Tuesday
We have almost finished our breakfast and Agus arrives to pick us up. Only fruit left to be had so we tell Adit to cancel it and head off on the big adventure. This to me is going to be the highlight of the holiday as most of the other things we plan to do we have done before. We are the last to be picked up and there is another couple from Perth and a lady from Holland waiting in the van. There's lots of chatter as we drive through the villages, with a stop to admire and photograph the stunning terraced hillsides of rice. Agus is a mine of interesting information and we all learn a little more about Bali than we knew before.
Breakfast (morning tea for the piggies going by the names of Glenn and Peta) is pancakes and fruit in the restaurant at Penolokan overlooking the mountains and lake. It's a little murky today but the view is still spectacular. The piggies restrain themselves and only have one helping and a cuppa.
Then it's off to the plantation. Agus once again educates us all about the different fruits, coffee, & trees growing there. I wonder how there can be any fruit or leaves left at the front as fruit and leaves get pulled down to show us (and no doubt everyone else that goes there).
We are shown the coffee beans after they are picked and dried, and the old man roasting the beans over an open fire. I ask him (well.. use hand gestures) if he is hot being constantly in front of the fire and he gives me a big smile and nods vigorously yes.
After a bit of a wander into the plantation we sample coffee, ginger tea, lemon grass tea and hot chocolate. It's all delicious and I decide to buy a few things in the little shop. After one look at the prices I decide to forget that idea with the prices being totally over the top. The lemon grass tea was Rp 75000 for 8 bags, with enough for two cups in each bag. It was nice, but not that nice.
From there it's over to the bikes. I hop on one and feel totally out of control. It's a girl's bike and seems very short from handle bars to seat. After wobbling around on it for a while I'm starting to get a bit worried that I have totally lost the knack of bike riding. It's been a few years. Someone suggests I try one of the men's bikes and I'm off like an expert. I love this bike and am so glad I've changed.
The journey through the villages is wonderful. My concerns about riding for 30km are unnecessary. It's a gentle downhill slope and most of the time it's not even necessary to pedal. Agus assures me that most of the journey will be like this with just a few uphill bits.
Our first stop is at a bamboo weaver's home. Mum, grandma and little girl of about 2 years are there. I've bought heaps of lollies for the kids, but I feel guilty being the bearer of future cavities, so I've also bought a big bundle of toothbrushes that Glenn has brought home from a Cambodian hotel he stayed at earlier this year. They come in brown paper bags and have a small tube of toothpaste as well. I'm a bit dubious about how the kids will feel about being given a toothbrush but Agus assures me they will love them, and those that go to school will probably take them to school tomorrow to show everyone. It seems that show and tell is universal.
Two other little girls have shown up as well, both giggling and smiling. I give them all some lollies and toothbrushes and they are so excited. It certainly takes so little to give so much.
We stop along the way as more kids come out to wave and smile, and call out hellos. Unfortunately I don't have as many toothbrushes as lollies, but I'm sure the kids won't care!! Agus tells me there is a school ahead so I'm glad I've got a big bagful of lollies. BIG mistake. When we get to the school the kids are out the front. Great, I've got enough for everyone. Wrong!!! As I was handing out the lollies masses of kids come streaming out through the doors.. arggggg.. the word had been spread and they appear from inside like wildfire.. all towards me. There are little hands everywhere, no one wanting to miss out on a lolly. I realise that the boys are all at the front while the girls are quietly standing at the back. And not getting any lollies.
Then comes the fatal move. I want the girls to have some too, so I step forward through the boys to hand lollies to the girls, and I'm surrounded by a mass of kids.. all wanting the lollies in my hand.. I almost get pulled over. I know that if that happens I'll take out a few of the kids on the way down and that's the last thing I want!!!! I'd have a soft landing on the top of the kids, but any poor child trapped under me would be squashed. I tell the others as I struggle back out of the crowd that I now know how Nicole Kidman feels!!
I certainly learnt a lesson at that school!
We head off with my lolly supply almost depleted. Agus tells me I can buy more along the way.
As we ride along the kids and adults all sing out their hello's, some of the kids running out for high fives.. I'm a bit worried that my bike riding skills aren't really up to that but I get a few in. I've already almost flattened a few, I don't want to risk running anyone over.
We stop at a little shop along the way to buy more lollies. Jan and Kevin almost clean them out and I buy a few more as well. The old grandma running the 'shop' is delightful. Agus tells us that she is not feeling well, and she lifts her top to show us where the pain is in her chest. Poor darling.. we sympathise with her and hope she is feeling better soon. By the time we have got ourselves ready to go more mums and kids have showed up, so we take more photos. The kids love seeing the photos of themselves on the screens of the digital cameras. Agus tells us that he can give us his email address so we can send the photos to him and he will have them printed to give to them. We will definitely do that.
Our journey continues downhill, stopping at all sorts of interesting places including woodcarvers (usually young boys) and rice fields. At one rice field we walk across to see what the workers are doing and have a go at thrashing the rice. Esther, the lady from Holland, also has a go at cutting the rice with the very sharp scythe. Agus is concerned that she might cut herself, but she gets the knack and does almost a whole row. We suggest that she could stay to help out and we could pick her up tomorrow. But she gets back on her bike. I don't think she is ready for a career change just yet.
The ride was very easy, with a few uphills along the way. I only had to get off twice to push near the end, I think the boys pedalled all the way..
There was one scary moment when I came flying down a hill and suddenly there was a sharp bend right at the bottom. Right on the bend was a young Balinese woman walking along with a big basket of goodies on her head. I couldn't brake hard as the road was covered in loose gravely stuff so I had to fly past her much faster and closer than I would have chosen to. I hope she didn't get a fright. I sure did.
Lunch was a traditional Balinese meal, with all sorts of goodies. We ate it at a small restaurant amongst the rice fields, and sat on a platform with cushions to sit on. I was a bit worried that once I got in I would seize up after the unfamiliar exercise and not be able to get out again.
Next was the visit to the traditional Balinese family compound just down the road. I've often seen the black signs outside every house and wondered what their purpose was. Now I know. Apart from the street name and number it also tells how many people live in that house... how many males and how many females.
Agus showed us all around the compound explaining the functions and traditions of the home and family. We all enjoyed it very much.
The last stop was the monkey forest. We went in the back entrance, which I have never seen before and it was great to be in the forest and see the monkeys with their babies. I am quite happy to look at them from a distance, and had no desire to buy bananas to feed them. It was late in the day and I'm sure they had all had their fill by then anyway.
We wandered down to the river and down to the shower area. There was even soap there for having a good wash. I decide to wait until I get home.
We arrived back at the hotel at almost 7pm after dropping the others off along the way. What a worthwhile and enjoyable day. I would recommend it to anyone to do. It lived up to my expectations plus more.
The day ends with us sitting out on the terrace with a couple of glasses of the duty frees and cheese and biscuits brought from home with some local avocado. We are too tired and not really hungry after a late lunch to worry about dinner. I enjoy a long soak in the tub which is pure bliss after a long day in the sun. We decide to watch one of the DVD's on the lap top but I nod off about 5 minutes in. I bet I snored too.