Kuta, Bali

Bali bound: Kuta beach in Bali, Indonesia.

It was sad to say goodbye to everyone in Chiang Mai, but I knew it was time to move on.
If only for a little while.
I arrived in Bali, after flying all day through a crazy flight path I concocted to save a few dollars and to save taking a bus to Bangkok, at 11pm.
I went straight to bed.
The next day I explored Kuta, a beach that everyone told me was shit.
But I liked it.
Sure, it was crowded with backpackers.
Sure, there were brand-name stores and tourists everywhere.
But with a slightly overcast sky, temperatures more glorious than anywhere I’ve been in the last five months, and amazingly dramatic water reflections, it was refreshing.
I spent the morning walking the beach with an Indonesian surfer.
Because, as I’ve found, it’s impossible to walk the beach without a young Indonesian asking to join you.
We played a version of the floor is lava, jumping down the beach trying only to land on crab holes.
We watched children shoot bbs at crabs.
We sat on the beach for a while.
That night I joined a girl from California for dinner.
She was 22 and it was her first day ever in Asia.
She asked me a million questions, one after another, about Bali, and Indonesia.
Despite the fact that I had only been there less than 24 hours myself.

Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia

Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia

Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia

Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia

Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia

Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia

Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia

Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia

Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia

Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia

Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia

Kuta Beach, Bali, Indonesia

Hi, I'm Val. I spent most of my 20s in a standstill, unable to pick which path in life I wanted to take. I wanted the nomadic life of a traveler but also wanted the husband, the condo, and the kitten. Unable to decide which life I wanted more, I did nothing. When I turned 30 I’d had enough of putting my life on hold and decided to start “choosing my figs.” So, I quit my job, bought a one-way ticket to Europe, and traveled for three years. Now I'm back in Chicago, decorating my apartment in all the teal, petting my cats, and planning my next adventure.

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5 Comments
  • Lisa @chickybus
    July 17, 2012at9:46 am

    The sand in Kuta looks quite nice, based on what i see in these photos. Perhaps it’s better than in Sanur…? Whatever the case, these are some great photos!

  • Hanny
    July 18, 2012at2:41 am

    Hope you’re enjoying your time in Bali, Val! If you have some time, take a motorcycle ride to Uluwatu, Dreamland, Blue Point (professional surfers’ beach) and PadangPadang beach 🙂 – they’re all located nearby. And if you’re planning to stay longer in Bali, please go to Ubud for a more secluded artsy atmosphere 🙂

      • Hanny
        July 19, 2012at1:46 am

        Wow, you are fast! :)) Have planned to ride on a boat with the dolphins in Lovina? 🙂 When you’re done with Bali, you could also ride a boat to an island Gili Trawangan in Lombok ^^ Have fun!

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