August 2, 2025
I landed in Candidasa, Bali last night and am spending my first two nights at The Lotus Bungalows, a place I’m very familiar with. It’s the first hotel my writers will stay in when they fly in nine days from now.
I decided to stay here my first two nights to get my bearings before heading out for my adventure in Sideman.
I managed to sleep through the night with the help of an Ativan at 2:00 AM. After a breakfast of a banana/ginger/cinnamon pancake with fresh pineapple and papaya jam and fresh watermelon juice, I met Toto in front of my hotel.
Toto is a trekking/hiking/adventure guide I’ve enjoyed on prior trips to Bali. I texted him on WhatsApp before I arrived and arranged for us to meet today. I said, “Bring an extra helmet,” so he’d know that whatever we did, it was going to be on his scooter.
I asked him to drive us to one of my favorite places in Eastern Bali: the Bugbug rice field. Bugbug is the name of the village and hiking through rice fields is one of the things I love best. I figured a day hiking in bright daylight was the best way to acclimate to the 15 hour time difference.
What I enjoyed the most today: the warm, humid air with a cool breeze, the sound of ducks, dogs, monkeys, and birds we don’t have at home. Remembering how to say, “Terima Kasih” (thank you) and “Selamat Pagi” (good morning). Those phrases just rolled out of long-term storage and off my tongue when needed. It made me feel at home.
Toto and trekked over ten kilometers today, with a lot of ups and downs, and one rather messy water crossing.
Here’s some of what we saw:
