I came to Bali for the beaches but fell in love with the Jungle.
Day 4 We are all settled in now and finding our routine. We rented a scooter and joined a gym for 2 weeks. Doing that digital nomad lifestyle. We get up and check our personal emails, then check our online business and then our Globe Hopper social media accounts. That takes around 30 minutes, usually over breakfast. Then off to the gym. This day our plan was to hop on the scooter and head north to find some waterfalls we could hike to. This is the 8th country I have gotten to drive in and it never gets boring. SE Asian streets and traffic can’t be described, only experienced. It takes nerves and a lot of getting used to. Aside of the rush I get there are other reasons I like renting our own vehicles. For starters you can really get off the beaten path and away from the tourist hustle. Nothing beats finding that tiny hidden village or secret waterfall that only the locals know about. As it was our first day with our new found freedom we decided to not over do it. We choose 2 waterfalls about an hour and a half from Ubud. Once outside of Ubud the scenery changed to rice fields and mountains covered in jungle greens. It was so beautiful and peaceful. The first waterfall, Nungnung falls, was set up for tourists but so far from the beaten path that no one was there. From where we parked the scooter there were two paths. One led to a swing overlooking a rice field on the side of the mountain. The other path led down a steep set of rock steps to the base of the waterfall. We choose this path first and began what turned into about a 30 minute decent. But at the bottom we were treated to 2 waterfalls cascading 50 meters (150ft) over a rock cliff covered in green vines into a shallow pool perfect for swimming. The crashing falls filled the small canyon with a cool mist that was perfectly refreshing after the long decent. Unfortunately, there was too much mist in the air to fly the drone. After relaxing for awhile and taking it all in we started the climb out. Once up top we went for the swing. These swings are set up all over Bali for those in search of the perfect Instagram picture. They even have swing tours that just take you around from one swing to another all day. Alyssa had a blast toying with her fear of heights. Best part was there was no one else around so we could take our time and really enjoy it. Before hitting the road we had lunch at a roadside lunch stand and I finally found a cook who understood well done! From here we drove about 45 minutes to Leke Leke waterfall. This one was much smaller but also further from any town so again we had it all to ourselves. The few locals seemed surprised to see us even and as we drove by kids would run after us yelling hello and waving like we were celebrities. The hike from the road was only 10 minutes and flat but it was getting cool at the high elevation so after a few pictures we were ready to head home.
Day 5 We got an early start and right after the gym and breakfast we took off for the Gateway to Heaven. This is one of Bali’s biggest and most iconic temples known for its giant gateway. It was a 2 hour ride along a gorgeous coast then up a mountain. Alyssa wasn’t feeling well and by the time we got there the line to pose in between the gates was over 3 hours long. She wasn’t going to last that long and clouds were rolling in so we decided to get a picture from a far and skip the Instagram line. We explored the temple grounds and with sore asses from scooting around for 2 days we headed home to our private pool, dinner and some time to chill. The jungle, minus the mosquitoes, is amazing. The greens just pop. The rice fields are stunning and the waterfalls are much nicer then the dirty over crowded beach towns. We are loving Ubud.
Day 6 We woke to the realization that we haven’t been hydrating as much as we should in this 90+% humidity here in SE Asia. Alyssa still wasn’t feeling well and the forecast was calling for a thunderstorm so we decided not to venture too far. Instead we walked into town for lunch and bought a few bootleg DVDs. Since there are really no copy right laws here the quality is actually pretty good. We got Avengers End Game for $1.06. We picked up two others and headed home with a stash of munchies. A perfect day to lounge by the pool and watch movies while we get some work done. A digital nomads life for me.
Day 7 Having planned to spend over 2 weeks here in Ubud we were in no rush to try to do everything right away. We were both feeling better when we woke up but the sky was still overcast and we wanted to wait for clear blue skies and dry hiking trails before we went exploring so we did our morning routine then headed to a spa for a Bali massage. Just what we needed. $30 for two 90 minute massages. Feeling totally relaxed now and ready for more adventures in the morning. Rafting? The Water Palace? Waterfalls? We’ll see…….
Day 8 We woke up, did our morning routine and headed out. The plan was to make it an easy day. Just hit a few waterfalls on our list and be home before the peak crowds and heat hit. First stop was 30 minutes from Ubud at the Tegenungan waterfall, a beautiful 15 meter high (50ft) fall with a picture perfect pool at the bottom. Unfortunately it has become a tourist nightmare. You pay to enter then walk through a mini market, then you get your first view of this beauty. As you descend along the pathway there are swings, and all kinds of Instagram photo spots that were obviously great viewing spots at some point but have now been turned into things like giant birds nest and hearts you can pose in. So every girl is there, changing outfits and poses as the line behind her grows longer and longer. I’m so thankful Alyssa just wants a quick shot and to move on. We spent about an hour exploring and decided it was time to leave. Our next stop was Kanto Lampo Falls. These falls were just as close to Ubud so just as easy to get to and almost as crowded. The falls were around the same height but wider with more water. And the water here cascaded down over rock steps. We opted not to climb them as the rocks were slippery and an Indonesian hospital wasn’t on our itinerary. It is a tradition that on every trip Alyssa loses her sunglasses and today was the day. Splash. Back on the scooter and home to our AC. Or so we thought….
Plans change….. Originally we planned 2 weeks here to explore and get some work done. But on day 3 we were woken up at 6:15am to the sound of construction right outside our villa window. We let it slide. Day 4 the same except when we returned home that evening the power was out on our block. We let it slide. But today the construction combined with no power again when we returned home was the final straw. So I went to the office and demanded they return our money for the next week and we headed to a café to get online and make a new plan. Things work out when you stay positive. We found a 5 star hotel on the other side of Ubud for $20 less per night. We only booked it for 2 nights and decided to spend the other 4 nights in Uluwatu. Three more days in Ubud is all we need to see the last few things on our list and now we can explore another town that not only comes highly recommended but offers us a chance to meet up with another digital nomad who has offered us some tips and help with our site. We are so overwhelmed with all the support and comments. Thank you all so much.
