asia Archives - 8 Feets And Heart Beats

Hoi An to Hue – Day Two

February 19, 2015 by Robbie Smyth Leave a Comment

We all woke a little weary but surprisingly, besides the normal aches and pains that riding 90 kms will bring, with no real physical concerns.

Today was going to be a whole lot easier than yesterday, just 35km with no ‘pass’ crossings. We were pumped! (pardon the pun – he he)

Day 2 – let’s go!

I hadn’t really prepared myself for day 2 (being a little pre-occupied with day 1!) so I had no idea of what we were up for. The whole day was a bag of mixed emotions, fear and anxiety, backed up with joy and elation. The day certainly delivered.

Day 2 saw us welcome a new guide, Chuong, who was just brilliant. He was a local Hue-ian who not only knew his city well but also had great pleasure in sharing it with us. He was also a very competent rider who took the role of Jed’s protector, putting himself between Jed and the crazy, chaotic city traffic the whole way. To say he put his body on the line is not an understatement. Both Liam and I were so very grateful that we had him as our leader … and more so as Jed’s protector.

The sequence of riders went as follows – Chuong then Jed following closely behind or side by side in the peak traffic … Liam with Deni tagged on behind him … then me at the rear. (Which explains the general theme of todays pic – ‘rear-view’ shots!)

Day 2 riders sequence.

The first section was absolutely mad, mad, MAD! As soon as we pedaled out of the Hotel carpark we were swallowed up by the swarm of tooting, puffing and unpredictable traffic. We somehow melded in and became a part of this hive and buzz of scooters and tuktuks and buses and trucks. We pedaled madly over bridges, under bridges and through the streets of Hue city, so close to the scooters next to us that our handle bars were just inches away from touching, their front tyres almost kissing our back ones. I swear I could feel the breath of the riders on my neck. All the while Chueng used himself to box Jed in between himself and the railing. Liam rode solidly behind him, never missing a beat. It was crazy, and frightening and so intense that it’s almost impossible to describe. My heart is pumping faster just thinking about it, I feel sick! My screams of fear and warning got swallowed up in the insane level of noise. Then … somehow we got spat out at the other end, and while shaking our heads at the insanity of what we had just experienced, and taking a moment to catch our breath, we found ourselves faced with another set of challenges – intersections and roundabouts!

A rather tame moment in the Vietnamese peak hour!

While I was writing this I asked Liam to explain his experience for me, not only for his take on the situation but also to know that I wasn’t alone in just how intense it all was. He reflected my thoughts perfectly and we both decided that, if, before we embarked on this ride, we were to consider the dangers that our kids faced during this time we NEVER would have allowed them to do it, they would have been on that cosy bus chatting happily with Mr Money – the whole way! But we were in very capable hands and our faith in Chuong, which grew expediential by the minute, actually ever precious second, got us through.

Jed’s natural ability on a bike was astounding. He didn’t falter. He braked when necessary – not too much not too little. He kept his wits about him, took direction and maneuvered his way through one intensely challenging situation after another. He really is my hero!

Now, you might have been thinking, all this time, what about Miss Deni? This whole section, when our eyes resembled some mad psychedelic spin whizzing between hustling our own path and watching Jed’s every move, our little Miss Deni sat happily upon her tag-along bike. She was so comfortable sitting there behind her Daddy, scooters buzzing along beside her and behind her. Maybe that was her secret – no stress, hold on tight and go with the flow. She showed her true nature – placid, and quietly content. God bless her precious heart!

The next 25k’s were a breeze! This was the ride that I had played in my mind, the images that allowed me to embark on this ride – wide open spaces, roads through villages, quiet backstreet tracks with birds tweeting and rivers flowing. (true!) My heart beat returned to normal and the adrenaline that had been pulsating through my body moments earlier turned to an immense feeling of gratitude. I laughed and almost cried, my face hurt from smiling. This was also our reward!

