I absolutely loved the week we spent in our little hut in the jungle. Never have I been so content. The cacophony of sound and the abundance of wildlife were an utter joy. The jungle is a giant, living breathing marvel and I could happily live in such a place.
Each day the rains came, and the mists rose, and fell as rain and rose as mist. On and on that cycle went, it was SO beautiful.
When we first arrived at our hut, rather late in the evening I felt that hubs was a little overwhelmed, not by the wildlife outside mind, oh no…..the wildlife within! The hut rang with calls, squeaks, whistles and clicks. After spotting geckos and other critters, some flying, others crawling, hubs took his most precious possessions, laptop, phone and water and retired to the relative safety of the mosquito netted bed and remained there until the following morning.
Now, to access the bathroom, one was required to walk through a semi-open area that contained a sunken bath surrounded by water and fountains. The deafening honks, hoots, croaks, squeaks and squeals coming from this area had hubs’ eyes the size of saucers! Not ONCE did he pass through there after dark during the entire week! We I, fondly referred to this area as the froggery.
And I couldn’t get enough of it! It was magical once it became dark. To my joy I discovered many different species of frogs, amongst other things, in there each night. I spent hours photographing them all!
There were other critters in the froggery too, bats, and huge insects, some up to three inches long, some hopping, some flying, others crawling, many with huge antennae, or clustered eyes, others with wicked looking stingers. I became the expert insect putter-outerer! Some I just walked out, by shuffling behind them!
A squirrel intent upon demolishing the roof.
One day, I walked around with what I thought was a stone in my shoe, I spent hours pushing it down towards my toes. When I returned to the hut, I took my boots off and was astonished to see a spider five inches high and four inches wide climb out! The poor thing had lost a leg and looked a little crippled, but it was still alive, so I put it out. The next morning I discovered it had been devoured by an army of tiny ants! What a horrible way to go. I checked my shoes daily after that!
I must have spotted at least a dozen species of ants alone! This one, that I called the black-horned ant, was ignored by the frogs. I can guess why!
One evening, hubs had protected himself yet again, in the mozzie curtained bed retired to bed when suddenly the hut began to rattle and shake violently. Clearly something enormous was climbing on it. Hubs pretended to be asleep and I decided it may be unwise to investigate in the dark, alone. The locals thought it may have been a howler monkey, we often heard their eerie calls.
Talking of monkeys, the macaque kept us amused for hours. Each morning a troop of them hung out on our their veranda, and either slept there, fought or picked fleas off each other. One almost gave me a concussion when it threw a coconut from a tree! It wasn’t aimed at me….I’m not that important to them! They seemed to enjoy watching us as much as we did them!
The juveniles spent a lot of time wrestling!
Their intelligence is obvious. This little guy was playing with raindrops, he/she could have walked in, the doors were open!
Many of the younger ones would come into the hut, I think they were looking for fruit, although one little guy was eying up hubs walking boots one day…
It wasn’t all good though…..
One day was utterly nightmarish and it began when we booked a trek through the paddy fields.
At first light we met with our guide, Pande and were driven to a local village. As the car pulled up I saw a group of men sitting around a large pig on the ground, clearly they were killing it or had just killed it. I don’t think I’ll ever get that image out of my mind. It was deeply disturbing to me, especially as there was nothing I could do for the pig.
I was horrified and refused to get out of the car so the driver drove a little further up the path. I truly was shaken, I know this goes on, it happens everywhere, in the UK too, but I don’t want to see it. I know how long it takes for a pig to die when it’s had it’s throat cut, I certainly wouldn’t want to die like that, no person would want to!
I got out of the car, but was petrified now wondering what else I might see as our guide explained that the local Hindus were preparing to celebrate Galungan so were sacrificing pigs and other animals.
We then walked through the village with a pack of dogs following us, barking, until we came to this lady’s home. What a sweetie she was, she loved looking at the picture I’d just taken of her, but the whole time I was waiting for her to whip out a machete and do for a chicken or such …….my nerves were truly shredded!
Next up was what I now think of as those God forsaken paddy fields!
I booked this tour because I am genuinely interested in how rice is gown.
I was still really shaken and couldn’t get the image of that pig out of my mind, while all the time Pande talked about festivals and Hinduism, as we walked in the blazing sun, pacman style, round and around the rectangular paddy fields on the narrow, slippery ledges.
I was beginning to look like I had a bad dose of measles as the mozzies were biting me, relentlessly, despite wearing two types of mozzie repellant, I was also seeing flashing lights due to the ferocious sun. For two hours, I slithered and slid around those monstrous terraces.
