It's All About The Journey

Tag: Semester Abroad

  • UBUD

    Well, the time had come for me to do the one thing I told myself I was going to do no matter what. Head to Bali, and turns out it was by myself! Because of time constraints with school, my friends could not join me for any part of my 11 day trip around Bali. I started in Ubud, then headed off to the Gili Islands, and finished up in Uluwatu.

    First, let me tell you about Ubud. Getting here was a journey, I had a 7 am flight meaning I had to be up at 3:30 to get to the airport in time. I made it with time to spare so I waited an hour then boarded the plane and voila! 6 hours later I landed smoothly in Bali. I prearranged airport transfer to my place in Ubud because it was a 1.5-hour drive and finding them was easy enough. Sadly I started to feel ill with a large headache and a little nausea setting in as we drove through the streets. This stuck with me all day and instead of exploring I lay by the pool and soaked in the sun hoping the pounding headache would leave.

    The hostel I’m staying at feels more like a resort. Yes, I do share a room with 5 other girls but there are full on lounge chairs, a swing overlooking the rice fields, palm trees everywhere, and a nice pool that’s is very refreshing on a hot day. It also offers free breakfast and has outdoor showers!

    After laying in the sun for a few hours my headache still persisted on and off. Finally, I headed into town to look for some Advil and found the Indonesian version. After 30 minutes it helped immensely. I then wandered some shops and bought my favourite souvenir very flowy Bali style elephant pants! I then went back tot the hostel and watched the sunset while reading by the pool. Finally, I was hungry so I put my new pants on and headed off to find some food. I found this very yummy smoothie place and the smoothie was only $2.5! With a drink in hand, I headed back to the hostel to relax for the night as it had been a long day.

    Day 2- after a well needed nights sleep I woke up and enjoyed a breakfast at the hostel for free. It was very yummy fruits and some bread that I enjoyed. After this, I packed my day bag and set out in search of the market. It was only a 10-minute walk so soon I was there. I spent a few hours here wandering the hops I search of a pair of elephant pants and a cute top. I found loads of stalls with this and chose one to batter the price with. With my skills, I got it down a good amount and was set with a new outfit! I also found a few cute rings for me and family. Sadly I couldn’t find a snow globe which is the one thing I need as I collect them everywhere I go. Never less I have loads of time and shall keep looking. As it got closer to noon I headed back to the hostel to recharge and go for a quick dip as it was super hot out. Along the way, I got sidetracked by this cute looking cafe and stopped in for a very yummy pink smoothie! After my quick lunch stop, I arrived at the hostel for a nice jump in the pool while my phone and the GoPro charged up!

    As the clock struck 1 I headed out, set to find the sacred monkey forest. It was a 30-minute walk away but I eventually arrived. I paid $80000 RP or $7.68 CAD t get in and it’s worth it. There are loads of monkeys wandering around and the place is huge. Loads of tourist stop by the entrance because that’s where the first monkeys are but after a quick glance I kept going and found some secluded areas where if could observe them without huge crowds. Now as I walked this place I kept finding hidden paths that led me in a totally new direction. I probably walked the whole thing twice stopping to shoot some pics along the way. There are loads of signs saying don’t look the monkeys in the eyes so I took that advice. Well except for one moment and all that happened was that the monkey growled at me and grabbed my arm. So from now on I guess take signs seriously! But other than that nothing happened and no one got hurt from what I saw. However loads of monkeys were fighting with each other and when that happened the screeching got so loud! After spending hours getting lost in this forest I made my way back to the hostel but not without stopping for some much-needed ice cream.

    The second I got back my feet were immediately plunged into the pool. I kid you not they hurt so bad from all the walking. I stayed there as the sun set and admired the beauty around me and how peaceful everything was. Well, it was getting dark and considering the shower was outdoors and had no light I got in and rinsed all the sweat of the day away. Then I headed out in search of some dinner. I found it and it was yummy but spicy. It was a kind of cheese quesadilla with corn and loads of peppers in it, interesting and it was only $6.50 CAD! With dinner done and it being dark this meant the day was over as I settled in for the night.

    Day three came very early as I had a tour booked that was picking me up at 6 am. This meant I had to wake at 5:30 am, and it wasn’t bad other than the fact that it was drizzling with rain. I got picked up 2nd out of the 3 “groups” and because I was the only solo traveler with 2 other couples on this tour I got the front seat. This left me lots of leg room to stretch out as it was a 2-hour drive to our first designation.

    Once we finally arrived at the first stop we hopped out and our driver helped us get sarongs. I had bought one at the market so I just needed help tying it. The reason we needed sarongs was that we were at the lemphung temple also known as the gates of heaven. At any temple, you must have your shoulders and knees covered. Here we walked around and took photos while our driver started to stand in line for us at the iconic gates. We all came and took our place in line and thus started to get to know each other as little did we know this line would take 1.5 hours! Eventually, we reached the end and rushed in to get a few poses. After we all got our photos by the gates it was off to the second location.

