Bali / Singapore: Metaphysical, Healing or Travel!

How are you? Maybe you're wondering what has happened to us? Wow - let ...

2016-06-03T23:57:00.001+10:00

How are you? Maybe you're wondering what has happened to us?

Hello

It seems ages since I sent out a newsletter. I am so looking forward to chatting with you again. Where have we been? Well I guess mainly because we are so active on facebook that we seem to chat there and share a lot, however, not everyone is connecting on facebook with us and I wanted to say hi and stay in touch.

It seems like we have disappeared and possibly even lost our path, this is absolutely not the case.

We have been really busy building a new website - why?
If you have been around a while you may know that I (Lesley) have rather sensitive skin, looked for a soap alternative, started making/stocking it. One thing led to another, the crafters jumped on board and fast forward a few years as Daryll & I are standing in the driveway watching a

semi trailer back down the driveway with 8 tonnes (yes 8000kgs) of soap base on it. We looked at each other quizzically and asked "when did we start a soap business?".

However, we have not lost our way at all, we love the natural soaps, they are great with our clinic clients with skin sensitivities, terrific for creativity which keeps the Chi flowing and assists people to stay young (that's a story for another time).

HEART TOUCHING MOMENTS: We have been very involved with several small businesses (as practitioners / healers / teachers/ retail stores / soap makers / etc (and some very cool start up businesses - again another time for a story).

Some days I wonder if it's all worth it, so much work and when assisting small businesses we do not get paid or renumerated for it in any way other than karma and blessings. However last week I was trying to find time for a cup of tea when I received a phone call from a client I had assisted to build a small business. She timidly and gratefully told me that due to her having her own business and a small income it was enough for her to keep her children. I think we were both in tears on the phone and I felt so grateful to be able to change peoples lives in such profound and humanly important ways.

I was delighted to have another book published in USA last month (which I will share with you soon)

Getting back to the new website, in line with this thought, the mould making/soap/craft side of Renascent has expanded so much that we felt it was time to step out on its own, to move away from Renascent College and have its own personality and breathing space.

The new website can be found at www.RenascentBathBody.com.au

Whilst it's still in the being built phase you can purchase supplies, beautiful gifts and take a workshop with us all on this site and new products are added daily.

NEW AGE, NATURAL HEALTH, WORKSHOPS & CLASSES:

Once this is completed we will also be able to reinvent RenascentCollege (our centre of health and healing) with new classes, correspondence courses and lots of videos and blogs to share with you. We are really looking forward to getting back to this.

A PERSONAL INVITATION TO OUR EXHIBITION:

I am extremely honoured to have been invited to be a guest artist at an exhibition with Denise Keele bedford, to open on Thursday next week at Montsalvat and I would love to invite you to come to a "meet the artists" talk on Thursday June 9th at 11am

. There is no charge for the talk and you will be able to share our exhibition with us. The exhibition itself will run untilJuly 3rd.

If yiou have not been to Montsalvat, it is an alluring venue where you feel like you have stepped back in time

You can read a review on what to expect here:

http://www.weekendnotes.com/natural-impressions-exhibition-montsalvat/

and on Montsalvats direct website here:

EXHIBITION: Denise Keele-bedford and Lesley Mitchell - "Natural Impressions"

PLEASE SEND YOUR BEST WISHES FOR ME:

I have entered a book in a prestigous publishing contest and have all my fingers and toes crossed for it to be accepted. Any blessings and well wishes gladly received (I'll let you know).

OVER TO YOU:

We hope you are well and life is rich and blossoming beautifully for you - We are loving connecting with people all aroudn the world on their beautiful journeys of upliftment and unfolding.

We are so looking forward to what is currently unfolding as people speed up on their awakening. If you would like to energetically reconnect, come and join us in a Qi Gong class or connect with us in some of our mediums below.

We look forward to it:

STAY IN TOUCH WITH US - Our websites:
Craft & Gifts

Health & Spiritual

eBay Store:http://stores.ebay.com.au/Renascent-College

Facebook Pages & Groups:Renascent College news

Crafty ideas & Bargains

Mould Making
Mould Making

Blog:https://www.renascentbathbody.com.au/blogs/articles

Pinteresthttps://au.pinterest.com/renascentcolleg/

Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/renascentcollege/

Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/user/RenascentCollege

Qi Gong Practice class on Fridays 9.30-10.30am

I (Lesley) will be a student in this class and would love to have you join me. Your first class is free, no bookings required, then casual classes are $20 or you can buy a pass for $160 which is stamped for the next 10 classes you attend ($16 per class).

There will also be

Qi Gong Practice class on Wednesdays 7-8pm

and for our dedicated students and those that wish to train as istructors

Qi Gong Instructor Training class on Wednesdays 8-9pm

We look forward to seeing you, Kindest regards & blessings

Kindest regards & blessings

Well I have tried coffee luwak so I guess why not try gecko poop.

2015-06-11T14:04:00.001+10:00

I guess the only difference is that the coffee luwak was a conscious choice to consume, the gecko poop - maybe not so .
As a writer I regularly write into the wee hours of the morning usually with a cup of tea by my side so last night was no different.
I was a little hungry so I got up and had a couple of biscuits the fact that the biscuits never came anywhere near the tea is relevant later on in the story.
Sometimes it takes a while when I'm writing, i get immersed with what I'm doing and the tea can sit on the side for a little while.
knowing that the biscuit did not come anywhere near the tea, should have been my first alarm point.
But no, in hind sight of course I drank the tea right down to the last drop.
Finding the lump in the bottom and assuming it was only biscuit of course I chew into it, but this piece of soft biscuit was different than normal - it was slightly gritty and felt chalky and strange.
Spitting it out into my fingertips I was horrified to discover it was pure white.
Oh dear, mister gecko scoreboard 1, me scoreboard well below 0.

