Day 6 – Sunrise, Cycling, and Surprises
Day 6! With a packed program, the hours flew by. I wouldn’t say I planned too much, but it certainly wasn’t the kind of day your typical beach tourist would enjoy.
Sunrise at Tegalalang Rice Terraces
The morning started very, very early - I woke up even before the yoga girls at my hotel. My alarm went off at 5 a.m. because I had arranged a taxi for 5:15 to take me to the Tegalalang Rice Terraces for sunrise. The sky looked promising when I left the hotel: a scattering of clouds, plenty of stars.
My taxi driver’s English was limited - mostly a collection of words he’d picked up here and there. The only full conversation he managed was about football. Germany had lost 0:1 to Mexico during the night in the 2018 World Cup, and the moment he heard where I was from, he just had to tell me how badly Germany had played. Thanks for rubbing it in! I didn’t even watch the match, but I still got a full (and slightly painful) match recap in broken English.
We arrived at the terraces while it was still pitch dark. I was the first photographer there, but that didn’t last long. Soon others arrived, including one Indonesian man who had no hesitation walking straight into everyone’s frames. Usually photographers respect each other’s shots, but not this guy.
Sadly, the sunrise wasn’t spectacular - the sky turned flat and the sun rose too far behind the mountains for the dramatic effect I had hoped for. Within minutes, the place was full of people, drones buzzing overhead. I still got some photos, but my taxi driver was clearly losing patience as I lingered and chatted with two fellow Germans.
A Forgotten Surprise: Mountain Biking
Back at the hotel, another hour of sleep would have been wonderful. Instead, I started editing my photos when suddenly a man appeared asking, “Are you ready?”
Wait - what? Ready for what?
Apparently, I had booked a mountain bike tour and completely forgotten about it. Must be age catching up with me! Luckily, cycling is something I truly enjoy - whether in the Spanish mountains, along the coast toward France, or simply through the countryside.
This tour went from Mt. Batur back down to Ubud. I had signed up for the “standard” option, which I assumed would be gentle. We picked up our guide, Artha, along with two Australians, Sam and Perry, who turned out to be great company.
Exploring Mt. Batur by Bike
We started at the crater of Mt. Batur, looking out over the caldera formed long ago. The last eruption was in March 2011, and yet there are still villages and plantations within the crater, right beside old lava flows. Fertile volcanic soil is perfect for farming, but honestly, I’d be a little nervous living next to a dormant volcano. Still, the view was breathtaking - and incredibly windy. Holding the camera steady was nearly impossible, and I really wished I had brought a tripod.
Five minutes into the ride, we stopped to admire another view and “borrow” some mandarins from a nearby plantation. Straight from the tree, they were unbelievably sweet and juicy.
The tour itself was a mix of single tracks and paved roads. Perry summed it up perfectly: “I wouldn’t send my mom or dad on this trip.” Neither would I - it wasn’t dangerous, but definitely not for complete beginners.
Along the way, Artha explained local traditions and farming. Did you know a banana plant dies after producing fruit? Considering how many bananas are eaten worldwide, that fact blew my mind.
A Taste of Luwak Coffee
One of the highlights was a stop at a coffee plantation where they make the famous Luwak coffee. Some call it “Catpoocino,” others the most exclusive coffee in the world. I paid about €3 for a cup - which feels expensive for Bali, though cheap compared to Paris.
For those unfamiliar: the beans are eaten by a civet cat, fermented in its intestines, and then passed (yes, pood out). The beans are collected, cleaned, roasted, and brewed into a coffee that tastes… surprisingly amazing. The aroma is rich, with hints of chocolate, and the taste is strong yet smooth. Compared to German coffee (often bitter) or Spanish coffee (strong but less bitter), this one was a whole new experience.
I have to admit, it´s delicious and probably the smoothest coffee I had so far but knowing that those cats are kept in captivity only for the purpose of “producing” this coffee is twitching my guts a bit.
Back to Ubud
By 4 p.m., I was back at the hotel, exhausted but happy. Instead of napping, I jumped into the pool, read a few pages of my book, and got ready for the evening. At Hubud, the co-working space, they were hosting a movie night - we watched Interstellar. A discussion was supposed to follow, but never happened, so I headed home.
Even that turned out eventfull.
The night before, some new guests had arrived at the hotel only to discover their booking hadn’t gone through, even though they had already paid the travel agency. After a long flight, one of them broke down in tears - frustrated, shouting, crying. I understood her reaction even if it felt a bit over the top.
Tonight, I got my own taste of that panic. My debit card suddenly stopped working on the way back to the hotel. Not fun when you’re far from home. Luckily, once inside, I checked my online banking, reactivated it for Indonesia, and all was fine again.
Tomorrow’s plan: pack a rain jacket - time to experience my first Asian downpour!