I have crossed over I am officially the only Australian living in Legian, home of the best Nasi Jinggo ever.
The big move all 4 minutes from Seminyak on the weekend, its actual bliss. I am living in a 1980s style kampung village kinda space which is actually a miniature Sheraton of bungalows complete with tiny marble bathroom where you couldn't swing a cat yet a marble stair case that would make Alexis Carrington Colby smirk. Its a marbly upstairs downstairs Chinese come Japanese dark wood affair with a very balinese garden and did I mention the all the marble? Not a smidge of Boho insight for that you must head north of Double Six and back to the Yak.
When I moved to Bali the getting of my shit together could have been overwhelming but it was masked by excitement and randomly enough a caravan trip up through Australias Far North West my caravan was called Sally Sunshine. Buy the time I reached the departure gate I had one large suitcase, my well worn North Face back pack that had my yoga mat strapped on the outside with an ockkie strap that was confiscated by the friendly security ground staff in Kununarra Airport much to the entertainment of my best friend who was laughing as she waved me off. It was better send off than the alternative, being a river of tears we knew we would cry even though we were only a pre pandemic 2 hour flight form each other. Clever Kitty outsmarted them there security folk in Darwin where I bought 12 hair elastics, looped them together and attached them to my back pack with a couple of carabiners. installed my yoga mat and hopped on the plane. Ha Ha!!! and I had a years worth of hair elastics!
See, moving overseas really is that easy, its just a decision to go get the life you actually wanted to live.
Ok, I get its not that easy, after all it only took me 40 years to make the decision, genius., I know. These days I don't really have that much to move, I sold the caravan, acquired an extra suitcase and adopted a dog who is right now curled at my feet warming my toes. I am grateful that Charlie is happy where ever we are but it can still be physically and mentally exhausting getting all your moving ducks in a row but honestly I was so looking forward to this next adventure. Its surprising how much you don't need and also how many hair elastics you go through.
Bali is back baby, over 1500 Aussie returnees have come home for Bintangs, Gudangs and Gorengs. I met one the other night unmistakable; navy singlet, almost mullet, boardies and thongs, the feet kind not the up the bum string undie kind. I asked him if he was fresh off the boat? Aka just returned to Bali and he said "No no I have been here for ages but have been away for 2.5 years" I was confused, was he confused? or perhaps just excited? I think this will happen a lot. People will just not want to admit that they were trapped on the Penal Colony Of The Lost Isle of Australia for the last 2 years.
Aussie returnees to Bali here for the long awaited Bintang & Beaches slumber party, have not come back to their beloved Kuta / Legian of old. They have gone to the Gu, let them go I say. They will be deaf from the loud bikes you will find them yelling "Whadya say mate?" While even the blokiest of blokes gram their smashed avo in lieu their inability to converse. I am hoping that this is the break that Kuta has been waiting for and we gentrify the shit outta that bogan hell hole. I mean much loved rabbit warren of miss matched buildings and brothels. Its loooong overdue. In the mean time I am loving it
I met some Aussies today over coffee who are going to make Bali their breath of fresh air surf & home school home for the next six months. I am sure they are not the only ones that will do the runner for Bali bliss. Their relief to be off the Great Southern Land was clearly visible the kids were excited, mum and dad were just turning the dial to relax mode over almond milk cappuccinos. It was a good big long chit chat exchanging experiences propaganda and media free, they literally felt like they had finally escaped, they just couldn't take it any more. Moving to Bali is completely doable.
There is a familiarity that Australians have with Bali that makes it easy to transition to life on the little island. We know where our fav restaurants and surf spots are and how to escape the heat when we need to. The coffee and WiFi are excellent, kids are loved and well looked after. Aussies spread our love of Bali all around the island we are the travellers that always come back, support local businesses and communities, we don't just stay in the hotspots we get out engage with and see more than most. Many of the places that you know and love have been in survival mode, some didn't make it. Some are just now dusting off the shutters uncovering equipment and breathing life back into the dream awaiting your arrival. Apparently 4000 Aussies think its a good idea to get their butts back here by the end of March. And we say Welcome Welcome Welcome
Living light has been a huge learning curve however traveling light is a completely different scenario. I am a freaking expert at traveling light. Once I came to Bali for a month with a bum bag my passport and my toothbrush a pair of undies, I was wearing board shorts and my bikini. When you book to come on the Yoga India Adventure with me which is 14 days roaming breathing bending sitting and eating through Northern India traveling like a local, to Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur Agra with morning yoga overlooking the Taj Mahal to Haridwar, finishing with a 4 day yoga immersion in Rishikesh. Part of the pre departure orientation is a series of videos, one of them is about what to pack and how to pack it. This is because I bar you from travelling with anything more than a 25 litre back pack. I am the master at this!!. Its India you need two parts of diddly squat plus a water bottle, your iPhone, it's charger, a change of undies and a your travel yoga mat. India is open too and I am planning and adventure for June of this year. There are only 4 spots open so hit me up if you want to come!
back in Bali my suitcase and back pack have morphed into two suitcases 6 yoga mats a back pack 4 boxes and a desk, a chair and Charlie Bali. I am attempting to take a few days to be kind to myself, go to sleep early in my super comfy bed, enjoy the absolute silence of my surrounds, read by the pool, make a few pre savasana shapes on a mat in my marble shala and meditate blissful uninterrupted medicinal meditations. A massage with the genius that is Wayan, I don't know how he knows how to fix what he fixes but he finds things and fixes them, and its nap time again. Its like a holiday but where I work but it never feels like work. because I am doing what I love. Are you?
I want you to know that it is actually easy to get your butt to Bali and build a life that you have dreamed about. Is it a thought that has flickered in your minds eye? Think about what you have been doing for the last 2 years. Have you been working from home, like via the interwebs? Would your employer consider you working remotely for the next 6 months? Could you work remotely for someone else for the next 6 months? Do you have a side hustle that could potentially support you? Do you want to build one? Do you just want to take 6 months off and get your mental health back in balance? Do you just want to rebuild your relationship with international travel?
Bali is a beaut spot to do any or all of these things, if you are wondering how to figure it all out giving yourself space to sit silently and contemplate the possibility is the best place to start.
Book a flight come stay for a month you can figure the rest of the plan out when you get here. Hit me up I am happy to help!
xxxkit
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