Did I
tell you about my encounter with a chap in the rice fields during our walk on
Tuesday? I stopped to take some pictures and noticed a runner catching his
breath and gazing over the rice paddies. I first noticed him as he ran past us
earlier on in the walk. So, being my newly discovered brazen self, I stopped to
talk to him. Asked him how far he ran, did he race, etc. etc. After all, the
Balinese stop us and ask us questions all the time!! It turned out that he was
a masseur, and had done this for over 14 years, being taught by his father and
grandfather. He had worked in a spa but turned to freelance a few years ago.
I
checked his hands out, they looked large and strong, his physique was healthy
and the muscles in his arms and body were certainly toned!! I called Laura back
and introduced her to him. I told him about Laura’s fall, and showed him her
bruised back. He prodded her on the exact spot where it hurt; then travelled up
the back to a “knot” that had clearly formed as a result of the bruise below
coming to the same conclusion Catherine and I had. He passed the test!! I asked
him if he would come to the house and give us all a massage. He would love to,
he told me. So, we set up the deal - $15.00 for an hour. You know when you get
those moments of pure trust in yourself and in another person? That is what
happened. I never for one flick of a second doubted (or even thought) what I
was doing!!!
So,
Ketut ( arrived at the villa on Wednesday morning at 11:00 a.m. We looked around
for a suitable spot and he quickly selected a
massage table (the outdoor dinner table) beside the gurgling koi pond and hidden in the palm leaves with orchids dangling over the water. He put a mattress on top of the table, draped it with his cloths, and we were set!
As I
lay listened to the babling water, he proceeded to work on
every muscle in my runner’s body starting with the legs and ending with the
skull. It was obvious that he was well trained, highly experienced, and knew
how to work the muscles to the limit but not over. He knew exactly where the
“trigger” points were and worked them into submission. The heat from his
healing hands held over my face at the end of the massage added the final
magical touch. After the massage, my body
flowed as one again. One of the best massages I have had worldwide.
Laura and Ray had an equally good experience. We have booked him to come back
again on Monday before we leave here. What a shame we didn’t meet him earlier
in the trip. But what a reward for putting my trust in a chance encounter!!
After
we peeled our bodies off the massage table, Laura and I headed into Ubud to do
some last minute shopping. We pretty well knew what we wanted, but ended up not
finding the store where I wanted to buy a couple of masks. That meant a return trip
on Thursday morning. Thursday afternoon was spent around the pool relaxing;
Laura packed. We ate dinner at home, and at 10:00 a.m. walked her to meet Made who drove her to Denpasar airport.
Ray and
I walked slowly back down the deserted lane our path lit by the moonlight. We
hoped Laura had a good flight to Seoul and that she was able to find the bus
she had to take to her son’s home with no problems.
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