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27d • BEDFORD TO BALI
DAY SEVEN IN BEAUTIFUL BALI
THE DAY JUST KEPT UNFOLDING.
Day seven, and what a day. Like, as the days go on, things are just becoming more and more epic.
I got up and did some yin yoga this morning with sound bowls, which was just absolutely phenomenal. It was such a gentle, grounding way to start the day, and my body really needed that after everything it’s been through.
After yoga, we had breakfast.
CHOOSING WHAT FELT RIGHT.
After breakfast, everyone got ready to go to the monkey forest, but I decided that I wasn’t going to go. I didn’t want to feel anxious being around the monkeys today. After that first day where one was aggressive towards me, I just knew in my body that I wasn’t feeling it.
I also needed to get my foot sorted because after yesterday’s time in the water, the blister was full of dirt and really needed to be opened and cleaned properly so it didn’t get infected.
So that’s what I did.
I sat with one of the staff from ARC, which is where we’re having the retreat, and she very kindly cut the blister open and cleaned all the dirt out. It took about 45 minutes because there was quite a bit of dirt in there and she was being really meticulous. She used alcohol cleaning spray and iodine to make sure the wound was properly clean and then dressed it.
After that, I sorted my washing to take to the laundrette and headed off for a massage.
THE MASSAGE (AGAIN, NEEDED).
I went for a 90-minute Balinese massage, which was just divine in every sense of the word. It really was amazing.
As I’m sitting here writing this, Leo, one of the cats at the retreat, has decided to get into one of my bags and is rustling around in there. Anyway… back to it.
I fell asleep for part of the massage, which was just lovely and very much needed.
Afterwards, I headed back to the retreat centre and just mooched around for a bit, enjoying the peace and quiet while everyone else was out for the day.
A SHIFT I DIDN’T EXPECT.
Then I got on the back of a bike and headed into the centre to a restaurant called Merlin’s.
Before we even got there, something really important happened. For the first time since being in Bali, I actually felt comfortable getting on the back of the bike. I wasn’t gripping onto the driver’s waist, I had my hands on the handles at the back, and I just chilled and enjoyed the ride. That felt huge.
Merlin’s was out of this world. It’s a really beautiful restaurant with an incredible ethos. The atmosphere, the décor, everything about it was amazing.
TAROT, FOOD, AND SPOT-ON MOMENTS.
I chose the tarot card option for the meal. You pick three tarot cards and each card links to a specific dish on the menu.
The cards were ridiculously spot on for me as a reading. The starter was perfect, exactly something I would eat. The main unfortunately wasn’t, but they were more than happy to change it. The dessert, again, was spot on.
I had a drink called Wuthering Heights, which was non-alcoholic and had fresh rosemary, fresh berries, and other bits in it that I can’t even remember, but it was really, really nice.
The food itself was phenomenal. I’ll share pictures with the post, but honestly, the whole experience was just beautiful and I’m really glad I did it.
SOUND HEALING AND SURRENDER.
After that, myself and two of the ladies I’m here with went for a walk into the centre, had a look around the market, and did a bit of touristy wandering.
Then we jumped on bikes again and headed to the Pyramids of Chi for a sound healing session.
It was divine in every sense of the word.
You go into these incredible pyramid structures filled with gongs and crystal bowls, and an hour of sound healing is equivalent to about four hours of deep sleep. I fell asleep a few times and started snoring, so they had to gently wake me up so I didn’t disturb anyone else. They did warn us this might happen, but I still felt a bit embarrassed snoring in a room of about fifty people.
But it is what it is.
UBUD AT NIGHT.
After that, we went back into Ubud and had a wander around at night, which I hadn’t experienced yet. We found a lovely little warung, where locals eat rather than tourists. The food in places like that is always incredible.
I didn’t eat because I was still full from Merlin’s, but I had a coconut. I called Lily, checked in with her, and she was happy because she’d managed to sort music on her phone. I also spoke briefly to one of my granddaughters and my adult daughter. It was a short call, but it was enough.
We wandered a bit more with no real destination in mind, just taking the town in.
CONFIDENCE I DIDN’T SEE COMING.
We ordered bikes to get back, and again, I got on the back with no anxiety, calm and happy, holding onto the handles.
When we got back, some of the girls were in the bar we’d been at the night before. One of them walked back with us, and we caught up with one of the ladies running the retreat.
I then came up to do a little bit of work. I haven’t done as much work as I originally thought I would while I’m here, but I also really wanted to immerse myself fully in the retreat experience. And I’m actually okay with that.
WINDING DOWN (WITH A CAT).
The lady I’m sharing a room with came in afterwards, and Leo the retreat cat decided he wanted to join us. He wandered in like he owned the place, jumped on my roommate’s bed, ripped up one of my paper bags because… well, he’s a cat, and then tried to get into the bathroom while she was showering.
Eventually, I let him out.
I’m covered in bites that are blistering and swelling, but honestly, it’s part of the Bali experience and I’m loving it.
This island is full of beauty, culture, and the Balinese people are just so kind. Always smiling, always saying hello, and the gratitude here is unreal.
For me, it’s phenomenal. I absolutely love it. And I’ve got to say, I’m even enjoying the heat.
Signing out for today, and I’ll fill you in on what happens tomorrow. 💗
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DAY SEVEN IN BEAUTIFUL BALI
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Documenting my journey: real, raw life as a neurodiverse mum. First solo trip to Bali 🏝️
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