You are all set to go for a hike through the trails of a small Balinese Village hidden away from the world, and you check with the hotel about how difficult these trails are and what to expect on the way. They tell you, its an easy one and you can finish the trail by 2 hours...so you say...ok then lets go!
The driver drives you about 5 mins away from the cottage and stops by the winding road, gives you a simple sketch that is a map showing just one main path starting from where you were and ends at another point uphill. I expected the driver to introduce us to a guide but no he said we wont need a guide..coz its safe to walk by ourselves...He assured us that its a very easy trail and we will not get lost.
Ok then, see you at 12 we said...Bye!!
Off we went walking along a small path going through the village and there were guys on motorbikes riding up and down the path...So, Nantha and i concluded that its not really a jungle trail...but just a village, so maybe there will be streams or small waterfalls along the way..
At one point of the trail, interestingly, there was this wooden table placed, looked as though it was a reception area leading into a building or park or something like that...i found it so cute as it was sort of welcoming you into nowhere. And i was tempted to take a picture as though i was the receptionist there welcoming people into nature :) so i held the map and stood behind the table.. :) hehe...
From there, we kept walking for about 10 mins and we saw a little hut where tickets were sold to go to the first waterfall. I was thinking...huh? already here? how big can the waterfall be with just about 15 mins hike from the main road? Well lets just go find out, we thought, and walked on...as the path went downhill we began to hear the fall...and it got louder as we got closer...hmm so its not that small! We kept walking.....and then out of nowhere, the most unbelievable sight came into focus!! i stood there too stunned to say anything, just kept saying "Oh my GOD! Look at that!! I cant believe this!!
Yes, nature has a way of surprising you (like real BIG) When you least expect something it turns out to be the best...A fall rushing down with a deafening roar from such a height and force and yet the pool below safe and shallow enough to walk around and enjoy the view, safe for even children ...AND there was no crowd ...only one other couple with a photographer. Can it get any better then that?? so the show was all for ME!! (and Nantha of course, hehee) as i walked nearer to the fall, i found a rock right in front and center, perfect to sit on and watch....
the misty spray from the falls wetting my face and hair...at a point when you will not hear anything but the roaring fall..SO loud...louder then all your desperate screams ever...giving you no choice but to just shut up and listen...you cant even think as you will not hear yourself. OH MOTHER! is all i managed...then into SILENCE!
What is it you want?? why the confusion? can you not hear me? how much louder do you want me to scream into your head, She asked, i am flowing right through you...LET GO!! and FLOW with me and you will be taken exactly where you should be...She said. But Maa.....i thought... and then into silence again...(You cant argue with Her...can you?! :D )
Though i have seen Rhinefalls in Switzerland...there was something so powerful about this landscape which focused all its energy into a narrow gorge with no boulders breaking its speed, falling free with such tremendous force to the ground from such a height!!
After a few minutes of soaking in the view...
I turned around to look at Nantha ...he was standing behind me...taking pictures and video of me there...and how the scene changed in that one instant...how the world behind me looked different now...why all the confusion? When everything is so perfect..so beautiful...unbelievably right!! It was me, who broke away for a while...but its as clear as the water flowing below my feet now...THANK YOU maa...i see why you diverted my journey from our original plans...i see why you convinced me to take a 4 hours drive from the airport into a hidden valley i never heard of...i see why you made me walk these trails...as you knew that only your deafening scream will shut my head off the thoughts to bring me back to senses! I SO LOVE YOU!
MOTHER HEALS i wrote on my FB status with the video above attached...
Yes..Nature heals ...because it brings you back to where you belong...when you feel so in sync...you are not angry with anyone anymore...or disappointed with anyone...coz you know...it was not them who caused any misery. It was you yourself falling out of your center..and nature uses people around you to knock some senses into you...so you dont go too far. So these people are just merely the tools...and we could be the tools in someone else's life too...we might never know..unless we see the bigger picture.
Then its a whole new journey once more...another level...another realm to pass...definitely with more tests to get through...could be tougher ones...but knowing she is with you all the way...and also knowing it gets better with each time, its comforting.
So...we continued the hike with renewed energy to another two even bigger falls...with slightly tougher climbs and very slippery and steep neverending stairs downhill...we both almost slipped at one or two points...but thankfully managed the whole trail with no injuries...towards the end of the trail it started drizzling ....and the paths got even more slippery. And the trail wasnt as straight foward as it looked in the overly simplified map we had in hand...
I totally trusted Nantha's sense of direction to keep going (knowing how bad i am)...till it came to a fork! great! now which way? right or left?? we both stood there wondering which one to take...Nantha opted for left after trying to get some clues from the (not so helpful) map while i stood there still wondering...but after taking a few steps he stopped coz there were about 5 or 6 dogs running towards him, barking and blocking the route! I told him to walk slowly and calmly back to where i was...he did that..and thankfully the dogs stopped too...they just stood there watching but still blocking the way...though i believed these dogs were friendly...it just didnt feel right to proceed on that path...so after about a min figuring out what to do i said..."I tell you what...lets just go right" he said ok and after about 5 mins on that path...you will not believe if i said this but i swear its true...we heard the Gayethri Mantra playing loud somewhere!! Nantha and i looked at each other in amazement! we cant be imagining it coz we both heard it. Then we realised it was coming from one of the houses hidden behind the trees on the other path going up...well it was Bali with about 70 percent Hindus...so hearing Gayethri mantra is not a miracle you might say...but to us at that point, being a little lost on a track..hungry ...thirsty ...with no phone line (even with line...i had just one bar left before it would die off) yes..it was a miracle..coz that path we took after being redirected by those dogs was the right way out!! And the Gayethri Mantra was reassuring. Thank you doggy boys and girls...!!
Bali is mysterious!!
So...that was the waterfall story ive been wanting to share...it was totally worth it...rejuvenating...magical...healing and amazing!! I was so happy coz i never thought i would see such waterfalls in a trail so short! Still, It wasnt enough...i hope to go there again sometime! and discover the many other falls in that area. And spend more time there!
And here are the pictures...which as always does not match the real thing but just to give you a glimpse of it... :)
