Gili T Round Two

I couldn't hide the smile from my face as we climbed off the boat and waded through the water to the shores of Gili T. Throughout our trip around the world, this tiny island was one of my favourite stops. It was where we'd first found paradise and fallen in love with the Asian way of life. 

A lot has changed in the eighteen months since I was here last. Firstly, I now have a job and so whereas previously we'd stayed in the cheapest huts we could find, we now upgraded ourselves significantly to a beautiful resort on the other side of the island. Though undeniably one of the most expensive around, it still cost us no more than we'd pay for a Travelodge back home.

But there were other changes too that I'd noticed on our way down. The island was far busier with twice the amount of tourists and triple the number of bars, cafes and hostels to accommodate them. And with construction work taking place in every corner, it showed no signs of slowing down.

That said, it remains an incredibly idyllic island. The crystal clear water fades into a colour so blue that it's almost green and the islanders keep their sand absolutely pristine. It makes the beaches of Bali seem average in comparison!

Also, as our resort was tucked away from the mayhem of the backpacker quarters, we were still able to appreciate the deserted beaches and the peace and quiet the whole island once enjoyed. That is, when we could tear ourselves away from the pool! 

Though tempting to spend the whole three days right there, I knew there were other hidden gems worth exploring. Therefore, early on our first morning we hired bikes and cycled the entirety of the island. It's so small that it took us little more than an hour, despite having to abandon the pedalling and push our bikes through the majority of the sand patches. In the intense heat it was rather hard work and so felt we more than deserved a cocktail over lunch.

As the sun began to lower in the sky, we crossed the small path from our pool to the private beach for sunset. Flocks of tourists joined us as it just so happens this is the optimum place for a sunset view but no crowd could distract me from the beauty of this spectacle. The cluster of hazy clouds which loomed above the peaks of Lombok's mountain range turned fuchsia as the sun illuminated them from below. Soon, the whole scene was pink with streaks of orange and purple hung like decorative steamers in the sky. It was insanely stunning and we stayed long after the glowing sun had disappeared, watching as the colours changed with every minute.

Once it all turned to black we got back on our bikes and cycled to Scallywags, arguably the most talked about restaurant on any of the three Gili's. I'd not been able to afford it during my last trip but was very much looking forward to making up for it this time around! We found a table out on the decking and checked out the fresh seafood sizzling on the barbecue. In the end I ordered traditional Indonesian Gado Gado which tasted similar to satay (which is always unreal!) 

A few cocktails down, we then went onto a bar which is now run by the German guys who Hana and I met last year. It's crazy to think how much we've done since then whilst they've stayed here to live out their lives on Gili T but I can't say I blame them. There are certainly worse places to call home! Anyway it was a little surreal but so nice to see them and though it wasn't particularly busy, the music was great so we stayed for a few. And then a few more. Getting back on our bicycles, I regretted agreeing to the 'local' vodka option.

Our final day on Gili T followed a similar pattern of pool, beach and great food. However, between sunset and our last supper we checked into the hotel spa for a Balinese massage. Stephanie was led off in one direction whilst Kate and I were shown to a shared room, complete with a rather romantic looking bath. It was clearly made out for couples but as our masseurs turned out to both be men, I was more than happy to have Kate beside me as back up. 

Once I'd relaxed, the fully body massage was heavenly. He covered everything from my toes to my temples, taking a full hour to work his way up. 

'Uh one question - did he massage your boobs?' 

Kate's voice snapped me out of my trance and we burst into a fit of giggles as I realised we were alone again. They're not kidding when they call it full body.  

Feeling totally zen and only a tiny bit violated, we then left to find Stephanie who was already back at the bar downing a Bintang. She'd had a considerably worse experience which consisted of her having to explain to the masseuse what a massage was which may have been successful had he spoken English or she, Balinese. As with all things in Asia, spa experiences are rather hit and miss and unfortunately for Stephanie hers had failed to fire a shot. 

Needing a treat to get over her treatment, we splashed out on dinner at the hotel which for me, consisted of chicken satay served on sizzling hot stones. Dreamy.

