FIFTY SHADES OF GRAYER!
Yes, John and I experienced Fifty Shades of Grayer today! It all started when John called a Grab driver we have used here in Bali, named Bagus. Bagus learned to speak English during the ten years he worked as a waiter on Carnival Cruise Line! Not only does he speak English well, but he is hysterical and very knowledgeable! He drove us 2.5 hours north through the tropical rain forest, up an EXTREMELY steep mountainside. It was a beautiful drive with some VERY narrow roads and steep drop offs.
PURA LEMPUYANG LUHUR : We arrived at the entrance of the temple (our destination for the day) and read each rule over carefully and thoroughly. 🥴🥴🥴
We got some pretty spiffy sarongs to wear (for a nominal fee) and were told that the temple was five minutes up the road. Oh, and did I mention that it had begun raining when we reached the top? Luckily, our dear Bagus presented us with an umbrella to share. What seemed like a half hour later (up a steep and slippery road), we FINALLY arrived.
John and I both both received a water blessing at the entrance of the temple. (Even though we were already pretty much soaked!)
Then we entered and saw this magnificent temple standing right in front of us.
That is when the morning drizzle turned into a torrential downpour. Luckily, we found a place to sit under cover to wait until our number was called. Oh yea, I forgot to mention, that the whole point of this 2.5 hour trip, apparently, was to get an Instagram photo at THE GATE OF HEAVEN. And it was here that the magic truly happened, despite the clouds covering the mountains in the background and the rain falling on our faces! Although it really didn’t look to be anything so spectacular, we think the photos that were taken there were WELL WORTH the road trip AND the Fifty Shades of Grayer (more on THAT in a minute!)
LUCKILY, a local man drove up on his motorbike and told Bagus the road ahead was not passable and he would have to go down the road a bit to turn around. Clearly, we couldn’t understand a word of this conversation and Bagus didn’t think to fill us in. He just got in his car and drove off!
This was our Fifty Shades of Grayer moment! NOW WHAT?
Luckily, our faithful driver returned, stopped his car, placed rocks behind the tires, and got us inside safely, before nearly burning out his clutch with what it took to get back up that crazy steep road! Needless to say, Bagus was very quiet as we backtracked ALL THE WAY TO THE TEMPLE ENTRANCE! After passing by beautiful scenery, jack fruit trees, snake fruit trees, mango trees, and lots and lots of Hindu temples,
PURA LEMPUYANG LUHUR : We arrived at the entrance of the temple (our destination for the day) and read each rule over carefully and thoroughly. 🥴🥴🥴
We got some pretty spiffy sarongs to wear (for a nominal fee) and were told that the temple was five minutes up the road. Oh, and did I mention that it had begun raining when we reached the top? Luckily, our dear Bagus presented us with an umbrella to share. What seemed like a half hour later (up a steep and slippery road), we FINALLY arrived.
Again, there were more rules to read over carefully! 🙄🙄🙄
There were gorgeous views to take in and LOTS of drizzling rain coming down!
John and I both both received a water blessing at the entrance of the temple. (Even though we were already pretty much soaked!)
Then we entered and saw this magnificent temple standing right in front of us.
That is when the morning drizzle turned into a torrential downpour. Luckily, we found a place to sit under cover to wait until our number was called. Oh yea, I forgot to mention, that the whole point of this 2.5 hour trip, apparently, was to get an Instagram photo at THE GATE OF HEAVEN. And it was here that the magic truly happened, despite the clouds covering the mountains in the background and the rain falling on our faces! Although it really didn’t look to be anything so spectacular, we think the photos that were taken there were WELL WORTH the road trip AND the Fifty Shades of Grayer (more on THAT in a minute!)
Once our photos were taken, we literally slid back down to where Bagus was waiting! And off we went for what was SUPPOSED to be a 2.5 hour trip back. Let’s just say that Google Maps failed us MISERABLY! About an hour and a half into the trip the “road” became so steep and Bagus became suspicious that we weren’t going the right way. He stopped the car, got out, and had us get out while he found rocks to put in front of his tires SO THE CAR WOULDN’T ROLL STRAIGHT DOWN THAT STEEP HILL!
LUCKILY, a local man drove up on his motorbike and told Bagus the road ahead was not passable and he would have to go down the road a bit to turn around. Clearly, we couldn’t understand a word of this conversation and Bagus didn’t think to fill us in. He just got in his car and drove off!
This was our Fifty Shades of Grayer moment! NOW WHAT?
Luckily, our faithful driver returned, stopped his car, placed rocks behind the tires, and got us inside safely, before nearly burning out his clutch with what it took to get back up that crazy steep road! Needless to say, Bagus was very quiet as we backtracked ALL THE WAY TO THE TEMPLE ENTRANCE! After passing by beautiful scenery, jack fruit trees, snake fruit trees, mango trees, and lots and lots of Hindu temples,
we arrived back in Seminyak safe and sound (FOUR HOURS LATER), albeit with a few more gray hairs on each of our heads! But those pictures, those pictures at The Gates of Heaven were worth every single gray hair!
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