Californian Hippies

Ubud is known as the spiritual centre of Bali and also home of the best restaurants, cafes, shops and art galleries so it seemed only natural that I gravited there.

Hahahahahaaaaaaa. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Seriously though I loved Ubud. It was chilled, really great astmosphere, great food, shopping was pretty good and culturally it was interesting. I found a brilliant little guest house and literally bedded down for way longer than I had intended. If fact I found it really hard to leave and if Charlie and Greg (we meet again) hadn't turned up in Kuta I would've stayed in Ubud longer.

I had originally planned to go to Ubud, see the sights and leave after three days. I ended up staying there 10. You see this is why I don't bother planning anymore. Pointless and besides I think you're much more open to exiciting opportunities if you don't have a ridged plan. And I'm all about new and exciting opportunties these days!

I checked into Pramesti guest house on Monkey Forest Road and immediately fell in love with the place and the family who run it. Again, I refer to Skyline in Varkala, Jayson and Sree who are my benchmark for all guest houses in terms of friendlness and charm. Pramesti and Madi (see pic above) who owns the place came a very close second.

Pramesti is set in a lovely tropical garden, the bungalow style rooms are clean, spacious and have a porch - I've got to have a porch. Plus you get a home made delicsious brekkie cooked my Madi's hubby and coffee/tea on tap all day. Perrrrfect. Plus I had the bonus of chatting to Madi who has a wicked sense of humour; very dry and very quick. Her family were gorgeous and I had to stop myself from pinching her son's cheeks who, at the mature age of ten, I suspect wouldn't have appreciated it.

It was at Pramesti where I met my very first Californian hippy. I'd never met a Californian hippy before and it was an experience to say the least. As I got to know more I found that: a.) the no bra look is very much in b.) top lip facial hair is fine (and lots of it), c.) shaving/waxing arm pits or legs is a definate no, no d.) advocating free love then saying how much you'd like to find one love is common place.

Now don't get me wrong my new hippy 'friend' was lovely. I met her while I eating my breakfast on my porch, she came bounding up to me and asked if she could eat hers with me too. 'Why not' I thought. She was sweet but kept doing things which made me smirk ie blessing her food and making a really big deal out of it or she'd say things like 'oh my godess instead of of my god'...you get the picture. Look, there's nothing wrong with any of it but it does bring a smile to my face. All so serious and there always seems to be a bit of ceremony/performance of sorts with these kinds of 'spiritual' people.

Anyway when she wasn't blessing food, talking about free love then saying how much she wants life partner (get in line love!) or replacing the word peace with 'shanti' which really grates on me 'everything is so shanti here' (cue roll eyes) she was telling me all the gossip about the area and also being extremely kind in recomending various treatments, healers etc. I have a lot to thank her for as she pointed me in some brilliant directions.

But I have to admit I struggle around fair weathered people. I really do. And I knew instantly she was another fair weathered person. You know the type: Always got an eye out for a better offer and drops you like a hot brick when they get one. She invited me to 'the' party which was to be full of 'beautiful people' who 'sometimes ignore new people'. 'Sell it to me baby' I thought. On hearing all of this I thought to myself 'I'd rather stab my hand than go to this party'. So my opportunity to mix with more Californian hairy hippies was dashed before my eyes....in fact I was in the midst of reading 'Allen Carr How to Stop Smoking' and figured I'd be better of cracking the back of that than going to a party with people who would drive me to drink, cigs and drugs - all of which (fags aside at that point) I'd stopped.

My new hippy 'friend' (NHF) went on to confide the 'beautiful people' ignore her sometimes although she didn't understand why. I felt for her at this point. Shame when you want to be accepted into a crowd but for whatever reason they aren't budging, and lets face it we all want to be accpeted on some level so I'm thinking she found this really hard to deal with. In fact I know cause she told me. Anyway, once she'd off loaded her woes onto me her mate turned up and yep, you've guessed it, she turned on her heels with barely a bye. I was exhausted. The one thing I've noticed about fair weathered people is they are also drainers. Which leads me nicely on to my other theory. There are two types of people in this life peeps: drainers and radiators. You either one or the other. Naturally I am a radiator. Drainers I like to keep well away from but they find me whereever I am. Clearly Bali is no exception. Still I can smell a drainer like a fart in a car and I tend to exit quickly at first whiff!

Drainer or not I do like to try (and sometimes I have to try very, very hard)to find a place for everyone (although I must admit sometimes the place isn't that complimentary but they don't need to know that!) and my NHF was no exception. 'Look for the similarities, Neen'. I find it's easier that way. Anyway, I was introduced to a flurry of other Californaian hippies, and once I got over the excess hair and learnt to focus firmly on their faces rather than their chests - it was really hard, found they were all very sweet. Okay, I'll admit not like gorgeous lot I hang out with in London or Brighton but I didn't expect to travel this far and meet life long friends who I'd have so much in common with. However having said that I have actually met people along the way who I have no doubt will see me nicely into my grey years.

So my NHF's not only introduced me to a whole new world where hair is celebrated and bra's are a thing of the past (although I must admit I didn't personally experience their new world) but also told me about Wayan the Balianse Herbal Healer who was the talk of the town as she featured in the book of Bali - Eat, Pray, Love. This lady I had to go and see.....