Ubud day 2

I'm writing this overlooking the sights and sounds of the exotic dance session at 'The yoga Barn'. It's like a scene from a nightclub but switch the makeup for insect repellant; the skimpy dresses for yoga gear or in the case of the males, board shorts seem pretty popular and there's no alcohol in sight (not sure about any other substances!) 

Spent a relaxing morning of 'gentle yoga' followed by another delicious lunch: ginger cashew tofu stir fry and mint lime crush-yummm! Then unsuccessfully attempted to haggle with a taxi to take us   The 3km trip to Sedona Spa for a Lulur Balinese treatment (the Royal treatment). As we stepped out into our lane way we were offered a price of 50.000Rp which we rejected expecting to pay between 30.000 and 40.000 only to find 20mins later and our backs dripping in sweat we had to accept a price of 50.000. 3pm seemed like a good time to have a massage but we hadn't factored that was Ubud peak hour and the 3km trip took us about 40mins. The main road down past the monkey forest is apparently now one way to all vehicles however our driver tells us motorbikes do it anyway but the police stop them if they see!

We arrived late for our massage which didn't seem a problem. Sera and I indicated we didn't mind if we had separate rooms or 1 room and were escorted through an outdoor pathway lined on both sides with multiple outdoor rooms complete with  massage tables, showers and baths. 

We were taken to the furthest room looking out over a rice paddy. I hoped the construction workers who were working on the wall of an adjoining property were not going to be working on the section of wall overlooking our open air 'room'. I didn't particularly feel like being the subject of a "white booby spectacle". 

We were invited to undress and place on those lovely hospital style disposable knickers and then followed my Royal treatment: an hour long massage, followed by the application of a turmeric paste all over my body (everywhere except where my disposable knickers were at least!). Smelling like a curry, I was then scrubbed down to exfoliate and then covered in yoghurt. After showering we were them invited to the next room as the bath in our room was not working. Sera and I got the giggles as it became apparent that our bath was singular - one  'double sized' bath that we were to share, complete with flower petals but devoid of hospital knickers that we were advised to remove before showering! Amidst much laughing we spent 20mins 'relaxing' in our bath drinking ginger tea and eating watermelon and trying to keep the flower petals maintaining some sense of modesty.