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