Back to Bali: Rotary, monkeys, and monsters

 We were first in Bali from April 11 to 14, then after Komodo we were back to Bali from April 29 to May 2. We love staying so long in a port. It gives us opportunity to explore and do stuff! In case I haven't mentioned it before, we recently formed a Rotary Club on board. The officers, including Jim as secretary, made arrangements to visit a local Rotary club in Bali. 

As soon as we were docked, our group got into a hired van and rode to the location for the Bali Seminyak Rotary group. This is a group of Expats mostly from the US and Canada and at least one from France. We thoroughly enjoyed chatting and getting to know them. Interesting how they made Bali their home, some for as much as 30 years. The president still keeps a full time job back in Denmark (I think) working remotely. 

The venue was a meeting room at a high-end hotel. We had a delicious lunch and listened to presentations about their projects.

I especially liked the presentation about their project to create a Plastic Free Bali. They are funding recycling centers and teaching the locals about collecting plastics and using the recycling centers. They say they are documenting the education process so that it can be replicated. That got me all excited thinking that our Odyssey Rotary Club could have a project for spreading this system. Plastics is such a HUGE problem for the planet, it would be a very worthy project.

The group of us representing the Odyssey Rotary Club

All the atendees of the Bali Seminyak Rotary club, including a visiting Australian club and us from the Odyssey

A Day of Exploration

Our friends on board, Kathryn and Frank, arranged for a car and driver for a day in Bali and asked if we wanted to come along. Great! We had been too lazy and preoccupied with our computer work to make any arrangements to see Bali so we jumped at their offer.

There are elaborate sculptures in the middle of every roundabout on the roads in Bali.

Our first stop was the most memorable. The Ogoh-Ogoh Bali. Ogoh-Ogoh are sculptures made of lightweight materials, bamboo, cloth, paper and are crafted into giant monsters. These are carried in a parade on the eve of the 'Day of Silence.' At the end of the day, they are burned as a ritual cleansing - destroying the malevolent monsters. One man made it his mission to save some of the sculptures and display his collection in a museum for the public to see. 

Kathryn and Frank in the Ogoh Ogoh museum

Photos really don't do it justice. Check out this video that Jim made:

Pura Taman Ayun temple in Bali Mengui. 

 

UNESCO World Heritage Site: The temple was recognized by UNESCO in 2012 for its significance as a royal temple of the Mengwi kingdom, built in the 17th century.

Jim is standing by the Shri Devi Statue at the Pura Taman Ayun temple in Mengwi, Bali. She is the goddess of fertility and prosperity. 

Monkeys and Bats

Alas Kedaton Monkey Forest in Bali, Indonesia is a 6.5-hectare protected forest and nature reserve that houses a sacred Hindu temple inhabited by approximately 1,800 long-tailed macaques.

There are also bats at this sanctuary - Flying Foxes to be exact. A staff person made Jim sit down and put bats into his hands in different ways for photo opps.

Just hanging around, exposing themselves.

The Famous Tanah Lot Temple

Our last stop was this sacred Hindu shrine built on a large offshore rock formation. It is one of Bali's most iconic coastal landmarks.

A well deserved drink at the end of a great day in Bali thanks to Frank and Kathryn arranging it. 

Bali to Komodo

From Bali, we headed East thru Indonesia to East Timor, then turned back west to Komodo and finally, returned for a second visit to Bali.

Waingapu

Marker #23 is a place called Waingapu where they literally rolled out the red carpet for us, sent officials to shake hands with our captain, and performed right on the dock. This is one of those little ports, like Topolobampo in Mexico (Highlight #2 on our anniversary video) that rarely if ever, see a cruise ship. They love us!

We walked over and inspected the vendors in the evening, listened to a bit of music, but other than that we didn't get off the ship. Others, like Viv, went horseback riding on the beach.😮 Apparently, they're known for that here. 

We get overwhelmed with all there is to do. Besides, we still have our 'normal' stuff, like Zoom calls. It's so nice that we can stay connected with our business and personal world in the US, while living anywhere but!

East Timor

Next port - East Timor or, Timor L'este. This was a 'tender' port, meaning we couldn't just walk off the ship onto a port. This ship is anchored and you need to get on a tender, a shuttle boat, to get to shore. We didn't bother. Too much other stuff to do just staying on board. 

One Year VillaVersary

We were at Timor Leste on April 20, exactly one year since we boarded the Odyssey in Cartagena, Colombia and we wanted to commemorate it. We had lots of videos to make. Check out our YouTube show #320 and #321. 

