Basking in the Balinese Sun
Bali, Indonesia; an island that can be so hectic and chaotic at times, yet can be so calming and welcoming at other times.
Staying with royalty in Indonesia is not quite what you might expect. As we approached a small and quiet neighborhood in the city, our driver turns and we see almost an entire village of houses; each decorated with ornate patterns of gold. There was also an outdoor kitchen with a couch and a giant “picnic” table. To compliment the place, there were beautiful flowers and a garden. Coming to greet us, there was a kind lady named Dewi and a friendly man named Ilya. Before they left, they warned us of the jaguars that roam at night. As we were sleeping, sure enough, we heard quiet clatter on the roof of our room. When we woken up that morning, we headed to the kitchen and there was a buffet laid out right before us. Dewi had made us a traditional Indonesian breakfast! This happened each and every morning and was absolutely delicious.
Taking a tour around Bali was simply amazing. Eric was our designated driver for the entire time that we were in Indonesia, so we got to know him well. He took us to so many amazing places including beaches, awesome restaurants, waterfalls, and other iconic landmarks. Honestly, I felt bad for the guy though because he had to navigate around a TON of traffic; you could barely walk in between the cars because the streets were so packed with traffic. And apparently, motorcycles are taking over the world. More people here drive mopeds rather than cars, so at every traffic light, all of the motorcycles were in front (around 50 or so at each traffic light or intersection).
The Ubud Monkey Forest was an astonishing place full of amazing…monkeys! There were monkeys around every corner just waiting to jump on top of you for a banana. One monkey even opened a water bottle by itself! And yes, my lovely father started taking selfies with monkeys on his shoulders. On the ground, I saw a monkey holding something. As I got closer, I realized that the monkey was holding a baby monkey!
The Indian Ocean was astonishingly beautiful. However, there is one downfall to taking pictures in front of an ocean…the waves could crash on top of you, as this did happen to my dad and me. The reason that we came here was to visit Tanah Lot. Tanah Lot is a temple located literally in the middle of the ocean. To get to the temple, you have to walk through the water. Once you are at the temple, the priest will give you a blessing and send you with good wishes.
Going to Tegenungan Waterfall was quite refreshing, having been hot all day. Walking on rocks was a bit interesting, but otherwise fun. Of course, my mom refused to get in at first because the water was cold, but my dad and I eventually convinced her to do so. After hiking up and down all of the stone stairs leading to the water, we were all thirsty, so our driver offered us a coconut. In a coconut, there is meat and water. It was like a lunch and a refreshment. The coconut was so good! Especially in the dry climate.
On beautiful beaches, most people would expect relaxation and peace, but in Bali, the natives like to do things a bit differently. Instead of selling products in stores, the salesmen (or women) like to chase you down the beach. Trying to be normal people, my family and I were minding our own business and were just casually walking to find lunch, and we passed three friendly ladies who asked our names and where we were from. They walked and talked with us all the way to the restrooms, and decided to continue chasing us. We finally came upon a restaurant that looked good. We ordered and sat down, but guess what? The ladies stood at the back of the restaurant and watched us eat the entire time! We finally shook them off after about 45 minutes with the help of the restaurant workers.
Out of all of the countries that I have been to, Indonesia has been my favorite by far. Bali was just completely different than my everyday life and I think that is why I enjoyed it so much. Discovering something new is what I live for. Yes, there were good and bad moments, but the memories are what makes life so special. Cherish and hold onto every moment and memory, and don’t let it slip away. Even driving around Bali and seeing their culture was amazing. Life is about the journey, not about the destination.