It was an emotional goodbye to the Gili's this time, knowing that I'm unlikely to return. Whilst the others waited for our boat back to the mainland I went for one last walk up and down the beach, taking in the last sights of this beautiful island and doing my best to commit them to memory. I may not ever find myself there again physically but I'll continue to return to it as my happy place.

Welcome to Uluwatu

Nothing says 'Welcome to Asia' like being dropped in the middle of nowhere with a 15kg backpack to navigate through sand, reefs and rock pools in pitch black darkness and 30*C heat. After forty minutes and countless falls, I was delighted to finally stumble upon Nyoman hostel but less so, to find it completely locked up. Despite booking months ago and re-confirming my late arrival to Bali the previous day, it seemed the owner had neither waited around to let me in, nor prepared me a room. 

Thankfully this was not my first time to Asia and so I knew what to expect in that I should expect absolutely nothing. As much as I adore this part of the world, there's simply no argument for it being anything short of useless in terms of organisation. Instead of despairing I drew in a deep breath of the Asian sea air and went in search of the closest hostel which might still be open. The Hostel Owner at Rocky's was incredibly kind and whilst he regretted to inform me there was no room at his inn, he promised to call around and see what he could do. 

In the meantime, I met some Kiwis on the terrace bar who invited me to join them for a bintang. Tanned, tattooed and with a vocabulary which stretched no further than 'chill' and 'relax', they were one acoustic guitar away from fitting the perfect wanker backpacker stereotype. On the other hand, one had just offered to give up his room for the night and sleep in a hammock so by the end of the conversation I wanted to both kiss him and whack him over the head with a flip flop. 

In the end I did neither as the Hostel Owner came bounding over with a beaming smile to announce that his Aunt had a spare room a little way up the hill. Along with the Hero Kiwi who'd scooped up my heavy backpack, I followed the Hero Hostel Owner and his flashlight up to my room. 

It was basic as hell but it had wifi which meant I could finally get in contact with the other girls who'd arrived the previous day. For my first night in Uluwatu I was staying alone because by the time I'd made up my mind to join them, their hotel was fully booked. Thankfully though it turned out to be no more than a hundred metres away so within minutes they were all four at my door and marching me even further back up the hill to their luxurious crib. Though rather late by this point, we still found time to catch up over cheese, red wine and Australian Tim Tams on the veranda. Of all the heroes who helped me that evening, my friends remained my favourite.

A little after midnight, I climbed into bed with the hope that the sounds of the crashing waves might soothe me to sleep. Perhaps they would have, were it not for the fact that they were also making me extremely thirsty. With only a drop of water left on my bedside I embarked on a 3am mission to find a single person still awake in the surrounding area. Of course I failed, but I did find an open fridge so left a 5,000 rupiah note and returned to my room with the satisfaction of knowing I'd survive until morning. 

Despite my rather sleepless night, I woke up in the best of moods. Daylight shone brightly through the window and a soft sea breeze seeped in through the cracks in my little shack. It felt good to be back. 

At 8 o'clock I met Stephanie for a morning yoga session at the Cashew Tree. We were joined by just three other yogis and a mutt called Mocha who'd truly mastered the downward dog. The sequence was simple compared to my classes back in London but focused far more on relaxing the mind which was wonderfully refreshing - this was a holiday after all. 

Following a quick cold shower, we met the other girls back at their hotel. In the daylight I could truly appreciate just how stunning this place is. Their bungalows overlooked a small infinity pool which in turn overlooked the wide open sea. The tide was so high that the rocks I'd been walking along late last night were lost beneath swirling waves. Everything was so blue at this point it was difficult to differentiate between the pool, the sea and the sky. 

Extremely content, we sunbathed until mid-afternoon and then jumped into a taxi which took us to a bar called Single Fin. It's a popular spot to watch the beautiful sunset and becomes lively later on in the evening but after a couple of cocktails and a delicious Indonesian dinner, we called it a day. The next morning we had to be up at 6am to head to Gili T which we all agreed, was worth saving ourselves for! 

The Asian Adventure

When we first arrived in Singapore last October it felt like we had a lifetime ahead of us in Asia. Now, three months, six countries and twenty-four places later it's all over. For now...

