FROM: Nadja Nuss

Once upon a time, I, a young woman from Germany with a penchant for adventure, decided to embark on a journey to Bali. The island with verdant rice terraces, seductive beaches, and an undeniable talent for turning my skin a curious shade of lobster red. The tale I’m about to recount is one for the books, so read carefully. It all began on a sunny afternoon in Ubud, where I was attempting to fit in with local life.

I had just finished a yoga class, where I discovered muscles I was quite certain did not exist before, and decided to treat myself to some fresh fruit. Since the region is also know for its so called Monkey Forest, I made myself ready to explore it. As I strolled toward the entrance, I was (unfortunately) unaware that my life was about to take a turn for the bananas.

No sooner had I entered the forest than I was surrounded by a troupe of thieving little monkeys, who seemed to mistake me for a walking fruit basket. In a desperate attempt to keep my belongings to myself, I began a dance that would have made any disco enthusiast proud.

I turned around and saw a man leaning against a tree, his laughter blending with the chattering of the monkeys. He was a tall fellow with hair that defied gravity and a smile that suggested he knew the secret to eternal happiness – or at least how to avoid being pickpocketed by primates.

“Need a hand, or are you just trying to start a new dance craze?”… he asked.

“I’m practicing for the ‘Survive the Monkey Apocalypse’ flash mob,” I quipped (in my head this sentence sounded funnier, I swear). But finally, I was able to secure my bag from those wild animals.

He introduced himself as Kadek, a local with the ability to ‘speak monkey,’ so he claimed. With a few gestures and a stern look, he had the monkeys retreating faster than tourists at the hint of rain.

Grateful for the rescue, I offered to buy him a coffee. As we chatted, I learned that Kadek was a part-time monkey whisperer and a full-time purveyor of handmade sandals, which,according to him, were comfortable enough to make your feet sing. “Would you like to see something truly magical?“ He asked, to which of course I yelled ‘yes‘.

He led me to a hidden part of the island that tourists rarely saw. There was a small pond. It was filled with the most colorful fish I’d ever seen, performing what looked like an underwater ballet.

We sat there, watching the fish dance until the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in pink.

And as I laughed at the ridiculousness of the day, I realized that sometimes the most unexpected encounters lead to the most memorable tales. My trip had brought me a
monkey ambush, a sandal salesman sidekick, and a fish ballet.