Indonesia - Ubud & Surrounding Villages

 After Uluwatu, we headed to Ubud but this was not without a little accident...

our driver hit a scooter as we pulled out of our Uluwatu hotel. 

Thankfully, she was ok but pretty shaken up. 

Ubud was a busy little village full of arts, culture and monkeys! 

We stayed just a few minutes away from the Monkey Forest 
and it was our first stop.

SO fun and well worth the visit. 

The monkeys were crazy! 

(has to be insanely unhealthy for them but they were brave little guys.)

We had great food while there - including dinner at the famous Dirty Duck. 

...crispy duck was out of this world 
and had our own little "cabana" overlooking the rice paddies.

Ubud is also home of the cheapest massages - ever.

And I had two (total price $25.00). 

We only spent two days in the Ubud area and since it feels like the cultural hub,

we took full advantage of the cheap personal drivers ($35 for an entire day).

In our whirlwind trip, we stopped by the coffee growers and learned about the still

very handmade way of harvesting and making ground coffee.

They are also known for their Kopi Luwak.

(little animal that eats only the very best beans and poops them out!) 

Amazing tour and even better free tasting - we came home with a few treats!

This was followed by stops in the silver village and the woodworking village.

I was in heaven in the wood village - interior designer's dreamland.

Next visit, I'll look into shipping because I fell in love with a number of pieces.

Most specifically a headboard that I'm still dreaming about.

The temples in the area were out of this world.

Elephant Cave (Goa Gajah)

Holy Spring Water Temple (Istana Tampak Siring)

We also had lunch overlooking rice paddy fields before 

heading to the Tegallalang Rice Terrace.

Of course, it had to start pouring as we arrived down this windy, hilly road

but wow... amazing sight to see.

Before our day ended, we packed in a traditional Balinese dance performance.

 

The entire time in Ubud was an experience of its own. 

It's a busy little village full of earthy, yoga-loving men and women.

(mainly single women in search of "Eat Pray Love" - where it was based/filmed)

This was the most cultural bit of our time in Bali.

We explored the villages, while taking back roads to each place.

But the main centre of Ubud was busy... busier than I expected.

But, truly amazing.

Next up was Keramas, Gili Air and Nusa Lembongan...

xx

the mcgees 

Indonesia - Bukit Peninsula

Uluwatu was our first stop after 18+ hours of travel.

We arrived after an easy Singapore Air flight and definitely felt confused...
day? night? coffee? beer? breakfast? dinner? sleep? explore?
We've never travelled that far
but after a few days, we settled into the crazy 8hr time difference.

Uluwatu (and the Bukit Peninsula) was beyond beautiful.
We are lucky enough to have a friend who lives in Uluwatu...
Curtis showed us around... the beaches, breaks and restaurants.

Ian surfed and I relaxed.
Clearly, we've turned into Brits... FRIED on our first day - especially Ian.
(he peeled like a lizard and we felt like amateurs!)
Soon after, we were back to our FL selves and could handle the sun (and heat)!

Uluwatu is filled with expats (and longterm visitors) who love to surf.
(including Curtis who started Project Clean Uluwatu... 
a rubbish & recycling nonprofit w/ the most amazing office view!!)

There are a number of good breaks in the area
and the cove beach was a fave of mine.

We did rent a scooter - sketchy - but we survived (and explored)!

Uluwatu Temple was beautiful...
set up on the cliff overlooking the water.
Ian surfed below with Curtis and said it was really an amazing sight.

Our first impressions of Bali were...
incredibly kind people.
cheap... seriously cheap.
beautiful beaches and architecture.
absolutely everything is up for negotiation.
hot and humid... seriously hot and humid.
great food with lots of rice.
oh and did I mention... cheap... and hot and humid?

Our Bali adventure started and we were already loving every minute... 

Our expectations were met and exceeded... and this was just our first stop.

(and happened to be our last!)

Thank you Curtis for showing us around and giving us the local tips 

(including your 1/3 rule of bargaining)!

We miss you.

The first on many Indo posts... do check back soon for more.

xx

the mcgees

Paris for a weekend...

Thank goodness for the Eurostar (and working next door)

because it makes Paris a super easy weekend getaway. 

Ellie and I jumped on the train around lunchtime on a Friday

and enjoyed two full days walking around this beautiful city.

And when I say walking, I mean walking and walking and walking...

We also ate amazing food at The Kong

and at a family restaurant in the 3rd.

And let's not forget the pastries... and the chocolate... and the wine.

People watching and fashion is always the best in Paris

and we were there during Fashion Week.

Lots of paps, beautiful people and black.

So thankful to have met Ellie

and we had a blast in Paris (along with tired feet)!

xx

smm

Year Anniversary: London

One year ago, we stepped foot in the UK to make it our new home.

It’s been a year full of excitement, adventure and patience.

We took a huge risk by following my job

…while Ian quit his…

and things have fallen into place better than we could have ever anticipated.

It was meant to be – truly it was.

I couldn’t be happier at UCL – endless opportunities.

Raising money for such a brilliant institution makes it that much more enjoyable.

Ian landed a job with Moet Hennessy UK about two months after we got here.

(super rare and super lucky)

 Not only did he get a job, but he got the job he wanted

with the company that he always wanted to stay with.

We’ve traveled often

and have had the most incredible opportunities thanks to MHUK.

We’ve met new friends, while missing our forever friends.

We’ve missed weddings, births, birthdays and parties galore

…which has been really tough...

We don’t like missing things but have realised that we’ll always miss things

and this is the trade-off to living abroad.

incredible experiences | missing important moments in people’s lives

Our families and friends have been encouraging, supportive and forever loving.

They’ve made the time difference a non-issue and

they’ve worked hard to make us feel part of things – even from afar.

For those of you who are reading this,

you know who you are and we cannot thank you enough.

You’re amazing (and so is FT and Viber)!!

Visitors have been here every few months too and

it’s been wonderful to share our new life and new city with them.

We sure are lucky to live in an amazing place like London

because people don’t mind coming to visit us or

stop by before heading off to Europe – or vice versa.

First Year of Visitors:

Steve | Sandy |Tom & JL | Hallie & Katie | Lianne & Ross | Our Moms

First Year of Travel:

Frankfurt & Rhine Valley | Dublin & Northern Ireland | 
Cadaques, Barcelona & Girona
Fuerteventura | Oslo | Cambridge, Stonehenge, Cotswolds + more

(Ian: Paris & Champagne | Scotland)

First Year London Highlights:

Queen’s Coronation Gala

Olympic Park Music Festival

Meantime Brewery

ATP

Book of Mormon

Ice Skating

Borough Market

…the list was endless but had to pick a few tops…

first picture of us in front of our new home

meantime brewery day w/ sandy

olympic park festival w/ mumford & sons

queen's garden

monster german beer

cadaques sunshine

northern ireland - amazingly beautiful & fun trip w/ the loehrs

poppin' bottles w/ hallie

new friends & fun - ice skating in somerset house

fuerteventura wave checks for christmas

whirlwind trip around uk - stonehenge

nye w/ family

celebrating one-year in london - duck & waffle

 Ian and I make a great team

and we’re taking full advantage of what comes our way...

I’m a planner and have found that living in the “now” works

 ...just take a bit of getting used too...

Year two will be full of fun and excitement and has already started off with

Ian’s surf trip to Morocco and my girls weekend in Paris.

And next week, we’re off to BALI for two weeks.

(now that’s a first – two weeks off of work... another UK perk!)

Can’t wait to share those with you soon.

xx
the mcgees