Pictures from Bali

Kim and I had an awesome time in Bali. And really, this was one on the longest times we’ve been able to spend there- three weeks. It was an extended trip because we wanted to be there for Christmas, and then HAD to be there for an organizational retreat. So it made more financial sense to stay until our retreat was over as opposed to flying back home.

It’s always a little surreal to come back to our home in BK after such an elegant and comparatively luxurious vacation on another island. As I’ve mentioned in numerous blog posts, it always feels like we step into a completely different world when we travel. Our life gets upgraded, and it feels strange. We’re not used to people making us breakfast in the morning. Or waking up to a beautiful sunrise over a beautiful rice field our villa window. Everything is manicured and cared about. We’re not used to that. Where we live it’s very ‘wild’. We have garbage and rubbish in our lawn. Goats and chickens roam our yard, oftentimes coming in the house. The other day I had to scare off a hen and six chicks who were in our house eating the cat food. Yes, pretty different. I’m not complaining. We chose this house and this lifestyle. And it has it’s benefits too. But when we travel and experience a different side of life we can feel the difference. Who are we really? Are we the rich elite who can afford expensive villas and fancy food? Or are we one of the locals, trying to fit into a very simple and primitive lifestyle? When the time calls for it we can do both.

Here are a few pictures from our few weeks away. The first one is from our villa during the first week:

This is the view from the villa, out our front porch window. We had this private swimming pool all to ourselves for the week. Tropical paradise indeed!

The rice terraces of Ubud, Bali. Green and beautiful- all the way down the mountain.

Kim, Eli, and me enjoying the sites in Bali.