The Virtual Vacation

I saw rice grains hanging from a rose apple tree. I asked Surya, “Is it a rice offering?” He said, “No, it means, ‘This is our fruit. Don’t pick it.” Keep out, Balinese style. The protected fruit.

Yesterday, before we left Ubud for Munduk, we rearranged our entire day’s schedule because Surya told us that there was going to be a mass cremation ceremony at the Temple in the Monkey Forest—57 people being cremated at once—and that we could walk there to witness it. I’ve done this twice before in Bali and

Arrival in Munduk in the cool mountain region of Bali. My favorite stop on our journey. Listening to a sunset talk by Surya on traditional Balinese healing and medicine while looking at this….and drinking a cold beer. Photo by Marsha Morgan. This is just a minute from my new room. Offerings to the Gods…. Sunset

After my ten days of diving while on vacation in Raja Ampat, having a scuba tank on my back 25 times, my lower back began to complain. I pretty much used mind over matter to ignore it while I was diving and with my kids, but by the time I got to Bali, I couldn’t

One of the favorite assignments I give my writing students requires a bit of sacrifice: waking up at 4:30 in the morning, meeting at 5:00 and walking down Monkey Forest Road, one long city block to the morning market. In the early morning, starting at 4, this market is where the local women come to

#1 Ubud, Bali #2 Ubud, Bali

When we got to Ubud today, I walked everyone into our new hotel, turned right around back out onto the crazy streets of Ubud, and one of our drivers, Budi, was waiting for me. Judy, who arranged our tour, had arranged for Budi to take me to the leather jacket store. I could have walked,

Pendet Dance – Ubud, Bali Baris Dance – Ubud, Bali

Photo by Marsha Morgan

You never know where our guide, Surya, will take us. Today, on a three-mile hike through the rice fields of Bugbug Village, we happened upon a little table covered with a dozen implements with wooden handles, the top part wrapped in newspaper and twine. What were they and why were they here? It ends up

Deep observation is an important part of the writer’s craft. If you can really notice the details and what you are seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, listening to, you can make your writing vivid and alive. Today’s exercise is one I repeat on every Write, Travel, Transform workshop: the 12-inch exercise. Each writer goes out to

Today we hiked three miles to Tenganan Village, one of the most ancient villages in Bali—dating back to the 7th century—and also one of the wealthiest. Tenganan is a village enclosed by four walls and four gates and its residents are not allowed to intermarry outside the village. Tenganan is primarily know for two things:

Here’s a little photo essay of our three/mile hike today to Tenganan Village. On the way we saw people repairing motorcycles by the side of the road, selling eggs, doing daily commerce. We heard endless roosters, barking packs of Bali dogs, scooter horns. We saw scooters carrying whole families, the mother driving, a barefoot older