We got back from our family holiday to the Tweed/Gold Coast, the next morning my husband got onto another plane and headed interstate for work, then a day after he arrived back home I got onto a plane and headed to a far more exciting place than work – I headed to Bali!  And yes, I headed to Bali on my own, leaving my daughters and husband behind.

I had a wonderful flight over.  Everything went incredibly smoothly.  Aisle seat in the exit row with no-one next to me, so plenty of room; watched a movie, watched a TV show, ate food that someone else prepared and would clean up after, and started reading a novel.  It was bliss to think only about my own needs, and to know that Susan had organised the Retreat:Recreate that I was attending so I’d be picked up at the airport at the other end.

We arrived at Svarga Loka Resort in Ubud in the mid-afternoon.  What a beautiful place!  My last trip to Bali was three years ago, with the whole family.  That time we stayed in Nusa Dua.  Staying up in Ubud is a lovely change.  I don’t often return to the same place twice, but there was something beautifully familiar about returning to Bali, especially as I’ll be getting to know a different part of it.

And as always, it is beautiful.  The resort is nestled in to the side of a hill – there are 150 steps between my room and the pool.  I am going to develop strong leg muscles by the time I leave!  The greenery is lush, the detail in decoration is abundant.

Bali is such an ubiquitous holiday destination for Australians that I wasn’t originally intending to do daily blog posts about it, but then I realised that many people reading my blog aren’t Australian and for them Bali is a long way away so it might hold some interest. The flight from Melbourne was under 6 hours, and for Australians Bali really is a second home.  There’s even a song about it!  So although sometimes it seems as though everyone has been to Bali, there are numerous reasons why they have, and why they return.

This visit I am taking part in a textiles retreat.  This is the first time that it has been run here, and there are twelve women attending.  Most of us are from Melbourne, but we do have someone from Adelaide and another who has travelled from the USA.  Most of us know one another only through the internet and instagram, but we all have a common interest in textiles and related crafts.

I spent the afternoon yesterday just settling into my room and wandering around the resort before we all met for dinner.  The food was delicious – something that I’m sure you will hear repeated in days to come.  It was early to bed for most.  I’m typing this at 6.30am on Sunday, before we head off on a trek through the rice paddies.  Oh Bali, you are beautiful!