Rain tour:)

Amed is a paradise if you do not want rain in Bali monsoon season. As the moment you make your move out of this lovely stretch, you face pouring rain wall:) And by saying rain wall I do mean a wall of water drops in front of you:))) Such was Mount Batur today for me… The secret wish to climb at least this peak for a sunrise collapsed after 5 minute talk with the guide. Even in the dry season the trip os bait of sadistic-masohistic as you have to leave hotel my midnight what means that you reach the mountain at around 2 a.m. at night and climb for 4 hours with a torch so that you reach the peak for the sunrise… Now I have rain as an excuse instead of being simply lazy and unwilling to torture myself, even though everyone tells the sun rise view is stunning. Well, as local people say, - next time:) The misty peak of the mountain was stunning enough for me this time. Was sipping my coffee on the terrace of one of the warungs (restaurants) and enjoying my rainy view and the clearing sky… Poor driver, that was the moment I spotted a stretch of black lava from the last volcano eruption and a road winding across the area… the driver was shocked to hear I want to drive there:))) Poor guy was trying to tell me there is no road, but my eyes did not believe him, so we landed going down to the volcanic rain in search of that mysterious road which appeared to be an off-road for trucks that carry lava:))) well, despite that we drove as close as possible to the region making a cross through local villages, lava tomato fields, chilli plantations and God knows what sort of plant fields… View was stunning! Especially the realisation that the vegetable gardens in Bali are located right on top of lava soil in Bali! Simply beautiful to watch red ripe tomatoes next to a lava stone:)

Unforgetable day! The road winding through mountain valleys, rain storms and sunny moments, coffee plantation with the most expensive coffee in the world and a farm of the animals that shit those coffee beans, saffron tea (did not even know that you can make tea of it), first time for fruits I have never seen before in my life, even a sleeping mouse as a pet in front of the spice shop:))) Was to lazy to catch the moment as it started to piss while hanging upside down, but that was hilarious! Have never been so close nose-to-nose with a sleeping mouse:)

Yet, the highlight in Bali for me are rice paddy field terraces… and that was the gem of today:) A treat for me from my guide:))) as the place he drove me to was simply stunning! A huge mountain surrounded rice terrace far from main roads and close to trekking spots, an hour and a half simply to reach its other edge (that is a very very big terrace)… With a rain coat on and feet soaked in rain water, left alone as the guide did not have umbrella, here I was wandering on the top of those terraces and balancing my feet on the edge of the open mountain water system for the paddy fields… completely by myself - and that was the best part! One hour of solitude in this greenery and rain storm energy… I felt as if I am every rain drop and every growing rice crop - completely connected with the place all I could think of at that moment was "Thank you, God, for the gift of life"… as life is all we need to be alive and feel life in others… Touched by the eternity of that moment am lying with my laptop on the sea terrace of my restaurant and typing these letters to the rhythm of sea waves in complete darkness outside… feeling blissful and ready to say goodnight to this wonderful day:)