It was inevitable really, that I would fall in, then of course I fell again and again. I can’t actually remember how many times I actually hit the water/mud, as my confidence was now utterly shot! I resembled a slimy swamp creature and utterly STANK! Some of the falls were a good five foot. Awful it was….AWFUL!!!
We had booked another village tour but hell would have to freeze over before I’d go on it, this was now the day before Galungan, so I faked an injured ankle to avoid it, which then resulted in the kindly locals trying to get me to see a doctor…..sighs….and I had to feign a limp every time I saw anybody…….
That image of the pig will haunt me for a long time.
The locals came to the surprising conclusion that I was a reincarnated Holy man, because I don’t eat meat and opposed a meat eating culture at a very young age.
I asked if Holy men ate meat, only duck apparently!!!! Shakes head!
I could go on with the stories, but I’m pushing my luck as it is!
And finally….
A wild, free chicken.
I was so happy seeing that chicken, it’s good to know that a chicken is free somewhere in the world.
Certainly not the place for a vegan, I was astonished to discover how much meat the Hindu’s ate, for some strange reason I thought they were veggies. Yes, it was sad seeing that poor spider and horrific seeing the slaughter of the pig.
I like insects so didn’t have a problem putting them out, most I’m sure, lived in the hut and didn’t want to go out…most just returned through the open froggery…
I did love the jungle and really want to visit more, the sounds alone are magical. Next time I’ll be more careful in terms of where I go. Thanks Kegs.xxx
Oh dear ! Not the place for a vegan ! I was upset to hear that the spider in your shoe died, never mind the poor pig. And as I have a hard time killing any creature, I would have constantly been half sorry for the insects trapped indoors and half terrified that they were going to bite/sting me.
Poor you falling all over the place in the paddy fields. That fierce sunlight and mozzies did not make for a pleasant trip out either.
And yet you enjoyed the jungle sounds and the dear monkeys.
Thanks for sharing your trip. Your photos are lovely. X
How absolutely amazing! You are very brave! Did your hubby enjoy it??? Sounds really quite alarming with all the huge bugs and everything. To think you had a five inch high spider in your shoe is just incredible! and that the poor thing went stalkin’ off all battered! You must have been just utterly flabbergasted! hahahaaa….. amazing!
Poor pig…… 🙁 not surprised you were so traumatised I would have been too…..
I do imagine the sounds of the jungle to be wonderful though… and would love to see the maquaques etc. wow… what an experience. Poor you in the rice fields that does sound utterly miserable and wretched!!xxx
Hubs did enjoy the jungle, he’s now interested in exploring another, it took him an evening to warm to it all though! I felt SO sorry for that poor spider, it had huge legs but only a small body, to think it survived a day in my shoe….I was utterly amazed to see it!!!!
I’ve never heard anything as beautiful as the sounds in that jungle, there must have been a billion critters singing….just lovely!
The trek through the paddy fields was utterly humiliating to say the least! Thanks Rosie. Good to hear from you.xxx
Thanks Jennifer. Lol….you are definitely with the majority bug wise!The pig incident was horrific to see, it’s not something I ever want to see again…..the jungle was utterly stunning, I could have happily stayed there to the end of my days. That hut was an utter paradise!xxx
I so enjoyed reading about your adventures, but this would not be the place for me. I would have enjoyed the monkeys, might have lived with the lizards and frogs, but the bugs would do me in. I would have hidden under the mosquito net and never come out! When it comes to big, scary bugs and spiders, I am a shameful coward. The pig incident sounds horrifying too. I bet the countryside was beautiful though, and the hut you spent your time in sounds wonderful.
I agree Jason…..time puts much into perspective and hopefully that image will fade one day. The paddy fields would have been a pleasure but for that….I was just shaken and it was always going to end badly! Lol…..that spider sure was something, I’m rather glad I only saw one!xxx
What an amazing bundle of experiences! I think with some time you will look back at even the bad ones and think that you really learned something about a different part of the world. For myself I think I would have ran back to the city as soon as I saw that giant spider.
A remarkably exciting adventure, the pictures are wonderful and your story telling skills add so much. I confess the pictures bring me as close as I want to be to large and small creepy crawlies. You do show what a strange and wonderful world we live in, this planet earth. Many, many thanks for bringing me so close to your adventures.
