Day 5: New Year's Eve In Bali

The last day of 2015. Wow. Not to sound like everyone else out there, but man has time flown by this year. It feels like a couple of weeks ago I celebrated my 20th birthday (it was actually in the start of October), I've just finished the first semester of the year (actually in June) and only a month or two ago I celebrated Kieran's birthday (it's actually at the end of February).

This year left me with so many good (and bad) memories. But, being the person I am I literally just forget and push away all the negative just so I can soak up all the happiness I have had during the year.

I did feel a little sad when I sat down with Kieran and we were talking about everything that we had accomplished this year. I just didn't really feel like I had anything noteworthy or important to mention. This year was sort of just a middle year for me. I am mid way through uni, kept the same job and haven't really done anything else crazy or out there. But I did pick out that it is a good thing to keep a steady job and I did achieve my first distinction at uni and I managed to save up enough money to buy myself a car and come on a holiday to Bali. So off the top of my head those things were pretty important to me because I have been wanting to buy myself a car and travel overseas and I managed it all on my own which is something to be proud of. 

This New Year's was going to be the first one I have spent out of Australia (ever) and the first one in at least 5 or 6 years that I haven't spent at my trusty summer beach holiday (aka my real home) by the beach. It was going to be interesting. 

The day starting off with fresh fruit and some eggs on toast for break, followed by some shopping to be done at Seminyak Square accompanied by lunch. I bought a few things but overall I was pretty disappointed with the shopping there. Everything was expensive and there weren't many street markets (that is where all the good stuff is at). The shopping was definitely much better in Kuta and Legion, so I am hoping I will get the chance to go back there and buy some more because I have spent barely anything here!

After shopping out in the heat we went back to our villa and went for a swim for a little while before getting dressed and heading out to a bar with the whole crew and having a few drinks to get us going for the evening. I was definitely getting so tired by this point I really didn't know how I was going to make it through the night. 

We had dinner altogether and then starting drinking some more, ending up in the pool in the main villa because that's right, it is stinking hot in Bali! It was super chill and honestly not really what I had in mind or imagined for my New Year's, but somehow it all just seemed right and it worked. New Years in Australia was 9pm (our time) and we kind of starting celebrating it all then because everyone (myself included) still feels like that time is super later and we were all exhausted.

One thing that is absolutely insane here, are the amount of fireworks. Honestly, since the early afternoon until well through the night (technically the next morning) fireworks were constantly going off. Some were far away but you could see (and hear) them in the distance. Some were so close I could swear they were just out on the road outside the villas. There were so many loud bangs and bright lights I didn't know whether to be excited, annoyed they wouldn't stop or concerned someone may have just blown themselves up (lol). 

Eventually Kieran and I left the group and came back to our room and that was when all the deep talks about what we accomplished this year and what we loved happened. Even though we spend a lot of time together and are always out and about, I don't think we sit down and have those kind of talks that often because we are too busy with all the other stuff. It was a beautiful way to end the year, even though it wasn't what I imagined it was somehow perfect in its own way. 

We ended up falling asleep just before 11:30pm but that's okay, we knew we made the most of the day and that we needed to rest up for the adventures 2016 would shortly be bringing us. 

Peace, love and happiness to all I hope you all had a magical New Year's (if not, I hope 2016 brings you better times). I am so thankful for what (and who) I have in my life I can not wait to adventure into a new year.

Follow my adventures on Instagram and Snapchat @krristelley

Thank you for reading (again)

Kristelle xxx

Day 4: Bali Adventures

Today marked the last morning we would wake up at Melasti Beach Resort! After lunch today we headed to our new destination just outside of Seminyak.

But let’s start off with the morning. We got up nice and early (I think I am starting a trend here) and did some shopping (also how unusual of us- shopping). We bought some more things, mostly clothes and shoes and met some more lovely locals. It’s a huge mix between some of the nicest people I have met and some of the rudest. On the one hand you get the beautiful people wishing you a nice day, asking how you are and even just saying hello good morning. But on the other hand, you get the people who are very in your face and rude especially when you are walking down the street and don’t want to buy something from their stores. 

After a hot couple of hours shopping we came back for a swim (again how different of us) and then we went and had lunch after a few drinks by the pool.

