We have finally arrived and begun to settle into our new life in Bali. For just the first two months we are staying at the Bali T House Klod (there is another compound just down the road called Kaja), located in the village of Lodtunduh just a short drive south from Ubud town centre. There are quite a few villas in this group, we have the only 3 bedroom one that was suitable for our family.
We are staying here while we look around for a more permanent place to stay. It is nothing fancy, just the way we like it, and just what we need. The staff are very friendly and helpful. We get breakfast cooked for us every morning, usually, for us, it is eggs done several ways. They come back later to clean and make the beds, and several times a day to sweep up the forever falling leaves.
In front of our villa is a great pool, with a shallow kids section perfect for Jetson and Casper. We are in it every day. Already Olive has become more adventurous and becoming a better swimmer.
Like many of the more traditional villas in Bali, it is a very open plan. There are no walls to the kitchen and living area, so it’s open to all the little bugs and creatures of Bali, a great introduction to living here! The numerous geckos are hopefully keeping the mosquitoes at bay, but they leave a mess behind, and walking around at night you have to watch out for frogs. That’s just the start of it.
The three bathrooms in our villa are essentially in a garden, which makes for interesting showering out in the open and among the trees, including the resident spider.
Location wise this villa would not suit everyone. It is a good distance out from Ubud, so you really need some form of transport to get to most places of interest. Fortunately for us, the school is within walking distance, albeit involving going through a temple and across a river.
There are only one or two places to eat within walking distance from here, though we have discovered that most restaurants in Ubud will deliver and the staff here will cook for you if you want. We have been relying on taxis to get around but that is not ideal. Most people here end renting a scooter, but we are not so sure about that option for us. We have a post already about riding a motorcycle in Bali.
Being away from the hustle and bustle of Ubud has its advantages. Here we are part of a small village and adjacent to their rice fields, so we are experiencing a different side to Bali and are able to observe and be part of their daily life. It is the first step for us to become residents, not tourists.
You can see more about this accommodation at http://www.balithouse.com/