Bali Adventure with a push of a button

Apr 19, 2018
8 min read

Bali, Bali, Bali. I can write a whole book on my adventures in Bali and that's only on a two-week journey. Where do I even start with this incredible island and many other islands in Indonesia. With over 17,000 known islands this is one of the most interesting archipelago on earth spanning almost 2 million square kilometers between Asia and Australia. It is the first place I have been to below the equator and probably one of the most humid and hot places I have stepped foot on. That being said, I absolutely loved every second and drip of sweat my body exuded. I have visited many Southeast Asian countries and they are beautiful and unique in their own way. Although I went to Bali which is culturally different from the rest of Indonesia, I was able to go to other islands and talk to the locals to get some perspective. Like I said, I can write a book but I'm here to tell you about this particular adventure that happened in April of 2018.

This was a spiritual trip for Steven and I. A lot of things led up to this particular trip and along the way we gained many new things and lost some people.....never forgotten. I had always wanted to go to Bali, however, thought it was an expensive destination. After all, we like to think of ourselves as high-end budget travelers (if there is such a thing). We are always looking for deals and ways to save money. It's as if a place calls you and you just know if its possible or not. So there we are at LAX waiting for our boarding call to Shanghai once again. That excitement I carry inside sipping on my vanilla late I bought from the Starbucks in the airport lobby. The notorious IG picture with the LAX geotag follows, and the glorious Ding sound that follows with a loud announcement your flight is boarding. We were once again in that metal tube soaring 30,000 feet in the air, eating pork and noodles and drinking Tsingtao. We landed at Shanghai Pudong International. We took off and thought we knew where we were going because we had been there the previous year with our daughter on a layover. No big deal right? Wrong! We were told we could no longer go into the city on a 12 hour layover, therefore stuck at the airport. Luckily we met other somewhat not happy travelers going to Bali on the same flight with the same layover. We tried to get out but we couldn't so we did the next best thing......Drink beer and eat tons of Ramen and dumplings! We met our new friends From Alberta, Canada who were honeymooners and discovered not only were they also sitting in front of us on the flight from Shanghai to Bali but they were staying a couple of places down from our resort in Ubud which was our first destination in Bali. I knew at this moment everything happens for a reason and a lot of the times it's not about the destination but about the people you meet and are with along the way. As soon as we got to Ubud I knew this place would instantly stay in my heart and I would have to go back. Words will never do this place justice. A tropical forest in the mountains of Bali surrounded by lush flowers, trees, animals, and rivers. Our resort was in the middle of the jungle with an infinity pool looking out to the river which ran in between the town. It was quiet and relaxing to sit and listen to nature interact in the midst of day. I could sit there and use all my senses all day. it was almost like a sensory overload. We walked the quiet back streets where we bought fruit and beer from the local people under their huts in the humidity that both consumed and relieved you. We went to the sacred monkey forest that aside from all the crazy and ruthless but harmless monkeys you were surrounded by lush forest and pathways leading to fascinating temples and statues. We swam in the jungle that night bathing under the amazing Indonesian moonlight. The stars shine bright because there are hardly any obstructions preventing from seeing them in their true glamour. The next day we went to the Elephant cave and Tegenungan Waterfall. Both so beautiful and hard to get to in the heat and humidity but both well worth it. I would suggest a driver for most of the day so you can set a schedule and plan your days out. Most places are 30 minutes to an hour away from the center of Ubud. On our last night in Ubud we went to the only Fully Eco friendly resort in Bali located in the rice fields. we rode scooters under the night sky zipping through winding and dark roads with the sounds of Bali in our ears. The next day we took the first ferry out to Nusa Lembongan, a 30 minute island away from Bali. As soon as we stepped foot off the boat onto soft white sand we were in a state of happiness. Steven and I are like fishes who dry up if we are away from the water for too long. 