Pip-Life

Hello From Canggu!

November 4, 2015

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I’m in Bali! How lucky am I?

So lucky, in fact, that we might not get back as per our original plans. A giant volcano on the island of Lombok is puffing out ashy puff. The planes in and out have been cancelled (for now), so we are playing it all by ear and waiting to see what happens. Hopefully it will all be resolved by Tuesday when we are due to leave. If not, we will duck and weave accordingly.

It’s so beautiful and peaceful here. Our villa is quite far out of town, amongst rice paddies and homes and schools, so it’s super quiet and relaxing. (It’s also much bigger than we thought it would be, so it all feels pretty luxurious and we are pinching ourselves a bit.)

We’ve already done a LOT of walking (16kms in 2 days, apparently!) and taken lots of little (taxi + car) trips to places we wanted to eat at/experience. Later this week we are heading into the mountains near Ubud to an organic farm for a day of cooking lessons. So great, right? I am really excited about it! We have some other stuff planned too, as well as a lot of loafing about and reading books (and Kate’s new magazine!!!) and swishing our toes about in the pool (and other parts of us too!)

We are, for instance,  going for the world record in Nasi Goreng consumption. We have had 3 in two days, so we probably need to lift our game if we’re going to be contenders. We have also popped in to this place every day (so far) for (quite a lot of) delicious pastries.  #brioche4lyf

Today when we were having a very cold drink at a beachside place a beautiful procession of people passed us by. There were ceremonies up and down the beach, with offerings being floated (sometimes thrown overarm) into the sea. Roaming, frolicky dogs excitedly picking over their remnants.

Yesterday we went for a long walk first thing in the morning and saw lots of school kids jumping off the backs of scooters and scuttling into class. We also saw a school full of neatly uniformed kids seated in a quadrangle, singing songs together. Some things here are so neat and some things are so not. Some things smell amazing and some things smell sour and soupy. It’s really ace to soak up the colour and contrast. I am so glad we came!

We whizzed down to Kuta, Legian and Seminyak yesterday, just to eyeball it all again, then hotfooted it back to Canggu for quieter, village-y vibes. It’s nice to be a bit removed from the super touristy areas and feel like we’re witnessing a bit more real life Bali. I totally recommend it if you are coming here and you fancy something a bit less assaulting! (This is my fourth Bali visit so I am learning more and more each time.)

I’m going to get out my proper camera tomorrow and take some shots. And hopefully catch up with my friend Rowe! And also, eat some pastries and Nasi Goreng!  Phew.

I hope you are having nice times too! What are you up to?

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7 Comments

  • Reply Katie November 6, 2015 at 10:19 AM

    We just got back less than a fortnight ago and just loved it again. We stayed in Legian and Ubud (in between) and I too set a new world record for nasi goreng consumption and also watermelon juice!! We caught a taxi to Canggu one day at ate at a cafe inland from Echo beach – I think it was just called Avocado and the food was amazing and I had a raw beetroot brownie for dessert. We didn’t do a cooking class in Ubud but we have been inspired to cook Balinese food – and I was so tempted to buy one of those little clay charcoal cookers for satays that they sell at he markets. Enjoy the rest of your holiday!!

  • Reply Kirsty November 5, 2015 at 11:08 AM

    Oh it sounds perfectly lovely and relaxing! Sending you non-ashy-puffy vibes though x

    *PS I love the amount of condiments offered, with the rainbow of colours – super cute!

  • Reply jan November 5, 2015 at 10:15 AM

    oh man! enjoy!

  • Reply Cheryl@blissandmayhem November 5, 2015 at 9:57 AM

    I just love Bali! Been back home now from there 2 weeks and have withdrawals. We just looked at a business in Canggu – a much quieter space than most of the South of Bali. Enjoy!

  • Reply Isabel November 5, 2015 at 12:12 AM

    Love this postcard from Bali. Have only been once, to Ubud, and it was a million times nicer than I ever expected. The Balinese are such gentle, relaxed people, it seems. Good luck with the Nasi Goreng consumption world record attempt!

  • Reply Alli November 4, 2015 at 9:34 PM

    Not a bad place to be stuck! If you have another week, then I am sure it will all be resolved by then, fingers crossed x

  • Reply Annette November 4, 2015 at 8:18 PM

    How delightful and delicious!!

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