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…And I’m Off To Bali

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Sunset over Indian Ocean

Journal Entry from January 29 @ 5:41pm –
I'm at the airport ready to board a 6-hour flight to Bali.  The Lonely Planet speaks of $5 massages on the beach, personal bungalows with ocean views, $1 meals and beers, and beautiful sunsets with friendly travelers and locals alike.  Sounds perfect!

I'll miss the cappuccinos, cafes, accents, and ease of travel in Australia.  It has come at a high cost ($$$).  In exchange, I always had Western toilets, relatively safe surroundings, and most of the comforts of home.  I think I'm not yet prepared for the culture shock I'm about to experience in Indonesia.  Being polite (as usual) should help cover for any blatant ignorance of local customs – at least until I get my bearings.  And then it will be time to leave again.

Staying for short periods in these various countries is good practice for non-attachment to say the least.  I've found my final thoughts on each country help me deal better with the departures.

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Dave is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Go Backpacking. For more of his adventures, follow him on Instagram or Twitter.

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Comments

  3. Kyle says

    February 6, 2008 at 7:27 pm

    I saw you spent $98 a day, that is really expensive! What kind of quality hostels did you stay in while there? Were they crappy or nice for that price?

    • Dave says

      February 8, 2008 at 3:50 am

      They were standard hostels – 4, 6, 8 bed dorms with communal (often icky) bathrooms. I often picked the mega-hostels, though the average cost of accom across NZ and Australia was about $20. My costs were high due to the bus pass from Byron Bay to Cairns, Fraser Island tour and Whitsundays sail. On the latter two, I did *not* choose the most common cheap options many young backpackers did. I also didn’t self cater too much, and used the internet every day.

  4. Kyle says

    February 7, 2008 at 12:27 am

    I saw you spent $98 a day, that is really expensive! What kind of quality hostels did you stay in while there? Were they crappy or nice for that price?

    • Dave says

      February 8, 2008 at 8:50 am

      They were standard hostels – 4, 6, 8 bed dorms with communal (often icky) bathrooms. I often picked the mega-hostels, though the average cost of accom across NZ and Australia was about $20. My costs were high due to the bus pass from Byron Bay to Cairns, Fraser Island tour and Whitsundays sail. On the latter two, I did *not* choose the most common cheap options many young backpackers did. I also didn’t self cater too much, and used the internet every day.

  5. Kyle says

    February 8, 2008 at 4:17 pm

    Thanks for the info, that’s really helpful! Yeah, that sounds about how I travel as well. I like to eat out, screw cooking when I’m on vacation, hahaha, and who can live without the internet :) We’ll be leaving for our own trip around the world in about year and a half so I’m following your blog and picking up as much information as possible.

  6. Kyle says

    February 8, 2008 at 11:17 am

    Thanks for the info, that’s really helpful! Yeah, that sounds about how I travel as well. I like to eat out, screw cooking when I’m on vacation, hahaha, and who can live without the internet :) We’ll be leaving for our own trip around the world in about year and a half so I’m following your blog and picking up as much information as possible.