1. Go with the flow!
Dear Friend,
Here I am in Bali and I realize that after I spent over a month on planning, half of my prearranged activities and plans got scraped or cancelled by outside sources. Be flexible and allow for alterations to the plan. Be open to other possibilities because those will probably make up the most of your trip. I realized that booking local tours is much more economical if it's done there and allows you to alter and accommodate your needs instead of the other way around.
2. Slow down and smell Kopi Luwak
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| Luwak Coffee |
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| Tea, coffee and coco tasting |
Dear Friend,
A small
tour geared to your sense of taste and flavor may be just what a doctor ordered for a dull tongue and polluted nostrils. Take a time to taste heavy texture of Luwak coffee and enjoy exhilarating flavors of red ginger tea and tongue twisting heavenly cocoa. Never mind how the coffee beans are
processed (yak), but why not try to get if off your bucket list? A true paradise where you can revive your usually overlooked senses of taste and aroma...
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| "A feast for the eyes" by Dorota Quiroz |
3. Massage your way to serenity
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| A flower foot bath before massage |
Dear Friend,
A massage a day keeps worries away. The body needs the attention of skillful fingers that will find the sore spots and relieve the tension of tired muscles. The human touch has healing powers and it's available on every corner of every street.
Be wise in your choice and go to establishments with beauty and spa service to guarantee optimal experience. The massage can be often bundled with other services like manicure and pedicure, so agree on the price before the service begins and don't be afraid to bargain, since the competition is steep and you can spend the money you want around the corner if the first price offer is too steep.
Other options include
hot springs in Banjar, or meditation and yoga in Ubud's
Yoga Barn, which can complement your physical needs to sooth your body after a long day.
4. Going solo is the remedy for an overwhelmed soul
Dear Friend,
You can go alone and enjoy Bali as much as if you were in a company of friends or a lover. Balinese people are very polite and outgoing and you can find lots of topics to talk about with people you meet during your stay starting with your driver.
When you are alone, you pay more attention to your surroundings and don't have to compromise your selection of activities to suit another person. There are plenty of opportunities to meet other foreigners, especially if you book organized tours so don't shy away to meet up for dinner or drinks later if the dynamic of the group invites such an arrangement!
5. Going with a friend is a remedy for a lonely soul
Dear Friend,
You can go with a friend to enjoy Bali as much as if you were going alone. Make sure you travel with a person you love, who you can put up with and have a great time with.... Leave whiners, party poopers, room sitters and monologists at home to truly enjoy what Bali has to offer.
This adventurous island begs for a company of go-getters, bucket list checkers and people wanting to experience life to the fullest. Even if you don't attend to the same activities during a day, you can meet up in the evening for a delicious meal and conversation of sharing your impressions, inspiring each other to make the next day even more exciting!
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| "Balinese boats at Sanur Beach" by Dorota Quiroz |
6. Travel light and leave lots of space in suitcase for sarongs and string pants
Dear friend,
Bring a big suitcase, but pack very little. You will find that Bali is loaded with street stands and shops that offer a wide range of funky clothing, sarongs and other curious knick-knacks at bargain prices. The more you buy the better price you can get.
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| "Balinese lanters" by Dorota Quiroz |
Also, never jump on the first offer either! Pick items you are interested in first, and then ask for price. Come back with counter offer. The bargain "war" will begin and it's often a normal procedure in Bali. If it's more than you expected, start walking away. The further you get away from the seller the lower the price! I found beautiful sarongs and walked away with 4 of them for $10! (rupiahs 13,000)
7. Live at present, not in future or in past
Dear Friend,
When you come to Bali, you must leave your worries behind and also you must NOT start planning your return trip before you leave! When you pass the huge Hindu gate at the airport, imagine yourself entering another world. Leave you preconceptions, assumptions and fears behind and enter as if you were entering heavenly gates.
Even though you will see a lot of poverty, run down places and things that might stand out as eye sores, this is a paradise island that does offer "heavenly" things that we think of when we think of perfect vacation: beautiful sites, exciting culture, abundant nature and soothing views. It gets under your skin undetected and it lingers long after you have left it behind.
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| "Royal Palace wall" by Dorota Quiroz |
At the end of your trip you will catch yourself thinking about your calendar and the next time you can travel back to Bali to recuperate your spirit and soul again.
