why Bali is so awesome
Traditional dances in Hindu temples, thousand shades of
green in the rice fields, sculptures made out of clay probably hundreds of
years ago in the street shops and very busy roads are the things that you first
notice after arriving to Bali- a small looking island which has over 4 million
people! Even though towns there are not that big, massive traffic makes you
feel like you’re in a metropolis. And again, after twenty minutes of driving on
the scooter you end up in the villages, holy roads, fields of crops in the
scenery of mountains and volcanos. Go down the south of the island and you will
experience the best parties of your life – turquoise sea waters with golden
sand beaches with the bars that offer two drinks for one’s price. And
everyone’s going to enjoy it: crazy travellers, budget backpackers, posh
Australian surfers and even big Russian families with their tiny kids! (Okay, I
am sure kids do not enjoy those cocktails.)
And it doesn’t matter which destination you pick for a day –
you will end up in Bali’s amazing nature. Have you ever swum in the waterfalls?
Have you ever walked on the black sand beach surrounded by cliffs and rocks?
Have you ever snorkeled in the crystal clear waters and admired the corals?
Bali has everything to offer. Since the main religion in Hinduism (the rest of
Indonesia is Islamic), there are vegetarian foods that are beyond delicious!
Fried veg rice, noodles with prawns and pineapples (the best combination
ever!), and curries – everything is extremely tasty. You can have various
Southeast Asian cuisines for up to two pounds for a meal! You will pay more for
a beer than for a night in the clean, air conditioned hostel which is located
in peaceful village, 10 mins to the town’s centre.
Bali has that peaceful way of thinking when everyone is
happy, relaxed and want you to enjoy the life of this island the same way
locals do. Unfortunately, every single touristic attraction requires entry fee
(what means there will be hundreds of other people enjoying swimming in the
waterfall that you thought you would have only for yourself). It’s not
expensive at all, what lets locals make some money out of tourism. Since people
are really kind to you, try to help you with all of their hearts – it feels
right giving them more than they asked, knowing their tiny minimum wages. And
even though I don’t travel with millions in my pocket, it is a nice feeling to
help them.
Talking to locals about your background is quite a great
exchange of way of thinking. They will always be interested where are you
coming from, why are you doing this the way you do it and what are your aims in
life. Meanwhile, Balinese man will share his secrets on happiness, how to
maintain rice fields and the names of his children. And it’s a lot to learn
from them for us – to enjoy the tiniest moments. Hug your family. Take an advice from your parents. Go
into those beautiful rice fields and get lost. If you don’t have them, I am
pretty sure your resistance country has other breathtaking nature views where
you can enjoy the present moment.
