In May, we took the short (according to the Aussies) 6 hour flight to Bali to spend a week in a tropical paradise. We were very fortunate to be able to experience the rich and diverse culture of the smiling Balinese people, the inhabitants of this small island, who are known for their generosity and their warm hospitality. We saw their fun sense of humour and their genuine interest in making our experience in their country, one to enjoy. Bali is known for its beaches, surfing, diving, wonderful food and affordable luxury-style accommodations.  We enjoyed many of these things as well as listening to the stories of our Balinese drivers and seeing what Bali is really like for the Balinese people.

Alexis was very excited about the trip, especially because she takes Indonesian class at school and has learned some phrases such as hello, thank you as well as numbers 1-10. It was not a surprise that Reid slept for much of the flight. Once we arrived at the airport in Denpasar, Bali, we were hit with the warm, humid temperatures that are the norm here.

Our villa for the first four days was one of the nicest places we have ever stayed as a family. It was called Villa Seminyak Estate and Spa and it was on a very narrow and quiet street in Seminyak, tucked away from the chaos of the main streets in Seminyak. We enjoyed outdoor living as there were no walls and only a roof, over the living areas. Our bedrooms were air-conditioned (an absolute must in the Bali heat) and the shower was outside. We had our own pool and spa which was used multiple times a day to cool off from the hot and humid weather.

On our first night in Bali, we went to eat at La Lucciola, a beachside restaurant with a creative menu with Italian flair. La Lucciola was one of the first beachside restaurants in this area. We made it for sunset as the sunsets in Seminyak are supposed to be like none other. However, we did not get to see one of these iconic sunsets as it was cloudy almost every evening we were there. The view that looked out onto one of the prettiest stretches of Seminyak beach, the changing colours of the sky and listening to the crashing of the waves, along with absolutely delicious food, was a fantastic way to enjoy our first night in Bali.

On our second day in Bali, we spend time walking around the chaotic streets of Seminyak, shopping at the markets, eating ice cream to keep cool and trying out new foods. We also observed the insane traffic in the streets, trying to imagine how one would learn to drive here and figure out the rules (or the lack of rules) of the road. We were shocked at how traffic flows in a totally unorganized way yet it seems to work. There is very little road rage here and vehicles seem to be untouched (no scrapes, dents or scratches for most vehicles). On our stroll around Eat Street, I insisted on trying to find Revolver, a coffee bar that claims to have the best coffee around. Down a small alley, through two narrow wooden swinging doors, I found the tiny, dark, retro room, creativity decorated with all sorts random items…and the coffee did live up to its reputation. That night, we had dinner at Fat Gajah, an Asian fusion restaurant known for its noodles and dumplings. The food was delicious, as were the expresso martinis. Alexis and Reid tried the crispy duck noodles and a variety of dumplings and enjoyed them too!

The third day in Seminyak, the Toronto Raptors were playing in the Eastern Conference semi finals against Miami so naturally, we spend the morning around our villa (the game was on at 8am because of the time difference) because of the free wifi being the only way Shane could watch the game. We enjoyed the pool and resort facilities. Alexis enjoyed pretending to be the life guard (being in charge, making and enforcing rules seems to be a favourite of hers these days) and using the bouy to save us from ‘drowning’ in the pool.

The kids enjoyed the large inflatable flamingo and black swam in the resort’s main pool. I’m not sure the people whose rooms opened up to the pool, enjoyed us though!

Later that day, we went to the famous Potato Head beach club, which is located right on the beach and features an infinity pool, a funky restaurant and countless sun loungers. Its unique design is striking and makes for a great place to hang out for the afternoon and enjoy the sunset.

 

The fourth and final day in Seminyak, we hired a driver named Wayan to drive us around different parts of Bali for the day. On a side note, we learned that when Balinese people have children, they name them according to their birth order, receiving one of four names. If a couple has a fifth child, that child will have a variation of the first born. So Wayan, our driver, is Wayan because he is the first born in his family. Wayan was an excellent driver, we spent almost 12 hours with him that day and he did not stop talking and telling stories for most of the time that he was with us. We learned a lot about Wayan and how the local Balinese people live.

The first stop on our tour for the day was a traditional or typical Balinese house. The house was more like a large area inside a stone wall with several small buildings dotting the compound. Each small building had a purpose, one being a kitchen, another a bathroom and several others for bedrooms. The main living and dining areas were outdoor. There were also several chickens and hens on this property, each under its own basket. We saw a washing bucket outside as well as laundry hanging on a line. Every Balinese home has a family temple, which can usually be found in one corner of the compound. Alexis tried out the swing on the property as well.

