Ubud, Bali

2 hours after leaving Candidasa with my chatty driver 'Sumadi', I arrived at my retreat just outside the busy hub of Ubud, and I knew instantly, that I had landed at a place that would hold a very special place in my heart when I looked back on this trip. We would have arrived in less time, had it not been for the two separate cremation ceremonies that were blocking traffic in town, with only the sneaky scooters able to move through at any real speed.

We were greeted at the gate by one of the lovely staff, who whisked my bags away and led me to the reception area, for a seamless induction into this magical resort with a sign near the desk that reads "Your Healing Journey Starts Here" 💕 (Oh hi honey, I'm home 😍)

My room was a delight. Clean, spacious, with a super-comfortable, HUGE bed, loads of space to spread out, and an array of the cutest little amenities at my disposal. I unpacked and wandered around the resort to get my bearings, discovering everything from a glistening blue pool, a huge yoga studio on the 3rd level, dedicated meditation and restoration spaces, a stand in the garden area where the cooking classes take place, several spa treatment rooms, and I'd hit the jackpot in terms of an on-site restaurant and coffee rest. The menu is jam-packed with the freshest, brightest, most nutritious looking dishes that are mostly vegan, with the option to add chicken, pork or seafood for those wanting a bit extra. As part of my package I get a free breakfast daily, afternoon teas, a beginners morning yoga session in the garden, and a free return shuttle that runs to and from the Ubud CBD, daily. All that for $520 NZD for 9 nights! As well as all the free goodies, they offer a vast array of spa treatments on site, a convenient washing service, free wi-fi of course and tourist activities to surely suit everyone, including various transport options to get you there. It can all be arranged with ease through reception, so you can spend your entire stay working on your zen-levels and not worrying about dealing with tour operators, or figuring out what to do with your sweaty underwear.

A little message on the bottom of the welcome letter left in my room offered a wish .. "May we all have eternal peace in our heart, mind and soul. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om", and shortly before dinner, the Guest Manager hand-delivered a letter to my room inviting me to attend a 'Blessing Kundalini Tantra Yoga Class' with Master Ketut Arsana at the Kundalini Hall on the top floor.

On my first full day here, I decided to completely unpack all my luggage, and take inventory. As I suspected, I discovered I had made a couple of very 'rookie' mistakes. Given the amount of times already, that I have had to transport my luggage from one place to the next, I realised Lesson #1 - I have too MUCH luggage. I learned this lesson the hard way when I was forced to pay an extra luggage fee at the Melbourne airport that was quite frankly, so shocking, that I can't bring myself to reveal the sum, for fear of re-living the trauma I experienced at the check in counter that day. Lesson #2 - the contents of the offending bag actually contain clothing only suited to much colder climates than anything I will possibly experience in South East Asia, or indeed any other part of the world, given that I intend to "follow the summers" as long as possible. What on earth was I thinking? Ergo, I realised a shopping trip to Ubud would be my best chance to find more suitable attire. With not much left of the afternoon after the suitcase session, lunch and some pool-time, the shopping would have to wait, so I asked the lovely ladies at the front desk to a recommend somewhere close I could visit, and they pointed me in the direction of 'The Pyramids of Chi' - pyramidsofchi.com - perfect!

I filled my days by alternating between busy-sightseeing days and restful poolside moments. The highlight of this place for me was the swing at the rice-terraces, (I highly recommend the dresses they hire, for dramatic effect in photos) - and the moment I saw the video my guide had taken of me was honestly the first time I had felt beautiful in a very long time. I was momentarily overcome and my eyes welled with happy tears. I was coming back to me 🌼

As well as the Rice Terraces and the Pyramids of Chi, other stops included the Monkey Forest, the Elephant Caves, the Coffee Plantation, the Ubud Palace, the Holy Spring Temple, Tegenungan Waterfall, the Cafe Lotus and Saraswati Temple, the shopping in the main streets and glorious little side lanes of Ubud City Centre, and not to be outdone - the most magical dinner at Merlins Restaurant. Merlin's Magic | Wisdom & Science of Magic (merlins-magic.com)

It was a great start to my stay in Ubud, and over the 9 days here I have really settled into my journey as a solo traveler. I nourished by body with the most nutricious dishes, I feel physical stronger after daily workouts just utilising the most basic 'gym' available - LOTS OF STAIRS! I cleared my mind in the peace and tranquility of the resort set in the rice-fields, and my soul rejoiced in the beauty and history of this earthly place. It was so many parts of Bali all rolled into one place, and although I was sad to leave, I was happy I had been. I'll let my pictures to the rest of the talking.

Thank you to the beautiful team at Om Ham Retreat for making me feel like part of your family for 9 days 🙏 Om Ham Retreat & Resort – Ubud – Bali

Ubud eats ..

On site at Om Ham ..

Unstoppable Ubud ..