Indonesia - Bali

The Getaway
Bali is one of the many islands that comprise Indonesia.  It's a religious outlier in the most populous Muslim country in the world.  About 93% of Balinese adhere to a local version of Hinduism.  It clearly shows in the architecture.  In every corner of the jungle stand ornate temples and stone statues of Ganesha, the elephant god known as the "remover of all obstacles."

We took a short 2 1/2 hour flight southeast across the equator.

Our guide met us at the airport in Denpasar, the capital, and drove us by van into the foothills. We were headed to Ubud, about thirty kilometers north.  The four lane road slowly narrowed to two lanes, then one and finally just half a lane.  Everyone drove as if they hadn't noticed.  Other than in India, I've not driven at such a high rate of speed elbow to elbow with people in other vehicles.

Once we reached the village of Ubud the road became even narrower.  We had to do the last 500 yards on foot, some of which was uphill through a dense jungle.  There was a deafening soundtrack of crickets, bird calls, frogs and other noises I'd never heard before.

As we crested a small hill, the jungle suddenly gave way.

Soon there was nothing but rice fields.  We were to be staying in the middle of them - in that small white building in the distance.

We made our way off the path, down a set of stone steps and checked in.

The rice fields were so close you could touch them.  Were it not for some buildings being constructed nearby we would've had them all to ourselves.

We sat by the pool and waited for dinner.