The next stop on our tour was in Ubud. Ubud is the artistic and cultural heart of Bali. Here the streets are lined with art galleries, fine dining restaurants, great cafes and shops full of all kinds of goods. At night, its easy to find beautiful performances showcasing the rich culture through music and dance. Outside the main streets of Ubud, its quick to find the lush and serene rice paddies that spill down the hillsides in every direction. We spend only a few hours in Ubud but got a real taste of what Ubud is about. We stopped at the Scared Monkey Forest Sanctuary and nervously watched the monkeys climb from trees to the inviting tourists to snatch their water bottles, glasses or a banana that was purchased on the way in. We were entertained by their play fighting and enjoyed watching the mothers take care of their babies, while some spent time picking bugs out of each other’s hair. It was especially fascinating for Alexis and Reid to see these monkeys in their own natural  habitat rather than a zoo.

After visiting the monkeys, we stopped for lunch at one of the most picturesque restaurants we have ever been to. The tables were in open air huts that hovered above a fish pond and the view of the rice paddies was one to remember.

After lunch, our driver, Wayan, wanted to take us to a place where they make special Luwak coffee. He had been telling us about this coffee earlier in the day and kept referring to it throughout the day as ‘shit coffee.’ Without speaking to each other about it, both Shane and I had the same thought that we must not be hearing him right, it must be his accent or his broken English. But as the day went on, he continued to refer to this ‘shit coffee’ as something we should try. The time came when we reached the location where they show you how they make the ‘shit coffee’ and the opportunity to try it. At this point, after hearing about it all day, Shane and I were intrigued and decided to go in and see what it really was. Sure enough, as we were listening to the demonstration, we learned that to make this coffee, a cat-like animal eats the coffee bean, digests it and then its poop is collected, the coffee beans are extracted, cleaned and roasted. Hence the name ‘shit coffee’ by our driver Wayan. It turns out that this coffee is the most expensive coffee in the world… and it is delicious.

They also offered us twelve different types of tea to try. Reid enjoyed trying many of the interesting versions. Alexis was sleeping at this point so she missed out on the tea.

The final stop along our tour for the day was at Tanah Lot. Tanah Lot is a temple perched high up on a rock in the ocean along the west coast of Bali. For the Balinese, it is one of the most important temples as it honours the sea gods. For tourists, it is a magnificent site, especially as the sun starts to set. We arrived at Tanah Lot just before sunset which allowed for time to explore the area. Due to low tide, we were able to walk out to the rock where the temple is located. As the sun set and the evening went on, the tide started to come in and cover the area between the rock where the temple is located and the mainland.

For the second half of our trip, we planned to spend some time in the Gili islands. This turned out to be a bit more adventurous than maybe a family with two young children should attempt. However, we would not have changed it for anything. It was well worth the effort to enjoy such paradise.

We spend the last of our time in Bali on Gili Trawangan. The largest of the the Gili islands, Gili T felt like a topical paradise with a kind of serenity that cannot be found on mainland Bali. The fact that there are not motorbikes, car or trucks-or dogs-on the island, added to the serene feeling here. This tiny island (you can walk around the whole island in 2 hours), with its deserted powdery-white sand beaches, coconut palms and the turquoise sea,  makes it a beautiful place to explore.

Once off the main drag where all the boats come in, Gili T takes on a bohemian character where rickety stalls selling jewellery, a 10 minute massage, Bintangs(local beer) and water or an afternoon meal of mie goreng (fried noodles-Alexis’ favourite Indonesian dish) can be found. We stayed on the north side of the island where beautiful resorts and beachside restaurants dot the coast. Besides walking or cycling, the only other mode of transportation was by horse and cart. We took a horse and cart to our villa via the inland sandy lanes, complete with potholes, free range roosters and local moms and their kids lounging on bamboo decks trying to cool off in the afternoon heat. For Alexis and Reid, this experience was more of a thrill ride than a way to get there.

Wilson’s Retreat was home for the rest of the week. It is a resort on the north shore of the island, named after the famous Wilson from the movie Cast Away. We enjoyed our 2 bedroom villa with our own private pool as well as the delicious restaurant with French and Indonesian cuisine.

We enjoyed meals on the beach as well as the friendliest staff we have ever met. The people who worked at Wilson’s Retreat could not get enough of Alexis and Reid and after their relentless efforts, the kids warmed up to them as well.