    Next, we went to a water temple. This was beautiful it had a stepping stone path through a coy pond where you could look down and see hundreds at your feet. There were a set of bridges and all over were carvings and statues of symbols such as dragons or even a chicken. It sounded amazing as well as the sound of water flowing roared above the people’s voices. As we left this temple there was a stand where you could see a bat up close. This was not a normal Canadian/America bay though. No, it was huge and you could see every detail from it’s large claw-like toes to the leathery wings. We marveled at the size and then we’re off for lunch.

    By now the tile was 1 pm and we had not eaten anything all day. Luckily it was time to stop for lunch. Our driver took us to a buffet lunch for only $10 CAD that overlooked the rice terraces and was very peaceful. The food was very yummy as well with a good variety. And for dessert, they had tons of fruit and fried bananas!

    After the quick lunch stop, we moved on to a waterfall. Now, this was a hike to get down to as we arrived at the top and there were many stairs to get down to the bottom. Once we got to the bottom we then had to walk a bit through streams but it was very cool and cavelike. Once we arrived the waterfall wasn’t much of a swimming hike more of a stand under and shower waterfall. I did manage to go in it and then on the way back there was a boulder you could climb and it provided very pretty views both from the bottom and the top. As we hike back up the stairs from the waterfall I could feel a bit of tiredness setting in but it was my lucky day as we were heading to a coffee Plantation next!

    I was not expecting this part of the trip but it was still very interesting. We got a tour of the area where the pick the beans from and then how they make the coffee. They have a special type of coffee called a cat-poo-chino and yes it is made from an animal called a Luwak who eats the coffee beans from the plant and then poop em out, workers then gather the decided and wash it/in a shell the beans/prepare it into a coffee that people drink. So next time you hear of a cappuccino think cat-poo-chino aa that is what the locals do here in Bali. After the tour, we got to taste test all sorts of flavours. They had many different kinds of teas and coffees and for someone who does not normally partake in these beverages, I can say most of them Tatar’s very good. The coffee wasn’t bitter at all and the variety of teas were all very interesting. And yes we did try the Cat-Poo-CHino. After fuelling up we were on to our final part of the day…the swing.

    This was not the famous Bali swing but I like to think it was better as it was not busy at all and they gave you this constant beautiful cloth to flow behind you as you swung out over the forest. I was up first and got strapped in pretty securely. It felt very freeing seining our over the first and being able to let go and just look around. The workers would help so you didn’t have to kick or anything and it almost felt like you were flying. It was spectacular.

    With our last stop down it was gone to head back and drop us off. I was the second stop and got back around 7 pm to a rainy Ubud. I was out and about for 13 hours so I got back and rested the rest of the night away after packing as I was to leave Ubud the next day and move onto my next destination in Bali.

  • Cairns

    Welp the time had come and gone in Sydney and it was time for me to jet off to Cairns for 6 days. I met my friend Karley at the airport in Sydney as we were doing this leg of the mid-semester break together. We both then boarded the plane and i would say it was smooth sailing from there on out but it was not. The plane ride was actually very bumpy as it lurched up and down a couple of times throughout the 3-hour flight. Luckily we made it safe and sound to Cairns and landed only a few minutes late. It was super warm and humid here as most days it was a high of 33 degrees Celsius and sunny. We arrived pretty early on in the day so we dropped out bags off at the hostel and went out for breakfast. We went o the best waffle place ever! It was reasonably priced for the amount we got and was super delicious. After breakfast, we still had a couple of hours before we could check in so we walked around Cairns (it’s not that big of a place) and then headed to check in. Once settled we spent the rest of the day by the public pool area in Cairns and stayed there until sunset then went out for dinner afterward. All in all, we were exhausted once it got dark and had an early night as we had both been up since 4 am that morning.

    The next day we did nearly the exact same thing, it was super hot and sunny so after a yummy free breakfast at the hostel of pancakes we made our way down to the lagoon (the pool area). Here we tanned the day away with constant breaks to go into the water. It was a super huge pool with different areas for kids and water toys as well. It was so hot out every time we got out we would be covered in sweat again in at least 30 minutes. Before coming here we did not bring sunscreen because we haven’t needed any in Melbourne but trust me when i say we needed it. We ended up buying a very small tube that lasted us the rest of the trip. Again we stayed here until it got dark and we got hungry. After showering off we were on the lookout for a good dinner and found it at this very yummy burger place that had great milkshakes (or thick shakes as the Aussies call them). After dinner, we enjoyed the fresh air and walked along the boardwalk beside the ocean until we couldn’t, then headed back and called it a night.

