April 22nd, 2024
What a great week! My long-awaited trip to Bali was this weekend and it was even better than I imagined. But before I get into Bali, I should mention I finally completed the last major thing I wanted to do in Singapore, visit the top of the Marina Bay Sands. Me and my roommate Grace went for sunset, the views were beautiful even if it was a bit cloudy. Afterwards, we got soup dumplings at Din Tai Fung which is something we had been planning to do since our time in Sydney. As always, we had to get a little sweet treat afterwards! Another fun thing that happened in Singapore was we had a mahjong lesson. It was my first time playing, and I can see how complex the game could become once you really understand the nuances of playing. I had fun though, and I won two times (with instructor help, hehe).
But now, Bali! Today we came back to Singapore, and already the start of the trip feels so long ago. When we landed in Bali, I was blown away by our Airbnb. So far, the places I have stayed in have been decent, but this Airbnb was like luxury in the jungle. Too bad I barely spent any time in the Airbnb! The first day, we just had dinner in which I tried nasi goreng for the first time. The best part of the day was when me and Grace got traditional Balinese massages and scrubs at the nicest spa I have been to. I was in a maximum state of relaxation, I think massages might be a new addiction of mine. Along with riding on Grab motorbikes. Obsessed with those!
We woke up early the next day for our first tour, where we had the nicest private driver show us different spots around Ubud. The first stop was a beautiful waterfall where a wedding was being set up. Next stop, we went to a wood carving store where we saw the artists hand carving the most intricate wood sculptures, their talent was mind blowing. We then saw one of the thousands of temples in Bali where we learned more about Balinese culture and religion. I think the Balinese sense of community is so beautiful and so different from American individualism. Then, we went to a handmade silver jewelry store where I got my mom a Mother’s Day gift.
At this point we were both tired, so we were very happy we got to tour a coffee plantation and taste a variety of coffees and teas. Me and Grace shared a cup of Luwak coffee, coffee made from Mongoose caca, and it was pretty good! After coffee, it was the stop I had been waiting for, the monkey sanctuary! Grace and I both had monkeys climb onto us which was crazy, it was wild just being so close to one monkey let alone see hundreds of monkeys running around. They were all so cute but they are little thieves! Two of them tried to steal my necklace, but failed, haha.
Next, we had lunch where I tried more Indonesian food for the first time, this meal being nasi campur. Immediately after eating, we rode on a giant swing above the jungle, which was surprisingly thrilling. We heard people screaming and were joking that it was just a swing, but I did let out a little scream. The last stop was my favorite, when we saw the rice terraces. Grace and I were talking earlier about how it really felt like you were in a different world, it was just unlike anything I had ever experienced. It was really cool to walk through the terraces too! This was 100% the bets tour I had been on so far. We ended the day by, who would have thought, getting a sweet treat! I also got another massage, and me and Grace tried a new fruit, mangosteen, which is actually amazing.
The next day, we woke up even earlier. We went on a tour to the island of Nusa Penida. After a hot, sweaty boat ride, we made it to Kelingking Beach, which was even more beautiful in person than any of the photos I had seen. We then drove over to the other side of the island, got some lunch, and visited Diamond Beach. The hike down the cliff to get to the beach was kind of scary, I don’t enjoy clutching onto a rope to not fall down the cliffside! Once we made it to the beach, I was instantly reminded how much I miss the beach, especially being able to see such beautiful beaches like this one so easily back in Sydney. We spent an hour just relaxing in the water which was very needed. After our tour ended, we got babi guling (roast pig), went to a mall, and then went to bed.
Today, we started the day by going to McDonalds. I may have said it before, but I love looking at international McDonalds. Once we got to the airport, we realized our flight was departing half an hour earlier than we thought, so we actually ran through the whole airport. I had never had to run through an airport like that, and I learned my lesson. Always double check the flight information, at least before stopping for pre-flight McDonalds. Anyways, after probably my favorite weekend here, I am eager to see how next weekend in Phuket will compare. We shall see by this time next week!