Darkness and almost-morning light on the horizon, headlights flash on jungle leaves, tires spin in dirt potholes, Wayan (my guide) tells me stories of his childhood runs up this mountain, selling “Coke-a-Cola” to hiking tourists. Almost every day of his life he has climbed this volcano by foot or by Jeep. Today, I’m his guest, my body flying up out of the passenger seat every few moments. I feel like I’m on the Indiana Jones adventure ride at Disney World. It’s surreal to realize this is the real deal. This is the Indian Jones adventure… not a ride…an actual road taking me to an actual destination. What fun! I can’t believe Wayan does this on the daily!
4am - I’m in the backseat of a car headed to Mt. Batur. 5am I’m in the front seat of a vintage 1980’s Jeep, bouncing to the summit of this volcano. It’s worth the early wake up. As Wayan parks the Jeep in the dirt, I climb out the back and the morning light is here!
Hundreds of humans wait on the hill of Mt. Batur, watching the light of day arrive slowly in pink and yellow. Multiple volcanoes on this island, all of them islands in the morning mist.
My feet dangle off the roof of the green Jeep and I sip hot Bali tea. Wayan brings me a breakfast tray; a boiled banana between two slices of white bread, a chocolate candy bar, a sulak aka snake skin fruit, and an orange. Perfect. It has me smiling. Wayan stands nearby taking pictures of me and eating his own local breakfast… it looks like a rice omelette on a banana leaf. He points to his stomach and says, “This is local breakfast. You don’t eat. It make you sick.” Honestly, I think I’m more likely to get sick from this processed white bread and a chocolate candy bar. Still, it’s all perfect.
Let’s be a tourist for a one time and pose for some wild pictures. I show off yoga poses, pretend to meditate and laugh with Wayan who clearly knows how to take pictures for his Instagram obsessed adventure guests. Haha!
I feel close to my parents up here. They love the mountains, the sunrise, the adventures, the local people, the memories in special places like this. These are the same trees my mom looked out at decades ago. She was here. Now I am here. Magic.
I hear the stories in my head, the stories of my childhood, the stories of my parents’ adventures in South East Asia. A jungle snake falls on dad’s shoulder in the jungle of Borneo. My mom jumps on the back of a scooter to escape a street full of cobras slithering out at warm twilight. The trees, the layers of green hues makes me feel my parents’ memories. My dad would love this view. Look at the textures of green! Look at the history in the rock!
We bounce down the mountain. Farmers are up with the day, spraying water on their crops. A little boy stand in the rice playing on a game boy. The green is vibrant! The earth is alive with nutrients here! Food!
These people live in the trees, right on the dirt, beside their plants, beneath the mountain. These mountain farmers are in a different world from the beach surfers and jungle yogis. These are the people I feel most familiar with I suppose. I grew up near farms and mountains. The beach, city and spiritual retreats have always been my wild adventure away from the beginning of my life. The mountain garden is the spirit in my roots.
Kids are going to school! I forgot school existed and seeing these mountain school buses, aka scooters, makes me shake my head in amusement and wonder. Three kids on a scooter, backpacks and little uniforms. What will they learn today? I’m learning with them today. Every time we turn a corner, we pass a gathering of school-bound scooters and pop-up markets, vegetables trading hands, mini bonfires for morning snacks. These mountain roads are a busy hive of rural human activity.
The village is behind us and now, sharp chunks of volcanic rock as far as the eyes can see in all directions. I hop off the hood of the jeep and walk deep into the lava dunes. I find a quiet spot and look around to make sure no one can see me. I’m shy and determined to film a music video here. This landscape is epic! I need epic! I feel tension to hide myself and I know this feeling. I must break free by letting go, letting myself go there, letting myself release the tension and melt into playful soft music and dance. Just enjoy the movement of the feeling leaving the body. Deep breath, look around, press record.
I play my new song on the iPhone and record myself singing and dancing along with the GoPro camera. Multi-tasking creative extravaganza in the lava field!!
I drop into flow state for a few minutes. Bliss. Experiencing my songs, feeling them out here, enjoying bringing them into the world, no stiffness in the body, just pleasure in flow. If you watch my music video and it feels good to watch, is it because you can see the freedom I feel? Am I showing you freedom in my music videos? or maybe just the journey towards freedom?
When my own creativity meets creation, this is my flow of happiness.
To create music videos, performing freely and playfully, in beautiful scenery… this is a joy! Pure joy as I allow art to flow through without holding back. I can feel the slightest holding back in my body. It hurts to hold back. My only options are hold back or let go. Which feels better? To let go, I first push which is also painful but the release follows. When holding back, it only gets tighter. So I push and it’s uncomfortable and then I’m free and it feels amazing. Smiles blossom with laughter.
After the lava field, I went to hot springs, a coffee plantation and a jungle top restaurant. Memories made. Music video on the way! First day of my birthday month…full of adventure! :)
Love and Sunrises, Cha Wilde
FOLLOW IN MY FOOTSTEPS
AirBnb Experience: Mt Batur Sunrise Jeep Adventure with Wayan