Why thank you Vera! Hubs is with you re the creepy crawlies! I seem to be in the minority, I love observing insects! Oh….planet earth is such a vibrant, beautiful place,I really do want to see more of it, especially jungles, I’m hooked now!xxx
It’s so amazing to think of all the variety of creatures you encountered in such a short time and, apparently, in a fairly populated area. the Froggery is a perfect name 😉 Those two monkeys wrestling remind me of George and Wimsey’s nightly match. So glad you eventually got out of that paddy — how uncomfortable and nerve-wracking to fall and anticipating falling for so long!
The abundance of wildlife fair took my breath away, I was hoping to see a wide variety of critters, but that jungle far exceeded my expectations. The part we stayed in wasn’t that populated, Ubud was the nearest town which we did enjoy visiting, and I recall that there were three small villages in the vicinity. The jungle just sprawled out and I was in heaven. Our hut was separate from the hotel so we walked there for our breakfast each morning…..oh my…the fruit available was astonishing! I brought some dragon fruit seeds from my breakfast home…..it will be interesting to see if they ever grow in my greenhouse! I wish we had a climate that could grow some of the plants I saw….sighs….
Ha! Yes…those monkeys are just like your boys!!!
Ouch re the paddy fields…..I would have been perfectly fine and loved every minute of that tour, mozzies and all if the pig incident hadn’t thrown, and unsettled me so much…..
I’ll always remember Bali, my first jungle, and now I’m hooked and looking for another for next February! Just have to work on hubs! Thanks Anne.xxx
I don’t know if Hubs will take much persuasion — did he enjoy this trip?
Dragon fruit may grow best by cuttings (you may not get fruit from the seeds). Though you’re pushing your zone limits, I’d be interested to see if your seeds germinate!
He took a little while to adapt to all the insects but ended up enjoying it as much as me. I think he’s on-board to visit another jungle.
I wish I’d known about dragon fruit cuttings, I’d have taken one. Yes, it’s far too cold here to grow such exotics, sighs, I doubt the seeds will grow, they were too fresh, even the greenhouse will be too chilly. I may bring them indoors. I brought some chilli and banana seeds home too, a girl can dream I suppose!xxx
The jungle sounds so fascinating. It must be wonderful experiencing that magical atmosphere and to listen to those natural sounds, especially at night. I love your descriptions of the wildlife; what a selection of little beasties! It is incredible seeing the intelligence of the monkey watching the raindrops.
I’m sorry to hear about the pig, I’d find it difficult coming to terms with that, too.
My friend in Tasmania has wild chickens roosting around her in trees – they are great survivors!
I must say that the jungle was heaven for me, the natural rhythms and sounds were so relaxing and there was such an abundance of wildlife which I just loved. The monkeys being so close was a great pleasure!
I suppose I was in the wrong place at the wrong time re the pig, it was an awful thing to see.
Oh….how lovely to hear chickens fly free in Tasmania!!! Thanks Wendy!xxx
What a great post about your Balinese adventures. Your stay in the jungle sounds wonderful. What great photos. Just as well it was a spider and not a scorpion in your shoe. I have stayed in the jungle in Sri Lanka and Martinique but I am not fearless like you. I am terrified of meeting snakes, scorpions or giant millipedes. I would have been cringing under the mosquito net too. I bet there isn’ t a creature alive that frightens you; you are the Gerald Durrell of Merseyside. But what a shame your trip was spoilt by the pig business, that was bad timing. Glad you are home safe and sound.
Ha! If only I was Gerald Durrell! I can’t actually think of any creature that I have a fear of, respect certainly! I’d hate to come face to face with a hungry tiger!
I have never seen a scorpion, that would have my utmost respect too!!! How lovely that had the chance to visit Sri Lanka and Martinique….I’d love to experience them too!
Yes, it was a case of bad timing, I’ll check for festivals next time! Thanks Chloris.xxx
Wow!!! I thought I was a brave person but I think I would have dived under the mossie net too…
It Was a little daunting at first, especially when we didn’t know what was making all the racket! Hope all is well with you.xxx
Wow what an experience, some amazing and some so terrible. I think I’d be like your hubby and hide under the netting, I’d be ok with the frogs and lizards but the insects….
no not for me. Definitely a difficult experience seeing that pig, but I hope the overiding beauty of the island will stay with you. I loved seeing all your fabulous photos.
So many people are a little squidgy re insects aren’t they? fortunately I enjoy seeing all the different species, Bali sure did have exotics! Hubs and daughter don’t share my pleasure though! Oh….I’ll never forget Bali, my first jungle, now I’m hooked on them and can’t wait to have a taste of another. Thanks Annie.xxx
So glad you are back safe and sound, you had quite an adventure! Other cultures can seem strange and cruel to us in the west, I hope it didn’t ruin your holiday. You certainly saw plenty of wildlife and can understand your fascination with the frogs!
