this is probably my first compulsive trip in my twenties (that I believe will be happening more often in the future). I began this month with a spontaneous trip to Ubud, Bali, where I attended my first Ubud Writers and Reader Festival. I stayed for 4 nights with a friend of mine from Surabaya, who I just met once before, and a girl I met right at my lodge's front door. to be exact, a bunch of strangers. the people stayed next door are volunters to the event, a freelance photographer lady and an out of closet gay. my life was never been so exciting before this. my first thought was "awesome. just exactly what i need in my so flat and ordinary life, a little twist". they are all really really nice. I mean, I always remember what people say about talking to stranger and stuffs but there I was living with them for almost a week. I got out alive.
Ubud is a nice place for a gateway from crowded city like Surabaya. it has calm atmosphere whenever you go, even though the village had been swarmed by foreigners because of Saraswati day on Saturday. it's like a implicite competition amongs locals, cafes, restos, lodges, guesthouses, hotels, yoga studios, everything conspire to make a peaceful and relax mood for the visitors which felt so good I got syndrome oh-Iam-so-not-leaving-this-place-forever. I've never been to a place where i feel so relax and carefree and welcomed as much as Ubud did to me. everyday when I woke up and steped out of my room I was facing a little forest, birds tweeting, bugs cricking even the sun felt different on my skin. it was a laidback life there where we spent like hours chit chatting during breakfast before we headed to the event's venue. I spent my time walking around the neighbourhood (which iam not able to do at Surabaya) admiring a lot of interesting places like galleries and puras and cute cafes. life at Ubud is rush-free, take your time, as much as you need, time will be waiting for you.
the only thing I couldnt handle was the expensive food. I went to Ubud without much preparation and a budget ofcourse. it's so hard to find a nice restos that meal costs below $5. thank God for convinience store that kept me alive and well fed though I had to cheat on my diet.
talk about the festival I attended, it was really really an amazing opportunity to be there joining discussion after discussion, screenings, poetry show downs, everything i've always wanted to be involved in but never had the chances to. I feel so blessed and happy to be there. it was like a geek's heaven where everyone loves Jane Austen and gets excited smelling the paper of new book and no one is laughing at you just because you get carried away by a story. they all are my kind. I felt like coming home haha. I dont have much to say cause it's so amazing you should experience it yourself. I'll definetely come back next year, probably as a volunteer. cant wait to meet friends I made during the festival again, they are all beyond nice and fun. until next time xx
