Bali ~ A True Island Pradise

I have to say that a visit to the island of Bali was an AMAZING experience !

We drove on a windy mountainous road through the rainforest up the east coast of the island to the small village of Tulamben. It was actually so small the taxi passed the 9 businesses that comprise the village and we had to turn around.

We stayed at a small resort right on the Bali Sea. Our rooms had the famous Balinese carved double doors with built-in beds and cost $17.25 per night. The restaurant was two steps from the sea, and right in front of the resort was one of the most famous dive spots on the island, a sunken ship from World War II. So I experienced my first “Wreck Dive”, my first “Shore Dive” and my first “Night Dive” on this trip.

Overcoming fears again … I am claustrophobic and deathly afraid of fish, so the night dive in the shipwreck was right up there on my list of the most terrifying things I have ever done ! Once you start descending in the dark, you can only see what is right in the beam of your flashlight – you can’t see all the other big things that might be coming up behind you … I don’t think I let go of my grip on my Divemasters’ hand the whole time ! On the way back up to the surface, the phosphorus on my body was incredible – every time I moved my arms, a plethora of glowing sparks streamed from my body like shooting stars.

And while diving inside the wreck I had another triumph – there was a scary point where the air hoses of my tank hooked on a jagged piece of the hull when I was swimming through one of the ships’ rooms, but I managed to stay calm and back up and unhook myself.

We crossed the coastal mountain range and went into Ubud, the center for all the Artisans in the country. The selection of handcrafted wood, clay, stone and artwork was unbelievable.

We stayed on Monkey Forest Road, known for the preserve it adjoins with thousands of monkeys wandering all over the place. In fact they warn you NOT to take food in and to remove your loose items and sunglasses because the monkeys will jump right up and take them off your head !

Then I woke at 2am to climb an active volcano with Jess & Max and watch the sunrise at the peak of the crater – I have seen a lot of great sunrises in my life, but this was the most Spectacular ! We were at the top of the volcanic crater on Mount Batur, overlooking Lake Batur towards Mount Agung and across the Bali Sea to another island volcano.

(I just have to work on getting in better shape physically because trying to keep up with my kids almost killed me)

After the sunrise we walked around the entire rim of the active volcano, stopping for the local guide to cook eggs and bananas in one of the volcanic steam holes along the path…And a trip to Bali wouldn’t be complete without a stop at Kuda, the “Miami Beach of Bali”, where all the Aussies go on vacation. Picture white sand beaches, great surf

And a trip to Bali wouldn’t be complete without a stop at Kuda, the “Miami Beach of Bali”, where all the Aussies go on vacation. Picture white sand beaches, great surf waves and incredible nightlife. Some locals brought wild animals into our hotel every day – they wrapped an 8 foot boa around my neck that kept squirming around and weighed more than me !

It really was a little piece of paradise, and we didn’t even get to many places on this island. This may be a good spot for a future Champions contest !