Bali, Indonesia: travel inspiration

Ever since I was a child I knew about this far, far away place called Bali. My parents spent their honeymoon there back in 1981 (how cool were my parents? They have traveled so much. But this is another story…) and I have seen their photos as a child for the first time; the images that got stuck in my mind are faded, pinkish prints of exotic scenery and animals. Needless to say, Bali has always represented the perfect honeymoon destination for me.

Sunset in Bali – Photo © Suseno @ Wikimedia Commons

I haven’t visited Bali as yet, but of course I plan to do so. I was almost going there a couple of years ago, with a guy of course, planning a romantic getaway. But then this guy broke up with me (you don’t say?) and I decided not to go. Better this way: I wouldn’t want to have any memory of me and someone who’s not my boyfriend anymore, traveling to Bali. Nossir. Well, I guess this is one of the main reasons I travel on my own, so far…

Bali has stayed at the back on my mind for a long time. At first I didn’t even know exactly its location – a part of me enjoyed picturing Bali “somewhere far away”, and all I knew was that it’s an island in Asia. Do you also do the same? Do you think of faraway places without looking for their exact location, kind of enjoying the feeling of not knowing? Well I do and I am not ashamed of it!

An extremely attractive little map of Bali, Indonesia, by French cartographer J. Nicholas Bellin. Depicts the island oriented to the south. Offers wonderful detail of the inland rivers and villages. Upper right quadrant features an inset of the Royal Palace and a Balinese temple. Two and a half compass roses decorate the image. The island of Java is shown to the right and Lombok to the left. The upper left quadrant features a banner style title cartouche. Most likely prepared for the Dutch edition of Antoine François Prévost’s L’Histoire Generale des Voyages. © Geographicus Rare Antique Maps, Wikimedia Commons.

The other day I was at a travel fair in Rimini, Italy and I was walking around by all the stands, each one different from another, each one representing a country. Suddenly I found Indonesia – BAM – Bali! I was hooked and I just had to stop by and ask for some information about Bali.

I got a dvd from the stand, I played it and… this place suddenly came back to my mind and to the top of my travel wishlist. My mother has told me about Bali before, and the first things that always come to her mind are the rice fields, the sea – a paradise for surfers – and the most beautiful sunsets in the world in Tanah Lot. Here’s a place I would like to see! Forget about the guy. I am taking my camera for a trip… 

Sunset at Tanah Lot, Bali – photo © Krismartin @ Wikimedia Commons

What really impressed me while watching the dvd was the incredible spirituality of the people portrayed in the videos. So many rites, so much gratitude, so much peace every day. I want to experience this!

Bali in my mother’s photos, from the 1981 honeymoon

As I said in my last post I am planning to visit Southeast Asia, backpacking through as many countries as possible but Indonesia is very high on the list.  On their honeymoon, my parents were staying at the Grand Hyatt Bali, and I think they have never backpacked in their lives. I am lucky enough to have tried both budget and luxury travel, and on my first trip to Egypt (back in 2004) I stayed at the Grand Hyatt Cairo and loved it so much! I will never forget the beautiful views of the Nile and the Pyramids on the horizon from my room on a high floor.  So who knows, I may want to try this in Bali too – I heard service is outstanding. Look at these photos from Traveloka… Just wow!

Have you been to Bali, and if so how did you like it? Would you like to suggest something to see and do while I’m there?