My first overseas holiday …

My first overseas holiday was, like so many from Perth, to Bali. When I was at school I dreamt of going to Bali so learnt Bahasa for 2 years with the hope that once I left school, got a job, saved my hard earned money, I could go to Bali and mix with locals speaking their language.  Well it took another 20 years before I finally got there and all but the standard Selamat Pagi, terimah kasih, etc had left my memory banks. I got a few books and researched the areas. Sanur, Kuta, Candi Dasa were all ruled out and I decided 14 days in Tuban, Ubud and Nusa Dua for my stay.  I booked my tickets and my travel insurance and did a little research on the culture, the ceremonies and of course the food.

Armed with my red cordial to ward off the dreaded Bali Belly I boarded the plane for my first ever flight. 4hrs later the plane landed after we were cleared by Customs, collected our case and made our way out to the crowd of taxi drivers, my first recollection was the incredible heat.

I was amazed how different the people were, so very humble and quietly spoken and nothing was too much for them. Then there were the hawkers who were very determined to make a sale and bought some humour to our daily walks. We did tours that took us to Gitgit Waterfall, a trip to Kintamani, Lake Bratan in Bedugal, the Silver works in Celuk, Monkey Forest, Barong Dance, Ubud Market, Ulundanu Temple at Lake Batur, and Tampaksiring. We visited the Elephant Cave (Goa Gajah), the woodcarvers of Mas Village, the Royal Family Temple (Taman Ayun), Botanical Garden, Fruit & Flower Markets at Candi Kunung, the beaches at Lovina, Batcaves (Goa Lawah), and Tanah Lot. We even boarded a night cruise with a show and meal in Benoa Harbour and went on a trip in a traditional boat ride across to Turtle Island.

We went walking through the rice paddies, visited a local village and went to a family’s home where they served afternoon tea while their children played traditional music for us. We also spent a day at WaterbomPark. The local food was amazing, incredibly fresh, mostly seafood, with spicy rice, freshly juiced tropical fruits, 1 litre carafes of cocktails, Bintang, even a French patisserie serving croissant and breakfast all we could eat, cooked on demand for $2. Bali is a paradise island for those who want to experience relaxation on a grand scale.

Cheers to Radler

Bali has it all, with its lush rice terraces, temples, rain forests, beautiful coast line, beach life, the great outdoors, culture, fabulous food and fun. It’s a holiday destination for all the senses; this stunning place will make you want come back again and again.

Have you been to Bali? Does reading this post inspire you to want to visit?

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