It is amazing how when you walk into a spider web you are instantly transformed into a ninja warrior with arm flailing about everywhere and wild strategic moves.

I will actually admit it is not much better when you finally realise that you have just inadvertently eaten gecko poop - instead of wild ninja moves you are filled with a screwed up face, a hacking sound and are running to find a towel to wipe out every liquid and solid part that is contained within your mouth. At this point there is actually very little you can do about it other than to go ack,ack,ack.

The worst part is the memory does not go away and when you wake up the next morning you are still gagging and wiping at your teeth unable to shake the memory off - off to the. Store for a new cup!

So now I have a cup with a lid on it you will have to plot other ways to get your revenge sneaky Mr. Gecko - I'm on to you now.

Go Ahead, Impress me if you can!

2015-06-09T15:06:00.001+10:00

I've been travellling for years and its not that I don't love a good brunch buffet any less than anyone else, but when you have shared so many - they do tend to become a little the same.

So it was with a slight reticence that I booked into the French inspired weekend brunch at the Sofitel, Nusa Dua.

Impressed, hmmm yes, perhaps thats an understatement.
From the beautiful French waiters, right through to the toilets where the kids spent ages! Well really, give them a toilet that comes with its own remote control, that washes, dries, warms and gently heats and what do you think they are going to play with. Even the toilet staff who warmly thank you for using their facilities on the way out.

Everything about this place is just fun!

Read the entire article HERE

Amazing Sweets and treats and you (and the kids) can eat as much as you want. No unhappy children here, they are too delighted to be in a land similar to Willy Wonkas.

Well that was a refreshing new shopping change to Kuta!

2015-06-09T14:34:00.001+10:00

If your distant memories of Kuta are that of a crazy beach filled with beach vendors and people offering you things which they probably shouldn't be offering you, followed by crazy dusty markets where almost anything goes, you may be surprised to find that a new type of shopping experience has emerged.

Perhaps you just need a day to escape the heat and craziness. This place may be just the ticket, with frozen frappacinos, gourmet foods and treats in the basement and one of the best views of Kuta to sip a cocktail over.

Click here for the full article

Need to get a "do" in Bali?

2015-05-21T00:24:00.002+10:00

Funky Hairstyles

Arriving in Bali for a wedding or a fancy affair or would you just like to have a little mini make over?

Now you can, at SPOILED in the Umalas, they will do you all up to perfection, including perfect Blonde highlights, yes Blonde!!! In Bali!

Great Colours including Blondes!

Yay!

Click here for the full story

UC Silver - Breathtaking!

2015-05-03T03:09:00.001+10:00

Half way between Ubud and Sanur you may notice an amazing site of huge metal dragonflies all over a building with weird carvings.

This is the home of UC silver!

The level of amazement begins as you enter through the gates but it certainly doesn't stop there. As soon as you arrive you will be ushered down to the workroom where you can see all the pieces being hand made (I don't think I'll ever stick a silver fork in my moth without first appreciating the work in it again).

It is fascinating to realise how much in the way of jewellery you had taken for granted or never even thought about before. Once you have finished in the workroom, you will be ushered up to the showroom. The upstairs level is reserved for the seriously wealthy, with outrageous price tags, one water jug I liked was US$6000.00, however its free to browse and its pretty interesting.

The downstairs showroom is still expensive but possibly affordable, especially compared to Western prices.

There is no obligation to purchase anything and although a sales person will follow you around with an ever present basket to put your choices in, you can thank them and leave with nothing but a ngreat experience.

There is no entry fee and if you have a spare 15-60 minutes, it is definitely worth the look.

An indulgent 5 star day out when you aren't staying 5 star

2015-04-30T01:25:00.001+10:00

Calling all backpackers, those who like 5 star resorts but can't afford them, or those staying elsewhere who would like a change of scenery.

There is a way to make use of these beautiful resorts - legitimately!

*Ahem, cough, cough* Not that I would suggest anyone sneak into 5 star hotels, nick a towel and pretend they are paying guest to use the pool facilities, you no longer have to. Now you can do it all above board and have a great day out.

Take a trip to Tanah Lot to the Pan Pacific Nirwana Resort.

Enter the lobby and progress past the awe inspiring beach views, stopping briefly to take in the majestic sight of Tanah Lot temple without the tourists, take a few photos and head to the pool area.

It's a grand affair with several pools, lagoons, 2 water slides, resting bales overlooking the pool, sleeping huts overlooking the beach and great restaurants.

You can advise you wish to use the facilities for the day, pay 200,000rp per person + Tax (AUD$25), they will warmly welcome you, give you an arm band and allow you to get changed and enjoy all the facilities.

Then when you are ready to eat, flash your wrist band and your food bill, up to the amount you paid will be deducted from your poolside credit. Although the food is at resort prices, you should be able to get a mains, dessert and drink (non alcoholic) for your 200,000rp price.

When you have finished for the day, you can take a pool side shower, get changed and perhaps enjoy a coffee by the pool before heading back, relaxed, enthused and perhaps slightly sun kissed.

Hant Drumming Experience in Ubud

2015-04-24T01:44:00.003+10:00

We were honoured and delighted to be invited to take part in a HaNT drumming class with Sergi Kampanella at the absolutely amazing ‎Santa Mandala.

Set high over a breathtakingly beautiful gorge, we made music together, but more than music, the healing vibrations lifted you and soothed your soul in much the same way as a healing session.

The HaNT Drum is a modern tonal drum from the same family of instruments as Tibetan bowls, bells, or a Shaman’s tambourine. It is a great guide to meditative reality. Playing the drum you can immerse yourself as a creator of this new cosmic music, interweaving your personality into the symphony of the Universe.

