B A L I

I have been gone awhile. Bob and I went to I N D O N E S I A!! So here's what's new: one continent. two countries. islands. culture. cuisine. people. religion. beaches. waterfalls. rice paddies! It was an incredible journey.

I had never flown this far, had never been to Asia! I was anticipating the long flights with a nervous meets excited energy, really ready to embrace every step of the 24+ hour journey to Indonesia. We flew out on United/EVA Air leaving Boston on a Friday after work. We had a layover at LAX and another at TPE in Taipei, Taiwan. (I loved both these airports!) We arrived to D E N P A S A R, Bali late afternoon on a Sunday where the local time was 12 hours ahead. Quick recap to let that sink in: We left on Friday and arrived on Sunday. 

It was thankfully a fun and easy flight experience that lead to rewarding adventures + relaxation beyond my wildest dreams. 

Our first destination on the Indonesian island of Bali was Ubud. Our second destination was the island to the east, Lombok. We traveled to Senggigi, Lombok by boat via Padangbai Harbor across the Lombok Strait. We also visited the island Gili Meno. Then we flew back to Bali on Garuda Air. Our third destination was the most remote yet on the Bukit Peninsula in a village called Kutuh on a cliff set high above Pandawa Beach. Our fourth and final destination was Seminyak, a hip and popular beach location in Bali.

I have never met a kinder nation of people. The Balinese and Sasak are the happiest, friendliest, most peaceful, respectful, welcoming, warmhearted people on this planet. They genuinely want to take care of you, to make sure you are at ease and having a good time. No one is rude. No one frowns. I feel as though anger or frustration are emotions not even possible. Their awareness, peace and kindness extends beyond what I expected - not only to us as travelers, but to everyone around them. It is an awakening and fulfilling and meaningful thing to be a part of.

We flew home on Cathay Pacific through H O N G  K O N G with a 21 hour layover. We booked a hotel, kept what we needed in our carry on, sent our bags straight through to Boston and had an awesome layover adventure. It is strange being home. Settling back in has felt weird and not just due to jet lag. Home is still the same, but, things feel different. It almost feels like a dream but it was oh-so-real and I want to remember everything.

All the travel details to come.