple', known for a pretty sweet ocean facing gate lay on the eastern side of Bali. I had clocked miniature versions along the way but if truth be told I didn't want those instagram pricks in my way, I didn't have time for any soul curating their own aesthetic shots! I knew that the places on my itinerary were right for me and mentioned before and onward, I was able to see extra places due to the helpfulness of my driver come guide! I was finding that with Bali, it has become soo iconic and sought after, it has become a juggling act to see the real version of that Balinese paradise away from the those parasites who make up the numbers, I could never be that kind of person! Tanah Lot approached, I had a butterfly stop? 

Running on fumes, I was tired from being on the road all day but I knew that at least two more stops would be on the cards. The day had progressed nicely, I embraced everything that was presented to me. I was asked if I wanted to see some butterflies? It was a little diversion from secret rice terraces and those countless temples, I was down! I had the place to myself, it was free entry, that impressed me much! I almost tiptoed around the lush surroundings because I wanted to see a few of those beautiful butterflies fluttering by. I did see some lovely butterflies as they mischievously flew away from my view! Moths are usually seen as the black sheep of the butterfly family but those at the butterfly park in Bali were humungous and available to hold! I was dubious but a staff member reassured me that the moths were unfazed when they rested on someone's hands. I did what I was supposed to, I could feel the wings pulse forward and back, it was wild! These creatures live for days but do what they need to for their population. Fly, girl! 

My day in Bali throughout both of these blogs now has to come to an end, I didn't have enough space to recount this bumper day out in just one blog publication! From those temples to those random stops, there was context and culture presented to me throughout. Of course, I had questions about the places I had on my itinerary but I knew that with more time, I would've been able to visit different parts of the island another day. For one day on the road alone, I knew that all shown to me was more than good enough, even though he was a man of few words, my driver come guide was a professional throughout. The tour was so comprehension, I genuinely have to say that one day in Bali on the road was enough for me. The end of this day tour signified the end of my time in Bali, but that didn't mean I couldn't have a little more fun after returning from Gili Air! Of course, Bali would hear me saying, "I'm Back, Back, Back Again!" Saying "see you soon" to my driver, I headed to 'Gili Air' for some much needed beach time! So, let's hear it for?

Bali... She's A Babe!

Desperately Seeking Adventure