retreat

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I didn't bring an underwater camera with me on this dive trip, so you'll have to take my word for it that it was beautiful.

What I do have is photos of the bungalow we rented at Uluwatu, which is at the southern-most point of Bali. Uluwatu is a classic stop for surfers, and there's little to do if you don't, but I wasn't in any mood except to do very little.

Besides, how does one resist the little slice of heaven that is Mu Bali?

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It's a collection of little bungalows on a clifftop with breathtaking views, and unbelievable food. All breakfasts should look like theirs. They also have a communal dinner every evening and ours was amazing.

This is not a resort for those icky about bugs and animals. Our particular bungalow is one of the most open there is (no walls of any kind except for the hedges and walls surrounding our little compound), and you can't be put off by hummingbirds flitting around when you're sitting on the toilet, a little frog greeting you in the bathroom sink in the morning, and monkeys occasionally popping in (they kept a respectful distance, luckily). Not to mention the little beetles that march across your table. No A/C in our bungalow, just a little fan. No TV.

Not everyone's cup of tea. But I'll rather have the smell of frangipanis wafting by everywhere I go than a hermetically-clean hotel room.

It does get hot and sticky, with Bali's humid climate, but then there's always the pool to dive into and cool off. I'm already planning my next visit.

Anyway, just one shot of the view on the way from Tulamben to Padangbai (the two dive sites I visited) from my van.

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Bali has so much beauty to offer, and I'm often thankful that party scene of Kuta and Seminyak is well-confined to those zones. Elsewhere, there seems to be normalcy. I infinitely prefer Bali to the islands of Thailand (Phuket, Samui) and I feel lucky to live just 2 1/2 hours away by plane.

Thanks everyone for the well-wishes, I think your blessings help to make the trip go swimmingly!

Comments

S said…
Such lovely photos! I can feel the warmth on my skin just looking at them. It's just so lush and beautiful there, what better way to enjoy it than in an open bungalow! (though I have to admit, I am squeamish about the bugs.) Glad you had a great trip!
Angie said…
It looks like heaven on earth!
Ammu said…
Looks amazing - glad you had such a good time!
jennifer said…
wow, looks like it was an incredible trip!
Amanda said…
Oh, those photographs look like something out of a travel magazine! Sounds like you had a fabulous time.
son said…
that sounds really fab. all that sun makes me feel ever so slightly homesick :) especially that outdoor dining table!
luka said…
that bed, sign, it's a dream!
what you've said about closeness to nature totally strikes a cord with me. i've grown into appreciating nature much more and experiencing that intimacy with nature is very important in shaping one's world view and deeply inspires us to be more, how can i say, "wholesome"? "earthy"? sounds cliche, i know. or maybe just spiritual.
i find i'm much more free when i'm out in the wild. that's the moment i don't care about being "chic", seriously, that thought alone restrains me to no end. nothing beats the feeling of walking barefoot on the grass and smelling the air after the rain, and watching sunset on the beach...i guess i'm really just a free soul by heart:))
i live a typical urban lifestyle and i've been a city girl all my life, but nowadays i try to break away from the urban jungle&get to nature whenever i can.
yanqin said…
S, Pret a Porter P: I thought I was too, but then I got over the bugs. That said, I may opt for one of the slightly more enclosed bungalows in future!

And that door...I am buying my furniture in Bali when I get a place of my own.

Angie: It did feel that way, but that would mean heaven is pretty hot!

Ammu, Jennifer, Amanda: I'm really glad and grateful I got to steal away for a while.

son: That table made eating such a pleasure, it's perfect to linger over meals.

luka: I think I will always miss the city to some extent, but I agree that it's really important to be near nature from time to time, even if the best I can do is a walk in the park. It's invigorating to get away from artifice and really feel the authenticity of what you're seeing.
Lindsay K said…
So glad you had a lovely trip. Just looking at the pictures puts me at ease. Those doors are gorgeous. Sometimes you just need to retreat from the rush and pressures of every day life.
Kate said…
Wow. Bali is on my list of places to go now! I love being outdoors - living practically outdoors sounds perfect. Bring on the monkeys!
Olivia said…
These photos are brilliant - such a lovely selection to look through whilst sitting at work! The first picture of the doors is beautiful.
I hope you had the best time - it looks utterly idyllic. I'm not sure I could cope with the wildlife, and I'm glad to see I'm not alone in being ridiculous about such things! :) I'd constantly be thinking there was a spider somewhere on me and a monkey stealing my clothes!
xx
asha said…
oooh gorgeous photos! it's making me excited :)
cdeemurphy said…
WOW! you are lucky to have Bali such a short flight away. beautiful pictures.
marzena said…
that place looks amazing...

welcome back, lin!
yanqin said…
Lindsay K: It did, I felt very pampered and contented when I got back.

Kate: Bali is a great place to enjoy the outdoors, if you can take the humidity. There's a variety of landscapes that keep it interesting. You would have loved my room then, monkeys thumping on my roof every morning!

asha: I do love that feeling of tickets booked and something to look forward to!

cdeemurphy: Thanks! I definitely felt lucky Bali is so near after I spoke to an Irish couple who took an 22-hour flight to get here.

marzena: Thanks!
Fleurette said…
Wonderful post and photos.. I can divulge that I'm more of a city girl but after seeing these photos I really long for a trip like this one.
yanqin said…
Fleurette: I'm a city girl too, and I'd go crazy on a beach holiday for too long - my maximum is two, three nights. If I'm scuba-diving, I could go on for a lot longer though.

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