This post was originally from Tuesday February 25, 2025

The last few days have truly been a blur. Let me get you up to speed…

On my last post I mentioned that Liza was not feeling well. Although we did and saw such beautiful sites, Liza couldn’t quite enjoy them to the fullest as she was just getting more sick. We eventually made our way to Ubud, which is known as a center for traditional arts and crafts. It is definitely more touristy than the last few stops, but this was perfect as it allowed us to get Liza to a doctor. While the rest of the group got to explore Ubud by visiting markets, go whitewater rafting and walking through the famous Monkey Forest, we made sure Liza went to the doctor and got her rest. She ended up having a temperature and infection so the doctor gave her an IV with B12 to boost her immunity as well as antibiotics. What a pair huh?! 

The hotel we have been staying at here in Ubud is right next to the monkey forest. There are monkeys everywhere which makes just opening your window entertaining. We have been told to make sure to lock our doors as those silly rascals know how to open door handles and help themselves to whatever they wish. While I was waiting on the street to pay for my laundry, there was quite the commotion. When I looked up I saw a monkey steal a burrito from a tourist! You definitely have to be more careful of what you’re carrying around here. They’re so cute but I definitely don’t need a monkey bite as a souvenir (right Megan!). When I was here with my friend Megan 20 years ago she actually got bit by a monkey several times. As she was getting bit you could hear her from across the courtyard say in  the most calm and quiet voice “guys, guys, the monkey is biting me”. We went to a clinic and there was nobody there so again both young and a bit stupid, we  just left and she never got looked at again. Thankfully Megan was ok – someone was definitely looking over her! 

On Friday the inevitable happened and I woke up with Liza’s plague. The group was set to head off to another town but Liza and I decided it might be best to stay back so that I could go back to the doctor, get the same treatment as Liza and then rest for a couple more days. This way we would not be spreading the virus to the rest of the group and it gives us time to recover. 

One thing that stands out about Ubud (other than monkeys and sickness) is how much this area has been taken over by foreigners. The shops and restaurants are very pretty and western-like, but when I went into the smaller shops it was apparent why. I spoke to a beautiful soul who owned a woodcarving shop. It was full of the most beautiful carvings, but it didn’t have all the bells and whistles that many of the other shops had to entice customers to come in. He told me that he comes from a long line of artisans who do wood carvings. This was his father’s shop and he has been carrying on the family tradition by also learning the art. He told me that his son has chosen to not focus on wood carving because there is not enough money to survive. He said local shops are being pushed out of Ubud by Australians and Russians. They open up these grande shops and the price of staying there is just impossible. It is the sad reality of tourism, which made me want to shop from the small stalls even more.

On Sunday, the group made their way to the island of Lombok by a 5 hour ferry. Because we stayed back, Liza and I splurged and got a half hour flight instead. Lombok is an island east of Bali and part of the Lesser Sunda Island chain. It’s known for beaches and surfing, but driving around the island it almost has a Hawaiian feel, with large green mountains surrounding the beaches in the distance. It is a refreshing change from Bali as there are far less tourists and traffic. The island is predominantly Muslim so there are beautiful mosques every few miles, just like in Java. 

We spent the next two nights in a beautiful place near the beach called Kuta. On Monday, Liza and I signed up to do a day of island hopping where we would be taken to remote island beaches (including a pink beach) around Lombok. The drive to the jetty was about an hour away, however about half way there something came over me and I almost fainted. Our driver pulled over and we were parked under a bridge for a while until a new driver came to get Liza and I to take us back to our hotel while the other 3 could carry on to the islands. I have to admit that this was not the idea of a vacation that I was planning. I was super bummed to be missing the beaches, but I felt in no shape to go. 

Today the group left early to do some trekking around rice terraces and waterfalls before heading to the next town of Senggigi. Once again, we changed the itinerary a bit as we knew we wouldn’t be healthy enough to do it all. It pains me to miss out on so many activities. Usually I’m so gung-ho to do as much as I can when I’m on a trip, but this time my body is revolting and forcing me to take a back seat. I wasn’t alone though as a bunch of others also liked our plan B. We all got a transfer and made our way safely to Senggigi. Well, we made it safely but Kris’ vehicle had a casualty as they hit a chicken on the way! RIP chicken! 

All this sickness and very little activity sure doesn’t allow for good stories to write home about. I’m crossing my fingers and toes that this last part of the trip will allow us to really enjoy ourselves.