Today starts a little differently as I am woken by Boston shuffling around the room getting ready for our day up the mountain to Ubud. In recent times a new attraction has opened up called Bali Swing and the girls were keen to check it out. We head to breakfast and the girls and I check out all the latest news from home.
After breakfast I send the girls off to grab some towels while I stock up on snacks and drinks. I’d asked Rocky (our amazing driver and friend) to bring an esky. There’s no use having roadies if they’re not cold.
To meet up with Rocky is like catching up with family. He has become a standard fixture in the Bali holidays for many years. For those who have read my blog before you will know about him. We head outside once we’ve got ourselves together and we are greeted warmly by him with big hugs and a smile that is so common for the gorgeous Indonesians – they truly have the best smile in the world.
The girls finally meet Rocky, after knowing about him since my first visit 6 years ago. We head off and soon realise it’s going to be a long drive up to Ubud the traffic is crazy. But we aren’t on any timelines here, we’re on holidays after all. We begin chatting and I fill him in on all the news with the family back home, as he has now met pretty much everyone, with the exception of my niece and nephew.
I practice more of my Bahasa as we weave through the traffic and share travel stories. Rocky has been very fortunate to be able to see more of the world than most Balinese people, so having worked in the USA his English is excellent. But he is always still learning about other words that we use. Some is slang and others are just words he may not have heard before. We educate him on words like ‘hippies’ and ‘feral’. The girls yell out ‘spotto’ from the back seat and went on to tell him about how to play. Jamei tells him he should teach it to his boys. Spotto is a very simple game you can play in the car to keep the kids (and adults) entertained and attentive to what is happening outside. Basically how to play is when you see a yellow car, bus or truck you have to be the first to yell out “SPOTTO”. The girls have also made sure that he knows you can also punch the other person, or people, playing. It’s fun, but depending on your opponents, it can be quite a dangerous game to play. Not to mention very painful.
I love watching the changing scenery as you move out of the business and developed areas to the mountains. We pass through many quaint villages and I notice a passing truck that has a group of adults in their traditional outfits normally seen when it’s ceremony time. Being such a spiritual culture this happens often. However, this time Rocky points out that the men are in black so likely to be on their way to a funeral.

The girls see many dogs along the way and each time call out ‘puppy’. I think about how maybe we should adapt the spotto game for dog spotting instead. Well, here in indonesia it would work, but not so much in Australia as regulations wouldn’t allow as many strays or dogs in general, out and about like it is here in Bali.
We finally make it to Bali Swing! It’s situated over a beautiful rainforest so the backdrop is incredible. We are given a number that the security have allocated to Rocky so when it’s time to go they will call him in from the car park to collect us. It feels weird when they call him ‘driver’. He feels more like a friend, but I guess they don’t know that do they?
We sign our lives away on a disclaimer that basically says we forgo our lives and compensation if anything happens to us. Stock standard for back home, but it’s unusual to find something like that here. Especially given their regulations are not as relevant (more non existent). Definitely a western influence. We sign nonetheless and head on in.
It might be stunning, but the lines are very, very long. Being one of the first of it’s kind here in Bali, of this magnitude, it’s been very popular indeed. I am super patient and to be honest waiting in line at attractions is something I am very used to. But if only there was more shade. I realise that I have left the sunscreen in the other bag in the car, and wonder how we will all fair with our time in the sun here.
But that aside it’s time to swing! Waiting in the line gave me plenty of time to observe the other tourists (bulle – pronounced bull-aye). It’s becomes very evident to me that many people have come fully prepared to get “that” shot for their Instagram or Facebook. Just the right flowing dress, glasses, facial expressions. The staff there clearly have had to learn how to be stylists, as well as photographers and safety officers. For me, I was there in shorts, a singlet and sandals, and the only preparation I needed was to bring with me a sense of adventure.
I go first and while I’ve watched a number of people ahead of me get pushed at a slow pace as not to mess up their hair, I just kept asking him if I can go higher. I am smiling like a Cheshire Cat (again), and am amazed at the blissful feeling of being on a swing. A feeling I have forgotten from my child hood. I can’t explain the elation, but perhaps this photo will.

