Part 1. About Bali: island getaway:
Bali: Island getaway, fantastic white sand beaches, friendly locals, great food, and tropical green forest with cute little monkeys is not how I would describe this particular island! I would say Bali is a very diverse island, for some it will create an unforgettable experience and for others, it will be a mix of emotions and thoughts. Advertised in a particular way just any other tropical getaway. Every travel agency around Sydney shows white sand beaches with crystal clear water, and to make things even worse every postcard shows the same image. Forcing you to think about and want a trip to this Indonesian island. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the Bali I got to see. I didn’t get to see garbage free beaches or the perfect water, and the friendly locals well they seemed to be absent (gone to a different island?).
Staying outside of a resort community:
Now, I didn’t stay at a five-star resort on Nusa Dua, a resort community, heavily guarded by the local “tourist police” and well-kept by the maintenance staff. I stayed on the other side of the island called the Bingin Beach. This side is more for the free-spirited traveler, ready for an adventure. Hostels, bungalows and small family owned restaurants, create the perfect trifecta for a carefree vacation. The beach is not clean however the waves are excellent for surfing, and restaurant food is delicious and inexpensive, the idea of a comfortable say is on track.
What went wrong:
Everything is set up for you to have an enjoyable vacation except for maybe a few things. The perfect bungalow we rented through Airbnb, slowly started to fall apart. Slightly leaning on the wooden balcony, I realized that half of it has become detached. Maybe due to the heavy rain or the strong waves? Not connected to the floor or to the adjacent paneling the barrier starts to move forward, tilting my body in an awkward bend. Facing down and about to fall two stories, I quickly grasped on to the other half of the railing, to save myself. If that wasn’t enough adrenaline, then try sleeping through a storm in a bungalow made out of straw and bamboo. Makes you feel like a sailor out in the sea, battling a storm. I’m half surprised that we didn’t end up in the Atlantic!
To be continued…
