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Leave a comment October 3, 2015 This is Life in Color

What started as an escape from the financial beat down we were experiencing in Australia turned into a short-term permanent living situation in Bali, Indonesia. We weren’t sure what to expect besides the obvious dreamlike visions that come to mind when anyone mentions Bali. And unlike the Aussies next door, Bali is not the most convenient holiday destination for Americans. In fact, it is often perceived as an exotic, blissful island on the other side of the world only attainable by a lucky few. Can you imagine our eagerness?

We lived on this island for two months. Initially, we were going to spend one month in Seminyak and the other in Ubud. However, it wasn’t long before our villa hosts became more like family. The friendship was instant and we later decided to stay with them in Seminyak the entire time while venturing around the island on day and weekend trips. Like most Indonesians, Renny is very proud of her country and took it upon herself to show us why Bali is a key element to her pride. And Kenny, well, we still believe he is one of the best chefs in the world today. We shared some incredible meals, both on the street and at the villa.

Two months may seem like a long time in any one particular location, but isn’t this what traveling is all about? Experiencing unique bonds with complete strangers and gaining lifelong connections. It certainly is for us.

Beach, Pool, Sun, More Beach, More Pool, More Sun, Repeat…

Bali demanded we forget all agendas faultlessly. One thing is to forget what day of the week it is and another is to never think about it again. The truth is you become extremely lazy in Bali. The first day we arrived at the villa and tried to wash dishes we were told never to do anything like that again. Why? Well, we had a wonderful cleaning lady who stopped by the villa 6 days a week and did everything for us! She made our beds, changed our sheets, stocked our drinking water, washed the dishes from the night before, picked up our laundry, etc…it was unbelievable. Our mothers would be so upset.

Kadek, Friend and Housekeeper Renny and Kenny, Family

Nevertheless, we kept busy and even had a daily routine, much like locals. Unlike most foreigners who visit Bali to simply party, we were more interested in the cultural and local aspect. Lucky for us, we had the time and flexibility to do a bit of everything. We even joined a local gym overlooking the many surfers along the Double Six beach area. We were brave enough to walk to most destinations during the first few days, but the heat was a challenge to overcome. Hence, the incredibly dangerous and fierce motorbike experience.

Long walks on the beach, becoming regulars at cafés and restaurants, cook-offs at the villa, good reads, socializing, regular in-home massage sessions (an absolute favorite), late night cinema escapes, lazy days, weekend getaways, seeing a dentist, and being treated at a hospital, all of this was possible because of three things. First, we had nowhere else to be. Second, we had a motorbike to get us there and third, we were practically rich.

We checked the ‘becoming multi-millionaires’ off the bucket-list immediately after getting off the plane and using the ATM machine. Apparently, it’s quite common to become a millionaire in Asia. After leaving Australia, we were reminded of how much we love to travel to countries like Indonesia. Even though $1,000,000 Indonesian Rupiah today is equivalent to $73 USD, your money goes such a long way in this country. Not only is Bali extremely cheap, but also while we were there the US Dollar was getting stronger and stronger. We were living the high life on budget.

Let us put this in perspective:

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner (for 2): Anywhere between $3-$20

There was one day we fell into a tourist trap where we paid $30 for dinner and were absolutely livid. Have we mentioned you also become extremely cheap once you’ve lived in Bali?

Private En-Suite in Beautiful Villa: $20 per night
Motorbike Monthly Rental: $35; Petrol for the week: $2
Laundry (3 kg or 6.5 lbs): $4.50
30-Minute Taxi Ride: $3.50
Enoc’s Haircut: $5
Cindy’s Mani and Pedi: $13
Dental Cleaning (for 2) and one filling: $60
90-Minute at-home Massage Session: $10.50
Movie Theater ticket: $3.50

Highlights around the island:

People

Indonesian people are wonderful! We had positive experiences with locals during our stay and connected with people of all ages.

Food

It’s all about the street food and chili in Bali. To prove it, we even got the famous Bali Belly and were treated at a local hospital. However, it was totally worth it and we would do it all over again if we could. After a recovery week we were careful, but still ate at the Indonesian Warungs which are small kiosks serving traditional delicious dishes for less than $2.

The meatballs, or Bakso as referred to in Bali, shown above are served from a small cart on the beach where locals and tourists queue and pay $1.50 for a bowl. The location on the beach is hard to miss as the queue nearly reaches the water most evenings.

Among our favorite dishes were Nasi Goreng, Soto Ayam (homemade by our lovely Renny), Babi Guling, and Kang Kung. Also worth mentioning was our daily grilled chili corn for .50 cents!

Here we are at one of our regular spots, Kukusan, stopping by to say goodbye to the owner.

Seminyak

Seminyak has something to offer everyone. It is not as crowded as the #1 tourist destination, Kuta, and in our opinion offers more of a cultural experience. Beautiful beaches, pools, day clubs, night clubs, shopping, restaurants and much more.

Kuta

A tourist trap in our opinion, but has one of the nicest beaches in the area. The Beachwalk mall is a highlight and should not be missed as it is a sight to see at night. Sushi Tei is really good at this mall and although the cinema only shows 3 new movies a week, it is new, luxurious, and has the best popcorn ever!

Uluwatu

Home to some of the most beautiful beaches in Bali. Padang Padang is definitely worth visiting. Also, watching the sunset and talented surfers while enjoying a drink at Single Fin over Blue Point is simply breathtaking. Another hidden gem is Finn’s beach club where you can swim in crystal clear waters and sunbathe in style.

Ubud

A true spiritual escape in Bali. Beautiful rice paddies, breathtaking temples, delicious cafés, and yoga. Visiting the Monkey Forest is a must!

Lovina

A perfect weekend getaway up north. Dolphin watching, Bali sunsets and more temples.

Kintamani

The perfect day trip. One of the best coffee growing regions in Indonesia and on a clear day showcases stunning views of the mountainous region, Batur Lake, and active volcano. If you’re up to it you can even try the world’s most expensive coffee, Luwak, and join a free tour to understand the process. Here, we also had an incredible fried tilapia fish for lunch at the floating restaurant, Kedisan.