One of the fond memories I’ll take from this ride will be of the local people and their reaction to our little touring team. It was almost always like this … they would notice Deni’s fluro flag ‘What is THAT? Then they’d realize that there was a sweet little ‘western’ girl attached to that flag – their faces would light up and they would either squeal with delight or the fellas would give a huge ‘thumbs up’ … then they’d see the very strange kind of bike that was attached to another bike … looks of confusion … then they see the ‘Daddy’ towing her along … more big smiles … then, to top it all off, they would noticed the 4^th team member, a little boy on a little bike with a fierce look of determination, leading the charge. At this point their reaction was gold. There were hoots and ‘woohoo’s’ and toots and more squealing. Men hung out of truck windows pumping their fists in the air and Mummas with kids slowed down to point us out and give big waves. Several people rode alongside us, smiling and laughing all the way, some even went ahead so as they could stop and take photos as we rode by. There was no better place to be than at the back of the pack that day. I laughed alongside them all and I felt so damn proud to be part of this little touring family.

From the onset our little Miss Deni was fearless, sitting there on her little tag-along bike, trailing behind her daddy, fluro flag flying. Her sweet little face would turn around every few minutes just to check on her Mumma, her big bright smile lighting the way. She would turn her little legs over and over helping her daddy, and just as quickly start spinning her pedals backwards, yelling to me how she liked that funny clicking sound.

And our Jedabug, our brave and strong little Jedabug – what an absolute champion! I still can’t believe that our little boy of 8 years managed, not only to ride in excess of 60, possibly 70 k’s over 2 days, but that he also was brave enough to maneuver himself on his little bike through some of the craziest Vietnamese traffic that we’ve seen yet! And all of that with very little experience on a bike. Just an amazing effort from a very courageous little boy.

We finished our ride just after lunch, and it felt amazing.

We did it – The tired, but very happy team!

These are the moments that we live for, taking a challenge, allowing situations to evolve, and trusting .

On reflection, yes, it was a bold and brave decision to have our kids alongside us and not in the bus, but it was the best decision ever. There’s not a doubt in my mind that the skills they both learnt on that ride have created strong foundations for a lifetime of riding.

But what I noticed, especially with Jed, was that above and beyond the physical was a strong sense of self-confidence that grew inside his little body and mind. It was heartwarming to watch, every parents dream.

… That was all 4 days ago. How are we feeling now? Yep, my butt is still sore and calf muscles a little tender, but I’d do it again in a heartbeat! Liam has been researching tour bikes and I’m just waiting for the word to start the travel arrangements. We’ve discussed touring Australia before, and the idea of a Europe bike tour has also come up, but one things for sure, this ride has certainly opened up a whole new world of options … until then x

Cycling from Ha Noi – Hue (day 1)

February 19, 2015 by Robbie Smyth 6 Comments

Wow whee – What a ride!

We’ve just finished a 2 day cycle, 120kms that started in Hoi An and finished in Hue city. The ride was diverse, taking in rural areas, coastal stretches and numerous villages, but the real highlight and challenge of this particular ride is that it included crossing the Hai Van Pass which rises to 496 meters above sea level. It’s a grueling and slow climb and one that will take a ‘fit rider’ about 1 hr. It doesn’t sound too bad really – 1 hour, but uphill for that long, now that’s a whole different story!

I was excited … and nervous … and very dubious (about my fitness levels!) It’s been a while since I’ve embarked on any form of strenuous exercise, especially cardio, but somehow that concern went by the wayside. I knew that we would all love this little adventure, and deep down I also knew that this could be the start of a whole new way of travelling for these 8 feets. Liam has always loved cycling and my love for cycling was reignited during my time in China, the kids love anything that takes them into the world of adventure and discovery.

We arranged the tour with a reputable touring company who supplied all the bikes, one for both Liam and myself, a junior bike for Jed and a tag-along bike for Deni. (tag-along bikes attach to the seat post of the adult bike. They have their own pedals and gears but no brakes.) We were assigned Hai, aka ‘Tiger’, a fellow cyclist who would be our guide, and Tien, aka ‘Mr Money’ as our support team. We found out a little later that Tien is a very famous and well-known bicycle mechanic in these parts which pleased us immensely. He was fantastic and his many roles of support bus driver, mechanic, food and drink supplier and baby-sitter all were very much appreciated. It’s funny how his simple act of running alongside us with his enormous smile, shoving fresh, cold water bottles and bananas into our little bike packs put wind in my sails! Just knowing he was there made all the difference.

pic credit to Tein – our saviour!

