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.
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.
Planning a trip? Go Backpacking recommends:
- G Adventures for small group tours.
- Hostelworld for booking hostels.
Kyle
Friday 8th of February 2008
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.
Dave
Wednesday 13th of February 2008
Great Kyle - you'll be there before you know it!
Kyle
Friday 8th of February 2008
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.
Dave
Wednesday 13th of February 2008
Great Kyle - you'll be there before you know it!
Kyle
Thursday 7th of February 2008
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
Friday 8th of February 2008
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.
Kyle
Wednesday 6th of February 2008
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
Friday 8th of February 2008
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.
crambox
Wednesday 6th of February 2008
Look forward to hearing all about Bali good luck!!!