'We felt the sea air touch our sun-kissed skin and could not have been more overjoyed. This island looked more remote, there were no cars or big vans, just the trucks taking tourist to their destination. We got to our huts, the Pemedal resort. We had our own little hut in front of the most gorgeous secluded white sand beach. The Infinity pool looked out to the Indian ocean with views of Mt. Agung. This beautiful and mystical volcano had erupted a couple of months before us visiting the island. All of the locals had moved back to their villages and tourism was slowly getting back to normal. That day we spent basking in the sun and getting acquainted with the people of lembongan. Lembongan is not as developed as Bali and you find yourself staying next to the locals. This is what the best part of the island was, besides the amazing white sandy crystal clear beaches along Jungut Batu and Mushroom Beach. Steven and I got the courage to rent scooters because the traffic was not as bad as Bali, however there are winding roads through the jungle to get to the other side of the island and cross the bridge to Nusa Ceningan.Anywhere on the island you will need a scooter and once you do a couple of test runs you will be fine. It becomes thrilling and fun once you get the hang of it. The next day we were off to Nusa Ceningan to cross the famous yellow bridge. Interesting fact, the yellow bridge fell just a couple of years ago during a ceremony. Since then its been rebuilt and secured, and we had the pleasure of crossing the narrow path. Pictures do not do this place justice. The water in the channel is a light aqua color and shallow enough to swim for days. We saw a lot of locales and met many interesting people along the way while exploring this very remote island in the midst of Nusa Penida and Lembongan. Along the coast there are small little bars with bohemian vibes equipped with bean bags and swings in the water. Most places will allow you to use their facilities if you buy a drink. I loved this sleepy little piece of heaven. It was serene and quiet with the sounds of Reggae in the background. We loved These islands and could have stayed forever. Most people we met were staying longer than a week and we understood why. The next day we were off on a ferry to Sanur, heading South to the surfer paradise that stole my heart, Uluwatu. As soon as we got there I could see glimpses of the glistening sea from the cliff tops of amazing little Warungs and resorts. Most of the time you didn't know where the sky and the ocean began because you would see infinity pools that would look out to the clouds which were above the sea. Everywhere you go in Uluwatu is work, there are cliffs, and cliffs, mean stairs. Stairs built on the side of cliffs and coral mountains to get down to the most beautiful beaches on earth. A lot of people go to Bali and forget Uluwatu or go for the day. If you are a beach person or a surfer, do not overlook this slice of heaven. So many beaches that you can get to only by going under caves or walking down 200 stairs in between rocks. The most beautiful places are often the hardest to get to. This is absolutely true in Uluwatu. Suluban beach is a must and the path there is an intricate path of surfer shops and bars playing the best mix of chill house music. At the top of the cliff is Single Finns bar and restaurant which on most nights has good drinks and some music playing, however, on Sunday nights it gets "lit" lol. They have a D.J and they play a lot of American West coast hip hop with a mix of chill house music which for me was like a dream come true. That night we danced under the sky and ate food with all the local surfers and international surfers visiting at 3:00 a.m. The next day we went to Padang Padang, the beach after the "Eat, Pray, Love Beach" which you have to pay to get in and I have heard there are more tourist. The Padang Padang we went to led down a windy dusty road and 100 very steep stairs where many monkeys like to hang out, but were harmless...at the time. It was a beautiful stretch of white sandy beach that did have a lot of coral but gentle waters for the little ones to learn how to surf. The last days we spent exploring beaches and hiking many stairs to get to unforgettable places we will never forget and will forever cherish. I was convinced Bali had taught me one thing and it was to see the beauty in everything. No one is better than any other existence. As long as we are here we want to aspire to be the best and treat others how everyone wants to be treated and that includes the dogs on the street and the monkeys in the jungle. I will always remember the night sky and the stars that shined so bright in Bali. It was as if I had painted a picture and put myself there with the snap of my fingers. See, that's how travel makes me feel. Knowing I can look at a place, have seen a place only in movies, or read of a far exotic land whom only explorers would step foot on 200 years earlier. I read of Bali, I watched Bali in "Eat, Pray, Love," and I had seen pictures of Bali in magazines and Instagram. There I was after having done a fair amount of research and the courage to press the button and buy the tickets. A couple of months later there you are in front of that same place you admired so much and in a way it becomes all real. These places do exist and they exist in a Universe with us but evolve with time, but the land is there and its a part of us so we can experience in our beautiful existence. It's the only tangible way we can remember this place we call home really feels and looks in the time we exist. It's also so amazing how small and humble one can become when being somewhere bigger than us. Remember, always wander and if you enjoyed my adventures in Bali I hope you can soon make your own in the near future.