Day 73 - Traditions, Simplicity & Sailing Onward

We had rain overnight, but as the morning unfolded the skies began to brighten — just in time for my half-day tour to a Balinese village and rice fields. Joe decided to give this one a miss and catch up on some much-needed sleep, which felt like a very wise decision.

It was an early start, as we all needed to be back onboard by 12.30pm to set sail, so I squeezed in a quick stretching session rather than a full workout.

Batik, Rice & Village Life

Our first stop was a Batik centre, where we saw artisans creating clothing and home items using a variety of traditional batik techniques. It’s fascinating to see how much skill, patience, and heritage goes into each piece.



From there we headed out to the rice fields. To be honest, rice fields have been a constant feature throughout Indonesia, so we were all fairly familiar with them by now — but the guide shared an interesting fact:
a 10m x 10m plot can produce approximately 30–35kg of rice, much of it still cultivated manually. Hard work, carried out with remarkable consistency.



Next, we visited a traditional Balinese house compound. The guide explained that this was considered a middle-class compound, and that homes are rarely sold — instead they are passed down through generations, meaning multiple families often live together in one compound.



Each household must have its own temple, and interestingly, the temple must be more elaborate and better constructed than the house itself. Daily offerings are placed to honour the gods, and when we arrived, the lady of the house was in the middle of preparing them — a quiet, beautiful ritual.



Life in the compound was very basic:

  • A simple kitchen with a sink, a two-ring gas hob, and an open wood-fire cooking area

  • No fridge

  • Water drawn from a well (not drinkable unless boiled; most now buy bottled water)

  • Basic toilet facilities — no toilet paper, just water

  • A shower literally in the corner of the toilet



And yet, despite the simplicity, there was a deep sense of contentment and gratitude. They live with less, but seem rich in connection, tradition, and purpose.

Back Onboard

After returning to the ship, the new Captain Ivan introduced himself as Captain Loris had headed off for a well deserved break. I settled into my routine with the crossword, while Joe headed to the pool deck to watch us sail away from Bali — something he said was particularly beautiful and magical.

We were lucky enough to secure a table on the outside deck at La Verandah for lunch — always a treat.

The afternoon was relaxed. I attended Skip’s talk on Komodo, which was fascinating. While I’m sad we won’t be doing the Komodo dragon tour (the walking wouldn’t suit Joe’s back), we’re both happy we’ll still experience the Pink Beach, which feels like a perfect compromise. I just hope the weather is good for the beach.



Then came Joe’s favourite part of the day — the quiz.
Once again, his team came first. They didn’t get a clean sweep this time (13/15), but Joe earned bonus points for his contribution and was absolutely delighted. It will be interesting to see what Regent swag he eventually redeems with all these points!

Dinner tonight was at Compass Rose, and buoyed by last night’s complimentary champagne at Koral, Joe decided to order champagne with dinner — clearly in celebratory mode.

I then headed off to watch the Navigator Production Team perform Tuxedo. Knowing this may be the last time we get to see this show made it extra special. They really are an exceptionally talented group, and it felt quite emotional watching them perform.

Tomorrow brings another early start, as Komodo will be our final Indonesian port before we sail onward to Australia — a big transition point in our journey.

✨ Daily Reflection

Today was a gentle reminder that happiness isn’t about abundance — it’s about appreciation. Witnessing the simplicity of Balinese daily life, and the gratitude with which it’s lived, made me pause and reflect on what truly matters.

🌟 Highlight of the Day

🏡 Visiting the Balinese house compound
Seeing how traditions, spirituality, and family life intertwine — and how contentment can thrive with so little — was quietly powerful and deeply grounding.

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