Ubud - our start in Bali

After the rather unspectacular days, back from Pom Pom, we left Malaysian Borneo by plane from Tawau via Kuala Lumpur and traveled to Denpasar in Bali. 

We went directly from the airport to Ubud and met Jeannine there. The three of us rented a cozy AirBnB apartment with a pool just outside the center. Ubud is almost a culture shock - there were hardly any tourists in Semporna and Tawau. Here, it is bustling with backpackers and other tourists from the West. There is food from all over the world, and thanks to the trendy (yoga) boom, there are also plenty of cafes with vegan, vegetarian, and fortunately (for Seraina) many gluten-free options - a welcome change.

In the three days in Ubud, we basically completed the mandatory program. First, we visited the famous Monkey Forest, which has been expanded compared to three years ago. The monkeys in the forest are wild, but they are almost tame due to the many tourists and keepers who feed them and are very accustomed to humans. But you can still take some cool photos. For sunset, we also did the Campuhan Ridge Walk in Ubud - a great evening walk in the "highlands" of Ubud. 

We started the second day very early and drove with our scooters towards Tegalalang Rice Terraces before sunrise. Waking up early was worth it, and there were almost no other tourists at the well-known place. We walked around the rice terraces and enjoyed the small breakfast picnic we brought along. The atmosphere of the first rays of the sun is especially beautiful. After that, Jeannine followed the call of yoga, and we drove further north to Mount Batur and down to the crater lake. A (partly adventurous) road leads around the mountain, and we drove along it. Unfortunately, in the almost last uphill curve, our scooter didn't do what the rider wanted, and we both ended up beside the road on our backsides. Fortunately, aside from a bruise each and ripped leggings, we didn't suffer any further injuries. Back in Ubud, we bought new leggings and spent the afternoon at our pool. 

On the third day, we took the scooter for a longer ride to the Jatiwulih Green Land rice terraces, which are UNESCO protected. Here, too, it is bustling - like almost everywhere in Bali - with tourists. But the rice terraces are worth a visit - the view was good despite the cloudy sky, and a small trail along the terraces is idyllic. 

On the (for now) last morning in Ubud, we experienced a premiere (at least for Mathias). Together with Jeannine, we attended our first (Power) Yoga class at the Yoga Barn. It was quite sweaty and clearly showed us the limits of our flexibility. But it was fun and whetted our appetite. 

After these first few days, the two of us traveled by bus and boat to Nusa Lembongan to enjoy beach life and diving there. There will be an update soon - but I can already reveal: BREATHTAKING!