Journey to Bali, Indonesia
I found myself in Bali.
A phrase I’ve repeated over and over, and only sometimes in jest. Since this life-changing experience my friends and boyfriend often tell me to shut up when I bring it up. It’s also a question I get asked all the time. Did you find yourself in Bali?
Truth: Yes.
Initially Bali hadn’t been my first-choice travel destination. I had gone looking for summer trips abroad with a friend. It was her idea we do a placement there. However, before the program started, she had to drop out, leaving me to travel by myself. It was an incredibly daunting experience, as although I gone long-distance before, it was never by myself. It was hard at first, but when you’re locked into your seat, (which unfortunately was a middle one), you can’t feel anything but excitement for the destination and the journey that awaits you.
The first thing I noticed upon arrival was the overwhelming heat. It was glorious. And so unlike the UK.
Alone on my first time being in Asia, I had to get an hour-long taxi to get to the meeting point for my project. Which was a day later. The first night I spent anxious and alone in my room, unsure what to do with myself. Nervous and excited about meeting all the new people and the new experiences underway. Little did I know my expectations were about to be blown away.
The next day I met some of the most interesting and best people I’d ever met. With there being forty people on project, I didn’t meet everyone initially, most of that was spent after the two days at the hotel, and instead at Bali Kuno.
If I had to pick out my favourite time of the trip, then Bali Kuno would sure be a contender. We spent two nights in a Balinese jungle, bonding, hiking, and doing mud-fights. (Mud-fights are exactly as they sound, exactly as dirty, but immensely more fun). I have always been a deeply spiritual person, and so the instant at Bali Kuno that most stuck out to me was when we were all blessed by a Balinese Priest with holy water. We were also each given a traditional three-stringed bracelet, which represented Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. A bracelet I still keep on, today.
It was at this point of the trip that I really got to know everyone, understand people closely. It was strange. I found myself in this limbo of who I was. I think it was because I felt wholly unjudged. A feeling I can only be grateful to all of the other participants for.
This feeling remained with me for the entire trip. During our project we worked closely with three local businesses, my favourite being ‘Magi Farm’, a small business working on using maggots to limit food waste. There I both manhandled fistfuls of maggots, and ate a dead one. A unique experience that I loved, but equally would never try again.
The weekends away were just as fun, giving us the chance to fully explore every area of the island we were on. It was interesting having this perspective especially compared with the home-life essence of the one we had on project. We were split into four groups, each living with a homestay family. We had a Mother, Father, Brother, and two dogs, Bara, and Pie-Pie. It was incredibly humbling to be given this opportunity to be so immersed within another culture who accepted us so willingly. It was an honour.
If I was asked what my favourite part of this trip was, I wouldn’t be able to choose. The people, both the people on placement, and the locals who did their absolute best to ensure we were comfortable, the culture which we were allowed to fully immerse ourselves in, or the truly inspiring local businesses. Everything was incredible.
Did you find yourself in Bali?
The answer is yes. I did find myself Bali. Not only spiritually, but also emotionally. I found myself more connected to myself than ever before, and I left the trip with an overwhelmingly positive outlook, which I still hold even in the most difficult times now. I will never be able to repay the country or the people I met for giving me this, so I receive it humbly, and gratefully, imploring that everyone go visit the beautiful island of Bali, Indonesia.
Words and featured image by Cameron Wagg