We’re still getting settled in and there are about a million and one things we’d like to buy for the house, but priority number one was getting me (and Hudson) a bike. Twist my arm.
Aron is using our car to commute to work and so, thus far, I have been doing everything on foot or bike–the latter of which is especially convenient in Davis. Davis is renowned for its bike culture: nearly 90% of the city’s primary roads have bike paths. Even the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame chose to make the city its home, noting that Davis is recognized as a “Platinum” Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists and was once named America’s best city for biking. Anyway, point being that Hudson and I were to be getting around the city on two wheels every day, and I needed a new, super-reliable bike.
I started looking when we were in New York, and would go describe my needs in terms like this: where I’m going it’s fairly flat, but there are stop signs everywhere (and who knows when we might take off for a more hilly destination like Napa?), so a 3-speed is minimum and an 8-speed would be ideal. It’s California, so the weather is nice but it does rain so something with long front and rear fenders and an internal gear box is preferable. I don’t want to wear an ugly ankle strap, so I’d like it to have a chain guard. I won’t be carrying it up stairs or loading it in and out of a car much, but I should be able to lift it if required. I’ll be carrying my one-year-old and would also like to be able to bring home groceries and what-not, so it has to be able to safely support me and another 40 lbs without issue.
Oh, and I really, really want it to be pretty.
They suggested the Linus without missing a beat. And so far me and Hudson and the Dutchi 8-speed Linus are one happy little family.
We landed in San Francisco, and made our way to our new home in Davis, just over a week ago. And yet it already feels like ages since we were in Bali. I really want to take a day to write down all that I can about the trip–before those aromas of frangipani and burning incense fade from memory–but I can’t say there has been much downtime since we arrived (save for an impromptu Breaking Bad marathon two nights ago that prevented me from getting this post up yesterday and which still elevates my heart rate when I think about it).
The last week of the trip was as good as any. A bumpy (and slightly white-knuckled) ride from the Gili Islands back to Bali, where we spent our final days in Seminyak–shopping, observing Galungan celebrations, and shopping some more–before the 40-odd hours of travel home. Those plane flights went so well and we’re still sort of amazed at how everything just came together perfectly. Most of my photos of Hudson are of him sleeping (since that’s mostly what he did!) and our layovers couldn’t have been much better: I had an hour massage for $20–pjs and all–in Bangkok and we all took showers and naps in a transit hotel during our 11-hour layover in Seoul. The hardest part may have actually been sitting in traffic over the Bay Bridge at the end of it all. Or that there was an end at all.
Aron went back to work yesterday. Just a half day, but both Hudson and I missed him. It has been the most incredible two months. I think it has only just been hitting me what a rare opportunity we had, and how lucky we all were to be together–especially during these months when Hudson is so dynamic. That’s something I don’t think I’ll ever forget.
P.S. These are just a few–ha!–photos from our last week in Bali from my iPhone/Instagram; full travelogue to come… someday. In the meantime, some of you have asked about lodging. Here are the (wonderful) places we stayed:
Ubud (Lodtunduh): 10 nights at Harvest Moon in Desa Bulan–which we were invited to thanks to Kate, a fellow blogger (who has a beautiful home in Bali as well)! An amazing villa with stunning views of rice fields.
Permuteran: 4 nights at Taman Selini–a charming and small hotel with a great restaurant. We had a bungalow with a day bed set back from the black sand beach.
Amed (Banyuning): 1 night at Baliku–a steep property just across the road from a sunken Japanese wreck that’s good for snorkeling and diving.
Gili Trawangan, Lombok: 6 nights at Kokomo (and yes we did hear that song quite a few time), a quieter and more upscale option (i.e. pricier) than most would seek (or need) on this island popular with backpackers, but awfully nice with a toddler.
Seminyak: 4 nights at the Ranadi Villas–where we got lucky and were upgraded to a 2-bedroom place. Beautiful!
We’re back in the USA, back in California, and up to our eyes in boxes. Hopefully we’ll get some quick shots of our last week in Bali soon, but in the mean time, many wishes for a very happy birthday are in order. I hope you have a wonderful birthday, love!