There were free roaming cats all over the island, one in particular that liked to hang around the restaurant at our resort. Alexis and Reid enjoyed having a ‘pet’ for a short time. Reid loved the chocolate crepes for breakfast and they both loved eating dinner while siting on pillows on the ground in a covered day bed.

Almost all activities on the island involve the ocean, including diving, snorkelling and surfing. One of the main reasons we ventured out to this island was to go snorkelling and search for the giant sea turtles that live just off the north shore. Alexis spent a lot of time snorkelling in the bathtub prior to our trip, practising, in hopes that she would be able to snorkel in the ocean. She did a great job in the ocean and loved it. Reid had a go at it as well but struggled with the salt water getting into his mouth and eyes.

We were able to snorkel right off the beach as the reef is right off shore and the fish are plenty. Shane and I took turns going out with Alexis as she went out two, sometimes three, times a day. She was blown away by the marine life and even saw three large turtles, one of them close enough to be able to touch. Reid stayed on shore, throwing rocks and collecting dead coral that had washed up on the beach and preferred swimming in the pool at the resort.

Alexis had been talking about getting her hair braided in Bali well before the trip (someone in her class had recently come back from Bali with her hair braided). We came across a couple who had a stall selling a variety of jewellery and sarongs as well as offering massage and hair braiding. We learned that they had two children who lived with other family on a different island while they worked here in Gili T, only returning to see their children once a fortnight. We learned that this type of arrangement was quite common for families in Bali and the surrounding islands. The woman told us that she had not braided anyone’s hair in three weeks as it was not a busy time on the island at the moment. My heart broke for this woman and the life she lives and I felt blessed in my own life and guilty about it at the same time. To this couple, we have a family just like theirs but why are we so fortunate to be able to enjoy travelling as a family and living with such abundance that we can pay for someone to braid Alexis’ hair.

Besides water activities and hair braiding, we tried out cycling as well. It is very common to rent bikes and spend the day cycling around the island or simply to use them as a form of transportation. We rented bikes for an afternoon, making a few stops along the way to explore different corners of the island.

It was a successful family activity but like her mother, Alexis was purple-faced and dripping sweat after only a short distance. We stopped at the south end of the island for a swim to cool off and to snorkel. We did not find many fish there but we collected a lot of unique shells.

We continued cycling around to the west side of the island where we discovered the very lovely resort, Hotel Ombak Sunset. This resort had a double swing out in the water, beanbags on the beach and delicious ice cream.

Our last night on the island, we enjoyed the sunset. One of the staff at Wilson’s Retreat spent close to an hour with Alexis and Reid, looking for hermit crabs along the beach. They were very successful and collected close to 20 of them. Sadly, Alexis and Reid had to let them go before the end of the night.

On the last morning of our trip, we made our way back to the boat launch near the main street of the island. It was so hot that just walking around proved to be too much for Alexis and Reid, so we found a spot to have a cold drink and brownies and ice cream while waiting for the boat to come. The trip back to Bali mainland was about 2 hours with fairly calm waters opposed to the warnings we received. We spend the afternoon at Logan and Jacquie’s (Shane’s colleagues) villa in Seminyak before heading to the airport later than evening.

After a week of relaxation, exploration and adventure, it was time to fly back to Australia. We enjoyed Bali, the people, the food, the luxury accommodations, the weather and the opportunity to see another part of the world. It is a beautiful place, full of culture with people that are welcoming and generous, friendly and who believe that in this life, how you treat other people will come back to you tenfold. What a wonderful way to live!

 

My family and I went to Bali on a holiday in May. This is my story of what we did in Bali.

Day 1: On Wednesday, I went on an airplane and I was going to Bali.

Day 2: On Thursday, I went to the market and bought the best dress. I swam in my pool at my villa.

Day 3: On Friday, I swam in the big pool.

Day 4: On Saturday, I drove to a monkey sanctuary. I saw a Balinese house, it was different than my house.

Day 5: On Sunday, we went to Gili T island by boat. When we got there, we rode a horse and cart to my villa.

Day 6: On Monday, I went snorkelling and saw a big turtle!! And saw hundreds of fish.

Day 7: On Tuesday, I rode around the whole Gili T island on bikes, it was hot.

Day 8: On Wednesday, I played at the pool at Gaby’s villa. Later, I went on an airplane to go back home.

Written and Illustrated by Alexis Bannerman, age 5 (almost 6)