Tyra Banks Aint Got Shit on Bali

Last week I watched an episode of America's Next Top Model that was set in Bali. In it, Tyra Banks told the models, "You don't choose Bali, Bali chooses you." Well Tyra Banks is an idiot because trust me you fucking choose Bali.

 Bali is/ my trip was unbelievably awesome.  I cannot wait to go back because I am certainly not finished there. I wish I could put into words how beautiful that island is. The people are so friendly, that upon arrival I convinced myself I was about to be trafficked. But here's why and it might even sound fairly reasonable for a lone Western female to think this. I got off the plane and had arranged for my homestay to come pick me up. When I get through the arrival hall there's a bunch of dudes along the edge. All of them have signs, which are face down on the ground where they're sitting. I went up and asked someone if they'd seen a sign for my place and a few of them chatted and said no. About five minutes later this man comes up to me and asks where I'm staying. He says he looked up the number of his phone and called them and that the driver is on his way. Ok, so that does sound kind of sketchy right? He shows me the number he has called, but not long enough for me to be able to see it. I then get the number from him and call it, but it doesn't work. This is wear opening moments of Taken start playing through my head. He tells me to wait by this column where  realize I can't see any of the men holding signs, so if the driver shows up I won't be able to see him. Meanwhile, I'm running all this through my head, but not actually doing anything. What would I do, run away? A few minutes pass and I see a man walk past with my name on it and other information I'd only given the homestay. So everything was fine, a waste of panic, and I'd like to say better safe than sorry but really I didn't do anything that made me any safer.

 We get in the car, the driver is super friendly and we're chatting about Bali and Indonesia and passing by the window are temples and art museums and craft shops and warehouses where people carve out beautiful teak wood furniture and stone sculptures of Hindu gods. I knew right then that my trip was already going to be too short and some day (hopefully sooner than later) I'd be back in Bali. They even have Dunkin Donuts...fyi.

After an hour drive, I arrived in Ubud which is the cultural hub of Bali. I did a homestay which was more like a bed and breakfast, but the family was super friendly and helpful and there were a few other guests staying as well. Home made Balinese breakfast of crepes stuffed with banana and topped with toasted coconut in the morning was just what I needed. The home was in a gated compound and most of the gates look like temples themselves so it's easy (for me at least) to wonder into someone's house thinking it's a temple...Yes that happened. I spent only two days there, most of which was spent wondering in and out of actual temples along the street and nomming out on Balinese food, which is absolutely delicious. Bali is about as cheap as Thailand with a few differing exceptions. Food is cheaper and cheese is readily available, spa treatments are about the same, clothing is more expensive in Bali and so it transportation. But food and spa take priority so I could totally live there.

View from the First Cafe I went to

With my skin feeling like absolute butter by the second day, I took off for Amed which is the east part of the island. I knew I wanted to spend some time on the water, but also wanted to avoid all the bad touristy things I'd hear about Kuta. After some research and finding an awesome bed and breakfast, I decided Amed was going to be my beach destination. The same driver who took me from the Airport to Ubud offered to take me to Amed so we set off on our two hour drive.

I've always thought that one of the best ways to get a good feel of a place is to drive it. That way you can't avoid some of the things the tourism industry tries to keep hidden. However, Bali is a place that's clearly preserved it's culture and it's resources. I'm always hesitant when people say they want a cultural experience when they go somewhere, because it seems very 'let me stand back and observe your people' which is weird. For example, if you come to Bangkok looking for that, you can stay at a five star resort and see a traditional Thai dance show by fairly non-traditional hotel staff who've lived in the city all their life.  I think that's just the result when people go to a place with the mentality of show me your culture but I want hot water and a Western breakfast. Regardless, I didn't get that sense in Bali and driving up the coast I saw people living in similar compounds to the one I'd stayed in and just going about daily life. Most of them doing some kind of physical labor or craft.

Having just finished First They Killed My Father, I've been thinking a lot about how close families are in Eastern culture. In these compounds whole families fill them and each take care of each other, and in the book even though the family was divided over and over again family was such a priority and it made me wish I had something more similar to that. If any member of my family ( including myself) said family was their number one priority they'd be lying. But out here, they support each other so much and have such a vested interest in one another's well being and it's really, I don't know, nice.

Rice Patties on the Eastern Coast of Bali

For two hours we drove past coastline, where the ocean looked like the color of one of my favorite crayola crayons as a child. We passed rice fields that looks like some kind of labyrinth and black sand beaches. The driver asked me if I liked music and expecting him to put on some Balinese music I said yes. After about a minute of static, some kind of Taylor Swift dubstep mix came blaring through the speakers. I, in no way, saw this coming and I couldn't help but laugh. The music never lightened up and I smiled the whole rest of the way wondering if he actually made this mix or where on earth he got it from.

 We drove up and down what seemed like cliffs hanging over the water's edge to find the place I was staying, and when I arrived I knew it was worth it to make the trip up from Ubud. A gorgeous pool that overlooked the water, a restaurant outside with tuna steak and wasabi on the menu, and $1 snorkel rental gear. There were only three rooms in the place and when the man opened up the door to my room, I was so happy I could have screamed. It actually took everything in me, not to scream. A balcony with a table to eat and a sofa all that overlooked the ocean. The entire wall facing the balcony was a window and sliding doors, so the water would be the first thing I saw in the morning. Even the bathtub had a view of the water. It was fantastic.

Even though Bali is one of the most popular honeymoon destinations (and I understand why), I'm really glad I went there by myself. Sometimes it's hard to tell if you really liked a place or whether you liked your experience there because of the people you were with.  For example: I loved HongKong when I went, but I'm not sure if I'd like it if I was there without the same people doing the same thing I did the last time. Anyways, it was the perfect place to think and reflect on this past year and it made me think about how I used to really hate being alone, like I'd never do anything by myself, but now I actually really enjoy it. Especially that trip because there was no pressure to get up and do activity 1 through 4 before 6pm or something I could just do whatever I wanted. A while back I watched this clip of Louis CK talking about how nobody knows how to just be by themselves anymore and it's true. It's so hard for people to just sit and not check their phone or be playing candy crush. No one wants to stop and think about what they're doing, why they're doing it or where they're going. And it's funny because all over Southeast Asia I see people just sitting on curbs or stoops and I wondered what they were waiting for. Now I get that they don't have to be waiting.

It was the perfect place to clear my mind before returning to my beloved city of squalor that is Bangkok. I feel like I say this every post recently or at least I think about saying it and then forget, but I've learned so much this past year and I think developmentally this has probably been the best year of my life. Bangkok taught me how to grow the fuck up, the accountant taught me how to dress, and a collection of receptionist taught me how to be a lady ;)  Overall, I'd have to just say WINNING

View from my Balcony in Amed