I never fancied myself as a Bali traveller. That was for every single other Australian, as Bali is known as our backyard, and I'm not very good at doing what everyone else is doing.

Yet a few years ago we were looking at cheap flights to get the hell out of dodge in mid winter in Victoria and the cheapest flights were to Denspasar, so we thought, what the hey. Turned out that everyone was on to something, coming to this gorgeous isle. The people are beautiful, the food is awesome, and there's plenty to do from surfing to diving to yoga to just chilling. Somehow, we're now on our third visit. We did try to book somewhere else, promise - but it was too wet in Burma, we'd done Thailand, and really Bali seemed the best option, so here we are.

It was a weary flight in after a long and hard stint at work, especially for J., and what with the angst of Dad's illness, we both are heaving signs of relief that we have a bit of peace for a few weeks to get our heads and hearts and minds back in order. How grateful I am to have this breathing space, and well aware I'm in a priveledged enough position to do this through travelling.

Gosh it's nice to be here - amongst the temples and ubiquitous statues of Ganesha and Sarasweti, Bali's goddess of the arts, with her lute and her swan consort. I love the little offerings on the streets, palm frond baskets with flowers and sweets, the scent of incense, the coo of pigeons, the hustle and bustle of a busy island where it's still possible to get lost down verdant laneways, to move from more built up fancy shopping areas to local markets, from ricefields to jungle to volcano to beaches. And it's nice, too, to arrive in a place and not have to think too much about what you're doing and where you are going. Sometimes the travel brain needs a break.

So, after the morning massage, and with this spirit of world weary travellers we agreed that if one finds a good place to eat, you may as well stick to it. Warung Pondok Madu was newly opened last time we came and Sri is just the sweetest nicest woman. The food is good, fresh and cheap. She had obviously been doing well as she moved up to a bigger place up the road. She remembered us from last time which was nice.

In Bali you hire a scooter at your own risk and whizz around crowded streets with the flow of traffic and hoot of horns and I love it, mainly coz I get to wrap my arms around my lover and snuggle in as we go. As corny as that sounds, we have 3 weeks to be completely in love and dedicated to each other, in a way we can't always be when day to day life makes its demands.

I also found myself a wedding band, well, of a fashion anyway. I'd lost my wedding band a few years back and my engagement ring was my second one, second hand and cheap, it had worn through at the band and broken, and lost one of the opals. I've been without a ring for a while, and missed it. I really see it as a physical reminder of the committment we made to each other and it's important to me. Some may see it as insignificant, a symbol of ownership, but it's nothing of the sort to me - it's just a reminder that J. and are on this life journey together, and we love each other deeply, and are happy to support each other when things get tough.

I really liked this band with the "om shanti' mantra on it. To chant it three times is an invocation of peace, peace in mind, body and spirit. Thus I can spin in around when J. annoys me and I'm wondering why II married him in the first place. Just joking. It's much more powerful than these human identifications with loved ones - it's more of a connection to all, to the divine conciousness, and to extend love and peace out to all, in a kind of metta or loving kindness meditation, and I love that this mantra is on my ring finger, as if I'm wedded not just to J., but to the whole of the universe and humanity, om shanti shanti shanti.

Heree's a lovely version of Alice Coltrane, wife of John Coltrane, and her spiritual interpretation of the Om Shanti mantra. I only just found out about her though I'd heard of John Coltrane and his jazz, and loved this song when I heard it on the radio about a month ago. Seems Om Shanti is just filtering into my life as a sign, as these things often do.

Then we dropped even further into the peace out yin spaces by going to Ubuds Yoga Barn for a yin yoga class. A perfect end to a great first day in Bali. The gardens and surrounds there are so BEAUTIFUL and really appeal to my Libran desire for harmony. I feel so chilled now that I dont even care if my photos are centred or the right way up and thats a minor miracle for me.

I tell you what though, I could do with a Bintang.

🕉 Om Shanti, all xxx

---

---

Want to find more quality posts? Consider the #tribesteemup trail, and adding them to your autovoting along with #ecotrain.. Please ask if you're unsure what this might mean for you.

You can read about the 8 Pillars of TribeSteemUp here