The girls each take their turns too and the smiles on their faces are evidence of the fun time they are having too. We make our way around the grounds to a few of the swings as well as some nests that have been designed to look magical. I understand the need to want to get the perfect shot, but this area makes it hard not to get one that is anything other than perfect. The grounds here are simply stunning which we discover only because our stomachs are telling us that it’s already lunch time.

The walk down is steep, and I am not sure why for such a short race of people they need such deeply set stairs. I am thinking this is going to be a great workout on the way back up, but even down, you are taking your time and slowly lunging on each step. It’s breathtaking in parts and I just stop and take it all in. It really is feeding my soul.

We find the humble restaurant which is an inclusion in the entry fee. The meal isn’t winning any awards, but it’s enough to hit the spot and refuel us for the rest of the day. We chat about what to do next and also our upcoming boat day trip with Rocky early next week. These moments are so precious to spend together, as my girls get older they’ll be less opportunity for us to be able to have the three of us experiencing travel like this.
They will never realise how special it has already been for me to be having this time together, and as only one of them reads this blog, I suspect one of them won’t ever know.
It’s time to make our way up again, and I suggest we grab a water to take with us, cause we are about to get a workout. We pass the whitewater rafting and enjoy shaking a suspension bridge as others pass on it too.

We finally reach the top and as we exit we are greeted by some very young Balinese girls selling fruit to those coming out. We say no thanks, but she still tells us we are beautiful.
We head over to security and hand them our driver number and Rocky appears from up the street. After the hours we have had in the sun and exerting energy coming up the hill, we opt to take only one more stop instead of two. I have been super keen to go a temple up here where you are able to be cleansed in holy water. Whether you are a believer in spiritual things, it is worthwhile being a part of the experience.

You must wear sarongs here, as it is a sacred temple and you cannot show your legs. So both men and women are required to wear them, both in and out of the water. We make our way through the beautifully manicured grounds and switch into the sarongs and swimmers.
I completely embraced this experience and took the chance to take my moment to cleanse myself of some issues I have been dealing with very privately. It made me calm, relaxed and at peace. A beautiful way to end this day. Around us were many tourists and also a lot of Balinese as there is a big ceremony (ceremony of the full moon) happening, so many coming with offering to the gods, as well as collecting the holy water for the ceremony. It also meant that some of the spouts are out of bounds, as they are sacred for the ceremony at the moment.

We get to chatting with a couple of Americans behind us who tell us they are here volunteering and taking a rare weekend off to do some sightseeing and tours. One is teaching English, while the other is doing medical assistance. Commendable indeed and they wouldn’t have been very old either, probably early 20s.
It is time to head home and after changing out of our wet sarongs we head though the ‘gift shop’ on our way out. It’s a winding market of sorts where you can’t pass any of the shops without being spoken to as they try to entice you with anything that might get a response from you. The one that made me giggle today was “I really like your towel”. It won’t come as a surprise that it didn’t make me buy a thing.
Our trip home is longer than the trip up, and despite thinking we may have been back to watch the sunset, and sit on the beach, there is no chance of that happening, which is a shame as it’s obvious that it would have been incredible.

We eventually see familiar sights, and know we are getting very close to home (or our temporary home). The girls are tired and hungry which is a very lethal combination. So a quick farewell to Rocky and a short turnaround time back at the hotel means we can get to dinner as fast as possible.
We opt to go to Romeos which is just nearby and has a cool place to sit and watch the world go by. It’s also opposite my favourite coffee shop too. It’s then I realise it’s actually not even called Monring Glory anymore, and is now called Coffeterie. We order dinner and enjoy the very mild night. I perused the menu and see something that has chicken wrapped in bacon. Sounds like the perfect combination. I m even more impressed when it comes out. They certainly understand the concept of eating with your eyes.

After a big day I opt to get a foot massage and the girls are entertained by the drag show across the road. So I farewell them and head out to relax at my favourite place. I can’t believe that for 40 mins of pampering I’m only out $6. I love it here.
I chat to the owner and also meet his son. I learn he has studied in Perth doing ecommerce and regularly goes back to catch up with friends there too. They take a couple of pictures for their Facebook page too.

It’s well and truly time to head home and crash, but of course not before writing this blog. Ahhhhhhh a day of inner peace.
Oooooooo-saaaahhhhh!