First Day in Ubud

I have long been told by previous travelers to Bali what the best mode of transportation will be. It's certainly not public transportation. "Taxis" are around but they usually seem to be just people on the street with some free time trying to make a buck. Though Bali is relatively safe for single women travelling, they tend to drive crazily to get you there faster so they can get their next customer sooner. Not to mention the idea of just getting on a random guy's scooter who says "taxi" at me doesn't really sound appealing. So... today I joined the masses.

That's right. 

I went to a place in town to rent a bike where they train you how to use them. It was not hard to pick up, there are very few controls for an automatic. The main part was getting down the balancing, turns, and getting used to driving on the left side of the road. Everything you are used to is reversed. This is trickiest when making right turns. Whenever you come to an intersection, you look right-left-right, then turn right... into the left hand lane. I admit I was a little timid at first, but after a few days I am used to merging in with the flow. Slow is the key, all movements I make need to be deliberate and readable. The Balinese become one organism on the road, lanes expanding and contracting like breath at need. It's quite lovely to experience. 

My first order of business, explore Ubud (pronounced Oo-bood) and the surrounding region. This was so easy on a motorbike. Long walking distances become easy jaunts. And 12,000Rp ($1.30) worth of petrol fills your tank and lasts you 150 miles. Not bad! So the first thing I decided to do was go to the mandatory Monkey Forest, at the end of Monkey Forest Road. Since I had been driven to my home, I had no idea where on the map of Ubud I was. I asked some locals for some location advise with a map. I later realized that his place is much like Thailand in that people don't use maps here unless you're foreign. They told me where I was, and looked convinced enough. Well, I was facing a different direction on another street. Fortunately I was on a motorbike because the detour I took trying to get to my destination turned out to be far. I would have lost a whole day with this blunder on foot, but it turned out to only take me on an hour or so detour of very enjoyable scenery and neighborhoods. I'm able to see so much more than I would have without this scooter. I'm so thankful. And yes, Mom, I'm being careful.

Statues and artwork adorn so many of the buildings here.

Bali is primarily Hindu. In the Hindu epic, the Mahabarata, Krishna explains what God expects of an offering: "Whosoever offers to me with devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, that offering of love, of the pure heart I accept." These are some of these offerings. The women present them regularly throughout the day with devotion in ceremonial dress. They are everywhere: by entryways of homes, on cars, all over the ground. I'm constantly watching where I step so as not to offend. 

Balinese attire for women. Lace tops, Batik Sarongs, Silk Belts. 

I found a temple in the villages that I had to stop and look at. This is the entryway. Interestingly, the architecture of important places I've seen have been level with the ground. Yet the main entryway door has an ascending staircase leading up to it, and descending back to ground level on the other side. I like this metaphor quite a bit.

The temple interior. Offerings are of course all over here as well.

 After much joy-riding I finally made my way to the Monkey Forest. I was expecting to be assaulted by the monkeys for food. Surprisingly, they left me alone if I didn't act intentionally toward them. More aggressive however were the hawkers just outside the gate. I politely declined and kept walking when one woman starts chasing me yelling "Miss, Miss!!" I first just wanted to ignore thinking it more persuasion, but I turned around and she said, "You put rock" I'm like... what? She says "You see other motorbikes here?" I say ya, she says "Look at rock" So I look at the one other motorbike. Sure enough, there is a rock on the seat. She informs me this is so the monkey won't bite your seat. Strange, but OK. So I put a rock on my seat.

 Here's my ride! And the anti-biting-device.

The approach. 

Usually this only happens if you stand still looking at one too long. 

They think you have food. If you start walking generally they give up.

Monkeys doing what monkeys do.

Lots of this going on.

Monkey Baby!

This is what happens in the Monkey Forest if you feed them,

watch the guy in the back. But sometimes multiples on or around you will break out into fights over your food, during which you are considered a target as well! I didn't feed them.

Random side note: I discovered my favorite chips here... for 65,900Rp!!!!!!!!

Jeez man that's $7.50 for a 5 ouncer! I can wait 2 months.