My last day in Ubud, I decided to take a hike through the rice fields. It was a 4 hour hike and I left after a yummy breakfast of sticky rice with corn and coconut, paired with watermelon juice. I packed up my little bag and headed off for a day of exploring. When I arrived at the first part of the hike, there was a beautiful temple. An entire group of school children were entering and said, "come, join us!". I followed (duh, I can't say no!) and wandered in the temple for a bit until I came upon another traveler that had followed the school children just like me.
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| getting on the school bus... |
We ended up chatting and then spent the rest of the day along the hike, getting lost in the rice fields (me: "oh, no problem, what's the worst that can happen?"), sharing stories and enjoying having someone to talk to. His experience in Ubud was similar to mine--difficult for solo travelers. Despite being French himself, he says he can't stand French people (and Ubud was flooded with them). He says they never smile and are always complaining. Not Valentine though. He's always got a smile on his face and his big inquisitive eyes are constantly listening and asking.
He lives in a little village in Northern France, about 30 minutes outside of Geneva. He is an avid outdoorsman—he loves hiking, trekking, cycling and swimming. Last year he spent 9 days in Iceland hiking and this year he is a planning a trip that involves skiing down the mountain and then surfing in the water (eeek! It’s gonna be so cold!).
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| dinner at Casa Luna, Ubud |
Subject: Valentine
Male, France
Male, France
What do you spread on toast? Jam or honey
What makes you happy? Do you have three days? Short answer: sex
What time do you wake up? Normal work hours: 6am, vacation: 8am
What is your favorite place to be? Top of the summit of the mountain in my town
What is your favorite time of day? Just after work
What was your favorite age? Now? 30.
How many jobs have you had? 1
What is your favorite quiet spot? Iceland
Where do you rendezvous with friends? While skiing
How do you get around town? Car
How many brothers/sisters do you have? 1, a sister
What is your favorite memory? Fresh powder (when skiing)
What is your favorite food? Beef filet with mushrooms
He told me about a story they have in France about the little fairies who want to bring happiness to others (said that's what I'm doing in life) and we celebrated his birthday (that is coming up on Sunday) with a small drink after dinner. Valentine is a sweetheart of a person, just like his namesake holiday. I wish him many happy travels and a wonderful birthday!
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