We were delighted to metaphorically waft back down the mountain to Ubud and embrace our HaNT healing. If you get a chance you may like to connect with Sergi or buy one of his amazing drums for around 3million rupiah (AUD$300).

You can connect with ‎Santa Mandala Here
and Sergi here

It's my Birthday - and there's no one here!

2015-04-23T02:40:00.002+10:00

My lovely Bali friends threw me a wonderful birthday bash, but it is strange being away from friends and family for so long.
My darling hubby struggled as he couldn't organise an event or gift personally, so here's my birthday present from him............ a song he wrote and played and all the best parts are the wonderful souls with their best wishes, I'd love to share it with you.

The biggest pizza in Bali

2015-04-23T02:34:00.003+10:00

Tartufo is run by a dedicated chef and a friendly happy team of staff and you'll find wonderful Italian food here. My son decided that he was an especially hungry teenager and could cope with very large pizza - you can see the results of that order here and I think it is the first time he was ever unable to finish a pizza. Rest assured, the wonderful stuff that Tartufo even organised a take home box for him.

You can read more here

Hot Springs in a volcanic caldera

2015-04-21T02:46:00.001+10:00

Somehow a trip overseas is always better with hot springs!

In North Bali you will find the Batur Hot springs.

You firstly need to head to Mt Kintamani, pay the road entry tolls and fight through the hordes of sellers attempting to extract any sale from unsuspecting tourists.

Head down the mountain and into the caldera around the lake, following on from the road down (which - take it slowly - is an experience in itself) you will come to a strange moonscape location where the lava from the exploded volcano leaves an eerie reminder that all was not well at one point in this part of the world.

Arriving in the small village there are several hotels, resorts and places you can take a dip in the natural hot springs.

We had met a man along the road delivering his wifes lunch at the most exclusive resort and were guided by him to her workplace.

Heres the direct link

I cant remember exactly what we paid, but it wasn't so cheap - actually we ended up putting it on a visa card - perhaps around $20 pp.

For this you received a welcome drink and entry to the 3 lagoon pools and one huge swimming pool - all fed by warm natural mineral waters.

It was freezing the day we came up, we rode motorbikes and had been caught in icy rain so badly we were quite numb, so to slip into the warm waters was certainly most welcome.

If coming up from Ubud (or further south) plan to have most of a day to do this, the drive is around 1.5hours from Ubud, 2 hours from Sanur/Kuta and you will want to spend a few hours here and perhaps stop for lunch and shopping at Tegallalang on the way home.

How to Get Online & Make Calls From Bali Cheaply

2015-04-12T01:29:00.003+10:00

Phone Calls,Data,Facebook,Digital Nomads,Cheap Connections

Upon arriving in a new country, one of the most difficult things can be how to stay in touch with friends and family at home or how to connect with people you were traveling with in the country you have arrived in.

Many Australians have returned home from a lovely holiday in Bali only to be shocked by the exorbitant fees that have become attached to their telephone plan.

Recently my friends arrived back in Australia from Bali and were horrified to receive a $7000.00 phone bill. They had not realised how much data Facebook used and had made a couple of phone calls. They argued the point with Telstra and finally had their bill reduced to $3000.00, but still a crushing blow after a nice holiday.

However there is a way around this and it is actually rather simple once you know how to do it.

Click here for a full article including how to make cheap calls

What on earth is a sand worm and why are they in my feet?

2015-02-23T02:44:00.004+11:00

Wandering through a shopping mall the other day i came across the usual stores offering massages and foot treatments. Nothing unusual here, however, in the past when I was living in china, we use to get a foot treatment where the ladies would almost shave of part to your foot.

Weird huh? But as you sit there and a pile of shavings appears on the floor all of which used to be on your feet it is quite amazing the amount of rubbish that comes off your feet.

The human psyche is rather strange that we love all manner of disgusting things when they are OFF our bodies, there is a self gratifying part of us that acknowledges the "better out than in" principle.

After spending several weeks backpacking through Asia, it is a delight to have this foot treatment in China. Your feet go from cracked horrible things which you slide into bed with only to discover to your horror that you can't get the bed sheets up because of them gripping onto your rough underside of what is loosely referred to as your feet into some sexy sleek thing that just slides between the sheets like satin, leaving you murmuring "Oh Yeah".

*A footnote to this is, that whilst you can find these tools cheaply around, it is NEVER a good idea to locate these harmless looking pieces of equipment and try to do this yourself. How do I know this, hmmm I think you can figure that one out, my endeavours resulted in reasonably large sections of my foot going missing and resulting in me being unable to walk for three weeks. yes, it looks easy enough, trust me, these ladies are definitely well trained in what they are doing.

So i have now spent 8 weeks in Bali in monsoons, primarily wearing plastic shoes and walking through mud.

My feet could do with a bit of this chinese treatment to say the least. I have been to several spa centres in bali however their pedicure tends to revolve around toenail polish rather than the foot treatments I was searching for. So you can imagine my interest as I walked past this set up in the shopping centre with a promise to make your feet shiny and sleek again.

As I stopped and watched the lady having her feet done, she looked at me and said " You really must get this done - it is wonderful, these ladies are fantastic and your feet will feel terrific afterwards".

I think I really just heard "sexy feet".

This is all the lady needed to grab me and say "Come lady, I will give you a sample - come come, your feet look terrible - let me look at them and I will tell you how much it is going to cost you to have them treated.

Rather than using the tool which shaves the skin off your feet, in Bali (maybe they are just sensible or maybe there were a few tourist feet accidents, but they really don't seem to use them here), they tend to use a rough paddle, somewhat like a nail file.

Brushing away madly at my foot, after a couple of moments the pile of dead foot shavings that appeared on the towel was enough to convince me that perhaps I really did need to get this done.

