After two weeks photographing orangutans in the sweltering heat of Borneo's jungle, I was ready for some R&R. The beaches and breezes of Bali sounded perfect so I hopped a southbound plane for Denpasar, on the far side of the island. After a few days, I would continue on to Australia for more wildlife photography, this time kangaroos and koalas.

While on Bali I took a day trip north, to the cultural center of Ubud, for some shopping and to shoot the picturesque rice terraces. This was my first encounter with the rice culture of the Far East, responsible for feeding over half the world's population. Rice was probably first cultivated along the Yellow River Valley in central China, around 5000 B.C.