Thanks Pauline, it’s always good to come home. Pigs, sadly, are killed like that worldwide, here in the UK too, knowing is one thing, seeing is another, it is truly a dreadful sight. I did have many beautiful experiences there that I shall never forget. I’m now hooked on jungle environments.xxx
Great post and images. how did you manage to organise such a tour?
Thanks Peter. We arranged most of the trip through trailfinders but think we could do better ourselves next time so shall give that a whirl next year.xxx
What a trip!! At least you came back with a load of stories. The mosquitoes would have driven me mad but how cool to see monkeys up close. 🙂
The mozzies do drive me crackers, I always get eaten alive while hubs rarely gets bitten. I been told they go after women rather than men. Those monkeys were so entertaining. xxx
What a trip, and really interesting to read about it and see your photo’s. Obviously some parts were better than others!
I would find it incredibly difficult to visit places like this, but always interesting to read and see others experiences.
Hope the first few days of March have been good to you …
All the best Jan
Thanks Jan. I suppose life is always a mixture of positives and negatives. I’m hooked on jungle environments now and hope to find another one to visit next year, maybe Borneo.xxx
Quite a trip! I would find the mosquitoes, the creepy crawlies and the humidity difficult to cope with, but seeing the animals roaming freely in that natural environment would be fascinating. I’m used to snakes, spiders and black scorpions, life in the raw when in Italy, but the pig incident would have been a nightmare and an experience too far. I’m glad there were more positive things to remember than negative and lots of beautiful photos such as your current header of the mist over the palm trees to prove it.
I did struggle with the humidity, but the insects fascinated me. I just loved the diversity of wildlife, everywhere you looked there seemed to be something to see. The butterflies and dragonflies were stunning too! Gosh, several of you have mentioned scorpions, I’ve never come across one, but I would be very respectful if I did! I didn’t know you had them in Italy!
There were so many positives, the jungle was stunning! Thanks Linda.xxx
I’m with Jo. I’ve given up watching nature programmes now, even the wonderful David Attenborough. I have to put myself in a bubble where these things don’t happen. Nature is one thing (as long as I don’t have to watch), but man dishing out cruelty because he can is another thing altogether.
Yes, as I said to Jo, often nature programmes seem to dwell upon the violence, it spoils the programmes…yes, cruelty is an awful thing.
Re the pig, the villagers did eat them afterwards, so the sacrificed animals did provide food. Thanks Jess.xxx
Wow, Dina, stories to last a lifetime! I empathize completely with the poor pig episode; how upsetting and what havoc it wreaked on your energy that day; I’m so sorry.
Not a big spider in my shoe fan; that might have ended the trip for me, but the sounds, monkeys, frogs, geckos, and mists intrigue me…
Your photos are so wonderful and your stories such a treat: bless you for sharing, and thank you. I bet Sam, Annie, and Buddy wonder if they might get a macaque brother. 🙂
Joy to your week,
Kitty
Seeing that pig being slaughtered certainly did mess with my mind…awful it was, awful, and I have no doubt that’s why I ended up in the paddy fields.
Lol, to be honest I was a perturbed when I saw such a big spider climbing out of my boot, I’m not normally squeamish, but I did flinch a little!
Tell you what, that little guy playing with raindrops could move in here any time!!! We’d all love him! Thanks Kitty.xxx
Out in the hill country — in any Texas country, really — it’s considered a good precaution to shake out boots and shoes before donning them, because of the scorpions. When I lived in Liberia, there was a full complement of snakes, geckos, and so on — but the very worst were the army ants. They come through in columns, by the millions, and eat any protein in their path. If they’re headed for your house, you have to scoop up the kids and pets and vacate until they’re moved through.
The good news is, there won’t be any insects left in your house when they’re gone. The better news is, people there don’t stake their human enemies down in front of them any more. Talk about a bad way to go.
I loved living in the bush, as we called it. The sounds are indescribable. My favorite sound? Hearing the rain approaching through the jungle canopy. And I loved your frog and gecko photos. They’re fun to watch, as well as to hear.
How interesting it must have been, living in Liberia, therein lies a story methinks! I was shocked to see how many tiny ants had devoured and cut up that spider. I saw a programme on them once, utterly terrifying! Oh my goodness, what a terrible death it must have been having millions of ants eat you alive and carry you off in bits!!!