In what can only be described as a theatrical dramatisation, the lady clucked over my feet and called in her colleague who also shook her head and looked gravely at the soles of my feet announcing "tsk tsk - you have sand worms".

What ?? - sandworms ??

You can imagine the horrified look on my face as my eyes opened wide - asking what on earth are those and how did they get in my feet?

"Never mind", the lady replied, telling me it is very common - most people have them, she explained they were like a bacteria caused by the wet floors and proudly announced for 100,000 rupiah ($10) and 30 minutes of my time she could remove them all.

Shock tactics or otherwise - I was convinced, get them out immediately - 30 minutes later and my feet are looking all brand, shiny new. They certainly felt a lot better and she proudly announced all of the sand worms are gone, there is nothing more I need to do.

Which leaves me wondering perhaps the term sandworm simply means cracks in your feet, either way I am relieved that they are no longer there. *Sheesh I feel like a bit of a scare tactics sucker here and mildly convince myself it doesn't matter, my feet are now soft and smooth regardless of such worms.

So you might think that my foot treatment ended there, well, why not, my feet are shiny looking, as soft as a baby's bottom and all the sand worms are gone.
Of course that would be the western way of thinking.

In typical Balinese fashion she now realises that she may be able to get another treatment out of me.
I love the way they appeal to your senses of "Oh you have 2 children, you must be very tired mother, you must have so much to do, your legs must be so tired all the time, I bet your back aches, oh you are a writer, you must have shoulder problems, I can fix all of this for you with a 30 minute foot and leg massage with reflexology.
Only 50,000 rupiah ($5) Madam".
"Let me give you a 5 minute free sample just to tell you that I can see what is going on with in your body".
Ok why not.

5 minutes into the treatment she certainly found all of the sore spots and whether you believe in reflexology or not all of the points that actually hurt were the parts of my body that I had been having problems with.
All problems accurately diagnosed, she asks "would you like me to fix these problems for you - yes, come?
Of course I'm going to say yes at this point as she has located everything that I am suffering from.

With a speed adept only to a balinese woman on the verge of a new sale, she whisks the lotions and creams out of the bucket next to her and throw the towel on her lap, lifting my legs up quicker than I can say "Righto".

Over the next 30 mins she prods and pokes and makes my eyes roll back in my head as she finds every part of me that has ever been hurt.

Digging into the back of my ankle she announces, you must have been suffering from headaches lately?

Well yes as a matter of fact, I have had them for a couple of days and have not been able to get rid of them.
She knowingly nods and says "Relax I will fix it for you".
Oh my god I think my eyes are going to fall out of my head, my head is rolling backwards and I tell her it is intensely painful.
She nods and says "Yes painful for now, but headache gone soon".

5 minutes further in, I say to her "I am not sure if we are friends anymore", she says "I know but we will be good friends later when you feel better".

Thus we spend the 30 minutes bantering backwards and forwards and I gently fade in and out of consciousness during the course of our conversation.

Amazingly the sports that cause the most pain did eventually feel better and stop hurting.
What about the headaches? Actually they are gone today.
Sore back and shoulder? Also gone today and as for my feet, yes I slipped into bed as if I was sleeping in satin sheets.

Was it worth it?
Certainly seems so at this stage.
All up it cost 150000 rupiah (Around AUD$15), it took just over 1 hour and you can find this woman on the second floor at Carrefour supermarket near Kuta.

Have you had a similar experience?

I would love to hear about your experiences by having you add them in the comments box below.

Definitely not what you'd expect in a Balinese restaurant!

2015-02-18T01:30:00.000+11:00

FRANKENSTEINS LABORATORY

Theatre restaurant and stage show

I've shared with you a few local places lately, focusing on elegance and high tea. So it may surprise you that there's a bit more to Bali than just these - no? Didn't think so, you know Bali too well now to be surprised!

So for a fun night out with the kids that's pretty wacky, if you're down south way, in Seminyak, you may like Frankensteins laboratory

CLICK HERE for the full story

Suffice it to say it was a fun night out.
Lately they have have been offering some special events including a hypnotist show, which I'm sure would be pretty amazing.

For a hole in the wall style cafe, they do an amazingly professional show at great prices.

The look on the other motorbike riders faces as my daughter rode home in full make up was worth the entire event. Lots of fun!

A Little touch of Paris in Bali

2015-02-16T02:38:00.000+11:00

I know, I know, don't be all screaming "Why come to bali if you want Paris?"

It's not that, its just that I like all things at different times and whilst I'm a huge fan of Balinese and Indonesian food, I just think that there's also a time and place for a touch of French Patisseries, high Teas, Romantic Mojitos too.

If you're with me on this one, or perhaps just hot, dirty and super thirsty on Jalan Legian, you'll love this little oasis of tranquility.

Welcome to Angelitas

Have you been to Angelitas? Add in your thoughts and suggestions in the comments section below

Click here for the full information and details

Mango Mousse Cake - Bet you can't resist!

Where are my kids and are they OK? Dad misses his kids and sends them a music message.

2015-02-12T23:23:00.000+11:00

My marriage has never been conventional, we both chose to walk the path less travelled, we come together and share, we journey on our own, the children are deeply loved by both of us and for the time being (at least for a couple more weeks) they are both with myself.

Selfishly, I am adoring having them both here, my son is almost a grown man now, heading off soon on his own journeys, but as all loving parents know, you set them free, you educate them, you give them opportunities and then you hold your breath, hoping the wind will catch their wings and they will soar in their own chosen field and adventure on their own journeys.

I firmly believe travel can be a game changer for children, they experience the world, different cultures, different places, different lifestyles and if you have done it well, they will experience all this with safety, guidance and an open heart.

