Laura’s Blog

What I Know

“In the past, memoir was the country of old people, looking back, a reminiscence. But now people are disclosing their lives in their twenties, writing their first memoir in their thirties, and their second in their forties. This revolution in personal narrative that has unrolled across the American landscape in the last two and a […]

What I Know Read More »

Girls in waiting. Photo by Laura Davis.

The Final Performance

August 26, 2025 Our final night in Bali, we gathered for a performance of music and dance from the village of Munduk. Their gamelan orchestra is one of the best on the island. And it was wonderful to experience an intimate show in a small hall where the dancers and musicians were right in front

The Final Performance Read More »

Arrivals and Departures

“All great literature is one of two stories; a man [or woman] goes on a journey or a stranger comes to town.” ― Leo Tolstoy Free write for ten minutes about each of these scenarios. Then turn one―or both―into a more developed piece. 

Arrivals and Departures Read More »

Morning blessing. Photo by Nancy Kramer.

Since I’ve Come to Bali

In our final writing class, I had people review their time in Bali by having them respond to this series of sentence stems for three minutes each: Since I’ve come to Bali, I did this to enable everyone to review and remember the sensory details of this land and personal peak experiences they’d had over

Since I’ve Come to Bali Read More »

It’s All About the Dance

August 24, 2025 One of the things I love most about Puri Lumbung, our final hotel in Munduk, Bali is that it’s not just a hotel for guests. It’s all a place the community uses, too: they grow and harvest rice here, and it’s the where dance classes are held for the local children. I

It’s All About the Dance Read More »

Photo by Joan Rita Rippe

The Free Day

August 18, 2025 Joanie had quite a shock when she went down for breakfast today at our hotel. As soon as she was served, this fellow swooped over like he owned the place and stole her breakfast, not once but twice: In response to the monkey’s incursions, this Balinese man took up arms to scare

The Free Day Read More »

Purification in a Holy Spring

For me, one of the highlights of this trip to Bali is the purification ritual we do in the fresh spring waters of Pura Mengening (pure water) Temple. This temple has been used for purification by the Balinese since the 11th century. For starters, the setting is spectacular. We left our hotel early and drove

Purification in a Holy Spring Read More »

Putu’s Impossible Dream

August 15, 2025 I posted this story in last year’s Virtual Vacation blog. I hope you enjoy this inspiring story. Today we left our beautiful, peaceful resort on the shores of the Indian Ocean and drove to Ubud for the middle section of our trip, which focuses on seeing local healers, experiencing traditional purification rituals,

Putu’s Impossible Dream Read More »

Scroll to Top