C. Bali Up Close and Active
'Cycle, canoe, clean and conserve Bali' is the motto and goals for the C.Bali tour company. C.Bali is owned and operated by business and life partners Sibran Bergsma and Rach Ashton. Sibran is Dutch and came to Bali early in 2006 to help with his uncle's aid work at the Female Farmers Partnership in the Village of Kedisan, on the shores of Lake Batur. Rach is from Melbourne, Australia. She spent several years working for International Council for Local Environment Initiatives. This is a not-for profit environmental organisation founded by the United Nations that educates people on sustainable development. In 2005 she came to Bali to manage the 'Liaisons With Mayors' project through the 'Cities for Climate Protection Program'. It was through their community work that this vibrant couple hooked up.
Two years ago they came up with the idea of combining their love of the Kedisan people with a tourism project that would educate visitors on the life and culture of the village. Their tours combine cycling and canoeing with choices from one to three days. My 2 adults x 2 teenage daughters family chose the one day tour that started with Sibran picking us up from our hotel at 8:00am. We then drove to their home in Ubud to pick up Rach then went on to the Segara hotel in Kedisan. On the last section of the drive you get views of Mt Batur; Lake Batur; Mt Abang and, on a clear day, Mt Agung.
On arrival at the hotel breakfast is served. Sibran was busy preparing the canoes while we tucked in to our banana pancakes. If you can't wait until 10 o'clock for breakfast it pays to have something before you're picked up, although I would recommend going easy at the smorgasbord.
From the hotel, you carry your inflatable canoe for a short distance down to the lake. C.Bali lease a small section of shoreline from a family that helps add to the village income. We went for a 30 minute paddle where Rach informed us of the various settlements around the lake and the religious significance of the area. The inflatable canoes are the only ones of their type in Bali and are the most comfortable I have ever been in. They are easy to maneuver and even if you have minimal experience, you will soon be heading in the right direction. It was quite magnificent to be paddling with the backdrop of the mountains and the Mount Batur volcano. One of the most common day trips is to sit at the top of the giant volcanic rim to look across the lake and the mountains. It felt great to be doing it in reverse, down on the lake.
If you eat a lot on your holidays, then fear not, because after packing up the canoes it was time for a huge lunch. We were presented with an enormous plate full of delicious local food that included fish that is raised in the lake.
It was then time to be fitted on our mountain bikes for the afternoon ride. C.Bali has invested in top quality dual suspension mountain bikes. If you haven't ridden for a while it might pay to dust off your bike in the back shed and take it out for a ride once or twice before you start your holiday. For the most part the ride is easy going, with regular stops and some walking sections on the way. There are a few short steep hills that may see you walking to the top. Sibran is always up for the challenge for those who want to test their ability. Bottled water is provided throughout the trip.
The tour takes you through the small Gangs of the village where you are able to stop for photo opportunities and to observe the daily activities of the locals. Rach explains the culture of the village and the layout of the temples that each family has. Having worked in the village for several years, Rach and Sibran have accumulated a lot of knowledge of these Balinese people and a mutual respect has developed. Because of this they are able to add a personal touch to each tour.
Each family has two gardens. On the shoreline is the commercial garden where everything that's produced is sold to the restaurant market. Further up the slope is the family garden, where the produce is used to make daily offerings and feed the family. The area does not have enough rainfall for rice; so crops such as onions, chillies, cabbage and tomatoes are grown.
When Rach first came to Kedisan children would be out in the fields with their mothers from the time they were a few weeks old. She was instrumental in the establishment of a day care facility, so the children are able to focus on social development and their early education. She was assisted by two volunteer university students from Holland who lived and worked in the village for three months. There is a village school where the children have a varied curriculum. Initially they are taught in their first language, Bahasa Bali. Within a few years Bahasa Indonesian becomes the instructional language. C.Bali help the older children learn English.
We found the day to be great value. If you can ride a bike, you can do it. Groups are limited to 10 to make sure the tours are personal and to ensure everyone sticks together on the ride. Rach and Sibran are inspirational. They continue to assist with the development of the Kedisan community whilst running their business. If you catch the enthusiasm bug, Rach is full of ideas of how you can help. She does not solicit support, but is willing to answer any questions you have about how to support their community work. They are in the process of establishing a foundation that will be jointly managed by village elders, The Female Farmers Partnership and C.Bali. The aim of the foundation is to fund research in to how the Kedisan people can improve their health care, education and standard of living while maintaining their traditional cultural values and practices. Anything that is enacted will be funded through the foundation.
You can contact C.Bali via their comprehensive website http://www.c-bali.com/home.html You will find all you need to know about their tours and prices. Rach responds promptly to your email inquiries. The website also has ideas on how you can help the Kedisan children. If you have a bit of room in your suitcase for all those t-shirts you are going to bring home, look under 'Projects' for ideas on what you can bring with you.