We learn maths through currency conversions, we study geography by being there, human relations - nothing like chatting to the local villagers where we find ourselves each day. Art and culture, immersed in it! English and literature - we meet the people who wrote the stories, travelled the world and came back to share about it.

But sometimes a Dad can't convey what he needs to see through skype, an email or a phone chat.

Intimately, I would like to share with you a song written for kids he is currently missing:
Words and music by Daryll Mitchell - For my kids!

You're on Your Own Lovely - But I'll Miss You!

2015-02-12T16:39:00.000+11:00

Past readers may recall the post where my husband decided not to hold me back from this adventure, but also decided it wasn't for him.

There's definitely a few stories in there to share with you - it certainly hasn't been without its trials and melancholy and possibly even some confusion and heartache. I think one day there's even a book in me about this personal relationship journey.

But for now, we are separated by the water / time / distance - each with our own personal journey, our own paths that are separate (sometimes so separate it seems like the horizon has dimmed in the moonlight) yet intermingled and awaiting the next chapter.

Together or apart, I express my heart through words, Daryll expresses through writing and playing music.

I'd love to share an intimate moment with you (filmed roughly with a go pro in our kitchen)

Words and music by Daryll Mitchell - for my wife!

Funky High Tea with Fortune Tellers in a Traditional Joglo

2015-02-12T00:48:00.000+11:00

Lets continue with a few more of my

Funky High tea Suggestions:

Todays pick is Biku

Located just around the corner from Le gardin

It is an incredible place with one of my favourite tea selections in all of Bali

Have you been to Biku, add your thoughts and comments in the section below

Click here for the full Description

Swanky, yet funky Interior!

Rose Puchong tea with pomegranate salad
and fresh baked bread

What is this strange thing I have been given?

A lovely way to end a fun restaurant.

High Tea Amidst the Chaos - the 1st of a few to share with you!

2015-02-09T03:19:00.003+11:00

Looking for an absolutely delightful high tea near Seminyak/Umalas/Petitinget?
I have a few great ones to share with you

Lets begin with Le Gardin

Click here to read more

You'll love it if the idea of dining in a lead light conservatory speaks to you.

What's the news? Catch up Time!

2014-12-16T01:18:00.002+11:00

I've been rather slack at getting posts up lately - why? We've been adventuring non stop.
So right now we are back in Melbourne for Christmas - but only for another 2 weeks, then we settle in to Bali life for a while.
So what's coming up to share with you:

Ubud Life
Looking at 4 schools - and yes we have made a decision for 2015 schooling!
Silver Smithing Classes
Living in a villa / house / cottage
Our home(s) for 2015 - Yes there's more than 1
An adventure to Sanur
Shopping Prices
Dining in a tent or on a ridge - some unique adventures
Kopi - Luwak - oh yes, we tried it!
Curing headaches an unusual way
A visit with Ketut Liyer (from the movie Eat, Pray, Love)
Healing the heart - some lovely transformations
A body treatment which I'm not quite sure if I was nurtured or violated - hmmm jury's out still - hehe
Our non english speaking staff and our very long conversations - OMGoodness, it takes hours sometimes
Settling in a remote village
A rather unorthodox marriage and relationship
Visas, the trials, the dramas and the headaches and now an easier option
Some of the best restaurants in the world
Ice cream with healing properties
A promised cure for cancer through food
CHOCOLATE - need I say more?
Organic farming
Speakeasy nights

And this list is just a few!

See we have so much to catch up on - stay tuned and subscribed and I'll catch you up soon.

Meanwhile have a lovely festive season with blessings and wishes for abundance and joy.

The Danger "Down There"

2014-11-25T00:44:00.004+11:00

It's a perfectly normal business, something we all do at least once a day, a visit to the little room, the toot, the WC, the washroom, the Bathroom, the ladies, the gents.

What ever you want to call it. it's something we all use.

A place we we can go, attend to our business and leave in a slightly more relaxed state than that in which we entered, or so you would think......

In Bali, this experience may leave you with a little more (or perhaps a little less) than you bargained for.

As most of these places can emit a stench that warns you of their existence a little before you disembark the plane at round 240 kilometers away from the actual building, you usually know exactly where to find them.

Armed with an aroma that threatens to suffocate you by evaporating any remaining oxygen in your lungs as you walk past, you decide you don't really need to go THAT badly and hang on for as long as is humanely possible.

Strangely enough, sometimes this works and it goes away, I'm really not quite sure how a full bladder can mysteriously empty by itself, I think this is partly what causes the tourists to develop a slightly yellow tan, it's not really sun it's just their bodily fluids being distributed throughout their skin, rather than flushed away. Of course I am no authority on this, it's just an observation.

But is is not always the case; sometimes it just gets worse and worse, you convince yourself you can hang on or perhaps it may be redistributed.

After several more hours haggling over fabric, lounging on the beach or bargaining for 3.5 hours to save 500 rupiah (yes, of course you don't immediately realise this is worth about 5c), you become aware that nothing funny had better happen or you are in for an accident.

You develop a staunch look straight ahead, hopefully ensuring nothing amuses you in the slightest.

Your kidneys start to ache so much you begin to wonder if in a drunken stupor the night before, it is a possibility that someone may have sneakily removed one of them. Wildly swiping around your back you are relieved to find that all your skin is in tact, thus ensuring the containment of your vital organs.

Alas in that moment you feel a sense of relief, the lower parts of your anatomy also start to experience a sense of relief. You slap your legs together so hard you nearly pass out from the bones in your knees clacking together and immediately realise you absolutely MUST find a toilet - RIGHT NOW!

Racing into the first warung (restaurant) you come across, you decide it will be ok, you shout out an order of a fruit juice as you race past the waitress in search of the kamah kecil (little room).

