Where will you go in 2014?
How much have you travelled in the past year? Have you achieved your travel dreams or do you feel like you have failed spectacularly? Don’t forget we choose to travel. If you prioritise travel over other spending it is surprising how far you can get. One method I use to work towards achieving my travel goals is to keep a bucketlist. There is some snootiness amongst travellers about keeping bucketlists but I don’t feel that way. Sure, some people mindlessly tick items off a list rather than being open to the interesting experiences that travel provides (often weird and wonderful in my experience), but that doesn’t mean having a reminder…
Bali’s Best bits
Beautiful Bali offers such a diverse and colourful experience. It is a humble and friendly island offering warm interactions, epic adventures, spiritualism and scenic surroundings. Bali is far more than just an inexpensive escape for Aussies. Balinese culture Dance plays a significant part in Balinese storytelling. The costumes and the bewitching movements that feature in traditional dance performances are fascinating to watch. A popular dance explaining Bali’s respect for both good and bad spirits is the Barong dance. Click here to read more about it. Scenery Bali is referred to as ‘The Island of the Gods’ and it is certainly worthy of the title. The beautiful island is full of…
10 Reasons to visit South East Asia
South East Asia consists of eleven countries, spread along the edge of the Asian continent and across island nations. The area offers a variety of exciting experiences from walking with tigers in Thailand, visiting ancient temples in Cambodia, joining a small group tour in Laos and scoffing tasty noodles in Bali. Adventurers reap many rewards. Discover Asian culture South East Asia offers wonderfully diverse cultures. The origins are mainly Indian and Chinese with Arab, Portuguese, Spanish and Malay influences depending on where you go. One great way to absorb local culture is through talking with people or experiencing local storytelling. The Barong dance in Bali is an easily accessible example.…
Shopping in Bali
The Bali shopping experience is a lot of fun, firstly there are oodles of treasures to be found and secondly there are no fixed prices. Combine this with the friendliness of the Balinese people and shopping becomes a joy! It is a wholly different experience from the average high street. Bargaining is the norm in Bali and the increased level of personal interaction it brings is great fun once you overcome any personal discomfort about offering shopkeepers less than they ask. Shopping in Bali Bali is a veritable treasure trove for those who are keen to buy silk, silver or crafts. Almost every market stall and apparel shop sold simple…
Nasi Goreng
I wasn’t sure what to expect of Indonesian cuisine before arriving there. I will admit it concerned me a bit because of my severe dislike of spicy foods. I shouldn’t have worried though. I discovered nasi goreng and it was love at first bite Nasi Goreng Pronounced ‘nazee gorang’ and offered on most menus, nasi goreng was a reliable and tasty treat while I explored Bali and it was NOT spicy (although you can request it to be). Essentially it is fried rice served with fish, chicken, pork or beef and, often in tourist areas, a fried egg on top and a satay stick. Nasi goreng is a traditional dish…
Bali’s Barong Dance
Balinese mythology is often illustrated through dance. Bali’s traditional Barong dance is a mythical story about good versus evil and provides a fascinating insight into Balinese culture. Barong Barong is the good spirit and looks quite lion-like. He has a red head and his body is covered in white hair. His head is adorned with jewels and pieces or mirror providing sparkle. Despite his innate goodness the Barong mask can still look a bit frightening. Rangda Barong’s appearance is nothing as scary as that of Rangda however. Rangda is the evil spirit. She is portrayed as a witchcraft-practising widow. Her appearance features more black symbolising her evil nature, she has…
30 and scheming
I’ve never been one to worry about numbers and how old I am or the age of the people around me. I care about people and experiences. Numbers don’t interest me greatly and never have. My next birthday though makes me 30, which along with turning 18 and 21, is a landmark birthday in life and I have to admit that it made me think. I thought about all the things I want to do, places I want to visit and things I want to see. Given that my birthday is tomorrow, I’m a bit late to start making a list of things to do before I’m 30, but I…
