*Getting there: Many flight options are available, cheaper options *possible with airlines like Air Asia. Flying domestic in Indonesia is *also cheap with airlines like Lion Air (Bali-Lombok about *20Euros). Ferries between islands also possible.

*Getting around: On the island of Lombok no public bus network exists. Uber or Grab also non-existent. Motorcycle rent is most common. Otherwise private taxi.

In Bali, shared mini-van transportation possible. Uber, Grab and other service providers are forbidden. No public transport available from airport. Motorcycle rent is most common.

*Money: Visa/MasterCard accepted in most major establishments (upon addition of about 2-3% card charges). ATMs do not charge a fee for withdrawing cash.

*Language: English widely spoken.

*See: In Lombok; Relatively less touristic beaches, suitable for swimming, surfing, stand up paddling, wake boarding. Mt.Rinjani and surroundings which include waterfalls, rice fields, jungle treks, monkey forest. In Bali; Temples and local culture. More touristic beaches (Tourist infrastructure is more developed). Mt.Agung, Kintamani suitable for treks.

*Tips: Taking the ferry from Kuta,Lombok to Ubud,Bali is cheaper (about 13Eur) compared to flying (20Eur for flight+taxi). Look for a private shuttle bus to the airport (costs less than private taxi). Ubud is very crowded, so people looking to escape the city crowd should consider booking an accommodation outside the city. Experience local culture by taking courses like cooking, herbal therapy and so on. Renting a motorcycle is the best way to get around. Before booking any sort of service, please make sure the prices are very clear before hand! Be prepared to be bombarded by sales pitch of bracelets and Sarong in Lombok (all the time ..mostly)!

We arrive in Lombok on a rainy day and the rains continue the next day. So on our way to look at the coconut oil extraction process, our guide shows us the local ‘banana leaf umbrella’. I cant vouch for the effectiveness but it looks exotic.

A note about booking extra activities: always agree on a price before hand, this avoids unnecessary discussions later on.

The traditional process involves dehusking a mature coconut, removing the shell, extracting the coconut milk and boiling the milk to separate the oil. So its not the cold press method. One can differentiate the cold press and heat extraction method by looking at the colour of the oil. Cold press oil is clear oil and the heat extraction oil has a brownish tinge to it. The smell is also stronger with the oil prepared by heat extraction. One of the great by products of the heat extraction method, is a crumbly substance at the end of the process which is used to prepare a dish pronounced as Olah-Olah. It is similar to Gado-Gado but is much more rich in fat.

We stayed in a village near Tetebatu. The village is quite close to Mt.Rinjani and one can trek up to the volcanic crater lake. Its a 2 day activity. But if you climb to the peak then an approach from the north side is necessary. The surrounding areas around the village is dotted with rice and farm land. This area is not altered by tourism yet. Other activities include waterfall treks, jungle treks and other nature activities.

The next destination was Kuta, Lombok (not to be mistaken with Kuta,Bali). It is on the south coast of Lombok and is mainly about the beautiful beaches around.

The atmosphere is very laid back, even the cats and dogs seem to agree

Plenty of ‘activities’ to do. One can visit the many beaches in Lombok (entry fee of 10000 IDR sometimes). Do some water sports like surfing, stand up paddling, rent a motorcycle and just drive along the coast. Or just grab a coconut or a pineapple and just lounge by the beach or take a ride on one of the many swings on the beach. Talk to the friendly locals (even if they are selling Sarong and bracelets).

We next arrive in Ubud, Bali. We choose Ubud to avoid the over touristic southern Bali. Ubud is also very touristic and one should look to book an accommodation outside of the city, to get away from the traffic. Ubud invites the guests into an atmosphere of culture, spirituality and hospitality. We arrive at a time of a major Balinese ceremony and the streets are adorned with bamboo sticks with offerings at the end (called penjors). The locals visiting the temples are dressed in traditional attire along with offerings. In our homestay offerings are prepared daily to be presented at the temple present in each and every home.

We have lunch at a place called Faire Warung, which is a not for profit establishment. The profits from the restaurant go to provide free healthcare to poor people in need.