The saddest part of leaving Asia is not knowing when we'll come back but I'm comforted slightly by the fact that I will definitely return at some point. Initially I'd hoped that by travelling for an entire year I'd flush this travel bug right out of my system but it's clear now that won't be the case. In fact I've discovered that the very term 'travel bug' is highly misleading, for a bug is a condition suffered only temporarily. The travel bug, if you truly have it, lasts a lifetime. 

A friend of mine recently shared a quote with me describing travelling as 'a virus, one which worms its way into your bloodstream, attacks your bank balance, holiday allowance and social life but never blesses you with the zen-life satisfaction of thinking you've seen it all.' And it's true! The more I see the more I want to see and even after three months in Asia there is still so much left to explore; Burma, China, Java and the Philippines to name but a few.

I won't ever make my way across the entire globe but I've learnt since being away how important it is that we try. We're so fortunate in the UK that we have these opportunities which so many others around the world do not and we owe it to them to take advantage. A particular occasion springs to mind here: I was speaking to a Malaysian man in Langkawi who was surprised to learn that after Asia we were moving onto Australasia and then South America too. He commented that I must have worked for a long time to save up for such an epic trip and I replied that yes, I'd worked in London for two years. He immediately burst into laughter, not able to comprehend my response. 'I worked for fifteen years just to go to Singapore!' A terrible misjudgement on my part but it really put things into perspective. We are the lucky ones.

I've been trying to think of the best way to reflect on our time in Asia but we've seen so much and made so many countless memories that nothing short of a novel would suffice (one which I'm sure I'll write one day.) The best I can do at this point is to list the top ten things I will and won't miss in the hope that the latter might ease the pain of leaving at least a little. So here goes.

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Top 10 Things I'll Miss:

#1 FOOD

From back street markets to up market restaurants, the food in Asia has been outstanding. Newfound favourites include Cambodian amok, Malaysian roti and Thai massaman curry. I'd happily fork out the price of a plane ticket to taste any of these cuisines again. 

#2 BEACH BARS

Nothing feels better than dancing the night away with the sea breeze in your hair and sand between your toes. And it's a fact that cocktails taste better from buckets. Cramped, sweaty London clubs are just no comparison.

#3 LANDSCAPE

From paradise beaches to baron deserts, high rise cities to jungle forests; Asia has every landscape you could possibly dream of but they're far more beautiful in reality than any images found in the depths of my imagination.

#4 CULTURE

Asia oozes culture. A lot of it is centred around religion, the fusion between Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam found in most places. Wherever we went golden statues and the smell of incense were never too far away.

#5 CHEAP LIVING

The money I've spent in three months in Asia would have disappeared within three weeks back home. Splashing out more than a few pounds on a meal or accommodation is really going to hurt.

#6 RELAXED ATMOSPHERE

Nothing phases Asians. Their pace of life is so incredibly slow as they take their time to actually enjoy it. We quickly adapted to their way of thinking, forgetting for the most part what day we were on and expecting everything to be late. It's amazing how much less stressful time keeping is when you just stop keeping it.

#7 MODES OF TRANSPORT

Longtail boats and tuk tuks are my favourite ways of getting around. Being in the open air allows you to absorb your surroundings and gives you a better feel for the areas you're travelling through. Our taxi to the airport will be the first car we've been in in a long time and even that is fluorescent pink! Much more exciting than black cabs back home. 

#8 7-ELEVEN

Primarily from a toastie perspective but also on a general level. We've spent so much time in 7-Elevens that I feel sad I've heard my last annoying 'ding dong' of the automatic doors.

#9 MARKETS

I wish more than anything we were flying back via Asia so we could pick up the entire market on the way home. There are so many beautiful items to be bought and for whatever price you're willing to pay, providing you can stick out the haggling game long enough. 

#10 THE SUN

Everything about the Asian sun is stunning from the second it rises to the lasting moments after it's set. In three months I can't remember more than three days where it didn't shine down on us, despite it being their winter and rainy season in some areas we visited.

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Top 10 Things I Won't Miss:

#1 ROOSTERS

I don't know what they feed their roosters in Asia but it's keeping them up all night. Which in turn is keeping us up too! The bloody things are nocturnal and happy about it, cock-a-doodle-do-ing at every hour.