I loved hearing the rain too…..all the sounds there were music to my ears. Thanks Linda.xxx
I knew that this series would be good, but I just didn’t know how good. Wow, what an amazing post and adventure you had. Like you, I would thoroughly enjoy the sounds of the jungle all around me….but also like you I would have been horrified at the killing of the pig……and your walk around the rice fields….does sound harrowing….however, all in all what an amazing experience….Oh and a for always checking your shoes. I haven’t been in that sort of jungle, but when I went to Florida in the mid sixties….it was quite wild then, we were told to always check shoes in the morning for scorpions…..Your spider story takes the cake!!!
Thank you so much…can’t wait for the next one…and here’s to warmer days ahead. xxxx
Why thank you for your kind words Janet! The sounds of the jungle are something that will stay with me for a long time, utterly beautiful! Yes, seeing that killing was horrendous……an awful thing to see. Gosh, I have never crossed paths with a scorpion, I would certainly be respectful if I ever came across one. That spider did teach me a good lesson, always check your shoes!!! Oh….yes….to warmer days.xxx
Beautifully told and photographed.You will have so many memories
Thanks Kate, I certainly have memories,some good, some not so good.xxx
I would want you with me every time I visited a tropical country … I am scared stiff of the wildlife and I don’t blame hubs at all for retreating under the net! Having said that, I did live with it for 10 years … although I would never get used to finding giant millipedes amongst my towels or in my cutlery drawer, mice nibbling away at my yams, scorpions scuttling under the door, and even snakes in the bath … Gahh!!
I have to raise my hat to you! Fancy spending 10 long years living with wildlife when you aint that fond of them…..now, I haven’t come across a scorpion yet….I would certainly treat them with DEEP respect!!! Struth….snakes in your bath????? Hopefully NOT poisonous ones! They did have snakes in Bali, many leathal, but I didn’t cross paths with any.xxx
An interesting post and wonderful pictures. I have to sympathise with hubby, and would have probably done the same.
I certainly don’t like seeing animals killed like that, and understand just how upsetting it can be.
Shame that your visit to the paddy fields couldn’t have been rather more enjoyable. xx
Thanks Flighty, it’s good to know someone sympathises with hubs! Yes, it’s one thing knowing how animals are killed and another actually seeing it. It truly is disturbing.
I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at a paddy field again!xxx
I’m someone who can’t watch nature programmes because I hate to see an animal being killed by another so goodness knows how I’d have gone on there, I’d have been a nervous wreck so I know how you must have felt after seeing that pig. I don’t think this is the place for me, it looks beautiful, but I’d have a fit sharing my digs with insects. I wouldn’t mind the frogs and lizards and I’d love the macaques but no to anything like spiders. That macaque playing with the raindrops is so cute.
I know what you mean about nature programmes Jo, sometimes I think the programme makes glorify the violence and dwell on it far too long. It is very off-putting. The image of that pig will stay with me for a long time.
My daughter is like you, she can’t cope with spiders, the jungle would have been hellish for her.
I did enjoy those macaques, fascinating they are!xxx
Oh my, what a rich post. I’ve never been to Bali, but the wilder places in Hawaii are heaven to me. We once stayed in a cottage where we had to dodge geckos that climbed on a slowly spinning ceiling fan, only to drop off at oddly random times, often on the bed. Your spider-in-the-shoe story was hilarious. Good thing it wasn’t a biter. I also loved the monkey playing with the raindrops–lovely. As far as the pig–what to say? Many years ago, it might have been a human sacrifice. Perhaps we are slowly evolving.
You have me smiling re the spinning geckos!!! Oh that spider, I couldn’t believe it when I saw it climbing out!!!
I would love to visit Hawaii one day, there are so many beautiful places in the world, we certainly are spoilt for choice.
Yes, maybe it was a human being sacrificed at some point and it’s good to think we are evolving as a species. I was surprised at how little life has changed in many parts of Bali over the last few hundred years, yet all have the internet and smart phones. What a contrast! Technology is steaming ahead yet village life changes little….it’s all very mind boggling.xxx
Superb post…Fascinated by your well-told and illustrated tour-de-force, I could not help but somewhat envious of your experience….not surprised by hub’s apprehension…..Pleased you enjoyed it and are safely home. Hugs! <3
Thanks Bushka, I think you would enjoy the jungle!xxx
What’s mixture of experiences! I think I would have feigned illness too.
I’m glad to hear that Sue, makes me feel less guilty!xxx