The magical place that I would return in a heartbeat
Visiting Bali was long overdue. For the longest time, I worked with many Balinese people, be it on cruise-ships or on land, on almost every corner of the world that I’ve had the privilege to work and travel. My first and lasting impression after getting to know them was that of a warm, generous, at peace with themselves and their discreet yet unapologetic spirituality.
The premise of my first visit to Bali was getting to reunite with a friend I made while working for Carnival 5 years prior. The underlying factor was that once again I found myself burnt out after giving my all and my best while working at the Park Hyatt Sydney. I’ve devised my trip in such a way to first decompress and get pampered in the quiet Manggis, then to recharge and get a taste of the energy of Seminyak, and finally to join the Aussie tourist hordes and be part of the hustle and bustle while visiting the tourist traps.
Bali cured me of my burnout and made me forget about my worries. The energy that I’ve witnessed was one on so many different levels: driving was an adventure because of the continuous cacophony of sounds, mostly originating from horns generously used by moped riders and car drivers sharing the road in the most chaotic yet safe way. And then there was the concert of sounds and sensations while witnessing the sunset on beaches while listening to the ocean waves, alternating with music from nearby DJ booths sprinkled all around. And then my favorite one, the energy that seemingly emanated from the ubiquitous temples and shrines and, and from the processions and festivities happening everywhere and at anytime. On many occasions while driving, we came to a standstill only to later realize that the road traffic had to stop and yield to religious processions.
The last activity on the trip and one of the most special was one that I didn’t even plan – hiking Mount Batur, the second highest volcano on the island. The sunrise witnessed at the end of the hike was almost like a symbol of a new beginning, a spiritual recharge/refill of my cup.
