Family Rainbow have just come back from an amazing adventure to the beautiful island of Bali, Indonesia.
Where fresh young coconuts and delicious Gado Gado filled our bellies with love, the sounds of gamelan and the Hang drum echoed through the magically green Rice Terrace. Children who smile in the same language made my heart glow and the beauty of living in the moment with each other as we traveled the island in complete mindful awareness of being present with every minute of every day.
Our first stop was up to the forests of Ubud, where we came to settle in at the enchanting Bali T houses. The hibiscus house was where I first felt the connection with this spiritual island and all her beauty. The village where my little yogis ran through green rice terraces, explored the natural environment, friendly spiders as big as your face, colourful butterfly's, Tokay geckos and there beautiful calls, huge elephant leafed plants and absolute pure peacefulness and serenity.
We relaxed, wrote in our journals practised balance and focus on slack lines and played,this is where my little yogis met some other truly beautiful little souls. Three boys from the local village were fishing and playing in front of our house. It was time to spread some Rainbow love. I brought out the face paint and with it an opportunity for our hearts to open. An experience for all of us to play and enjoy the beauty of communicating through laughter and smiles without words. Learning that even with the language barrier we all smile the same.
After a fun painting session we decided to share the Rainbow love and gave the children a Face Paint Pallet and paintbrush to keep. I don't think we will ever forget the gratitude we saw in their faces and smiles. A memory that will live on within me and my littles forever. Such a simple gesture can make some ones day amazing.
Ubud is a vibrant place where yoga was a plenty. I enjoyed a vinyassa flow class with Carlos at The Yoga Barn and for Fathers Day Rainbow Dadda spent his morning at Radiantly Alive Yoga Studio stretching in a Hatha flow class whilst the littles and I got playful with a Children's Yoga class with Acacia Jade. We had so much fun playing yoga games, going on a Desert yoga adventure and meeting new friends.
When our tummies began to call two of our favourite places to eat were Bali Buddah organic and raw foods that you could even purchase at there little shop just under the restaurant and handy location opposite the Radiantly Alive Yoga Studio. But the most spectacular place we ate was at Sari Organics. The 15 minute walk alone was a real treat in its self. Along a winding path through terraces yoga and local villages, organic vegetable gardens and a view like no other. We ate amazing organic foods and drank from fresh coconuts until we were buzzing.
We then visited The Green School. This is where the inspiration I was so craving came upon me. Our tour began at the mud pit! Yes, the MUD PIT! Awesome fun sports of mud play and games for all children of the school, then off to visit some of the most creative and innovative artistically designed architecture I have ever seen. Every single class room, yurt, office, library power station and toilet was built with sustainable products and bamboo being the most prominent material used, they even grow their own Bamboo.
I could not possibly explain every structure as they were all unique and different in their own way but I will mention that there are no walls in the class rooms. A wonderfully natural environment that everyone could learn in. Vegetable gardens are all around the school grounds, black volcanic sand pits, swings made from recycled tyres and bamboo structures for climbing on.
The school runs on solar power and even pump their own fresh water from underground that is even free to the surrounding villages.
The children learn story telling, themes and experiences which involves getting your hands dirty catching frogs in the ponds, or building sustainable structures to growing your own foods or creating amazing art.
As we walked through the heart of the school, (The biggest bamboo structure in the world), I began to think about how We as a family could start to incorporate this way of living more in our homes and the education my children are currently getting here in Australia.
This is when the inspiration for our next new Adventure came Alive. The Rainbow Warrior Tribe of Rainbow Hollow. Stay posted for more information on how you can join the tribe.
The Green School is a must see for all who care for the future of our children and our planet.
The last thing we did before leaving Ubud was to visit the Bumih Sehat health Clinic in the Nyuh Kyning village. Here an amazing woman midwife Robin Lim founded this not for profit clinic for local families to come and receive pre and post natal care and birth their baby's safely.
Family Rainbow donated a baby cot to the clinic . We paid a quick visit to the Yayasan Bumi Sehat birthing centre in Nyuh Kuning. It was amazing to see and we were lucky enough to speak with financial director Frank Wilson about all the amazing work the centre is doing and some of their exciting expansion plans, bringing healthcare to the people of Bali and Aceh. We donated a portable cot we had brought along to help with the cause. We also got to meet Bumi Sehat founder, Robin Lim!
As we left Ubud a feeling of absolute bliss and contentment filled the air. It was time to travel to PadangBai.
We arrived at the Bloo Lagoon sustainable village. The place where we called home for the next few days.
The Village was nestled high on a cliff over looking the bay, an endless sea and mountain high backdrop. Absolutely breath taking.
Here we indulged in more nature play activities, relaxing, swimming and had some time for some home school. We enjoyed a morning of learning how to make offerings, a prayer and blessing for the gods that the locals of Bali do twice a day.
This was so enjoyable. Stay posted for the video on how to make the offerings with family Rainbow.
As our time on the island came to an end with an incredible sunset and mandala in Legian we became one with this beautiful place and connected with ourselves and each other. It was time to fly home and continue on with our journey using the gifts and lessons learned from this place to bring us closer to achieving mindfulness in our every day.
Rainbows.
Pammy.