Komodo

From Timor Leste we headed to Komodo. The dock was supposed to be at LaJuan Bajo, but for some reason they revoked our reservation so the captain found an anchorage right in Komodo. It presented major obstacles for getting around. Most tours had been planned from Lajuan Bajo. Some of the tour boats were given permission to pick up passengers directly from the ship. This had never been done before. We LOVED it. We had an all-day in Komodo trip planned, hiking, snorkeling and touring Komodo with the dragons. 

Komodo National Park was a stunning anchorage location

First up - hiking up a hill (a big hill!) to a viewpoint to see Komodo National park. Then we went to Pink Beach and walked around a bit and swam. Next up seeing the dragons at Komodo Village and lastly, snorkeling amongst some gorgeous corals.

The big boy Komodo Dragons were 7-8 feet. Think of a very fat alligator.

Our guides would take our phones to snap a photo. They had a good eye for perspective!

It was an interesting walk thru the village. This is our sweet Komodo Village Guide. The stick is for keeping the dragons at bay!

A photo from a shipmate. He let his guide take his phone and put it on the ground in front of the path of a dragon. The dragon obediently walked right over it. This is a frame from the video.

Coming home after a full day in Komodo islands. Our tour boat took us right to the ship - see that opening at the bottom about one third of the way back from the bow.

April 20, 2026 - Our One Year "VillaVersary"

It’s been exactly one year since we moved our lives onto the Villa Vie Odyssey. We have been living the dream and loving it. We've met so many new friends and we've visited some of the most beautiful and interesting places on the planet. We so enjoy the life of luxury where all our meals are prepared, our cabin is cleaned, our laundry is done - without us needing to lift a finger - and it's all included in one reasonable monthly fee. We don't have to plan any travels, no airplanes, no hotels, no packing and unpacking. We just wake up in our own beds and look out the window to see where we are today.

Just 2 examples of some of the epic places we've been

But as I’ve learned this year, while the scenery is great, the internal navigation takes practice. There’s no manual for turning a five-star "vacation" ship into a "forever" home. To keep the journey smooth, I’ve had to recalibrate my internal compass.

The FOMO Filter

The majority of the 350 residents on board participate in chat groups set up in WhatsApp. It's a great way for us all to stay connected, but it does get busy. The chats include a constant stream of "Spectacular!" and "Check out this photo!"

• “That hike to the waterfall in Bora Bora was breathtaking.”

• “We just finished a traditional tea ceremony in Kyoto.”

• “Don't miss the Tarsiers at the nature reserve!”

The FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) is real. We didn't do the tea ceremony. We didn't see the tiny monkeys. Why? Because I have to sit at my computer. I have a blog to write, the Geeks On Tour website to manage, newsletters to ship, and videos to make. I'm not being forced to do any of that mind you, it's what I love. Geeks on Tour has been our business since 2004 and we still make a little bit of money at it, but we want to do it because it's who we are.

I’ve had to learn a new mental skill: reading those messages and saying, "I love hearing about all that," rather than "I'm missing out on that." I’ve traded the waterfall for the keyboard so that this lifestyle remains sustainable. Their photos are almost as good as being there—right?

The "Non-Stop Rally"

People think "Sea Days" (when we are in transit between ports) are quiet. They aren't! In fact, they are often busier than port days because that’s when the community comes alive. Meetings, classes, rehearsals, and meals! Lots of meals with lots of friends. 

Back when we were full-time RVers, we loved attending RV Rallies—weeks full of seminars, parties, and reunions. But when the rally was over, everyone drove their bedrooms in different directions and went back to "normal" life. Living on the Odyssey is like a non-stop RV rally. Take a look at just one of our recent Sea Days:

• Chris: Line dancing, Women with Wanderlust luncheon, and a Jeopardy skit rehearsal.

• Jim: Skit rehearsals a poetry reading recording, and tech management (visuals/light/sound) for a full length play.

• Both: Ship safety drills, presentation by the Chief Engineer about the ship, and dinner with friends.

Where is the time to pay bills or answer emails? The challenge is adjusting our mindset to realize that just because there is a party, doesn't mean we have to be at it.

The Buffet and the Bathrobe

The physical adjustments are the funniest. Having every meal prepared is easy to get used to; learning not to eat like it’s a holiday every day is the hard part!