When we first started this ride, actually I’ve got to admit, well before we started this ride, I was just a tad nervous. The traffic in Vietnam is absolutely mad, undoubtedly the craziest we’ve experienced in our Asia travels, and the thought of my two darlings being right in amongst it scared the living daylights out of me. Now, for those of you who know me, you’ll know that I’m all for free-range parenting, you know … let them climb trees and let them fall – let the kid ride – but riding in these conditions is a little different than on the super safe bike paths back home. Neither Jed or Deni have much riding experience under their belts, actually quite little compared to other kids of their age, So … in short … and quite simply I was shitting myself! I hung on to the thought that the majority of the ride would be in rural areas. I knew Jed could easily manage that and Deni would be safe behind Liam on the tag-along bike. I imagined that we would be riding through villages, beside endless rice paddies and well away from the chaotic, mad highways and city streets. A little like our riding in China perhaps. Well, yep, some of the ride was just like that, and it was gorgeous and peaceful and very cruisey … and some was quite the opposite!

Over the next 2 days both Liam and I had many moments where our hearts were in our mouths. The stress got pretty high at times and our trust in the universe has never been so strong. To be honest, I would have been very happy to pull the pin on numerous occasions.

Jed’s bike was a size too big for him so he spent the first few km’s wobbling and swaying and looking very unsteady indeed. I felt sick the whole time and my heart was beating way too fast! Thankfully we were riding on an open highway (WHAT – I hear you say!) but it seemed that we had the right lane to ourselves. This little bit of space allowed for some wobbling and also allowed us to ride side by side. I gathered that worse case scenario they’d hit me first :/ But there wasn’t really any moment that I felt in danger with the motorists. Maybe the sheer sight of this foreign family of 4 riding alongside a highway was enough to get every one of them to give us a very wide berth, and many toots and smiles and hoots and thumbs up. When my anxiety slipped there was a really nice overall feeling of support and encouragement.

It was in these first few km’s that I was able to ride beside my brave boy and coach him along,

‘head up Jed … don’t look down … head up my boy … try to keep your handle bars steady … keep pedaling … don’t stop pedaling’.

All the while he would listen and adjust his riding accordingly, and as he kept going, kept pedaling and trying his hardest, my heart grew bigger and bigger, my admiration for this little road warrior exploded. I was so very proud to be by his side for this time.

We rode alongside the beach in DaNang for quite a way, then we rode over some pretty impressive bridges with even more impressive views. We toured through some mellow streets heading towards the start of the Pass. At this point the ‘panicking parent’ in me was happy. As we started the climb over the pass both kids took a break and climbed into the support bus. This was going to be way too hard for a little 8 year olds legs to handle, and for Liam to complete this challenge he really didn’t need the extra 20 or so kilos tacked onto his behind.

I have to admit I was really nervous about this part of the tour. I’m not one for hills, not by a long shot, and by the time we arrived at the bottom I was already pretty spent. The ride this far had been long and my legs were feeling a little powerless. I expected to ride for maybe 10 minutes – MAX! Well, I’m pretty happy to say that I gave it my best, and I made it half way up, possibly even a bit more. I felt amazing, tired yes, but strong and full of life. The ride was absolutely beautiful and I was so grateful to be pedaling up that pass. No swearing and cursing, just big smiles and a great sense of achievement. I was a very happy rider by the time I joined my darlings in the bus.

View from half way up the Hai Van Pass

Liam made it to the top and his smile when the kiddies ran to greet him was priceless. It seemed that, he too, was feeling, quite literally, on top of the world!

So what goes up must come down. My good friend Alex once told me that downhill riding was the reward, I smiled when I thought about those wise words because it absolutely was!

The whole team regrouped and re-mounted and down we went. What took an hr to climb took maybe 10 minutes to descend. Jed managed the whole ride down, which was challenging and needed a whole new set of skills – essentially using his brakes! Yes, again my poor heart got a workout … needless to say I could have been heard across the big blue ocean breathing a sigh of relief when we finally sat down for lunch!

That first day Liam rode around 90 km’s, me – 80, Jed and Deni around 35/40. We arrived at our hotel tired, and sun-kissed, and happy. I was feeling so proud of my little ones, and so in awe of Liam’s ride. Even after a good 5 years of very little to no cycling he can still pull off an amazing, and what looked to be effortless, ride up a mountain! Heros abound!

