Expectations and First Impressions -Ubud

We never know what to expect when arriving at the next destination. If we’ve been there before and really liked it, there is always the concern that it will have changed too much. If we’ve never been but have heard loads of people rave about it, maybe the bar is set too high and no matter how great it is, it won’t meet our expectations. If we’ve come from a place that we really LOVED, then maybe that will effect how we feel about the next place.

So, yesterday we landed in Ubud. We had only been once for a day trip 11 years ago, so no grand impressions from that. We had heard from lots of people that they love it here and we arrived from Gili Air, a place we really loved and has a very different vibe than Ubud.

The intersection of our street and the main road

When we first arrived, we felt overwhelmed by the traffic, the noise, the crowded streets, the dogs,… and the curb appeal of our homestay did not spark confidence by any means.

Street view of our accommodation

The Reception Desk – impression improving

Breakfast is served on the porch in front of our little room, overlooking the pool. Just lovely!

And today we woke up and the first thing we did was take a walk along the Campuhan Ridge, which almost had a ‘Lynn Canyon of Ubud’ feel. A river surrounded by jungle, people walking their dogs, joggers, no cars, fresh air…