Practicing Travel

• Purified May 20, 2015
    Today, after breakfast, I will become Hindu again and visit the renowned Tirta Empul Holy Water Spring Temple with Ketut and Kadek. It’s sort of a Hindu baptism. They visit the temple a couple of times a year to pray and make offerings, but also to bathe in, drink, collect, and bless the holy […]
• Just another Saturday… May 19, 2015
    It’s just another Saturday in Bali. Begin with the fruit of the day, mangosteen (squeeze the red ball of the fruit until it cracks, peel the thick skin off, eat the white part, spit out the big seed in some of the sections) and a Bali coffee before Kadek comes to make her yummy […]
• The Bird Walk of Bali May 18, 2015
  You know, normally this time of year I travel with my friend Susie. We’ve been to Italy, Alaska, Costa Rica, Spain, Switzerland, and a number of other places. This is the first May vacation where we are not together. Susie is a Master Naturalist, birder extraordinaire, and all around nature gal. We’re always on the […]
• Looking for Bigger Balls May 13, 2015
    My friend Peggy wants me to find some Balinese Balls for her. They’re special balls, Harmony Balls, which are shiny brass and have little fairies inside of them (or something) that sounds magical. When these balls are shaken, they emit a tinkling that sounds like you have captured some stars in that ball and […]
• Healed? May 12, 2015
  Today we see the famous Chokorda Rai, Balinese healer. Not that I have any particular physical malady that needs to be cured, but with all of the stress since the first of the year, I just want to cover my bases, you know? Maybe he can see something that I might need to address. And […]
• Hindu Ceremony at Pura Samuan Tiga May 11, 2015
  Yep, I’m paying for yesterday’s adventure! I can barely walk, I’m so sore. After sleeping in, a good breakfast, and another marvelous massage (no chicken fighting this time!), I’m just hanging out. I’ve somehow lost my glasses, so I go to the optician and order some readers. I spend a fair amount of time editing […]
• Ain’t No Mountain High Enough May 10, 2015
  The alarm goes off at 215am. Strangely, 5 minutes later, I hear the alarm go off in Gus’s room next to mine. I chuckle a little because it is the same ringtone my son Morgan uses. Sounds like the most obnoxious car horn: Honk! Honk! Honk! Soon I’m ready and Ketut, our driver, is at […]
• Becoming Balinese, Part 3 May 10, 2015
  Mitsuyo is leaving today. She’s been my Bali companion for the last 3 days and has introduced me to this place, the food, and we’ve been Hindu together. But before she heads out, there’s one more ceremony to be had. The morning starts out with a lovely massage after breakfast. Did I tell you that […]
• Becoming Balinese, Part 2 May 9, 2015
  Today my Balinese transformation begins with a cooking class, by Kadek, of course. Yesterday as we were finishing our omelets, we noticed that Kadek brought something different for breakfast for herself. Rice and some kind of greens and tofu. The omelets are great, but why don’t we have that for breakfast? Hm, after she got […]
• Becoming Balinese, Part 1 May 9, 2015
    Usually, when I travel, I have a pretty good idea of what I want to do each day, where I want to do it, and when it will be done. I’ve done tons of research and know just about all of the options. I create and follow a loose, but busy itinerary that will […]