Upon entering, all seems well, there is the usual white plastic seat, probably a hand basin, maybe a bucket of water to wash yourself with and then flush the toilet and if its slightly more westernised, maybe even some toilet paper.

You rip your pants off with the speed and haste of a banshee gone feral, prising the fabric out from between your tightly clenched knees and relax on to the plastic, ahhhhhhhhh, the relief.

After about 6 hours and 42 minutes (well it seems like that) you are considerably lighter, having possibly passed a few liters of fluid (well everyone did tell you you must drink a lot in the tropics or you will dehydrate).

You gently arise from your seated position only to discover Holy mother of god, a deadly creature of the night has stung you in the nether regions, not only stung, but firmly latched on.

It's human instinct to immediately leap up in the air away from the harbinger of doom, alas you are fairly attached to the toilet seat in a way no man or woman should ever be.

Oh my god, you feel the room swimming and sense that you are about to black out. Not only has it gone where few have dared to tread, it is now pinching you with such ferocity the hairs on the top of your head are eliminating themselves one by one.

Screaming with agony you peer down to discover that there is a crack in the toilet seat that has opened up as the weight of your desperate request for relief plonked down, yet once relieved and you attempt to stand, it firmly snaps shut on parts that were never intended to be trapped.

You are desperately alone (well thank god for that really) and firmly trapped, caught in the revenge of the seat that has lacked in its resolve of the previous person standing on it

.Many Asian cultures are used to squat toilets and when confronted with an actual seat on a porcelain bowl are so confused by what to do that they teeteringly balance, feet astride the bowl, causing it to break or crack over time.

And herein lies your dilemma, due to the previous abuse, you now pay the price, caught firmly by your who ha!

Every pore of your being is screaming "run away, rip it off" but your sense of self preservation and the fact that the beads of sweat running down your face preventing you from seeing clearly only just mask the fact that you are in so much pain you can't see straight anyway.

Your "bits" are now turning an alarming shade of purple and trust me it makes no difference if you are male or female, these broken bowls don't discriminate!

A piecing noise slowly emits from your lips, but a sense of shame and embarrassment quickly reins it back in. At this stage a Brazilian waxing session is looking like something peaceful and fun to do.

You realise there's no alternative but to sit back down (as the toilet ring is now hovering mid air, held up by your privates at an alarming angle) your mind briefly wanders to some Olympic record for doing such things, but no, you snap back into your body and realise the only way to remove this foreign object is to sit on it and use your weight to release the grip.

Seriously easier said than done, when the most intimate part of your body is trapped in something that feels like a blend of rattlesnake poison and the sting of a scorpion, mildly attached with the gentle force of 7 semi trailer trucks, the last thing that enters your mind is "lets sit on it".

Alas it is the only option and with a squeal that makes the entire restaurant stop eating you sit down, instantly you are released, wiggling forward to escape the plastic clutches your entire body collapses on the wet floor, who cares that you are sitting in a mixture of toilet water and urine, you have been given a new lease of life.

One part of you feels as those you have escaped the clutches of hell having gone through some demonic ritual of fire, another part of experiencing a sense of being at one with the angels.

Your nether regions now have their own heartbeat!

It is enough to turn the most stalwart atheist into a believer.

This scenario is far more common than you think and like a zipper caught where it shouldn't be, hopefully it only happens once in your lifetime

But if nothing else, from this point onwards, you will always look before sitting for the "danger down there".

Ubud to release your karma

2014-11-19T15:12:00.005+11:00

I was in a meeting recently with my Indonesian teacher (learning bahasa Indonesian) when the topic led into all things metaphysical.

He had a really interesting viewpoint on how life Exists and plays out in Ubud.

He had come from a rather difficult background, with some choices in his life that did not necessarily fit with his community. He shared with me how he thought he would have a fresh start once he arrived in Bali. However he quickly discovered that rather than a fresh start it was in fact a place where you have to bring up all of your past.

To many people Bali is known as the land of the gods however he likens it to the land of your karma

Thinking that he would have a fresh start once he arrived he was ready to embrace his new life, to begin fresh, to be in a place where nobody knew him and to have a brand-new beginning.

Awakening ready to start his new life he quickly discovered that rather than begin something new everything that he had not dealt with in his past seem to come into his present. Everything that he had run away from was right here ready to face him. Every relationship he left with unfinished business seem to appear in another person in Ubud.

He said his first month was the most difficult, but in fact his past, just kept hitting him in the face until one day he found the need to stop to listen to face his past events.

He went on to explain to me that he believes everyone here is really lucky, as it is the most beautiful place in the world to face in the past and to heal your karma. It is a place where, when you're feeling uncertain and unsettled, or perhaps a little fragile about past events. you can find a space to breathe, you can go out into the rice fields and experience beauty, serenity and a sense of wonderment.

Yes your past certainly hits you in the face - but it also gives you the space in which to heal and release it if you are prepared to look deeply within yourself.

If you are able to do this, there is certainly a plethora of healers teachers and intuitive healing in place in Ubud that will assist you to find who you really are, to unlock the blockages that are holding you back and to move forward in life.

He said me that you can choose to deny it if you want to, but he observes that every person that comes to live (longer term) Ubud is either searching for something or running away from something. What an interesting thought to reflect upon.

This may not apply to the holidaymakers but most of the people that I have found that have come to live in Ubud for personal reasons seem to fit this category. Some of them may not even realise that this is the reason they are here, they have simply come and felt at home and decided to stay. With this choice life unfolds around them.

He said over the years he has worked as a teacher, he has had many conversations with people that have become his students and through all of them he is found the generally if people are prepared to look deeply within themselves their healing space spans three months.

I shared with him that I found that really interesting because although wonderful this past month has certainly bought up all manner of things in my past that I have had to look at. It has been a wonderful experience of great food, fantastic views, amazing people I have met and a joyful situation where I feel safe to look at my past.

