Ubud, last day...

I'm ready to go. I think it is this cold, but I am feeling quite irritable and tired of the friendliness/nosiness of the Ubudese (whatever they are called). No longer will I have to answer "where you go?" or ignore another guy yelling "taxi?". At least in Bangkok I get the gentleness and smiles without all of the questions!

My cold is fading fast, but I still felt the remnants of it when I woke up this morning. After breakfast and taking one last load of laundry across the street to the cute little laundry that has things ready in a half a day, I went to Ubud Sari Health Resort for a cup of Tea Ibu Marlena. The same tea I had yesterday with the one and only, Ibu Marlena.

For some reason it didn't taste as good today. It was too sweet, but I drank it anyway. I also had a cup of banana coconut pudding. Just mashed bananas and fresh coconut. They said on the menu it was delicious. I am not sure I agree. But it felt healthy.

The restaurant was filled with Aussies who were all doing some sort of cleansing program. They were all talking about their colonics. I found them a bit strange. Half naked old men lounging around in sarongs. It was quite a scene.

I had lunch at my new favorite restaurant Batan Waru. I was planning on having the oxtail soup I had last night for dinner, but when I got there I was really hungry and instead had nasi campur. It was good. I decided to treat myself to desert and had a chocolate tart with raspberry salsa. It was not as good as I thought it would be, but I ate it all.

Then at 1, I had a two hour session with Agung Wijaya. He gave me a good dry massage and then an oil massage and then did some energy work. The only thing I don't like about his place is that there is no shower, so you leave there kind of oily, even though he tries to wipe off the oil. I wish he didn't use oil at all. Still, I felt better when I left than I did when I arrived.

As I was lying there through his treatment I started thinking about a nice spice bath at Zen Spa, so as soon as I finished, I went to Zen Spa but they only had an opening at 4. It was a little after 3 when I got there.

To kill some time I went and looked at Artini 3 which is a little further up the street. It is a beautiful setting looking out over a rice field. The grounds have more steps and levels than Artini 2 and it feels more secluded, even though Artini 2 also feels secluded. I am thinking next time I come here I might try staying there. I wonder if they have the equivalent of a Big Made there - a guy who lounges around and tries to find ways to squeeze extra money out of guests.

After killing a little more time, I returned to Zen for my spice bath.

I had a different guy this time and his massage was okay. I still think as far as massages go, "Made, Yang Made" at Nur Salon gives the best. But the spice rub was very nice. I like the way it gets all hot as they leave you there with it soaking into your skin and then the spice bath was also very nice. It was very hot. I got a good sweat from the whole thing, which I think is what I needed.

For dinner, I decided to try a new restaurant right next to Zen Spa on the main road called Siam Sally. It's right across the street from Pundi Pundi and is the same restaurant group as Batan Waru. I have a card from Batan Waru that gives me a 15% discount as a frequent diner and it was also good for Siam Sally.

At The Pond they little gay guy who is the marketing manager told me I got a 10% discount because I was a returning guest. And then when he found out I stayed at Artini, he told me I got 15% as a guest of Artini (because it is the same owner). But the last time I ate there I got no discount. It was weird. Was I supposed to ask for it? So I like this card that they give you at Batan Waru.

Siam Sally was okay. It was silly for me to try to get Thai food in Indonesia. I kept thinking I could have made it better and tomorrow I will be eating the real thing.

And so I am sitting next to the pool in the dark and the few staff members who work at night are sitting around in a circle and talking quietly. I like it here at night when there are few people around. Only, I don't like the mosquitoes, and they like me.

So, it is time for me to get into my nicely air-conditioned room and begin packing.