This is the tale of a little walk, up a hill off Ubud’s main street, and through relatively flat, slightly terraced rice paddy, now dotted with ever-more concrete villas and bungalows. It’s a 15-minute walk, or about 800 metres, a sign at the turn off along Subak Sok Wayah tells visitors, to get to a … read the full post

This isn’t a piece about seeing all the sights around Ubud at a cracking pace, but rather about suggesting some tips on doing what one can really do best in Ubud: chill out, eat, relax, eat, take it easy, eat, hang out… eat — you get the picture. Check into your hotel — see our … read the full post

When you say Ubud, some people may think “Yoga!”  — or, even, “Hippies!” — yet the offerings may not be quite as extensive as the tourist-town’s reputation would have you expect. Yoga Barn really has the market cornered for yoga in the style that Westerners are after, while Taksu is another decent offering, though it … read the full post

If you like your food healthy and imaginative — even somewhat worshipful — make a beeline to stunning Clear Cafe when you’re in Ubud. The spot, tucked away on Jalan Hanoman so within walking distance of most guesthouses in Ubud’s central area, has been open a year or two now, and it’s surely testament to … read the full post

Yesterday the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age ran a piece titled “Bali: why bother?” by staffer Carolyn Webb. It’s obvious from the story that Webb didn’t especially enjoy her time in Bali — that’s not at all unusual and thankfully Bali isn’t for everyone. What was unusual was that the piece got a run … read the full post

I’m still in the post-festival glow of the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival 2011 so thought I could wring out one more post about how great it was. I had, as I hope my posts conveyed, an excellent time. I’d never been to a writers’ conference or festival before so the entire experience was a … read the full post

The last session on the last day of the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival was a boisterous debate between poets and prose writers about who was better at writing about that age old affliction, love. Arguing for the poets was Geoff Lemon, Australian poet and general ne’er-do-well, Russian writer and poet Oleg Borushko, and Alicia … read the full post

At the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival I got to catch up with Meg Mundell, a New Zealander based in Melbourne. She’s just released her first book, Black Glass, a story about two teenage sisters set in a dystopian Melbourne. Meg’s a talented writer with a wicked sense of humour and a special place in … read the full post

One of my favourite panels so far at the 2011 Ubud Writers and Readers Festival was this afternoon’s session on writing for children and young people, called Growing Young Readers. One of my least favourite parts about writers festivals (although I’ll admit that this is my first one) is hearing writers read their own work. … read the full post

My favourite part of the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival so far has been the opportunity to meet so many young authors, who, as it turns out, are just normal people. (I think they become less so as they get older.) I had the chance to talk to Benjamin Law, a young Australian author whose … read the full post