I will travel to australia for 6 weeks, then return where I have rented another house for the next two months. Interestingly it is in a location that is very readily accessible to the healers and the support systems which I need in place for my healing and then I have found a secluded paradise where I totally feel at home, which has become available to me in the month after that.

He joyfully laughed, clapping his hands and said "yes, yes, that is wonderful you have already done your main healing, the next two months you face your deep healing and then at the end and I know you will achieve it you have been given a great prize".

Of course this is his viewpoint and his opinion on life although for me at the moment it fits very closely with what I have also experienced.

I look forward to the unfolding mysteries and awakenings that is life in Bali.

Do I really need a motorbike licence in Bali

2014-11-06T04:02:00.000+11:00

Riding a motorbike in Bali is one of the most common things to do. it is a great way to get around easily and cheaply and with the crazy traffic jams that exist here, it is often much quicker than by car.

From the area we are currently living in, I realised that to get to Green School by motorbike rather than by car would be 30 minutes ride compared to over an hour drive (each way) maybe longer.

Taking into consideration costs, times, heat and a sense of freedom, a bike certainly seemed like the best solution.

Now riding a motorbike in Bali is not for everyone and if you have never ridden before, I certainly do not recommend it. You will certainly be jammed in tight squeezes from time to time with a hairs breadth between you and a truck. Certainly not a time to get the wobbles or lack co-ordination skills in motorbike handling.

You also do not have the protection of a car around you, so it is a choice that each person must weigh up for themselves.

Contrary to popular belief, helmets are required.
You may get away with it for some time, but police do pull people over and fine them regularly and if you happen to have an accident, it may well save your life, so definitely a good idea.

The helmets available here certainly vary in quality, from OK to "you'd be safer wearing an ice cream container".

If you are serious about it and especially for children, you may like to bring a helmet from your country where you can be assured it meets safety standards. It fits easily into luggage and you can pack soft clothing into the head space. If you think you may not need it when you return and you buy an open faced, matte black one I can assure you everyone here will want it so you should be easily able to sell it or make a locals day by donating it to someone you have become fond of, if you don't want to take it home.

Whilst a simple car license will allow you to rent a bike here, you may like to check if your insurance covers you in the unlikely event of an accident. I asked a few companies in Australia and some would not cover motorbikes under any circumstances. Aussie Travel Cover had no problems with it as long as the rider was legally licensed to ride a motorbike either in the country they are riding in or their home country.

Decision made (for me anyway), lets do it properly. I've done my motorbike license in Denpasar twice and whilst pretty easy, there are mountains of red tape, it wastes an entire day and expires after a little while. So the choice became easier, get it done (once) in Australia.

GETTING LEGAL IN AUSTRALIA:
Now to those around me, it seemed like I breezed through it, go and book a full day with Hart, come away from no experience to well trained and with your learners license in 1 day. OK, sounds pretty simple. Well for some, perhaps it is, but for a middle aged woman, doing it for a life choice to get her daughter to school, there was a bit more to it than that.

Firstly there's the arrival to the training centre surrounded by well built young men with adventures ahead of them, being trained to become an even bigger chick magnet than they already think they are. I eagerly scanned the group and was delighted to find 2 other women who I struck up an immediate ~~aching need~~ friendship with.

Helmets off - test completed - putting bikes away

Then there's the ~~sheer terro~~r joy of getting on a moving vehicle which you have to turn, sometimes with your body more than your hands and projecting through space at a screamingly terrifying speed of nearly 20kms per hour.

Ho ho you chortle, you try it! It's darn nerve racking the first time. Let alone learning stopping, turning, cornering, emergency stopping and avoiding the other riders - you don't have to worry about the instructors too much, they know not to be in the middle of the riders path much (maybe from past experience).

If you can ride a push bike the men at HART are pretty good at getting you going, although one young Asian man did seem to have his motorbike stuck up a ramp or over the hill ever time I looked around. Eventually in desperation the instructor asked him in all sincerity "have you ever ridden a pushbike" He looked confused and replied "No, too hard to balance".

The next corner I came around, I noticed he and the motorbike were laying down on the wet grass about 100 feet off the track. The next time around, he had somehow impaled his motorbike firmly on top of a metal star picket and he and his instructor were trying to lift it up and off . The instructors face had a weird sideways grimace to his mouth.

By the end of the day, all of us (except the young man above) were proudly handed our learners licences and told to "go practice and come back in a few months".

Perfect girls bike, cheap, comfortable and low to ride.

I got a little 250cc Suzuki Maurauder - perfect for gals as it's a cruiser hence comfy seat and low to the ground. It was cheap too - less than $2000 2nd hand.

I was a little fortunate to have several riders around me who constantly encouraged me to "get out and ride with us". In all manner of weather and conditions, they were there supporting me and encouraging me to learn skills. I connected with female riding groups in Australia and discovered a whole pile of new friendships, but most of all, it was fun!

There were the difficult moments for sure, waking up and bending, stretching, gyrating, jumping up and down on one foot, twisting from side to side, hopping around and turning circles - and that was just getting the pants on. After such a strenuous workout you almost don't feel like riding - almost! Bring on Bali, I need to kick those extra 8kgs!

I also find it amusing when I am lecturing at a conference in business attire, zip out the back once done, throw on leathers, and stride out helmet in hand, you can hear jaws drop and I still find it funny when they ask "You ride"? I'm tempted to say "No, I just like all the leathers and carrying the helmet around to look cool".

However, eyes firmly back on the prize, I needed my full licence and so the day dawned to one of the biggest thunderstorms Melbourne had ever seen, roofs were off houses, trees down everywhere, torrential rain, but no lightning, so the testing goes ahead. I think pretty much every one dropped their bike at least once that day, For me, it was on the very last test of the day, quick stop in wet conditions on a bike that was not mine - boom. Locked it up, straight under the wheels and legs jammed through the bike.

