This is a story all about how I ended up in Bali all by myself…

I’d like to take a minute, just sit right there, I’ll tell you all about how this trip came out of thin air. Wait, there’s a lot of syllables in that sentence. Anyway, you get the idea. This trip actually started in Malaysia and took a sharp turn and then boom! I was in Bali! I went to Malaysia because of a commercial. Seriously. It had such a catchy tune, “Malaysia, truly Asia!” and I would catch myself singing along every time it came on tv. So off I went!

Unfortunately a typhoon had recently hit the Philippines and because of Borneo’s proximity, it was getting whipped by the ‘tail’ of the typhoon which brought a lot, like a ton of rain. Now I love a good island storm, but a flood does not a beach vacation make. It was still early on in the trip and after discussing with other travelers who were also considering leaving the island, I booked a last-minute ticket to Bali. Ciao Malaysia! It was great!

Since it was a last-minute trip and Bali was not on my itinerary, nothing was planned. Who shows up to a country with no plan? This girl! Luckily, I got everything sorted in no time at all. If this happens to you, don’t panic. You can book something for the fist day or two, which will give you time to get your bearings.

This is also around the time I got into Couchsurfing, which really came into handy. Even if you don’t end up staying with a ‘stranger’, there are plenty of social events and meetups. Let me tell you, the locals know the best beaches, the best hole-in-the-wall restaurants, the best everything. They be knowing. Through these connections I made, I ended up on the Gili islands.

There are 3 islands in total: Gili T, Gili Air and Gili Meno. Gili T sounded right up my alley so off I went to find the ferry. It was a very bumpy ride. But we made it and oh my god, it was stunning. It’s a teeny tiny speck in the sea and as there are no motorized vehicles allowed, the best way to get around is by horse drawn carriage, by bicycle or by foot. So cute! They say you can ride around the entire island in 2 hours. My ride took a lot longer.

Why? Well it just so happened to be Happy Hour when I set off. Obviously I did what any sane person would do and had a drink at each beach bar along the route. A tipsy bike ride around an itty bitty island? I’ll take it!

So there I was, double fisting, sipping from one drink and then the other before hopping back on the bicycle. I got 3/4 around the island when I stopped at the “bottle tree” bar. The sun was setting and reflecting through the bottles and it was almost too perfect. I didn’t actually have any drinks at this bar, but I got my camera out and started snapping away. To this day, this remains one of my all time favorite photos. And of course, there’s an ocean swing on the island! Gah~

Honestly, even after all of these years, this remains one of the most memorable trips I’ve taken. Don’t worry if things don’t go your way, they often don’t when traveling. Solo travel can be scary for some, but keep an open mind, be safe and don’t be afraid to go with the wind. Malaysia truly Asiaaaaaa!