Then there’s the "Public Life" shift. In a house or an RV, you can spend all day in a ratty t-shirt with messy hair. On the ship, the moment you leave your cabin, you are in public. I never thought I’d see the day where I’d put on earrings just to go get breakfast—yet, here we are!

The Art of Doing Nothing

One year in, I’ve realized that the most important thing I need to do is... nothing. In a lifestyle that offers 24/7 stimulation and global exploration, choosing to sit still is the most difficult mental adjustment of all.

We aren't on a year-long vacation; we are living our lives at sea. And sometimes, the best way to navigate that life is to go to your room and shut the door. I really like our cabin. As much as I love the real world, I also love my online world. Sitting at my computer, joining Zoom calls, writing, watching others' videos. That's as nourishing to me as hiking to a waterfall. I need both. We've set up our room to be very comfortable for one or both of us to be there. We can both be at our computers, or we can take a nap, or we can just stare out the window and watch the waves go by.

The New Equation: Play/Life Balance

We’ve all heard of Work/Life balance, but on the Odyssey, I’ve had to invent a new metric: Play/Life balance. When your backyard is a rotating gallery of the world’s wonders and your "living room" is a hub of constant social activity, "Play" becomes the default setting. It’s a wonderful "problem" to have, but it’s still a challenge. If I spent every day playing, the Geeks on Tour website would gather digital dust, the bills wouldn't get paid, and I’d eventually burn out from too much of a good thing.

Recalibrating for the long haul means realizing that:

• "Life" is the quiet morning coffee, the focused work hours, and the zoom calls with stateside friends and colleagues.

• "Play" is the Bali tubing, the line dancing, and the late-night dinners with friends.

Finding that balance is how we ensure this isn't just a one-year experiment, but a sustainable way to live for many years to come. I’m learning that it’s okay to say "no" to the play so that I can say "yes" to the life.

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Bali

The Odyssey takes us to so many wonderful places, but there's something different about this one. The sheer volume and diversity of posts inside our community Whatsapp groups is astonishing. Lots of posts and photos of the coffee tasting place, others with flying foxes/ bats, others seeing Balinese dance performances. We did a few of these things when we were here in 2023 - see that Blog Post here.

When the Odyssey entered the harbor we were meet with 2 tugboats shooting off their water cabins in a salute, making us feel honored and welcomed. 

Line Dancing in Bali

After docking and getting settled a local group of line dancers came in board and joined the 'Villa Vie Wave Damcers' for a performance. I'm in the Wave Dancers group and I had so much fun! Especially when we did the stand by me dance where we paired up with the Balinese ladies and get to high five at each turn. 

See the video of the event here. 

Scuba Diving in Bali

Then we went diving. We booked divers for us and our 2 dive buddies on board, Wayne and Donna, with Bali Scuba. This is who we went diving with when we were here 3 years ago with Alvin and Lisa. Back then our dive guides we're Sila and Yannick - to our delight, they're both still here. Yannick was already booked with another group, but Sila was available to lead our little group.

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Geeks on Tour monthly newsletter

Have you seen our Geeks on Tour newsletter? I haven't missed even one month Since 2007. And, all of them are listed and available to read on our website at https://geeksontour.com/recent-newsletters/. 

Part travel journal and part tech tips, it's a fair amount of work to put these newsletters together, but I love that it gives me a motivation - a deadline - to get some writing done. 

For the last few years, I've been starting with a photo, something that represents our life in the past month. It's usually travel related. I keep the images in a Google Photos album, so I can look at an overview - like a Year in review. For example, here is 2025:

I always feel stressed when I realize it's time to get the newsletter done, and I always feel accomplished when it's been sent out to our subscribers. During the time I need to get it done, I tend to be a recluse on board the ship. I say 'no' to a lot of invitations to participate in events. For example, there's almost always a theatrical production going on. I'm sure I would enjoy taking on a part in a play, but I just don't want to commit. 

Sometimes I think it may be time to shut it down, be completely retired. But then I get a comment that makes me feel so good ...

Thank you for your email. I found your Show 319, about Google Drive, particularly interesting.

Thanks for all the interesting stuff you share.

Keep up the good work.

Mike S

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Subscribe to our Free monthly newsletter​

• Website: GeeksOnTour.com
• Cruising life info: GeeksOnTour.com/cruising
• YouTube channel: YouTube.com/@geeksontour
• Facebook page: Facebook.com/geeksontour
• Business WhatsApp: wa.me/17547155948