I awake with a start wondering where the hell I am. Where is the rattle of the 112 tram? Where is the horn of the city bound train, the ambulance siren, the planes flying overhead or the twit that lives up the road revving his Harley outside my window at 5am each morning. There is silence all around me and it is heavenly - until the skies open and the rain starts pouring for the next hour. But who cares? It is hot, tropical and I am in Bali!
Once the skies clear I head off again to Cafe Vespa and allow them the opportunity to redeem themselves after last nights disappointing meal. I order a flat white and a omelette with mozzarella cheese & mushrooms. Well Cafe Vespa - redemption is complete. The omelette was excellent with the cheese still runny but eggs cooked well. Mushrooms were real & not the dodgy little champignon things out of a can & the coffee was perfectly acceptable. Once the appetite was well and truly sated, I returned to the villa for a few hours to swim, read and gradually expose my pastey anglo saxon flesh to the sun again.
Around midday I headed off into central Ubud via the Campuhan stairs which was a bit of a shock for my out of form body. Kept an eye out for the Yellow Flower cafe & Intuitive Flow yoga but didn't see any signs. What a shock arriving down in Ubud after the quiet of Penestanen. It has been three or four years since I was here last and I was surprised how much more busy it is to what I remembered. Wandered along the road past Bridges, Murni's Warung, the Palace and Nomad, politely declining the many offers for transport and comments of "Hello Rhonda".
Stumbled across Fair Warung Bali and decided to give it a try. It was a toss up between here and Cafe Schnitzel a few doors down but as Fair donates money to needy causes, I decided on here. It is located up some stairs above a shop and looks out over the street. I grabbed a seat and waited to be served. Then waited some more. Eventually, the three ladies chatting behind the counter decided to bring over a menu and after another wait I ordered their vegetarian mie goreng. As I was the only person there, my meal was delivered quickly and was delicious. Good hit of chilli & great variety of vegetables, not too much oil and very reasonable size and price. Whilst the service was average, the meal was lovely.
Back on the streets and I headed back towards Penestanen, over the bridge and up the hill past the Bintang Supermarket to the Sedona Spa. I had made a booking online so was immediately taken down a grassed walkway to their Hibiscus room which contained a single massage table, outdoor shower and copper free-standing bath by a pond (that was empty!). I had requested a one hour massage and the masseuse was fabulous - for her size she was incredibly strong and I enjoyed the treatment immensely. This was followed by a spice body wrap which I was left in for about ten minutes while it heated my body and I was then transferred into the bath (faux copper aka fibreglass) which had been filled with a pomander of spices and smelled delicious. I was left to soak for 20 minutes and given a ginger tea and some watermelon & papaya. The tea and watermelon were lovely but I passed on the papaya. For me it has always tasted like what I would imagine a wet sock to taste like. The 20 minutes was a bit too long for me. I am not really a bath person so spent much of the time splashing geckos in the empty pond.......
After my bath time was up, I showered the remainder of the body scrip off and was then taken to a room across the hall for my one hour facial. The room had about four beds in it and I was placed next to another lady who had been left there with a mask on and she was snoring and farting intermittently much to my amusement. The facial was great - it was a honey & cucumber treatment which was apparently going to be great for my pink face! Great - I must be looking a treat! After the therapist left me for a while for my mask to set, I decided to let one rip myself. Then realised that I was not in the room alone. Oh, the shame! Thank god my face was covered in cucumbers and hopefully will not be recognised out on the street.
After the facial it was off to the main entrance room where my mani & pedi were to be done. After choosing my colour, two ladies got to work on me for the next hour. The job they did was pretty average but at the price you pay, who cares and they were both lovely. The room was very busy and it was interesting to watch other tourists. One family, a couple and their two young children were there having hair cream baths. Quite possibly one of the most rude men I have ever encountered demanding the staff take his daughter to the toilet, asking them to braid the girls hair, even though the staff said that they did not have enough time left to do it. In a nutshell, his treatment of the over accommodating staff was appalling and I am so glad he was not from my country.
After the treatments, it was back down the hill to the Bintang supermarket for a few more supplies and then the trudge up the Campuhan steps began. By god I am unfit. This needs to be addressed immediately.....immediately after Bali that is. Saw the signs to Intuitive Flow & Yellow Flower cafe this time & headed down the little walkway to the cafe. What a delightful place - it must be magic in daylight. I grabbed the last table available and was quickly served by a lovely girl who suggested the lemon and soda as a nice refreshing drink. I also ordered the open sandwich which was fresh grainy bread, topped with creamy salty fetta, basil, tomato and pesto. Brilliant! Fresh, tasty and just what I needed. The lemon juice was served with a little pot of honey and was a real thirst quencher. Great spot and amazing value for money at $6 for dinner.
Walked back to the villa guided by the light of torch and settled in to watch the latest episode of Game of Thrones on the iPad - what a way to finish another fantastic day. Bliss!