After countless delays and 25 hours of flight time later, we finally touched down in Bali! We were not looking forward to going through customs because it can be a long and tedious process at times , but it turned out to be smooth sailing. We had arranged for a driver to pick us up once we landed, but as you can see we had an incredibly hard time finding him. Eventually, we found our way through the crazy Bali traffic to our apartment at Bali Mystique in Seminyak. The ride from the airport to our new home was an adventure in it of itself.
Wandering
Once we got to Bali, we had zero plans and zero direction. We took mindless walks around the hot and humid city and ended up at a random but beautiful resort where we decided to have dinner right near the beach. We paid about $25 for a full course dinner with drinks, desert, and this incredible sunset view.
Typical Tourist Stuff
We spent a couple of days doing some local touristy type activities with our driver Yudi. He took us to the Tegenungan Waterfall where we climbed 160 steps to get to the top. Not only was it hot out but the humidity level was about 100% that day, and thought I was going to die. The humidity is no joke here. The waterfall scenery was beautiful though and it was worth it. He also took us to a coffee plantation where we got to try Luwak coffee.
Luwak coffee is made from the digestive tract products of animals known as Civets or in laymen’s terms, a weasel. Yup, this week we tried coffee made from weasel shit and it’s actually the most expensive coffee in the world. Who would have known? It doesn’t actually taste like feces, but it’s incredibly bitter and strong (as you can imagine right?) .
The last couple of days, we ventured off on our own to a different area of Bali known as Canggu; Bali’s famous surfing area. We had a delicious organic lunch at Betelnut cafe where the food was to die for. Its hard not to love the food here in Bali. Everything is so raw, organic, flavorful, and affordable. We then headed out to Echo beach, where I witnessed one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. As a night cap we stopped at a Ji Japanese restaurant. The sushi was mediocre but the decor, atmosphere, and amazing service made it all the worth-while.
This is Our Life Now
Its been an awesome beginning here in Bali and I am loving it. We are hoping to gain a little more direction and get more out of the cultural experience this next week. Theres a lot to learn when your’e living in a completely different country with different customs, languages, and expectations. The time adjustment is also challenging, although I am definitely on a day-shift schedule now which is a nice change of pace because it finally feels like I can experience a little bit more of this sweet life abroad.
Love, Nurse Vanessa
