u/wafflejuicexox

Hi! We’ll be staying in Ubud soon and I’m trying to figure out whether we actually need to prebook private drivers or if scheduling through Grab would be reliable.
We have two early morning trips.

Ubud to Sanur Harbour: We would need to leave around 5:30 or 6:00 AM to catch a fast boat to Nusa Penida. Grab is currently showing around $15 USD and allows me to schedule the ride in advance.

Ubud to Sekumpul Waterfall: We want to leave around 4:00 AM. It’s roughly a 2 hour drive and Grab is currently showing around $35 USD one way.

Has anyone actually scheduled a Grab this early from Ubud, especially for a longer trip like Ubud to Sekumpul? Did a driver accept ahead of time and actually show up?

For Sekumpul, would you recommend using a private full day driver instead so they can wait for us and bring us back to Ubud later that day? Or is it realistic to use Grab there and arrange another ride back?

I don’t mind paying more for a private driver if it’s genuinely more reliable or convenient. I’m mainly trying to figure out if it’s necessary or if I’m overcomplicating transportation.
Thank you!

I’ve been out of school for about 5 years now, and I haven’t had a solid friend group since then. I do have a longterm boyfriend (8 years), and we have a really healthy, communicative relationship. He is my closest friend lol. Recently, we’ve been putting ourselves out there more and meeting new people.

The thing is, I don’t think I’m bad at socializing. I can make people laugh, I’m empathetic, I understand social cues pretty well, etc… but I’ve started noticing a pattern that’s really bothering me. People constantly talk negatively about others behind their backs.

It feels like everything is labeled “performative” or annoying if it’s not something they personally care about. People complain about their friends a lot, but then act completely normal and friendly to their face. I’ve seen people criticize someone for hours, then invite them out like nothing happened.

I also feel like conversations are one sided sometimes. I ask about others, but they don’t ask much about me. And when I do express simple preferences or boundaries (“I don’t want to do that” or “I don’t like that”), I’ve been called confrontational, even though I’m not being rude.

What really gets to me is if people talk like this about others, I assume they’re doing the same about me.

Is this just how adult friendships are? Am I missing some kind of social norm here? How do you build genuine connections when this feels so common?

My cat just turned 1 this month. She’s fully adjusted to her current feeding routine, which is:
2/3 cup dry food (Purina ONE + Indoor Advantage Turkey)
1/2 can wet food (Fancy Feast Classic Pâté Poultry Variety) mixed with a lot of water (basically like a soup)
She also drinks from a water fountain, and I track that she’s staying hydrated.

Recently, she’s been finishing both her dry and wet food much faster than before. She used to eat throughout the day (from around 5am to 8pm), but now she’s finishing everything by about 5pm.

I’m currently feeding the recommended amount of dry food for her weight, so I’m unsure if I should adjust anything.

Should I increase her wet food (or overall intake), or is this normal behavior as she transitions into adulthood?