#2 JOURNEYS FROM A TO B VIA Z

No journey we ever made in Asia was simple. Each time we travelled from one place to another we were carted off in a truck, made to change buses multiple times and left in the middle of nowhere for hours with nothing but a coloured sticker on to say where we were supposed to end up. We always made it eventually but never ever on time.

#3 CUSTOMER SERVICE

It comes hand in hand with their laid back nature so for the most part we've taken it in our stride but there are times when being ignored or forgotten is more frustrating than fun. And even contemplating complaining is completely pointless - Asians are programmed to forget how to speak English as soon as you do.

#4 BED BUGS

I used to think bed bugs were imaginary little monsters invented by parents to scare their children into sleeping but Asia taught me differently. Thankfully these disgusting little pests have only bothered us once but the constant threat has lingered throughout.

#5 SQUAT TOILETS

You know it's bad when you'd rather squat on the side of the road than brave one of the holes in the floor they call toilets. It will be nice to not feel in a state of panic whenever we accidentally leave the room without toilet paper in our pockets and even nicer to be able to actually flush it when we do.

#6 SPITTING

For reasons unbeknownst to me it's perfectly acceptable in Asia to grunt and snort until saliva is gathered in your mouth and then spit it out wherever you fancy. I could stay here three years and the sound and sight of this would still make my stomach turn.

#7 MANGY ANIMALS

The majority of cats and dogs in Asia can only be described as mangy. Missing limbs, covered in scabs or potentially infested with rabies - they're a far cry from the cute little pets we play with back home and they're on every street corner.

#8 WHITENING CREAM

It's typical that we always want what we can't have. Whereas English people cover themselves in fake tan all year around to darken their skin, Asians use whitening creams to make theirs lighter. It's a sign of wealth to have fair skin because it's associated with not having to work outside. Therefore, we've found it really difficult to buy any moisturisers, cleansers or sun creams which don't have whitening lotion in them to counteract our tans.

#9 SWEET BREAD & FLUORESCENT JAM

I can't fault Asia's traditional dishes but their imitations of western foods leave a lot to be desired. Many hostels now offer free breakfast but it often consists of their sweet bread and fluorescent jam combo, essentially an artificial nightmare.

#10 BEING STARED AT LIKE AN ALIEN

The Asian community are fascinated by blonde haired, blue eyed people. Despite the hundreds of westerners arriving in Asia each day, every time I was stopped and asked for a photograph or stared at in the street it felt like I was the only one.

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That all said, even with ending on the negatives there's no fooling myself into thinking that the bad outweighs the good. In fact reading over the second list brings as much of a smile to my face as the first - I might not miss these things in particular but I will certainly miss the sense of accomplishment they bring when conquered and the hilarious stories which inevitably follow. Everything about the last few months has been fantastic and I genuinely have tears in my eyes writing this goodbye. 

I best leave it there before I turn into a blubbering, waffling mess but thank you so much Asia, it's been an absolute pleasure. Australia now has a lot to live up to!

A Second Look at Bali, Ubud

Whilst in Gili we got talking to other travellers and realised we hadn't really given Bali a chance. We'd formed an opinion on the entire country based on just one place, Kuta, which would be like someone writing off the whole of the UK after spending four days in Bracknell Town Centre. 

With that in mind we felt we owed it to the island to give it a second go so after a few Rinjani recovery days we jumped on a boat back to Bali, this time stopping in Ubud. And we're so glad we did! 

Ubud is a cultural haven, most famous for it's outstanding art, spas and yoga retreats. It's one of these wonderful places that attracts tourism because it's so beautiful but doesn't allow itself to be overcome by it. 

We had just four days in Ubud but managed to cross four activities off our to-do list. The first was visiting Monkey Forest, a national park in the centre of Ubud which is home to hundreds and hundreds of grey monkeys. They're free to roam wherever they wish but choose to stay within the sanctuary grounds, presumably because they're fed so well. We'd been warned about their thieving nature but it was still surprising to see how well they've mastered the art of pick pocketing. I have to admit it was pretty amusing to see so many tourists outsmarted by our supposedly lesser developed primate cousins. 

