Sophia and Bensen and Angus, oh my!

Since our departure from Green Camp, our adventures in the “land of mopeds” have led us on a journey through the head-splitting heat of the rice terraces, a vicious hunt for snacks through the winding rows of an authentic supermarket, and a trip to the house of our gracious host, Chatra. At our new accommodation in central Ubud, we are grateful to have access to luxuries such as air conditioning and non-compost toilets——truly a stink-free environment in more ways than one. Today, we spent a wonderful afternoon learning from Chatra’s family members how to make canang sari offerings in his traditional Balinese home. Congregating in the open pavilion of his housing complex, we upgraded our bamboo leaf folding capabilities from a simple square to a flower shape, resulting in a few small cuts and some bruised egos. Nevertheless, as we continue to explore the cultural and social landscapes of our surroundings through activities such as Batik and another exhilarating scavenger hunt in Ubud, we are grateful we can experience the richness of Bali together.   — Sophia

 

Booyah! Bali! The green camp was amazing! State of the art compost toilets, sustainable open air bamboo abodes, and a plethora of other amenities that made leaving so so hard :( Alas, we traveled back to society, and air conditioners, and convenience stores, and restaurants, and less mosquitoes… As we reacclimatized into our sad boring non-sustainable ways, we suffered through an outrageous feast at “Green Ubud”, not to be confused with the camp. Bohemian Burgers, Flamboyant Fish and Chips, Succulent ‘Sushi’, Hectic Hawaiian Pizza, Crinkly Crispy Duck, and Flavorful Fruit Ice Desserts, were just some of the food we demolished on our first dinner away from the sustainable non-waste mantra we learned at Green Camp. And by ‘we’, I mean me and Mr. Madden. Those Compost toilets could never handle the consequences of green Ubud. Super Excited for the rest of the trip though! Bye:). - Bensen

 

Green Camp proposed a very “might as well try mentality”, and after four days participating in their tightly scheduled routine of opportunities and events, everyone is able to walk away with a few more stories. Since leaving, settling into our new places has come with far less mosquitos and a less “arid” room; yet, everyone has brought back a greater understanding and knowledge for the systematic way of life in Bali. Walking around the streets of Ubud, it is easier to see a pattern of social and cultural  tendencies. The food and welcoming nature of the people alone is something that everyone consistently bring up. Our days seem a little more relaxed, but we still have a plethora of activities, which is especially easy when our trip is so well planned to hop from place to place with all of our food and travel already taken care of. We have since visited waterfalls, temples, and local houses, and we have many more activities to look forward to.   — Angus

 

More to come!