Final Thoughts: Indonesia

I am leaving Indonesia a changed person. I can feel it, though you may not be able to see it on here. I'm less naive, more assertive, a slightly better negotiator (with still a long way to go), and more in touch with my emotions, which often felt amplified.

It feels bittersweet to be leaving Bali. The hectic pace of life seems to have a rhythm all it's own, and one you can learn to appreciate if you give yourself the time here.

Highlights –

• low cost of living (finally!)
• frequent massage and spa treatments
• shopping (Volcom, Billabong, Ubud art market)
• Bali Zoo
• lunch overlooking two volcanoes
• drinking with Gary and Chris under a tarp in the pouring rain at Kuta Food Court
• the first night on Gili Trawangan
• hanging out with Linus, Jessica, Laura, Tim and Ashlyn
• walking around Gili Trawangan with Jessica and Laura on our last day
• walking on the beach from Kuta to Seminyak (and back) with Laura during a sunset
• listening to the live band at Joe's Place in Kuta
• eating Bali's best suckling pig (a la Anthony Bourdain)
• feeding the monkeys in Ubud

Discoveries –

• I drink more frequently when the beer is cheap (duh!)
• board shorts (w/o underwear) are far more comfortable than shorts in tropical heat
• lots of trash washes up on the beaches (of Kuta and Gili T) during the rainy season
• it's OK to make mistakes while traveling, and they often turn into good stories you can laugh about, so keep things in perspective
• when you click with people, make the most of their company, because all good things come to an end
• I can dance like no one is watching (on stage at Bounty)

# of Nights Couchsurfing –

0

Eating –

Bintang beer, Nasi Goreng Ayam (fried rice w/chicken and egg), toast, scrambled eggs, pineapple, banana, Bintang beer, tons of tea, Pringles, seafood (prawns, crab, tuna), and Bintang beer.

Average Daily Budget –

$55

Dave Lee

Dave is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Go Backpacking and Feastio. He's been to 66 countries and lived in Colombia and Peru. Read the full story of how he became a travel blogger.