For a post lunch stroll we walk around Ubud palace, which also a performance place for many cultural exhibitions like dances and musical performances.

We stumble upon the lotus pond temple. The small pond in front has an abundance of blooming lotus which is a perfect escape from the traffic choked streets which leads to it.

One more stumbling incident, taking a short detour and following a sign that said something like ‘rice fields this way’. At the end of the trail about 400m the landscape opens out to endless rice fields, the contrast cant be bigger from traffic clogged streets to the serene lush green rice fields. Here have a look!

The abundance of water means that rice is harvested about 3 times in a year. A blessing indeed! Each rice field has an offering place for the gods

Amongst the many local experiences one can have, cooking class is one of them. We enroll for a half day vegetarian cooking class. As preparation for the ingredients we visit the bustling local market. There are a lot of fresh produce and a lot of activity, people stocking for a tasty meal at home, perhaps?

Dont miss the red hot chilies!

Even in the midst of all bustle, the vendors carry everything on their heads (for example tables and goods!)

We then head to the cooking place, located in the midst of rice fields.

We are offered a welcome drink and then taught to make our own offering basket from coconut leaves. The offering is prepared daily. There are three leaf components representing the Hindu trinity. The offering is a daily part of their lives.

We then head to the cooking area. The basic ingredients are introduced, they include different types ginger, nuts, onion, chili among other spices.

The basic sauce is pronounce boom-boom bali.

We also prepare gado-gado sauce (peanuts)

The basic sauce is used to coat precooked tofu and tempe cubes which are grilled over charcoal. Yummy!!

We then take turns preparing various dishes which include the soups, grilled tempe sticks, fried tempe, rice, gado-gado sauce, pancakes stuffed with coconut shreddings and jaggery.

That was indeed a feast!

So what comes after Eat? Pray, of course! Cant ignore Hollywood wisdom. We make our own little pilgrimage to the temples around Ubud on a motorcycle.

We first visit the holy spring temple, with water gushing out from a spring in the temple premises. The pilgrims take a purifying dip in the pond before offering prayers. All visitors are required to wear a Sarong before entering the temple. This is provided at the entrance after a voluntary donation.

The inner temple courtyard is reserved only for people offering prayers.

The temple complex is very inviting and peaceful.

We proceed along mountains roads to the Besakih temple. It is situated at the foot of Mt.Agung. It is amongst the oldest temples in Bali. It consists of complex of about 12 temples, each temple dedicated to different gods of the Hindu trinity and representing the 12 odd main clans of Bali. The whole temple complex is adorned with 4 main colours: black, yellow, white and red for the Hindu trinity (Brahma gets two colours, so it adds up) and for water, air and fire.

The Besakih temple is the main temple for the Balinese Hindus, which also means that it is crowded by pilgrims and tourists alike.

Like the rice field walk, the Campuhan ridge walk is a welcome break from the city and the traffic. Its an excellent stretch for a stroll early morning or in the evening. Surrounded by green vegetation, it is easy to feel and follow the rhythm of the gentle breeze.

On the last day we catch up Kechak fire and trance dance. Part of the performance is about Hindu mythological story of Ramayana. Followed by a trance dance. The narration of Ramayana is slightly different from Indian Hindu mythological narration. The stories incorporate local culture and mythological characters that pre-date Hinduism in Bali. The performance stage are scattered through the town and is run by the locals.

Its followed by a fire trance dance. Some coconuts husks are placed in the middle of the stage and set fire. Then comes a performer in a horse costume and stamps out flame. He later proceeds to kick the glowing embers into the audience. Leaving a trail of audience who gasp in disbelief, craziness of a trance!

With this we end the trip that has spanned over Europe and traversed much of Asia. The many encounters with people of different culture revealed more similarities among people of different countries than differences. Observing the daily life of people from all walks of life, all ages, all social situations only helps to broaden ones horizons. This removes many barriers which limit us in many senses. Truly a priceless journey and invaluable experiences.

Asia much? Hmm .. not enough.

Terimakasi and Selamat Tinggal Bali!