There was nothing much to do in Seseh, which was exactly what I wanted. And Tamu Seseh was the perfect place to do nothing. Our villa had plenty of space; a large, open-air pavilion with living, dining and cooking areas under the one roof; a horizon pool and sun beds looking out onto peaceful green fields; a two-storey bale with toilet and shower downstairs, and seating, sensational views, TV and DVD player upstairs. Plenty of places to be, if you wanted solitude - not counting the bedrooms and bathrooms.
The first morning, D and H were up and about at sparrow's, exploring all that Seseh had to offer. They had quite a trip. They met chooks and dogs, they wandered through rice fields and along quiet lanes, they said hello to everyone they saw, they watched a ceremony on the beach, and then returned with hearty appetites.
I slept in. After all, I had to save my strength for cooking a breakfast of caramelized bananas with yoghurt and shredded fresh coconut, and then for splashing in the pool, reading, squeezing lemons, making ice, and maybe rustling up something tasty for lunch. So many things to do - just when I was supposed to be doing nothing! Somewhere along the way, I'd probably need a G&T, to reduce stress and combat scurvy.
That afternoon, D was booked on a flight to whoop-whoop, to chase the surf. We fed him, watered him, gave him a pat and an apple, and bustled him into a cab. All this activity was exhausting. Would we ever find time to do nothing?
While H threw herself into a book, I threw myself into the pool. Oh, the bliss of having my own pool - if only for a few days. (H was less enthusiastic, but then she's been spoilt, and has one at home. I don't, however; I just loved being able to jump in, whenever I felt like it!)
The pool in Villa 3 was chilly and deep. I discovered it was best to leap right in, scream for a few seconds, and then swim like crazy. Once I was warmer, I'd drift to the far edge, and watch the world go by, Tamu Seseh style. Life in slow motion... People quietly working the paddies. A boy flying a kite. A little girl blowing kisses, showing us how well she could dance. Men on rickety old bicycles, gliding past the villa. Big black butterflies with brilliant yellow patches on their wings, floating from plant to plant. Memories to keep forever.
As the day drew to a close, staff appeared and prepared our bedrooms for the night. While we waited for dinner to arrive, the security guard called to check on us, stopping a moment to chat. H and I burnt mosquito coils and sipped icy drinks. Frogs croaked, geckos called, insects sang, moths fluttered, and bats swooped.
What a wonderfully busy day we had... doing nothing.
On our third day, we actually ventured outside Seseh village. Both H and I wanted to be at Echo Beach, in time for the sunset. We arrived late afternoon, and sat by the sea with mojitos and bruschetta, watching the surf. The Beach House was nice, but not nice enough to stay. Too many people and not enough staff, and a very smelly barbecue. When the band started up, we escaped to the Sol. Sol didn't have much atmosphere, but then we were the only customers. Shame, really, because it's got a lot going for it, including the views.
The trip home was interesting. We asked the Sol to ring for a taxi. After we'd jumped in, four men in matching tropical shirts appeared from the shadows and gathered at the driver's window. A long discussion ensued. The men were part of the Echo Beach Taxi Mafia (you know, the guys who charge you five times the going rate to negotiate a ride home, and you're stuck with them because there are no metered cabs around?) This was their turf, they said, and our driver was NOT allowed to pick up fares from that area. Our driver was part bewildered and part bemused. He was new to the job, and the poor guy had driven all the way from Seminyak to collect us. He'd never heard of any such thing; nor had H and I. We were all highly indignant!
All too soon, our stay at Tamu Seseh was over. It was sad to leave. I'd miss our delightful villa in the paddies, our place of comfort and protection and serenity. But Seminyak called, with all its shops and cafes and bars to explore.
Our batteries were fully recharged, and we were ready to get out there and start DOING STUFF!
Next: The $50 deal