I had not seen Eat. Pray. Love. when I had this interesting experience, though I did know the basic premise of the story. It was when we decided to stay at Murni’s, an institution in Ubud, that I was asked whether I wanted a number of things; one of these being a tarot card reading. I guess with all of the hype of the book and the movie and the fact that many people in Ubud seem to be into this spiritual stuff, so tarot cards are trendy.

I had to think about it because I have never actually done anything like this before. I agreed because I thought it would make a good story, to be honest, and also because the lady is a published author, and that is always interesting. Her name is Noviana Kusumawardhani, Tarot Reader, Ubud, Bali.

I was a little nervous about such an experience but being a born skeptic thought that I might just be able to have some fun and meet an interesting lady. I bought Gordon with me to sit quietly and take a picture or 2 with Novi’s permission. I have no secrets from him. He had decided not to have a tarot card reading.

She asked me my full name and then thought about it. She then asked me my date of birth. She then appeared to go into a trance and I was freaked. Then she said she would shuffle the cards, and then I would shuffle them and give them back to her, which I did. Remember I would not know what one tarot card looked like from another anyhow…and besides, I had heard enough. She then spread them over the table and asked me to select 10.

She then turned 3 over to start with …and then it started. She had me nailed totally. She knew me so well, and it would have been impossible for her to know the things that she did. She then started turning the rest of the cards over, and her knowledge of me was unbelievable. She asked if I had any questions, but I didn’t know of any to ask. I think I was in a state of shock. She had come so highly recommended and I can see why.

Gordon was also in a state of shock having nearly nodded his head off the whole way through, agreeing with her. He then had his tarot cards read by Novi, and again pinpoint accuracy right down to a specific event at a specific time in his life. OMG.

Novi was originally from Java but now lives in Ubud, Bali.

So what was the analysis of me? I am not telling all – but, in a nutshell, I am a very hard worker, (control freak) with the kindest heart ever. Works for me.

Thanks to FlipKey by tripadvisor for sponsoring us at Murni’s, otherwise we would not have had this confronting experience – and I am saying that in a good way.