Our second morning started with a short trek through the paddy fields where rice is farmed. We found a particularly stunning terrace called Tegalalang and weaved our way in and out of the crops, getting a closer look at the way they're grown. On our way back we stopped at an organic farm where they grow all of their fruits, herbs and spices needed for cooking. The staff were particularly keen to show us how they make the Balinese special 'Luwak Coffee' from start to finish. The coffee beans are eaten by the Luwaks, ferment in their digestive system and then retrieved from the animal's faeces. They're then washed thoroughly (they promise), roasted and finally ground to make the coffee powder. The tour ended with a free coffee tasting session and although we passed on the Luwak we did try the Ginseng, Jasmine, Ginger, Vanilla and Cocoa, all of which went down surprisingly well considering neither of us are usually coffee-drinkers.

Our third snippet of culture was attending the traditional Balinese dance performance, Kecak and Fire. It began with a hundred or so men entering onto the stage and sitting around a centre piece candle. They were dressed in nothing but baggy trousers and with flowers in their hair. It soon became apparent that these men were the chorus, the only music to accompany the hour long dance. The noises they were making were quite extraordinary, a kind of remix of different sounds over a long steady beat. Before long two beautiful women dressed in intricate costumes broke into the circle and began to move in time to the men's beat. They dance only with their hands and their eyes, using subtle movements to tell the story. There's little variation in the choreography but it's fascinating nonetheless and the colourful costumes are more than enough to capture your attention.

Our fourth and final day involved a visit to Ubud palace. It was undeniably beautiful but we were a little underwhelmed simply because the entire area is so pretty that it didn't stand out as anything particularly special. Bali is known as the 'thousand temple island' because there are so many to be found and so the whole island is full of grand buildings and decorative statues. Any one of them could be described as a palace!

Ubud felt like the 'real Bali' and I'm so glad that we had the chance to visit. It had a wonderfully calming atmosphere about the place and we left feeling completely relaxed - quite the opposite to the madness of Kuta!

Ballin' in Bali

Landing in Bali felt good for a number of reasons. 

1. Bright blue sky.

2. Beach visible from the runway.

3. Checked my bank balance to find I had literally millions of their local currency stashed in there. 

So we thought we were absolute ballers until we worked out that there's sixteen thousand rupiah to every one pound. Both insane and upsetting. 

I have mixed feelings about Bali. By day it's beautiful with its stunning beaches and idyllic waterfront restaurants but by night it's like something out of the Inbetweeners Movie. Known as the 'Aussie Malia', it's been completely destroyed by drunken 18-30s on lads-on-tour type holidays. The locals play on this stupidity by selling obscene souvenirs and making vulgar gestures to every tourist that walks by. It's sad because that's obviously what they think we'll respond to. 

Luckily we met with two boys we know from University and spent the first couple of days with them. We tried to go out on two occasions but both times ended up back in our hostel room to play drinking games there. Our pre-drinks session turned into pre, during and post-drinks because it was far more fun than forcing ourselves into the shitty bars on the strip. And this is coming from four Southampton graduates who spent three years going out in Jesters, a club that was voted third worst in the UK until the first and second shut down! Anyway, there was more than enough to entertain us back at the hostel; we had a pack of cards, Icelandic vodka and Wretham's pop socks to laugh at. It's been ages since we've played our old uni versions of Ring of Fire and Spoons etc. so it was good to reminisce. 

And our hostel room was rather nice too! Anything would have felt like the Ritz in comparison to the last place but this really was good. For only £7 a night we had a big twin room and got free breakfast every morning. They even offered to bring it to you in bed if you fancied it. It's close enough to the bars and the beach but far enough away from the road to give you a glimpse of real Balinese culture. Bali's a Hindu country and their homes are decorated beautifully with statues and windchimes, and the daily offerings of flowers, rice and incense which they place outside for good luck. 

If you have the money to spend there's also some pretty amazing larger hotels here. When we wanted a break from the beach we wangled our way into three different five star places along the beach front to use their pools. Having only been here a week we obviously don't have that 'poor forlorn traveller' look about us just yet so managed to convince the security guards that we were guests there. We have no idea when we'll experience a touch of luxury like that again so we definitely made the most of it!

In the morning we're hopping on a fast boat across to Gili Trawangan, better known as Gili T. Almost everyone we've met has said that it's been their favourite place in Asia so we're really looking forward to it. Let's hope it lives up to the hype!