Our day Wednesday began early – and not a 7am kind of early. By 2am, everyone was up and (almost) out the front gate of Green Lion. Despite the chilly night air and the lack of sleep, we all piled into the waiting van eager to get started with today’s first adventure: the famed Mt. Batur sunrise hike. After about an hour of driving through deserted villages and empty rice fields, we reached our first stop. Perched on a hill side, a small shop served as our base camp as we sat together and had tea, coffee, and fried bananas for breakfast. We then got back into the van and drove to the start of the hike. There, we met our three guides, passed out flashlights for everyone, and started the climb.
Despite the early hour and cold weather, we were far from alone on the mountain. As we climbed, a trail of flashlights bobbed up and down after us in a single file, almost like we were being followed by a giant scintillating snake. To our collective surprise, we reached the top a lot faster than expected. While we’d like to attribute this to our superior athletic abilities, the total elevation change was only about 1,200 feet and the trail fairly straightforward. Still, we were happy to settle down at the top with our breakfast boxes while we waited for the sunrise. The lack of cover gave way to frequent gusts of cold wind mixed with dust and we were all anxious to feel the warmth of the sun’s first rays. Bit by bit, one of the most amazing sunrises any of us had seen unfolded before us. Clouds rolled through the valley and over us as the sky brightened with red and orange hues, until finally the sun shot up over the horizon right in front of our eyes. I think it’s fair to say that this unforgettable sight made the early awakening completely worth it for everyone.
After plenty of pictures, including some selfies with local monkeys suddenly interested in the bananas we had been given for breakfast, we started heading down. Along the way, we walked along the edge of the crater and got to feel the warm steam rising up through natural volcanic vents. We made good time on the way down and were back at Green Lion before 10am.
While the bravest members of the group set out for breakfast, the rest of us caught up on sleep before regrouping for lunch. Refueled and somewhat re-energized, we set out for the Ubud market. After checking out a multitude of little shops and stocking up on souvenirs, we headed away from the market and towards The Yoga Barn. Somehow, we’d all decided that the best way to work off the hike was to participate in a 1.5-hour collective yoga lesson. But in all fairness, the unique setting and theme of the lesson (which involved chanting) only made the experience more interesting and fun!
By this point, all of us were looking forward to the next activity we had in mind: massages! Since massage parlors and spas are everywhere in Ubud, it wasn’t too difficult to find a place. We split into two groups and all enjoyed a well-deserved Balinese massage as night fell over the island. Finally, we closed out our day with dinner at Clear Café, a vegetarian cafe with a menu and decor centered around healthy food options and ingredients. Beyond satisfied, we settled into our beds at Green Lion in preparation for Thursday’s volunteering. Talk about a day in paradise!
EGL Family Abroad 