We arrived in Bali on Thursday afternoon. It was nothing too great, just an average hotel on the beach (we Orange Countians are of course, used to such a thing). I thought the beach was pretty dirty, the area a little too touristy for me… We were in the Seminyak-Kuta area so of course this was bound to be the case. But as we traveled through Ubud the following day, we passed by beautiful shops and houses and the tourists could no longer be seen from the street (they were, of course, in vans with darkly tinted windows). That was when I started seeing the beauty that was Bali.
The temples of Bali are unlike anything I have seen before. Constructed around waterfalls and rivers, these grand temples are full of pathways that will lead you to a beautiful place. You never know which pathway will be that one… the one that takes you to a waterfall or through the forest… Just guess. Take a few tries and you’ll find the one. Where do these temples start and where do they end? It would have been hard to tell without the entrance fee or mandatory sarong station (and with all of the poor people trying to sell you bananas and post cards all over the place)… I am still confused about that one!
Finally the best part and the grand finale of the trip: Balinese massage followed by a trip to the beach. Only $15 for 1 hour at a very nice spa and the staff was well trained and very friendly! The next beach (Dreamland Beach) was of course beautiful but quite crowded and not too different from what we are used to. Although I hear the surf is insane (not a surfer myself but good for you surfers)!
What I have learned so far from traveling in Southeast Asia:
- Prepare. Read ahead so you know your stuff. That means knowing the area, knowing typical prices for things, knowing how to get around, etc.
- Don’t trust everyone. You are a foreigner. That means you don’t know the area, you don’t know the rules, and you don’t know the typical price. And because of that.. a lot of people are probably going to try and screw you over.
- HAGGLE. The first price they give you (whether it is a taxi driver or a shoe salesperson) is probably 75% more than what the price should be. It is Southeast Asia! That means you should probably be paying $1 for that supposedly $10 pair of shoes.
- Protect your things. Have a safety deposit box in your hotel? Use it. Put your passport, extra money, etc. in there. Everything else that you keep with you, watch very carefully. Pickpocketing can happen any time and anywhere!
- Get a SIM card. It’s cheap. Because it is very likely that someone will get lost, and it could be you (seriously)!
- Take a break. You can’t travel EVERY weekend now. Stay in for a weekend and enjoy where you are at the moment (and do some homework, you procrastinator)!
Til next week! Lots of Southeast Asian Love,
Resham