Despite having enjoyed 55 days in Bali already, Emily and I have only this one full-day left. When you have only one day in Bali, what do you do with it? We grappled with what our last day – last memory of Bali should be.
These questions were all the more pressing when it came to our friend. Conlan truly has only one full-day in Bali. Given his lengthier stay in 2006, he decided that he would rather spend more time seeing something new in Malaysia than basking in the beauty of the already familiar Bali.
Nonetheless, Bali still has its impact.
“It would be tempting to say screw it, I’ll learn to surf, move here and start a restaurant.” he said. Other expats have succeeded with the same idea. This came up during our 15 minute walk through the rice fields overlooking the Tjampuhan River outside Ubud as we walked to Sari Organic – Emily’s favorite restaurant.
It’s hard not to love the walk through the lush green of the rice fields heading to a small restaurant surrounding by rice fields. It’s like a dose of the concentrated essence of Bali. Sort of a hit of Balinese heroine. But with such a short stay, you have to make every experience count and Sari Organic had what it took.
On the walk through the rice fields, Conlan – characteristically carrying his big camera, eyeing everything for the perfect photo – dropped a short sentence that nicely packages up one of the great joys of Bali.
“It’s so casually epic.”
Then he stepped into a rice field, got down on one knee and started shooting.
Although there are many things that make Bali magic, that’s the one that has been for me, the hardest to describe.
When you have two people on their last day in Bali and one with his essentially only day in Bali – the choices are difficult.
Conlan and I went with a few classics: Monkey Forest, massages and shopping. Unfortunately, Emily had some pressing work and missed out on one of her all-time favorites – massage.
To my complete shock, Conlan had neither been in the Ubud Monkey Forest nor had he gone for a Balinese massage during his 2006 visit. I can’t figure out why – but it had to be corrected.
I’ve been to the Monkey Forest more times than I can count. I’ve driven a motorcycle through the special motorcycle lane even more times. It hardly impresses me anymore and the monkeys are aggressive.
However, Conlan and I turned off a main path, down a staircase and walked across the river on a Naga headed bridge. There, a giant Banyan tree not only stood on the bank, but had roots that literally hung down the river gorge and drank from the water below. It was like a tree standing in air – and it was magnificent.
That’s the thing about Bali. There’s always something new even if you’ve seen it a thousand times. Casually epic.
For the first time in years, I left the Monkey Forest feeling like I had seen something fantastic.
For the first time in a week, I left the spa feeling like I had experienced something fantastic. My last two hour massage in Bali was one of the best.
Better yet, Conlan had never had a two hour massage. He hesitated. He wondered how and why. I explained that the why is because it’s there – and it’s fantastic.
After some deep and extended thought, he decided to give a two hour massage a try. At the end, he arrived at the same conclusion as does everyone else who goes through a Balinese two hour massage.
“The two hours flew by.” Followed by “So, just to make sure I have this right, it’s $15?? Ridiculous!”
These are the signs of passing the point of no return. Once you’ve become a fan of the two hour massage, it’s hard to imagine getting less. Oh, Bali….
At the end of the day, we’re planning to go to a Barong Dance and grab some dinner. Nothing crazy – but quintessential Ubud and classic Bali.
There’s nothing to do but soak up the last evening and the remaining hours of daylight. For the last day of Bali, we chose beauty, deliciousness, rejuvenation, culture and a little more beauty. What else is there to do?
Except go home, pack and cry myself to sleep.
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