Day two …. To be continued …

The Allure of Hoi An

February 3, 2015 by Robbie Smyth 2 Comments

Hoi An, without doubt, has to rate as one of my most favourite places in Asia.

It has everything you need, a quaint and picturesque old town centre just beckoning to be discovered, a relatively unspoilt beach within 10 minutes, and the most delicious cuisine I’ve ever tasted. From the street side stalls to the top end restaurants the food here is nothing short of sensational!

Crispy Fried Prawns Wrapped in Cucumber – Sensational!

From my first visit, way back in 2000 I have loved Hoi An, so much so that I came back for another visit in 2011 with my Mum in tow, and now I find myself here again with the other ‘6 feets’.

That is the allure of Hoi An – delightful, warm and unforgettable.

We’ve been here for over 2 weeks now, finding our feet, and just taking things slowly. Strolling the incredibly beautiful streets of the old town, in search of the next delectable meal, loitering in the art shops, and soaking in that warm feeling that this town offers. We’ve ventured to the beaches, and stopped for a sunset cocktail and beer while the children played on the sand, (there is no better playground!) We’ve sought out the ‘top ranked eating places’ as well as the street side ‘bahn mi’ (Vietnamese baguette) stalls and been delighted each time. All in all the days have been easy, and relaxing and not too full. That’s the joy of slow travel – there’s no rush, nowhere to be, no deadlines, no planes to catch (yet!) – it really is a lovely way to travel.

With all of that said, my ‘travel guide’ has kicked in and we’ve picked up a gear. We’ve just had a day full of fun that included a boat trip in the local ‘basket boats’, a spot of fishing, local games that resembled the Vietnamese take on the ‘Piñata’, and a cooking lesson – more on that later – and yesterday we went into the old town to discover some of the ancient buildings of Hoi An.

The Japanese Bridge – Spot the Smythies!

Hoi An is an exceptionally well-preserved port town with a history as colourful as the French influenced buildings that are its heart and soul. As you wander through these magical streets, surrounded in the yellow and turquoise buildings with shingled roofs and wooden shutters, you can almost feel the presence of the multi-cultural characters that would have made this town their home so long, long ago. It’s said that the merchants that traded in the port of Hoi An included Chinese, Japanese, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, Indian, Filipino, Indonesian, Thai, French, British and American … if only these crumbling and decaying walls could speak!

They would speak of warehouses teamed with treasures, rolls of silk as soft and flowing as a river, of blue and white porcelain that would have decorated the royal tables and spices from far off places that seduce epicureans far and wide. That is the allure of Hoi An. Just being here allows the imagination to run wild, and then … I get to play all of this out to my two darlings. Being in a place like Hoi An gives me the most precious gift as a homeschooler. It allows me to give my two little travelers an incredibly tangible history lesson, a lesson that goes well, well beyond text books and paper maps, it allows them to wander these streets, to think about the sailors and merchants that make a port town thrive. I’m able to explain that these men came from all around the globe. We talk about Nationalities and they tell me of all the people that they have met along the way. We discover that we know someone from almost all of the countries, and they connect. I don’t know if this little ‘experiential’ history lesson will remain with them or what they’ll get out of it, but I’m pretty sure it’s a whole lot more fun that searching in an atlas, or flicking through the pages of a history book. And let’s face it, history lesson aside, tales of treasures and sailors and big old ships sailing across the deadly seas is a sure fire way to bring a place to life.

There were many nationalities that graced the shores of Hoi An, but the influence of the Chinese, Japanese but mostly the French is unquestionable. The architecture all through Hoi An is a seamless blend of Asian elegance and timeless French style. The old town is a gorgeous collection of terrace like buildings, all arranged side by side in tight rows along streets only wide enough for a single vehicle to get through. Narrow alleys connect the streets and it’s this closeness that creates an intimacy that is captivating. The perfect backdrop for the hopelessly romantic fool in all of us– even those with 2 junior travelers in tow!

This authentic and beautiful little town stole my heart 15 years ago. It was relatively new to tourism back then and all these years later, with all the ‘development and expansion’ going on throughout Asia, it’s so nice to see that Hoi An hasn’t lost its appeal. What a breath of fresh air it is to experience such a place. A town that has become so desirable to all tourists, but has remained (almost) as original and true to its heritage as it was before it became hot on the tourist trail.