    The third day in Cairns was our first day we booked an activity for. This was the thing everyone talks about when coming to Australia and that is the great barrier reef! Our boat left at 8 am sharp so we had to be up bright and early to catch it. Once on board the provided a small breakfast fruit and mini muffins which we gladly took advantage of (can’t pass up free things!) as they had watermelon that was very yummy. This whole day was amazing, the boat we were on was very luxurious and had two nets at the front like a catamaran, we spent the first hour here but we kept getting wet from waves splashing through the nets so we relocated for the next hour to the top sundeck where we sat and took in the vast ocean around us. In total it was a 2 hour boat ride out to the first reef location so once we got there we were all anxious to hit the water. What can i say? The reef was amazing and pictures/videos do not do it justice. The water was so warm and blue, we didn’t even need the thin wetsuits they gave us but it was for jellyfish protection. There were so many fish swimming in and out of the coral and around us that you could just lay on top of the water forever and see a new thing every minute. I found multiple spots where i could dive down and explore the deeper waters as i held my breath. Before i knew it the time had come to leave the first spot and we boarded the boat for lunch, this consisted of mac and cheese, various salads, and rolls (it was super good!). Do you know what the saying don’t swim 30 minutes before eating or else you’ll get a cramp? Well, we abided by that and spent the next little bit digesting the food and sunning ourselves on the front nets of the boat. Before long though we heard the call of the ocean and went back out to snorkel the beautiful waters of the great barrier reef. The second site offered smaller fish and this one spot that was a coral arch and i managed to swim under and through it! There were so many fish swimming in this hidden gem, it was magnificent. Again i can’t emphasize enough how photos don’t do this place justice. The waters were pristine. After a bit of time in the water, the boat had to leave so that meant we had to leave. It was sad to leave this beautiful location but we made our way onboard and spent the next 2 hours sunning ourselves on the front deck as the waves had died down and we could lay here without all the splashing. We arrived back to the mainland at 6 pm, as we left the boat we were hungry and looking forward to dinner. After a quick shower, we set out to find a cheap place to eat and then headed back to the hostel for another earlyish night (9 pm) as we had another early morning activity booked for tomorrow.

    Our fourth day in Cairns brought something that i had always wanted to do. We booked a waterfall tour through the rainforest. This started with an 8 am pickup outside of our hostel, as we boarded the bus it was nice to see everyone on this tour was a backpacker form another hostel. We all had the same vibes and were looking for the same things. The tour brought us first to a spot in the rainforest where we could swim in a pretty lake, take a hike to a lookout and enjoy some hot chocolate and muffins for breakfast. The next stop on the tour brought us to a place called Josephine falls, this stop was my second favorite of the day as it had a natural waterslide that we took advantage of. The water was on the cooler side but with the warm day, you couldn’t even notice. I spent this stop mainly trying not to fall and hurt anything as i climbed up the side of the very slippery water slide and then had lots of fun sliding down it. The third stop of the day was by far my favorite. It was a picturesque classic waterfall that you could swim under and get behind that provided great pictures but as i swam under around and through it i was smiling the whole time. As the water splashed my face as i looked up at it I couldn’t imagine anything better to do at that exact moment. Sadly we had to leave this place and head to a spot for lunch, but it was good timing as it had started to rain and when I say rain I mean pour so suddenly it came on as quick as someone can snap their fingers. But i guess it is a rainforest after all. We huddled for warmth under a sheltered picnic area as we ate our lunch wrapped in our towels trying to contain our body heat. That was the last waterfall stop as we made our way back to Cairns we stopped at this very interesting tree. If anyone has seen avatar they may recognize it as the people who created the tree of life used this tree as its main inspiration. After thinking of how small everything seems as you stand under this tree we were back on the bus and headed back to Cairns. We got back around 6 pm and changed into some warmer clothing (long sleeve) as it was a little cooler with the rainfall. Then it was time for our normal routine of dinner and staying low for the night.

    Our last full day in Cairns had arrived and Karley and I were only missing one thing from our cairns bucket list. That was to hug a koala! We did some research and found a cheapish tour that led us out to this place called hartleys crocodile farm. Here we saw crocodile feeding shows, snake shows, something that looked like an emu was vibrant colours (and we got to feed it), we also saw lots and lots of koalas. Right as we arrived we set out to find where and when we could hold this koala and the timing worked out perfectly! We got to explore the park for a little bit and then head to an area where we got to meet the koalas and hug them and get our picture taken with them! It was awesome as they are super cuddly and soft, definitely, a must do if you are in Australia. This was a must do in Cairns for us because apparently you can see and touch koalas anywhere in Australia but only in Queensland can you hold them. So we knew that while we were here it would be one of the only times it was possible to hold one, so of course, we did it! Once back in Cairns again we did not do much as it was a Sunday night, we packed for our departure the next day and that’s about it.

    Our final day in cairns had arrived and we were set to depart at 9pm at night. This left a full day of nothing to do so we decided it was time to see the new Avengers: Endgame movie. We had both been avoiding spoilers since it had come out and couldn’t wait any longer. So that day we slept in a little, finished our packing and had a couple of hours to spare before the movie began. In these couple of hours, we headed to the lagoon one last time and soaked in the nice cairns sun. This gave us enough time to catch the movie and then head back grab our things and uber to the airport to catch our flight home. It was definitely a long day as we arrived back in Melbourne 30 minutes late. We finally got home and in bed by 2 am and as I set my alarm for class the next day I was wishing I was setting it for another waterfall day tour instead but I guess all good things must come to an end some time or other.

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