Bali may have claimed the spotlight for Indonesia, but there are at least 18,000 other islands and countless other destinations worth exploring in this country.
Komodo National Park is one of them.
I don’t know about you, but when I lay eyes on a photo of a devastatingly gorgeous landscape, that place tends to catapult to the upper reaches of my bucket list.
I’ll admit, I did a lot of things wrong on my first trip to Indonesia. I didn’t go down to the rock pools in Uluwatu even though I was right there.
I waffled awhile on whether I’d continue my monthly recaps after my year on the Australia Work and Holiday visa ended. I really enjoy writing them and reflecting on my life and travels, so I think they’ll be here to stay.
Fresh off a year where I got to frolic on countless Aussie beaches, and a week where I was surrounded by the iconic rice fields in Ubud, I wasn’t quite sure which type of beautiful landscape I was seeking next.
One thing you quickly learn when traveling around third world countries is that they play by an entirely different set of rules than what you’re used to. Routine motions like going from A to B or making simple transactions can be frustrating enough to make you want to punch a durian.
About 12 years ago, I was just finishing up my first semester of college with a killer lineup of classes: math, mystery writing, psych 101, and – how’s this for fitting?
I realize that my choice of a blog name has somewhat pigeonholed me into a certain style of travel. Budget travel, backpacking, travel hacking, whatever you call it: I’ve always sacrificed luxury and comfort in the name of saving money and thus being able to travel more.
I didn’t have much on my to-do list during my week in Ubud. I wanted to use this time to get some work done, lounge by the hotel pool, and indulge in healthful meals that only cost a fraction of what I’d pay back in the US or Australia.
I was having doubts about Bali from inside my air-conditioned car as it comfortably shuttled me from the airport through Denpasar and up to Ubud (the 1.5 hour trip cost me US$22, mind you).