It definitely wasn’t the love from the first sight. The Island of the Gods phrase didn’t strike me through the first, nor the second, time I visited Bali. Shirtless beer-swilling Australians, bronzed Italian women in their tiny bikinis, Russian-speaking locals echoing the Kuta strip trying to sell anything and everything, the somewhat bizarre wooden penis … Continued
No lying At the Water Palace restaurant we sit cross-legged on cushions on a raised platform. A sign at my side says, Please, for the comfort of others, no lying. And I’m not lying when I say I haven’t felt so relaxed in years. At home I swim, walk and do yoga to stay sane … Continued
They crept up the path holding one hundred pound sacks of rice on their heads, dark forearms glistening in the late afternoon sun. The elderly man approached first, maneuvering around the two motorbikes we had parked on the hill’s gravelly shoulder. The two women followed, eyeing us curiously. I removed my backpack and stretched my … Continued
Thank you to National Geographic for posting my article on the Royal Cremation in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia! The article begins: By Lisa Niver Rajna To kick off our year-long trek through Southeast Asia, my husband and I spent two months exploring the Indonesian island of Bali with no set itinerary. While in the town of Ubud, home of the Balinese … Continued
Rockin’ Rice Fields: A somewhat musical journey from Ubud to Amed in Bali, Indonesia. DJ George bringing on the rapping tunes for our driver. We had a brief stop at Le Zat a Candidasa restaurant with gorgeous ocean views on the way to Deddy’s Bungalows, Amed. Video: Rockin’ Rice Fields From Rocking in the Rice … Continued
Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable.” — Bruce Lee South East Asia is so different this time. When we came … Continued