The POI spinning retreat - 1
March 18, 2010
So we left off with me getting back to my room to find that I couldn't remember the combination for my padlocks!!! Well that took a while to work out....anyway I slept well after my long journey - it was lovely to pull the covers over me and sleep in a bed.
I woke early and contacted Laura so we could get round to the cafe where our breakfast was to be served. This was to be our first taster of Balinese food. Have to say I was totally impressed - there was such a choice. I've since learnt that sweet and savoury often get put together here, in weird and wonderful ways - and also that Ubud, Bali has an amazing capability to provide nourishing juices and smoothies! yay!
Laura and I picked seats looking out onto the sunny walkway. Again we were speculating about the types of people we'd find on the retreat. It wasn't too long before we'd find out because this guy with long hair walked past our cafe spinning Poi and looking very much performance based. We watched but didn't introduce ourselves. As we walked back to our hotel, we realised that there were loads of us spinners who had stayed overnight at the same hotel. Everyone was spinning and chatting whilst waiting for our drivers to arrive and take us en masse to Purnati.
On the way to Purnati, we all chatted about spinning, and it turned out that this was the second time on the retreat for many of them, and from the sounds of it they all did heaps of performance work back home, or went to raves, festivals etc and performed there. Being pretty confident and sure of myself I was surprised to suddenly feel really anxious and embarrassed about how I'd perform throughout the retreat. Silently cursing my lack of dedication to spinning a took in the views from the windows and hoped I wouldn't feel too much of a muppet.
Anyway....we got there after about 20 mins of driving. Looking out of the car windows, you could see a little of how the local balinese lived. Many of the roadside shops looked broken, dirty and poor. These shack-like buildings however were chock full of bright paintings, kites flying high outside, or with wood carvings lining the street. Aside from the continual beeping of the drivers, the sounds here were different. Firstly Balinese music would come in waves through the window as we travelled. It sounded slightly Thai, Indian all mixed together. Every now and again, I'd be able to see the musician practising on the side of the road. Then sporadically the air would be filled with the overwhelming sound of the Balinese wildlife. (I've yet to find out what exactly makes all that racket - one starts and then the whole colony follows suit)
We arrived at the Purnati centre, picked up our luggage and were greeted by the ever smiling Purnati workforce, who showed us straight to our rooms. Wow this place is lush. Its so hard to believe I'd just past the dusty shackled shop fronts and now was in this green, oasis of calm. I checked out the room which I was to share with another girl who was arriving later. We had the downstairs of a two storey lubung (nearest translation is bungalow). Completely built out of local wood, dark wooden floors, ornate wooden furniture, framed local artwork on the walls, balcony, and a gorgeous luxurious bathroom space. Fresh clean white towels, bedding, free mineral water, fresh flowers, big lamps. Truly if last night's accomodation in the pricey hotel (approx 20 USD / 13 quid) was considered luxurious then this took my new pad off the scale. (I later found out these bungalows cost approx 70usd a night).
I went out to one of the shaded seating areas and chatted with some other spinners and drank a complimetary yummy ginger mint squash. Again lovely tastes abound, which got me really excited. I caught up with Laura and we went for a stroll around the resort.
............................................................
I woke early and contacted Laura so we could get round to the cafe where our breakfast was to be served. This was to be our first taster of Balinese food. Have to say I was totally impressed - there was such a choice. I've since learnt that sweet and savoury often get put together here, in weird and wonderful ways - and also that Ubud, Bali has an amazing capability to provide nourishing juices and smoothies! yay!
Laura and I picked seats looking out onto the sunny walkway. Again we were speculating about the types of people we'd find on the retreat. It wasn't too long before we'd find out because this guy with long hair walked past our cafe spinning Poi and looking very much performance based. We watched but didn't introduce ourselves. As we walked back to our hotel, we realised that there were loads of us spinners who had stayed overnight at the same hotel. Everyone was spinning and chatting whilst waiting for our drivers to arrive and take us en masse to Purnati.
On the way to Purnati, we all chatted about spinning, and it turned out that this was the second time on the retreat for many of them, and from the sounds of it they all did heaps of performance work back home, or went to raves, festivals etc and performed there. Being pretty confident and sure of myself I was surprised to suddenly feel really anxious and embarrassed about how I'd perform throughout the retreat. Silently cursing my lack of dedication to spinning a took in the views from the windows and hoped I wouldn't feel too much of a muppet.
Anyway....we got there after about 20 mins of driving. Looking out of the car windows, you could see a little of how the local balinese lived. Many of the roadside shops looked broken, dirty and poor. These shack-like buildings however were chock full of bright paintings, kites flying high outside, or with wood carvings lining the street. Aside from the continual beeping of the drivers, the sounds here were different. Firstly Balinese music would come in waves through the window as we travelled. It sounded slightly Thai, Indian all mixed together. Every now and again, I'd be able to see the musician practising on the side of the road. Then sporadically the air would be filled with the overwhelming sound of the Balinese wildlife. (I've yet to find out what exactly makes all that racket - one starts and then the whole colony follows suit)
We arrived at the Purnati centre, picked up our luggage and were greeted by the ever smiling Purnati workforce, who showed us straight to our rooms. Wow this place is lush. Its so hard to believe I'd just past the dusty shackled shop fronts and now was in this green, oasis of calm. I checked out the room which I was to share with another girl who was arriving later. We had the downstairs of a two storey lubung (nearest translation is bungalow). Completely built out of local wood, dark wooden floors, ornate wooden furniture, framed local artwork on the walls, balcony, and a gorgeous luxurious bathroom space. Fresh clean white towels, bedding, free mineral water, fresh flowers, big lamps. Truly if last night's accomodation in the pricey hotel (approx 20 USD / 13 quid) was considered luxurious then this took my new pad off the scale. (I later found out these bungalows cost approx 70usd a night).
I went out to one of the shaded seating areas and chatted with some other spinners and drank a complimetary yummy ginger mint squash. Again lovely tastes abound, which got me really excited. I caught up with Laura and we went for a stroll around the resort.
............................................................
Posted by Louisa Tanner
I'm a thirty something, sometimes ditzy redhead who is completed engrossed in all matters of self improvement. I'm going away for most of 2010, to upgrade some professional skills, and to explore the world a little. I love my life right now.