And … That is the allure of Hoi An – delightful, warm and unforgettable.

It’s LEGOLAND Day!

July 16, 2014 by Robbie Smyth 2 Comments

BBRRRIIIINNNNNNG! (alarm buzzing) I rubbed my sleepy eyes and jumped in the shower to give my aching body a bit of a kick-start, I needed it! I hurriedly packed our bags and gently tried to wake the kiddies. “It’s Legoland Day!” no response … “C’mon guys – time to wake up – we’re going to Legoland today!” Still no response – Geez we really must have pushed them yesterday!

Now, Legoland is in Malaysia and we were still in Singapore so we needed to organize a border crossing, as well as the transport there. In all my ‘fantastic’ itinerary organizing I just assumed that it’d be as simple as grabbing a driver and ‘Bob’s your uncle!’ we’d be at Legoland – Ummmm, NOPE – not quite that easy. Firstly, the super efficient and super money orientated Singapore government have stopped Malaysian taxi drivers entering into Singapore unless they have a specific license, and even then there is only one depot in the whole of Singapore that they are allowed to stop at, which as we found out, not many people even know about – including the taxi drivers! In short, we had just started our journey to the Malaysian border where we would swap taxis and another driver would take us the rest of the way, when our Singaporean driver phoned the Malaysian driver to confirm the details. After an extremely animated and very loud exchange between drivers we did a quick u-turn and arrived at the ‘only station’ 10 minutes later. We could quite as easily kept en route and thrown the whole day out. OMG – That’s a totally devastating thought!

The reason I’m sharing this is not so much for the story but to give a word of warning to anyone considering taking this journey. We saved a heck of a lot of time and about $100AUS with this little u-turn! (Email me for more details if you need to!)

So … both drivers were great, the first for actually checking details and the second was just a good guy! He took us out for breakfast at a local Indian eating house which was delicious, and refused to let us pay – now how’s that for service!

Then, with much anticipation and excitement we arrived at the Legoland Hotel – Yes, just to add to the whole Lego experience we had booked a night at the themed Legoland Hotel, where everything … and I mean everything was Lego! (Even the dunny doors – *Aussie word for toilet!)

The kids were totally over-awed, and I thought my heart was going to burst right on out of my chest. I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face and there was a spring in my step that resembled that of a 5 year old! Liam’s smile became even bigger – if that’s at all possible – and I could see from his expression that he, too, thought that this was a great idea … and we hadn’t even got beyond the foyer yet!

The pic behind is made out of the teeny little dots of Lego!

Only downfall of the hotel is that the check in wasn’t until 4pm but that didn’t really matter when today was our day for Legoland. We stacked our luggage into the storage room, grabbed the camera and ran towards the theme park entrance. Perfect timing as we got there just as they were opening the gates, and just as the staff were performing their spritely and simply choreographed ‘welcome’ dance to the tune of the Lego Movie – and right in the middle was ‘Emmet & Wild Style” J&D were in their element!

After posing for a family photo with Emmet, (cos that’s what you do at Legoland ) we had a quick pause which consisted of a much needed coffee for Mum, then Jed’s mapping skills came out again, and off we went.

First stop was the ‘racing cars’ where Deni showed her natural talent behind the wheel and her newly discovered ‘need for speed!’ She was so happy in her little car, Jed took a while to co-ordinate himself but once on track they both had a ball!

Then we went on all things that GO! We puffed along on the Lego train, captained a Lego boat, we rode a Lego fire engine (where team Smythie whipped the opponents!) and piloted a Lego airplane. Then Jed and Deni galloped on the Royal Joust and then had my own heart thumping while they screamed their way around the Dragon Roller Coaster! (I’m not one for roller coasters so became the official photographer, yes –a total cop out, I’ll admit that!)