As the instructors lifted the bike off me, they said "before you get up, you failed the test, we can retest you today, but only if you aren't hurt, How are you?"

"Fine, I squeaked through gritted teeth.

"OK, go over there, wait your turn and do it again"

By the time it was my turn I was shivering to the bone, shaking from shock, cold and stress, the end result - a pass - just!
I'll take it and valuable lessons learnt about handling in difficult conditions.
As the skies opened up once more the instructor said "Here's your score, you passed, but you're a better rider than this indicates, now here's where the truth may kick in, get off your bike and walk"

"Umm, I can't" I whispered as my leg buckled under me. "Thought so" he replied, "lets get some medicals out here".

Not sure whether to cry or be delighted - but a pass none the less and I am sure I'm a better rider for it.

MY PILLION BUDDY:

Getting in some track practice at Broadford

Fantastic dedicated "Girls Dirt Day" Instructors

A friend of mine is a female race instructor for girls learning to ride and asked if perhaps Emma may like to learn, "Sure, why not, maybe she will understand pillion balancing a little better, which has to be good. She was delighted to be decked out in armour, taken up to Broadford track for a "Girls Dirt Day"

She absolutely loved it and gained some great skills herself.

BACK TO BALI:
Driving in bali can at once appear maniacal, like a nest of ants running in every direction, a complete cesspool of madness, smells of exhaust fumes and the pungent waft of durian mingle with tropical frangipanis. Your skin swelters in the unknown heat and humidity as perspiration trickles down your back. The thought of riding a bike in Bali has terrified many tourists.

This is actually a good thing, Bali is not the place to ride a bike if you have no experience, people can and do regularly get hurt, maybe even just from falling off a track into the muddy ricefields as much as skidding under a truck in a busy intersection.

However, if you do decide to brave it, theres a few things that are good to know. Firstly make sure your bike has full insurance, ask to see the papers. You will be paying 20,000-50,000rupiahs ($2=5) per day to hire the bike, so a little bit more for insurance won't hurt you. But if you are uninsured and you crash the bike, the person you rented it from my lose the equivalent to 1-20 years of wages.

Then there's the traffic, remember most of these people do not have insurance and therefore definitely do not want to be in an accident. They will generally be overly cautious, especially at intersections.

Now here's where (for western riders) if gets confusing, when you approach a crossing without traffic lights (if theres lights you must still obey them), you just inch forward and carefully merge with the flow of traffic, like ants it will generally part and you can weave your way from one side to the other.

The other trick if you are a bit scared at an intersection is align yourself with a larger vehicle, preferably a bus or a truck and just carefully sit beside them as they do the weaving through for you (just watch they don't turn your way).

The first traffic jam you find yourself in, say peak hour through Denpasar where trucks and buses intermingle with motorcyclists - sometimes up to 7 across, all wedged in together can be nerve wracking to say the least. You are gridlocked, no ones moving, the fumes are making your eyes water and the bike in front of you has his exhaust angled in such a way that it constantly puffs in your face like an ignorant smoker. However, I've actually struck up a few friendships this way. The kids laugh and shyly grin at you, we've offered them sweets which a little hand quickly grabs from you and a few Indonesian words like "Chantik" (Pronounced CHAN-TEAK) which means "beautiful" when looking at a little one, will bring adoring smiles form their parents and endless "Terima Kasihs" (Thank you). You just have to admit, those tiny helmets to fit the babies are pretty adorable too.

HONK AWAY:
Sometimes they will honk (actually it's probably more like a beep), don't take this personally if its a quick honk, it means "I'm just letting you know I'm behind you so I don't frighten you/ so you don't pull out into me". Similarly 2 quick honks can mean the same thing or perhaps "Hello, I know you my friend" or "Oh look a middle aged woman with white skin and a child, isn't that interesting, I think I'd like to look at her face, hello, hello, helllloooooo".

One long honk is considered very rude and therefore generally only used for emergencies or if someone is very angry (which really doesn't happen too much in Bali). I asked my driver about this and he replied "Oh, no , we would never honk, because someone has made a mistake, maybe tomorrow I will make a mistake and I wouldn't like someone to do that to me. We are very understanding of other drivers".

There are endless places to rent motorbikes from and if you ask around I'm sure you'll find one in a few questions.
Most people ride scooters, in particular "Scoopys" they are fun. You can put things under the seat, they generally have a hanging hook in the front for shopping and are extremely economical.
You also don't need to change gears, hence its really just throttle for go and brake for stop, thats about it.
To completely fill one up to the top with petrol will cost (in 2014) around 18,000rp ($1.80) and that should last you for a full days touring or several days to a week if just around town.

Bike organised, it is an amazing feeling of the wind in your hair, the cool breeze calms even the hottest days and you have a sense of freedom, even if it's just zipping down to a local warung (cafe).

Worth the stress of the Melbourne license testing, you bet!

My lovely Bali Scoopy. I can even carry the groceries home on her!

Organic Weekly Market at Pizza Bagus

2014-11-06T01:44:00.000+11:00

If you love your produce Farm Fresh AND organic. you'll relish in getting along to this small but extremely well stocked market.
You can even pick up your treats for the weekend.

Click here for the full article
http://www.weekendnotes.com/organic-weekly-market-pizza-bagus/

The Freshest and most delicious produce

Fresh Donut Day at Casa Luna

2014-11-05T03:05:00.000+11:00

It the thought of a fluffy melt in the mouth donut makes your mouth water, I'd love to share a once a week special day with you.

Click here for the full information
http://www.weekendnotes.com/fresh-donut-day-casa-luna/