Blahbutah

We need to head inland for the next leg of our journey. Only now it’s getting dark which makes navigation even harder. You can’t see the few road signs there are (mostly behind trees), we can’t read the tiny writing on the map as we can’t find our glasses and we both want a beer! 

After several hours of U-turning we find the village Blahblahblah or something. Check the envelope. B****ks. We’re not meant to be here but the village we passed ½ hr ago. Find glasses, re-read map. See the turning. There’s a tap on the window. A sweet chap on a moto with his wife point us in the right direction. 2km late he’s back at the traffic lights. We’re in the wrong lane – turn right he gestures, not far. So slowly we go peering in the dark (it’s very dark) for some indication of the Gubah Villas. Nothing. Then our chap’s back again. It’s here!! It is?? Ah, that’ll be the sign you can only see if you come from the other direction as yet another U-turn is executed. (One thing I can say about our little car – it turns on a sixpence). We are nearly there.

Hard left hand down – kerplunk!**!?? Well who leaves an open manhole like that!! Adrian and our friendly chap lift the car out of the hole and we check there’s not too much damage. And we meander down very narrow lanes for another mile until the road stops. And there is a smiling face waving a torch. We are expected.

Very tired, we just eat & hop into our very tall bed, ready to see just where we have landed in the morning…

Oh we are in the Island of the Gods. Our secluded villa resort is tucked, tumbling down a hill in the tropical forest just outside Gianyar town. The Herons go out for the day at 6am (sunrise) and come home to roost at 6pm (sunset) It’s magical. We have a lazy start then go for a stroll round the rice terraces, following the river. Loop back round on the main road for a bit. Past the usual meddly of shops that sell everything, brick and tile makers and a Music Studio?!

Back to the fields, find a proper path which leads into steps going down and down, past the waterfalls until wow! There is a temple built into the rocks. Amazing.

Then back up all those steps we’d come down (huff, puff) ready for a cool beer back at base. Don’t want to spoil our appetite as afternoon tea is on the cards (with pancakes, mmmmmmmm)
 
The afternoon just seems to disappear and the helpful staff take our order for dinner, to be served on our own veranda later. Sundown, power out, everywhere. Ooops. But dinner still arrives (hot) and beer (cold) and we amuse ourselves making shadow animals (still can’t do deformed rabbit) by the light of our candle.