After lunch it was time for us to get a car over to our next stop on this trip- Anyar Estate Villas. Considering it wasn't meant to be very far away, the trip in the car took about and hour and a half. I feel like I will never complain about Sydney traffic again after being on the streets here in Bali. I feel like the traffic is made up because

a) there are lots and lots of people

b) the roads are often narrow and people just stop on the "side" of the road whenever they want to 

c) the scooters and motorbikes weave in and out of cars like no tomorrow and finally 

d) everyone here seems to have total disregard for any kind of road rule you can imagine?

I don't think I will get over seeing a family of 4 riding a scooter together, mothers carrying babies and small children in their arms sitting in cars and even on scooters, people wearing thongs and no helmets and even the tightest of spaces people seem to somehow manoeuvre in and around the cars. It is insane. 

Moving forward, we arrived at our villas and I am at a loss for words. It was incredible. Private villas with a pool, beautiful outdoor area, king bedrooms with ensuites. I am definitely still the most excited about the bathroom. It is an open bathroom with an outdoor toilet/shower that opens up into plants and trees and it is beautiful. There was also an outdoor living area and open kitchen set up for our villa. Words don't do it justice, so when I have faster Internet I will be inserting all the photos I can. 

The remainder of the day was spent swimming and eating and drinking. The usual, but this time by a private pool. 

Early night again because who knows what adventure will await us tomorrow morning :-)

Follow my adventures on Instagram and Snapchat @krristelley

Thanks for reading (and bare with me, there will be photos soon!)

Kristelle xx

Day 3: Bali Adventures

Good morning everyone! Another bright and early one for me today. I feel amazing. My only wish is that I had that crisp fresh air to breathe in that Australia gives me, but then I look at the breathtaking scenery and I forget that.

Another hot one today. But then again, that is every single day here. Today was the last night that we were going to be spending in Legion at Melasti Beach Resort. I must say I was super excited for this because even though the resort we were currently staying at was nice (the pools, pool bars, view, restaurant and bar were all lovely) I knew the next place we were due to stay would take my breath away. But alas, that is not until tomorrow.

Today we set out with a mission after our morning buffet breakfast and swim. We had to find a very specific tattoo shop, because that is where Kieran has planned out his whole tattoo in Bali. We had some rough directions but in these streets that really just didn’t cut it. We trekked out to the hotel he knew it was near and from there things just went crazy.

It is extremely hot and humid out, but there is no point catching a ‘taksi’ (I love their spelling haha, it just makes so much sense) because traffic is atrocious. It would’ve taken longer sitting in a car in traffic than it would of walking.

We saw a few pretty nice looking resorts on the way to Kuta where the tattoo shop is and some pretty standard stuff you would see at home that amazes me here. We found Starbucks, Pizza Hut and McDonald’s and even though they are such standard chain stores at home, it was so cool to see them in another country. McDonald’s especially, I couldn’t believe how dirt cheap their food was. Makes me miss cheap Maccas back in Aus (it’s just too expensive now for the shitty food lol).

After about 3 hours of walking, asking endless people for directions, stopping in every mini-mart (just like the standards 7/11 back home minus the petrol) for a bottle of water, stopping at a bar to have a few actual drinks and use their bathroom, paying some random shop owner 10,000 IDR (aka $1) to use their computer with internet- we finally found the place!

The place was really nice for what I thought tattoo joints in Bali would look like and the people were so friendly. We were there for barely any time at all before we headed back to our resort.

After a tiring day where we probably walked for almost 4 hours all up, we went straight for a swim, because well as per usual we were dripping in sweat.

Some more swimming, more drinks and some dinner hit the spot really well and we ended our last night in Melasti Beach Resort with quite an early one awaiting tomorrow’s adventures.

Don’t forget you can follow my adventures on Instagram and Snapchat (both are @krristelley)

Next post will be shortly,

Kristelle xxx

Day 2: Bali Adventures and Crazy Shopping Bargains

Good morning (or whenever you are all reading this around the world)! Day 2 of my Bali adventure was definitely happening when I woke up at a lovely 5am here this morning. Bali is 3 hours behind Australian time (where I live anyway) so it was still weird adjusting to the time difference.

