…And I’m Off To Bali

by Dave on February 6, 2008 · 11 comments

Sunset over Indian Ocean

Journal Entry from January 29 @ 5:41pm –
I’m at the airport ready to board a 6-hour flight to Bali.  The Lonely Planet speaks of $5 massages on the beach, personal bungalows with ocean views, $1 meals and beers, and beautiful sunsets with friendly travelers and locals alike.  Sounds perfect!

I’ll miss the cappuccinos, cafes, accents, and ease of travel in Australia.  It has come at a high cost ($$$).  In exchange, I always had Western toilets, relatively safe surroundings, and most of the comforts of home.  I think I’m not yet prepared for the culture shock I’m about to experience in Indonesia.  Being polite (as usual) should help cover for any blatant ignorance of local customs – at least until I get my bearings.  And then it will be time to leave again.

Staying for short periods in these various countries is good practice for non-attachment to say the least.  I’ve found my final thoughts on each country help me deal better with the departures.

About the Author:

is the author of 1527 posts on Go Backpacking.

Dave (Editor-in-Chief) blogged his way around the world from 2007-2009, and then started Travel Blog Success to teach others how to do the same. When not writing, he can be found salsa dancing in Medellin. Follow him on Twitter @rtwdave or look for him on Google+

The Travel Blog Success community offers practical resources and personal support to help you build a better travel blog.

Whether you treat blogging as a hobby, or dream of building a location independent business, you'll learn what's required to create a name for yourself in the online travel world.

Benefits of Joining:

  1. Personal support from Dave, including site critiques and tips on negotiating advertising deals.
  2. Ability to learn from others' mistakes, and save yourself time, energy and money.
  3. Chance to network with other travel bloggers of all levels, from around the world.

Click here to learn more.

Categories: Indonesia

11 Comments

crambox February 6, 2008 at 2:55 pm

Look forward to hearing all about Bali good luck!!!

Reply

crambox February 6, 2008 at 9:55 am

Look forward to hearing all about Bali good luck!!!

Reply

Kyle February 6, 2008 at 7:27 pm

I saw you spent $98 a day, that is really expensive! What kind of quality hostels did you stay in while there? Were they crappy or nice for that price?

Reply

Dave February 8, 2008 at 3:50 am

They were standard hostels – 4, 6, 8 bed dorms with communal (often icky) bathrooms. I often picked the mega-hostels, though the average cost of accom across NZ and Australia was about $20. My costs were high due to the bus pass from Byron Bay to Cairns, Fraser Island tour and Whitsundays sail. On the latter two, I did *not* choose the most common cheap options many young backpackers did. I also didn’t self cater too much, and used the internet every day.

Reply

Kyle February 7, 2008 at 12:27 am

I saw you spent $98 a day, that is really expensive! What kind of quality hostels did you stay in while there? Were they crappy or nice for that price?

Reply

Dave February 8, 2008 at 8:50 am

They were standard hostels – 4, 6, 8 bed dorms with communal (often icky) bathrooms. I often picked the mega-hostels, though the average cost of accom across NZ and Australia was about $20. My costs were high due to the bus pass from Byron Bay to Cairns, Fraser Island tour and Whitsundays sail. On the latter two, I did *not* choose the most common cheap options many young backpackers did. I also didn’t self cater too much, and used the internet every day.

Reply

Kyle February 8, 2008 at 4:17 pm

Thanks for the info, that’s really helpful! Yeah, that sounds about how I travel as well. I like to eat out, screw cooking when I’m on vacation, hahaha, and who can live without the internet :) We’ll be leaving for our own trip around the world in about year and a half so I’m following your blog and picking up as much information as possible.

Reply

Dave February 13, 2008 at 10:03 am

Great Kyle – you’ll be there before you know it!

Reply

Kyle February 8, 2008 at 11:17 am

Thanks for the info, that’s really helpful! Yeah, that sounds about how I travel as well. I like to eat out, screw cooking when I’m on vacation, hahaha, and who can live without the internet :) We’ll be leaving for our own trip around the world in about year and a half so I’m following your blog and picking up as much information as possible.

Reply

Dave February 13, 2008 at 5:03 am

Great Kyle – you’ll be there before you know it!

Reply

Leave a Comment

11 Comments

Previous post:

Next post: