I have been in Bali only a few days and I have already seen so much. The first afternoon, we were busy getting situated in our hotel in Sanur, which is about a half hour drive from the airport in Denpasar. We barely had any time before we were summoned for dinner, which was a short walk away overlooking the beach. We sat on the top floor which had lights hanging from the trees, feeling the warm island breeze. I had “mie goreng”, or fried noodles which is a classic dish here in Indonesia. We finished with a dessert consisting of the freshest and most amazing fruits you will ever taste. It was all delicious and a wonderful welcome to our time in Indonesia.
After dinner, I embarked on a night walk along the beach, and was shocked to find baby turtles wandering along the path! They were headed towards the hotel, being disoriented by the light, so I helped guide them back to the ocean along with some classmates. I later jumped in the warm ocean and was yet again astounded to find some bioluminescent plankton washed up on shore. Needless to say, it was a magical night.
The next morning we headed to the Uluwatu temple for our first excursion. I wore the traditional sarong and sash to cover our legs and made sure to wear a shirt that covered my shoulders. This is very standard for entering any temple in Bali. They warned us about the monkeys at Uluwatu temple being very mischievous, but luckily we visited soon after they were fed so they were much better behaved. Even so, one of our drivers managed to get his hat and sunglasses stolen straight from his face! He was such a good sport about it, though. The temple itself is located on a cliff overlooking clear blue Indonesian waters, and if you look hard enough you may be able to spot a turtle! It was a lovely introduction to the culture of Bali.
After a quick lunch and ocean dip back at the hotel, we piled into the cars to go to our next destination, the Coral Triangle Center. Here we learned about the importance of coral, the animals residing in them, and even the process of coral restoration! Our guide was very knowledgeable and answered our endless questions with true Balinese etiquette.
Today, we moved to Ubud, the cultural center of Bali. I am so excited to go shopping at the local stores, take gamelan and dance classes, and learn how to make the traditional “canang sari”, or the offerings to the Hindu gods found everywhere along the roads in Bali. Be careful not to step on one, or it’s back luck!
Bali has already exceeded my expectations in just the first few days, from the people’s kindness to the spectacular and diverse landscapes. And we haven’t even started classes! I cannot wait to see how else this island will surprise me.
About the Blogger:
Natalia grew up in Santa Barbara but is currently living in Santa Cruz finishing up her undergraduate career at UCSC. Her degree will be in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, which encompasses my love for both nature and animals. She enjoys snorkeling, hiking, playing music, and learning about different cultures in her free time. Her plans for the future include traveling to remote places and working different jobs until she is ready to settle down. She hopes and believes Bali will be the first of many adventures where she can form connections with people and memories that will last her a lifetime.