After waiting what felt like forever for it finally to be an appropriate time to have breakfast, we went and ate and the food was amazing.

After breakfast we knew we wanted to experience some of this Bali shopping everyone goes on and on about so we got our hats and went out to the streets we had looked at the night before. It is a very different experience than shopping in Australia, obviously. I usually like to take my time to look in stores and see what’s around before making any choices but this became increasingly difficult when all the people on the streets are so in your face trying to make you buy stuff. Kieran bought a couple of things and then we were just too hot we left the streets and came back for a swim.

Swimming, drinking and eating was the next thing we did (big surprise there). After relaxing in the pool for a couple of hours we walked up the street a bit and had some lunch and then we thought that we would give this shopping thing another try. So we covered ourselves in sunscreen, grabbed our hats again and headed to Kuta to do some shopping.

It was insane. Kieran and I got used to bartering prices and saying no thanks and moving on in places that we had no interest in. In the end though we ended up walking away, wallets slightly lighter carrying as much stuff as we could.

More swimming, more relaxing and more eating were called for for the rest of the day. We also went shopping again at night and I bought more stuff (if possible). I love a good bargain so shopping here is definitely way more fun than at home.

Another ‘early’ night before another busy day. Tomorrow is our last day staying at the Melasti Beach Resort in Legion before moving onto our next resort in Seminyak and I am way too excited.

Follow my adventures on my Instagram and Snspchat (both usernames are @krristelley).

Tomorrows adventures I am sure will involve more shopping, lots of picture taking and exploring and who even knows what else?

Thanks for reading,

Kristelle xx

Day 1: Bali Adventures

Bali adventures: Day 1

So, for this little blog post series I am going to be writing daily posts (but as I have mentioned in the last few posts, the probably won’t be posted daily). I have already written a “What’s in my Suitcase” post (which you can check out here).

Day 1 of the adventure starts the second you wake up for the day ready go. We had a 10am flight to Depsnar, so naturally you have to wake up at 4am like we did. Usually I am the grumpiest person in the mornings but today was different (probably because I was way too excited for what I knew lay ahead).

We got to the airport (probably just before 6am?) we had some breaky, got a coffee to wake ourselves up and then checked our suitcases. After all this was done we had to go through customs blah blah the usual airport stuff and then came the duty free shopping. You are only allowed to take 1L of alcohol (per person over 18) into Bali and you’re allowed just over 2.25L on the way back. We purchased our alcohol for both (you can pick up the ‘way back’ alcohol when you come back into Australia.

Next came the plane. Its almost a 7 hour flight here today from Sydney, so we had to be prepared for a lot of sitting down. I brought my laptop with me (and surprise, surprise) I am catching up and planning ahead my blog posts. I am currently writing this an hour after take off (748km from Sydney and 3868km until Denpasar, Bali). I am travelling at 397km/hour and am roughly 40,000 feet above Australia. I haven’t been on a plane since I was 10 years old (which was 10 years ago), so it is all quite exciting.

Arrival

We arrived finally! Took forever to collect our bags but finally we were off into a ‘cab’. I was so shocked at the complete lack of road rules! They drive all over the place here but somehow it works so well for them that no one crashed. Motorbikes everywhere, people without helmets and 3+ people sitting on one tiny bike!

Arriving at the resort was interesting, the first thing I wanted was a mixture of “I’m starving let’s eat” and “let me jump in this heavenly pool”.

We opted for food and a cocktail first and I was amazed by how cheap everything really is here!

After a meal we headed straight to the pool and Kieran, of course, was extremely pleased with the pool bar. It was so warm and so relaxing I can not even put into words how at ease with life I was.

After a swim, we showered and decided to wander the streets and look at the shopping that we knew we would encounter the next day. Although everyone tries to sell you everything, it was overall a fun experience. Buying alcohol from the local ‘mini-marts’ every 100m and experiencing the craziness of it all was amazing.

Eventually we made our way back to the resort and finished the evening with a pizza, drink and a shower before collapsing into bed awaiting the second day of our adventure.

Keep up with my travels on Instagram and Snapchat (both usernames are @krristelley )

Day 2 adventures up next,

Kristelle xxx