Going along with my other life lesson post from earlier this year, I feel that Bali deserves the same honor. My husband and I got married nearly two years ago and ultimately chose Bali as our belated honeymoon destination. It’s been awhile since I’ve taken a real vacation and we really went all out with out trip in terms of enjoying it 100%. We rented a small bungalow with an outside (but mostly covered) shower, toured the island by motorcycle and didn’t make too many plans. During our two weeks of bliss, I learned a few life lessons that I’ve taken back with me to the Big Apple.
1) The “Good Guy” Doesn’t Finish Last
Every single person I met in Bali (including locals and tourists alike) was friendly, kind and generous. Sure, I didn’t sample the entire population but I think you get the drift. I love living in New York but there is something very comforting about leaving it, even for a few days, because I remember that not every culture is as obsessed by the clock as we are. This is true of many cities and probably even parts of Bali but overall, people treat each other well. It was refreshing to speak with the owner or our bungalow and with the driver taking us to Kuta for a surf class or the man renting us a motorcycle for the day. It really does pay to be nice here and that’s pretty awesome.
2) Beauty Is More Than Skin-Deep
Ok, so this is something that I already know but I included it anyway because Bali took things to a whole new level. My first few days on the island, I was completely in awe of how lush and lovely the landscapes are, from the vibrant green rice terraces to the pink and orange setting sun. After getting over the initial shock, although I never did quite get over it, I started seeing other levels of beauty. I saw the girl in Ubud who wore a flower in her hair; the young boy running to keep up with his older sister; the waitress who couldn’t seem to speak without smiling. Not everyone is rich in Bali but it doesn’t matter because they are happy and that’s one lesson worth learning.
3) Time Can Stand Still
Have you seen a Bali sunset? If so, you know what I’m getting at here. Unlike the majority of my other trips, I barely checked my email while in Bali. In fact, for the first time in about three years, I put up an auto-response on my personal email. I also ditched my smartphone for many excursions because I didn’t even want to be tempted to ask restaurants if they have WiFi. I truly sat back, enjoyed being in the company of my husband and our surroundings, and didn’t feel pressure about much at all. It is quite a freeing feeling I must say and even though I’ve been back home for a few weeks, I’m reminding myself daily to go with the flow and focus on the things that make me happy.
Copyright © 2014 by Bohemian Trails. This article was written by Megan Eileen McDonough and originally published on bohemiantrails.com.
Megan Eileen McDonough
Megan Eileen McDonough is a New York City-based freelance writer the founder of Bohemian Trails, a blog covering global lifestyle trends for the savvy and stylish traveler. Her cultural escapades have taken her to Europe, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East and across the United States. Megan’s work has appeared on Lonely Planet, Fodor’s, US Airways and USA Today among others.
*Image of Pura Ulun Danu temple via Shutterstock
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