The truth was becoming ugly....I was running out of money. I only had about two and a half weeks left before I would need to get a job or come home, so I needed to decide where to go during this time. The options were Laos and Vietnam or Bali. I chose Bali, and boy, am I glad I did!
Many people have asked if this trip is an "Eat Pray Love" journey. The answer is no, or at least, it didn't start out that way. Yes, I have eaten, both normal local dishes and bizarre delicacies (remember the cricket and scorpion and durian cream puff?). I haven't prayed, but I've been in lots of temples and tried to obtain some inner peace during my brief yoga retreat and time spent by myself. I did not go to Bali to find or fall in love, but I did fall in love. I fell in love with Bali.
My trip to Bali didn't start out so great though. I got food poisoning at the airport in Kuala Lumpur while waiting for my flight to Bali and was sick on the plane. Not a fun way to fly. (I would like to point out the irony here. I have eaten at so many questionable places in Asia, in which I have literally prayed not to get sick. Yet I eat at a restaurant at the airport and I do get sick!) After checking into my hotel, I found a cab driver to take me to a pharmacty. He even commented how terrible I looked! I basically spent the first 2 and a half days holed up in my room, not wanting to venture too far from the facilities, if you know what I mean.
I chose to spend my first few days in Ubud, which is in the central part of the island of Bali. There are a few beaches in Bali and in a few surrounding islands, but after a few days in Ubud, I didn't want to leave. There is so much to do in Ubud. And, Ubud is sort of an artist/yoga haven so if you've seen all the sights and are restless, you can take in an art or yoga class.
Bali truly is lovely and lively. It is one of the places I visited that I cannot wait to get back to and the perfect destination to end my trip in.
