Trip Organizers

Endorsements for Judy and Surya

“Judy and Surya are perfect for leading and organizing a trip to Bali. They have lived in two worlds at a deep level. They are thoughtful and caring, knowledgeable and skilled. The trip was well-planned. I’d highly recommend them for anyone going to Bali. A cannot imagine a better team and doubt one exists.”
        — Jerry Scribner, Greenwood, CA.

“Judy and Surya helped us know and understand this amazing culture. I know so much more about Bali than I would have if they hadn’t led us.”
        — Lisa Rizzo, San Mateo, CA

“Judy is a wealth of information and is passionate to share it. The relationships she cultivates with locals enriched the tour in an extraordinary way.”
        — Lisa Mitchell, Sacramento, CA.

“Oh how I yearn to return to Bali AND travel is no longer a reality for me.  I’m too old to lug, wait, endure, etcetera… And I am so grateful for all the delightful sights, experiences and friendships I have enjoyed all those years traveling with you.  I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your steadfast, loyal, loving and knowledgeable guidance.”
        — Blessings, Kate Munger, Inverness CA. April 22,2022

We were talking about you both recently. My cousin asked about a picture on my wall of LOTS of people filling a street in Hanoi. That led to more photos on my iPad linked to my Smug site; Spain, Greece, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos. OMG, she remarked, how do you know what to do when you’re there?! I said I’m friends with beings from another planet who Grok (remember?) the culture and lead the way. That’s when Denise usually jumps in to explain that I speak in tongues (just not like Surya) and that Danu Travel is not exactly a planet…but the residents are far out.
        — Stephen Cronin, Minneapolis, Minn. Jan. 1,2022

“Hi Judy, We have thought of you often through this incredible pandemic. We have been so grateful for the amazing travel experiences you and Sureya have guided us through. You both have enriched our lives. We just wanted to send you both some love and appreciation. ”
        — Dorothy Tarrant and David Clay, Half Moon Bay CA
Oct. 13, 2021

Judy Slattum MFA: First went to Bali in 1978 while on sabbatical from teaching theater arts at Cabrillo College in Santa Cruz California. During her three-month stay, she immersed herself in Balinese theater, studying mask dance. Six months later she returned with the first of many highly successful study tours. In 1979, Judy brought members of Hit and Run Theater to Bali to perform and study in Ubud. They returned with a play based on Balinese mythology, and presented it the next year throughout Santa Cruz County. Soon afterward, Judy began her exhaustive research on traditional Balinese masks, sponsored by the Indonesian Institute of Sciences. Meanwhile she has published articles on Balinese art and culture, taught classes in mask making, theory and performance, and guest-curated many museum shows on masks. Her book, Masks of Bali; Spirits of an Ancient Drama, the definitive work on the topic, was published in September 1992 by Chronicle Books.
Glowingly reviewed in the Dec.14, 1992 issue of Time magazine, the book was reprinted after its initial run of 14,000 copies and a new, revised version has been released in 2003 by Periplus Editions, Singapore. Her museum show of traditional Balinese masks toured the USA for four years and recently returned to Bali. She continues to write and publish on Balinese art and culture.

Madé Surya BSC (Surya): Born in Denpasar, the eldest son of a Hindu priest. Surya was given private religious instruction to prepare him to take over as head of the 400 year old family compound. With help from academic scholarships, he attended graduate school and is also a performer of traditional mask dance, is a mask carver, and is frequently asked to sing Kawi religious texts at ceremonies. Through his work, Surya has become familiar with many, and close to some of Bali’s foremost Healers. Surya was Senior Researcher in Bali for the Society for the Study of the Afterdeath, involving interviewing 25 of Bali’s foremost religious authorities regarding Bali’s belief systems, recording previously undocumented information and intricate philosophical translation with the Healers and Western health care professionals.
Surya has traveled and scaled volcanoes in most of Indonesia’s inhabited islands, has assisted scholars, researchers, tour groups, and film and video crews in Bali and Indonesia, and is currently working with Dr. Adi Putera writing the first book in English on Traditional Healing practices in Bali.
Judy and Surya were married in Bali in September, 1986, and continue to live there half the year.