5 flights, 4 cities, 3 days, 2 people, 1 adventure. How did we do it?
Being part of a cutthroat industry that is advertising, the biggest struggle people like us face is the amount of time we can spare for vacations. But thanks to it (advertising), I was able to apply my account management skills in my personal travels, and was able to plan and do the things that I wanted to do: explore Borobudur & Prambanan, meditate in Ubud, tan in Seminyak & eat in Din Tai Fung in Singapore - all in one weekend.
The advent of red eye flights, budget airlines and the internet made my dream of seeing all these places possible. From Manila, we took the red eye flight to Jakarta and spent the night there, then took the 1st flight out to Jogjakarta to marvel at its archaeological sights.
We did the mandatory Borobudur exploration, but what impressed me most in Jogjakarta are the Prambanan Temples. It felt like St. Petersburg in the early civilizations! The amount of detail in each spire, & the bas reliefs carved on the walls were fascinating.
I'm glad that I was able to visit the place, as it looked like it would crumble the moment an earthquake would hit Prambanan.
After a whole day of temple tours, we caught ourselves getting foot massages at the airport while waiting for our flight to Bali. It was one of the best decisions we made ever!
If you're a Bali virgin, a late night flight to the island is a good way to start your Balinese adventure. Why? When we woke up the next day we were greeted by the view from our veranda. The expansive greens, the lush scenery plus the roof details in all of the Balinese houses around us was a sight to behold. I wanted to freeze that moment and didn't want it to end, as the warmth of the Ubud sunrise hugged me.
I was impressed by how the island was able to preserve its culture despite the influx of foreigners that come to the island. Instead of the Balinese becoming western, it's actually the other way around.
After a whole day of exploring the north of the island, we headed down south and spent the rest of our days in Bali by the beach and ate all the nasi goreng that we could.
The next day, we headed back home but had a quick stop over in Singapore. With 4 hours to spare, we decided to head out to Orchard Road & had dinner in the city. A great way to end a weekend out of the country trip.
What would usually take you 1 to 2 weeks of travel, we were able to do it in a little over 3 days. When I woke up the next day, I had to check my camera to prove it all happened, that it wasn't just a dream, but it was actually a dream come true.
