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| I woke up very early and managed to capture the sunrise as seen from Sadara Beach Boutique Resort, Tanjung Benoa, Bali |
When my husband suggested going to the island of Bali for vacation, I quickly retorted, "Why Bali?" He then told me that his colleague had just returned from the island and recommended the island to him if he was looking for a place to relax or just enjoy nature.
We headed for Kuala Lumpur first and then flew to Kuching in East Malaysia to fetch my sister-in-law who would be joining our trip to Bali. Throughout the journey from Doha to Kuala Lumpur I was wondering if I would be enjoying myself in Bali. It took us slightly over 2 hours of flight from Kuala Lumpur to Denpasar in Bali. Upon arrival at the airport I was feeling a little discouraged when I saw the long queue at the Immigrations. Slowly and steadily we soon passed through the Immigrations counter without any problem at all. When we got outside the airport building I was astonished to see the unique architecture that was proudly displayed. Despite the hot weather, I told myself that I would not waste my time and might as well as enjoy myself since we were there!
4 days were certainly NOT enough to see and experience Bali. Every where we were taken or driven by our Tour Guide, we were astonished by what we saw and experienced. The first thing we acknowledged was how faithful and devoted the people of Bali were to their way of life - their religion, which is Hinduism. Every where we went we saw fresh offerings displayed, even in the car we were driven in. And I was taken by the general unassuming character of the Bali people. They are generally soft-spoken, and courteous, but it was the many historical or old sites and temples that won my heart. Some of the places we visited brought strong feelings of déjà vu and nostalgia, and I don't even know why.
With the help of our wonderful Tour Guide-cum-Driver, Mr. Putu Mujana, we had beautiful photos of those places we managed to visit in Bali. By the time we returned to our hotel on the last day we were there, I realised that I was falling in love with Bali. It was there that I found peace.....at the beach where I watched the sunrise in the morning and the sunset in the evening; where I heard the sound of the waves caressing the shores in the quiet of the night; or where I dipped my feet into the pools of cool water from the mountain spring in Tirta Gangga; or sipping Bali's vanilla coffee amidst the coffee bushes and cocoa trees at Pulina Coffee Plantation in Tegalalang; or enjoyng the sight of green padi fields while eating my "bebek betutu" (duck stuffed with spices, wrapped in banana leaves and coconut husks cooked in a pit of embers) at Teba Sari Restaurant in Ubud; and where I saw a fireball streaking across the evening skies as we approached Denpasar on our way back from the Ujung Water Palace at Karangasem.
Bali - I will be back.....
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| "Bebek Betutu" wiith "Urap" & "Lawar" |
