Ubud - Bali Part II

We did a couple of half day tours whilst in Bali to get a feel of the island.

Ubud was our first stop.  A small town in the centre of Bali, it exudes a sense of calm and magic as soon as you set foot on the ground.  We parked outside the Monkey Forest and gave that a wide berth.  Monkeys don't particularly excite me and I've heard they're cheeky opportunistic buggers that will steal anything they can get their puny little hands on.  The thought of rabies also puts me off tenfold.

Off we trotted up and down the hilly main stretch, cruising quickly past the tacky souvenir shops with "I ♥ Bali" shirts and wooden penis bottle openers (ugh!) and taking our time to inspect the local handicrafts.  Our time was limited but we managed to fit in a bit of shopping, a bit of local cuisine and a touch of sticky beaking down the alley ways and in to gorgeous, posh looking villas.

After leaving, I immediately got the feeling that we hadn't even scratched the surface of the beauty of Ubud and it's surrounds.  The drive there (just over an hour from Seminyak) was picturesque and amusing.  Bali drivers and traffic are hilarious but that's a post for another time :)  

I can't wait to go back.  Next time I think it will be a great idea to go with some other families and rent a large villa.  Ubud will be our base to explore the magnificence that is Bali.