to bali, we went beach-hopping

I should have blogged this journey like 3 weeks ago, but sometimes when you take days off from work, you ought to return to a pile of papers or work to complete. Not really a fun scene. I must admit, it's not easy to go back to work after one exciting vacation. Honestly, my brain did not take the same flight with me, I think it extended its holiday for at least a week.

Seriously, if I close my eyes now, I can hear the waves calling me, calling my name. I can smell the ocean embracing me. And the pretty sky, either its golden color in the afternoon or the pale blue in the morning, I was home.

I arrive at Denpasar on April 4 with my best friends from work. We have planned for years and years to go on a vacation together, but it never did happen. Until that April, we all came to Bali. I must mention how exciting it was to travel with these awesome people: Clifford, Lisa, Diana, Lingkan, Imelda. You guys rock!

HERE COME THE BEACH-HOPPERS

One of the main reasons that we chose Bali instead of anywhere else to go is because of the beaches. I love beach and I love sitting by the beach (either morning, noon or night) listening to the wave. Even without my iPod, I could hear Bob Marley singing in my head and I'm like a 12 years old girl falling in love.

On this visit, I at least visited 6 beaches. Kuta beach (du'uh!), Padang-padang, Dreamland, The Blue Lagoon, Candidasa, Petittenget. I cannot express how my beach-lover persona was profusely spoiled. I know you must have thought I was losing it, but to visit these many beaches and found many different experiences, I felt joy. Although I must admit I chose the wrong time schedule, so I wasn't fully soaking the the joy, but I was still having fun.

The other thing about the beaches in Bali is people need to start taking care of them. This is probably a common knowledge that Kuta has become unbearably filthy. Some people threw trash with any guilt. Watching this with my own eyes, I thought of a small do-it-yourself project to clean the beach. Maybe my next visit, I shall do it. But in the mean time, please let's take good care of those beaches, yes?

HAPPY BELLY

So this part is the embarrassing part. You're probably going to ask whether I did go anywhere else in 4 days beside eat and eat and eat. But seriously, I believe I ate less on this trip to Bali. Usually I can go to at least 2 restaurants for one breakfast (high-five, narcistbandit!). But this time, I retained myself, I learned my limits.

There are a few highlights on our gastronomy trip (if I may say so): Depot Gimbo for the smoked pork, Le Spot - Bali Deli for the awesome breakfast package (yum!), nasi campur Chandra in Denpasar (I even forgive you, nasty waiter!), Warung Oppen for its incredible dinner, a kilo of sinful BBQ ribs.

And not too impressive places like: the overpriced dinner by the beach at Kendonganan, Bubba Gump Shrimp (I KNOW!).

Another reason to go back during its opening is Coffee Revolution, which I'm truly proud of my friends for really having the guts to go for it. The place looks amazing and I seriously cannot wait to claim one of the corners of this coffee shop as my own. HAHAHAHA. Best of luck, guys! 

STATISTICALLY HAPPY

We use numbers to represent certain information all the time. So here I am, being a smart-ass trying to give the statistic of this awesome vacation.

1. Nights = 3
2. Travelling friends = 5 + 1 (accidentally met one at the airport)
3. New friends = 5 + 1 (plus one from the one I met at the airport). Exciting life!
4. Beaches = 6! (Please stay tanned-skin!)
5. New shoes = 2 (practically a shoes fetish)
6. New pants = 2 (just because they're cheap)
7. Size of new pants = 28 (huge mistake!)
8. Restaurants visited = 12 (explain the above mistake)
9. Accumulated sleeping hours = 20 (I'm on vacation, du'uh!)
10. Seating number to Bali = 9B
11. Seating number back to Jakarta = 6F 
12. Work-related emails received = I have no idea (I'm so clever)
13. Number of reasons to return = TONS!

BE WHO YOU ARE

One of the things that always remind me of why I love Bali is the freedom it offers. I can actually be who I am. Well, I'm not saying I was running around the beaches naked or partying like there's no tomorrow, but if those are the things I like to do, I think Bali offers the freedom for me to do so.

I don't think I could be more laid-back or careless of what people might think when I'm there as much as anywhere else. I can wear a fedora and don't care if it's not cool. I could wear the same shorts for 4 days (which I didn't, for the record!! HAHAHAHA) or not even put on any perfume.

Like I said many times before, I always find the same excitement (or sometimes even new ones) every time I come back to Bali. Due to good friends, to good food, to being laid back and untroubled, to the awesome music of Bob Marley, to shorts and tees, I was (am) home.