When we could finally drag our littlest speed demon off the rollercoaster we had a great time shooting Fire laser blasters at targets to protect an ancient treasure and all of us got drenched to the bone on a crazy water raft ride. We watched a 4D movie and got spat on by a Lego monster, then got snowed on, which was a welcoming relief from the steamy weather outside! BUT without a doubt, the star of the park … the hands down favorite ride was … the Project X ride. It looked mild, cute little cars in bright primary colors possibly for the littlies, The Wiggles would look good in these, I mean how bad can a little Lego 4-seater car be right?, Yes, I lined up with my 2 little speed demons – all wide eyed and super proud of their Mummy, jumped on … the ‘harmless little car’ kicked to a start and off we went … up up up, the DOWNNNNNN, EEEEKKKKKKK, around a razor sharp corner – ohhhhhhh NOOOOO – another corner, and another and another…. I think my heart actually stopped for the whole entire ride. I looked at my 2 little kids and their big big smiles and wondered when did they get so brave? The next half a dozen rides I took the job as photographer again!

Yeeeha!

There was so much more to see and do, a ‘Miniland’ that was exactly what I had expected to see. Replicas of lots of famous landmarks and historical icons all made out of actual Lego pieces. There was the Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat and the little town on Hoi An, we even spotted a landmark from our beloved Bali – Purah Tanah Lot, which even had a little piece of grass to replicate a part of the golf course that sits just beyond the temple, and one that my brother had recently played on. The Malaysian Legoland is also home to the biggest ship ever made out of actual Lego pieces, fit with working cranes and all! Pretty impressive stuff.

It was a BIG day at Legoland and time to get back to our ‘Adventure themed room’, just in time to shower and prepare for dinner at the ‘Bricks Restaurant’ (well … what else would it be called?) I’m not a smorgasbord chick but the kids had a ball and the dessert section – well … their little eyes, which were now just about hanging out of their sockets – almost popped right out of their sweet little heads! Chocolate fondue with marshmallows … bowls of chocolate coins (Imoma – we thought of you!) chocolate brownie cakes, ice-cream, pink sponge cake …… and on and on and on.

… We let them sleep-in the next day!

Day 2 was the day for the Water Park, which is attached to the Legoland theme park. To be honest, coming from a day at WaterBom in Bali it was a bit of a disappointment, but for anyone that’s experienced WaterBom it’s pretty hard to beat. So, not to waste an opportunity for fun, we tried out all the rides anyway, some a few, then went out for a bite to eat, then back to Legoland for more rollercoaster fun! Good thing our tickets were open and allowed us the flexibility to move from one park to another.

All in all … we HAD A BALL! The decision to take the side trip was a good one, and I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a memory that will stay with our darlings forever, it sure will be for me!

Galungan & Kuningan 2014

June 9, 2014 by Robbie Smyth Leave a Comment

Another festival has come and gone, and with it,

many more moments to cherish!

You guessed it – we’ve just celebrated another festival! Well, in truth, maybe half a festival. Due to our short trip back to Australia we sadly missed the beginning of the 10 day ‘Galungan’ celebration, but thankfully we’re here to see out the end, being ‘Kuningan’.

I was excited to get another opportunity to immerse ourselves in the celebrations and ceremonies around the 2^nd biggest festival in Bali.

Here in Bali the Galungan festival is a BIG one, and considering there are over 60 ceremonies in one calendar year that’s a pretty big call.

I’ve come to notice the signs now, the signs that there’s a festival on the horizon.

The glorious display of the Balinese people, dressed in their finery, heading for the local temples in droves … offerings abound, and all with a little twist to signify that something is different, we’re in for something special … and the penjors – the magnificent penjors – swaying in the breeze, creating a delightful canopy over the roads of Bali.

AND … it’s bonus time! Being a ‘slow traveler’, (more on that label later) means that you find out, and experience, all these funny little ‘domesticated’ tasks, that in some way signify certain times of the year. I guess Galungan is a little like our Christmas period, it’s celebration time and it’s bonus time!

So there you go, all of these little indicators tell me that the Galungan festival is, or was, a ‘biggie!’

We returned from Australia to see that Galungan was well and truly underway, and we were heading towards Kuningan, the final day of the 10-day celebration.

