Singapore - Gardens by the Bay

Flew from the lush jungle of Bali to the concrete jungle of Singapore today. Early start so all a bit weary when we headed to visit the Gardens by the Bay — a new addition to the Marina Bay area of the city which wasn't there when we last visited. It was interesting to see but the Singapore highlight for the kids was definatley the food! Found a great restaurant (Edge), buffet style, where a range of superb Asia food — Indian, Malay, Japanese, Korean, Chinese etc. etc — could be sampled.

The Skypark at Marina Bay.
There's a pool up there!

Padi fields

Our rice-loving Ili in the padi fields of Bali around Ubud and Bea snapping pictures of the Egrets.

Going Balinese-y

Loving Bali, and sad to be moving on although I did read a nice proverb today "life is like a bicycle, you have to keep moving to maintain your balance"!  Another day of relax, work, swim, relax, work, swim. Believe if or not, the children are keeping up with their school work nicely here.

Macaques at the Sacred Monkey Forest

It's very touristy, and the monkeys are extremely crafty (saw several rucksacks pillaged, and apparently they've been known to take mobiles in exchange for food), but we had to visit the Sacred Monkey Forest while in Ubud. Our local favourite eatery is just opposite the Monkey Forest so we see monkey's aplenty in the evenings too. The kiddies love watching their mischievous behaviour.

Plant life

The gardens here are sublimely beautiful, and although we really should go out and explore the area it is difficult to move from here. Some pics today of around the gardens. Had a swim, chill, and schoolwork day.

Bea at breakfast. Nice hat. 

Frangipani over the pool. 

Orchids in the trees. 

Homework on the veranda. 

A gem in Ubud, Bali

We're surrounded by forests, the deafening noise of insects, butterflies as big as small birds, orchids in the trees, lizards, rivers and more sweet smelling frangipani trees. Heavenly. This is Balinese elegance and not roughing it through Indonesia — our roughing it time will come I'm sure. But for now, we'll enjoy life here.

Back to Bali

Packing and moving on today and back to Bali — this time to Ubud. Frith and I came here twenty years ago and it still has the reputation for being the centre of Indonesian arts, crafts, healthy living and of course, yoga. After a day of waiting for horse and cart, small boats, ferry boats, and taxis we arrived at our digs for the next four nights. A totally beautiful villa complex just outside Ubud and overlooking the river. We have to keep reminding the children that this is NOT roughing it. It will not be this luxurious when we move to Borneo . . . 

The shuttle boat to the ferry boat. Bea is on the boat (left).

A "canang sari" or offering to the Hindu Gods, as the ferry makes it
across the Balinese seas to Bali (comforting). 

Hot little travellers.