Ubud

Ooh, Ubud, another nice place to be. Here we are in a small family run hotel with 15 rooms and beautiful pool and gardens. K&I are going basic for $30 night including breakfast, the others are lashing out with $55 luxury.
It was a 3 hour 36km drive here, thankfully with room to move in a 12 seater bus for the 6 of us (B&B are staying in Seminyak while we trip around) We stopped at an amazing silver factory and workshop then a batik workshop. Such intricate work at both places.
K&I visit Ian's sister who's been living here for 3 months, in a beautiful little house in the rice paddies. She is glowing with health and happiness and loving her garden and pool. Her plan is to make it permanent ...
Today we've been on our bike ride. First stop was a plantation where we tasted a variety of teas and coffees including the so-called poo-poo coffee, the beans are eaten by a ?ferret, then excreted cleaned and processed. Hmm. Next is breakfast overlooking a volcano and lake, spectacular scenery.
Finally the main event. 3 girls take the van option and the rest of us choose our bikes. We whoop and holler as we go downhill, mash the gears and puff as we go up. It's about 25 km with only a couple of lung and leg busting hills. Kids race out for highfives, dogs and chooks lazily get out of our way and there are huge grins all round. Bob is well looked after with a fore and aft escort and does it with ease. So does a certain man who hasn't been near a bike for 40 years! Might be a new candidate for Ian's cycling group? There is a nasty smell as we get in the bus. There are no plastic bags here to scoop the poop and one of us has stepped in it. Who??? Wet ones and citrus airfresh save the day.
The tour concludes with a truly delicious banquet of Balinese food and an informative lesson on Balinese family life - it's the first born boy's duty to live in the family home with his family and take care of the parents, amongst other things.
Full as a goog we head for home to a bintang and swim.