The first thing I noticed was the offerings. They’re something I do tend to notice because I love them, and I just can’t help myself. Around this time of the year they really step up a notch and become very extravagant indeed. There are new and different ones everywhere, an assortment of brightly colored shapes of intricate patterns delicately woven from bamboo leaves, and placed alongside the standard offerings, which are gorgeous in their own right. Both Kadek and Wayan tell me about how busy the women are around Kuningan, I’m not surprised! The amount of offerings that need to be prepared for this special time can almost double. From a standard 40 per day up to around 60/70 for the family compounds, then there are 6 or 7 large offerings that need to be made for each day of Galungan and Kunginan. Then, on top of all of that, and the trickiest bit, is the making of the ‘decorative’ pieces that are made for the temples themselves. They are intricate and a difficult art to master, and super important to dress up the temples all around the compounds and villages in preparation for the ceremonies. Here in my compound alone there are possibly around 10 smaller temples and one main group of temples, and 11 villas all with their own single temples. No wonder we didn’t see our Balinese family for a while!

I was talking to Wayan this morning and was curious to know about the hours involved, she couldn’t tell me that exactly but she said that the women are known to prepare these offering for sometimes a few months prior to Galungan. Usually that’s means sitting in a bale, (a traditional construction that sits in the centre of the Balinese compounds, and is the place for such things as preparation for the ceremonies and offerings) weaving away well into the night, and that’s after a heavy day at work! Knowing that the ‘standard’ time spent on creating the daily offering is around 2 hours I can’t even begin to imagine the time involved in this preparation.

Now that’s dedication – or certainly a sign of unwavering faith.

The streets are adorned with Penjors, which are erected just before Galungan. (Sadly they were all a little brown this year, due to our absence!) Penjors, whether they’re freshly erected, or even towards the end of the 10 day celebration, are truly a sight to behold, and one of my favorite indicators that it’s ‘festival time’ in Bali!

The setting up of the penjors kicks off the Galungan festival, which comes about every 210 days, and is yet another festival that is exclusive to Bali, and the Hindu culture.

Penjors are very, very long, and quite flimsy bamboo poles that are erected proudly to the front/right side of every Balinese home. Standing at more than 10 meters high these visual delights are, without a doubt, one of my favorite Balinese rituals. Each one is different, and each one is just as stunning and as graceful as the next. They are beautifully decorated with all sorts of ‘origami like’ flips n flops and twists and twirls. During our time here I have loved seeing them all pop up, and I never tire of watching these incredibly creative people make a simple coconut leaf turn into something that, once erected, resembles an ancient street lamp. There’s something very cool about driving through the streets with these tall, tall beauties drooping over you, creating a whimsical, and very pretty canopy. Amazing!

Over the past 4 years I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of a few Galungans, and one of my favorite things to do during the preparation time is to sit and watch as the Balinese people create elegant and stunning designs from bamboo leaves that wrap around, and hang perfectly from the enormous bamboo poles. The simple, yet somehow intricate patterns and stunning designs have me captivated, and I can find myself sitting for hours watching them weave their magic. Once decorated, the penjors are adorned with fruit and flowers, bunches of rice, traditional cakes and sweets and although I’ve never been bold enough to have a peek, I’ve heard that they hold 11 Chinese coins, although chatting to Wayan this is new to her, maybe that’s in the more ‘affluent’ areas? All of these offerings are placed within a small shrine that sits at about head height (I know that because I’ve made a few ‘Matrix’ moves on my scooter to avoid a head-on collision with the demonic triangular shaped boxes!)

Even though, sadly for me, we missed the preparations of the penjors this year it was somehow comforting to drive back to Ubud from the airport, through the streets, and see the fairytale like structures drooping charmingly over us, almost welcoming us home.

Like all Balinese ceremonies Galungan comes with some pretty interesting, and (to us) slightly melodramatic stories and beliefs. The 10-day festival symbolizes the victory of Dharma, or Virtue (the good), upon Adharma, or all that is Evil. The first day of the festival, Galungan, is all about welcoming the good spirits down to the island with prayers and offerings, cleansing ceremonies and abundance. And boy do the Balinese people do that well!

Chatting to Wayan about these ceremonies and beliefs is on one of my favorite things to do. I promised her that I would write about it one day – and that I will (keep posted!)

So, we’re happy to be home to celebrate Kuningan, which is the day after the 10-day celebration, and is said to represent the day when the spirits ascend back into the heavens. Both days, Galungan and Kuningan, bring about much celebration and union of the families and villagers.

The heart warming visual of the impeccably dressed Balinese people all squished into the back of the ‘mini utes’ and 5 aboard the scooter, heading for the temples symbolizes that Kuningan is upon us. Another day of prayer, another day of community and union of heart and spirit – gorgeous!

The preparations for Kuningan are costly and seemingly endless, and include the men of the village heading out at dawn in search of an unsuspecting pig, which is to become the temple sacrifice. And we’re here to tell you that this is an actual event! Wayan laughed as she showed us the stained concrete in her family compound from the pigs blood! Then, still laughing pointed to the motley, brown and black intestine hanging from the rafters, all curled up like a long plump sausage and squished between what looked like a wire jaffle iron. Ekkkk – I found it pretty gross and gruesome, Deni screwed her nose up and replied – ‘yuckky’, and Jed found the whole thing quite exciting, and of course a little humorous!

They use the meat of this poor unsuspecting pig to make traditional spicy “lawar” dishes containing satay, jackfruit, dozens of herbs and spices and always enough to feed a small army. And that small army includes us! Every Galungan and Kuningan day both Wayan and Kadek pay us a visit, laden with a smorgasbord of traditional celebratory dishes, all neatly wrapped in banana leaves. They range from lawar, one of my favorites, to satay, to some concoction that’s an odd shade of pink – made from the pigs blood! eeekkk (obviously my least favorite!). And I’m yet to taste the traditional dish that comes from the dried intestine, although Wayan tells me that “It’s just like the sausage we had in Australia – remember, at Little Creatures?” Oh, the chorizo … hmmmm – somehow I’m a little dubious!

This year we joined Wayan on the morning of Kuningan to pray with her at her temple. Jed awoke with excitement and was dressed in his Balinese clothes before I’d even rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Bless his precious heart!

It’s funny because I was really excited about taking the children to the temple again and I didn’t really give myself much significance in it all, but it has been a really special experience for me. Each time I go I get something different, this time it was an enormous feeling of gratitude. Not only for the welcoming Balinese people, but also for the sheer experience of just being there. Just sitting there in the almost ancient looking temple, sheltered from the morning sun by the enormous, and highly spiritual Banyan tree. As I kneel among these beautiful and peaceful souls it really is a moment in time that I feel privileged to be able to own. It’s times like these that I realize just how wonderful our journey is, and how lucky we are to be living it. I don’t know how much detail, if any, the children will remember, but I only hope that they will always have a memory of that feeling of community, the spirit and oneness that has drawn me to this wonderful place, and made me fall in love with the Balinese culture and people. I get all choked up every time.

On the way home from the temple I noticed that everyone was in full dress, all day, and it make me smile and think of Christmas back home, where I love the sight of Santa’s hats, worn proudly by every generation. Here, there are no Santa’s hats but instead there’s every generation of ‘Udengs’, (traditional Balinese hats worn by the men) and I guess, again – ‘it’s their sort of Christmas’.

So, It’s with much, much gratitude that I can write, once again, about another amazing experience of being involved in a Balinese celebration and ceremony. I don’t know if you ever read this Wayan and Kadek (and families) but from me to you ‘thank you so very, very much for allowing us to be a part of your very special ceremonies and traditions. I am eternally grateful for your endless love, generosity and kindness.’

March 21, 2014 by Robbie Smyth Leave a Comment

… Hold on tight, yet relax, drop your shoulders and engage your personal shockies – pay attention to the process, the here and now, avoid as many potholes as possible (because there’s bound to be a few!)

… Never take your eyes off the road, look forward – never look behind, whatever’s happening back there has nothing to do with your wellbeing in this moment

… Don’t use your mirrors – they’re reflecting what’s behind you and stealing your attention from focusing on what’s ahead – your destination – and getting there safely

… Relax and become a part of the ebb and flow, don’t go against the tide, you’ll come unstuck

… Keep an eye on those who are doing it successfully, and comfortably and learn from them. Watch the locals! Forget everything you’ve ever learnt, and re-learn the ‘local way’

… Be prepared – Always keep your rain poncho in the seat and NEVER leave home without your helmet!

… Ride with your head high, enjoy the wind in your face, wave to the smiling faces on the way past, and show gratitude at every turn – what a wonderful journey this life is!

https://8feetsandheartbeats.com.au/life-like/