5 countries in 3 months. Fun? Yes. Crazy? Yes. Exhausting? Yes. Impossible? NO!

Ill briefly give my 2 cents about each country and my time there. Following each summary, I will tell you what I learned. Enjoy!

India

It seems like India was an eternity ago but it wasn’t. I still often reflect about my time there… my life changing experience in a country where 1.2 billion people live. You can’t really say you’re a backpacker unless you’ve done India. And when you decide to go, it’s a test. It’s a test to see how much you can tolerate (in every aspect). How many homeless and disabled people can you say no to? How long can you go without getting Delhi belly? What are the worst hotel conditions you can handle? But India is also a land of love. The Indians have a lot of love to give. They don’t turn their back on family and once they decide they like you and can trust you, they will immediately consider you family. It’s truly inspirational; especially coming from America where we are the land of independents (you can put me in that category too). India taught me A LOT and will always have a special place in my heart.

• ·         Every Indian man has a mustache
• ·         You are never clean… EVER!
• ·         Make sure you have chai tea as often as possible. It’s phenomenal!
• ·         India’s trains are, well, interesting…..
• ·         Don’t let strange men fart on you during an arti
• ·         They have by far have the craziest drivers in the world, just be prepared because you will freak out at first
• ·         Hindi’s love to dance and listen to music… anywhere!
• ·         You will have diarrhea every other day 

Thailand

 I wish I would have spent some more time in northern Thailand, as well as Laos and Vietnam. But I suppose I can save that for another trip. That’s the good part! To consider going back to this part of the world is simple. All you need to do is book the plane ticket! That’s where most of your money is going to disappear. I spent more on my plane ticket there then I did 6 weeks going from northern Thailand to Singapore. How you can you resist the opportunity to not go back to “Land of Smiles”? Ya, it’s impossible. However, one thing I would like to mention was the fact that Heather and I backpacked during their monsoon season, though thankfully the weather did not interfere with any of our plans. And it only “really” rained while we were in Koh Phi Phi. I am so grateful that Mother Nature was kind to us because only a few weeks after we left Bangkok, there was massive flooding in the city causing thousands to lose their lives and homes. Please give your thoughts to those who have suffered from this terrible natural disaster.

• ·         Has the best food!
• ·         Bow before greeting any local
• ·         The Full Moon Party on Koh Phangan is the greatest party on earth
• ·         Sangsom… the whiskey of choice for our buckets. And only $5!
• ·         The islands sadly have very little Thai culture left
• ·         While I absolutely loved Bangkok, it has very poor air quality so be prepared for a possible asthma attack
• ·         It’s sometimes very difficult to tell a beautiful Thai women from a ladyboy
• ·         Chang beer kicks the sh!t out of Heineken

Malaysia

Malaysia was by far the biggest surprise of the trip. Heather and I crossed the Thai-Malay border and immediately there was a shift in scenery and culture. Malaysia is very modern but still maintains their own distinct culture. The Muslim religion being a big part of it. I know some friends back home would be a little weary about coming here but honestly, you have NOTHING to worry about! I’ve been lucky enough to have already visited Egypt, Turkey, and Morocco before, and what I’ve learned is no matter what Muslim country you go to, it’s always the same friendly people. I’ve met more hostile westerners then Muslims (if any). The Malay people are warm and welcoming and I would go back in a heartbeat. 

• ·         Way more modern than you think!
• ·         Has some of the best islands in the world i.e. Perhentian islands
• ·         Unfortunately, you may get food poisoning
• ·         Don’t miss the Petronas Towers at night… WOW!
• ·         If you catch a bus, bring a translator book so you can figure out what happened if it gets a flat tire
• ·         Israelis are not allowed to come here (political bullsh!t)

Singapore

Singapore is an impressive country/city full of life. I saw about 3 days of Singapore before I got sick with food poisoning and spent almost 2 days in the hospital. Consequently, I didn’t get to see as much of this magical city as I would have liked. However, in my short time, I noticed the wonderful mix of cultures living peacefully together. I'd argue the fact that Singapore is more diverse than America. But that’s what makes our two nations so great. The melting pot allows for many to be successful where the otherwise wouldn’t have had an opportunity to do so in their home country. And while it is my opinion that their government is too strict and overbearing, they do manage to allow everyone to live in peace. And that’s something very rare in our world today. 

• ·         Have the best hospitals in South East Asia
• ·         More culturally diverse than America
• ·         Don’t chew gum… or you’ll be fined
• ·         If you’ve got some extra cash… stay at the Marina Sands Resort

Indonesia

I almost feel bad saying I was in Indonesia because I really only saw one part of it… Bali. Bali is by far the most touristy island and completely different from the rest of the country. The Balinese have their own culture and in some parts, their own language. Fortunately Heather and I made the most of our stay and were able to explore the majority of this enchanting island and then some. In a way, Bali was an experience of “bests”. Kuta beach had the best nightlife out of all the places we went. Ubud had best culture. Amed had the best black beach. The Gili islands had the best snorkeling. Uluwatu had the best surf. How can you go wrong by coming here? You can’t! There is something for everyone, just make sure you get a chance to experience it before it is completely over run by the western world. 

• ·         When in Kuta, go to Skygarden for free drinks and appetizers from 10-11 every night!
• ·         Don’t rent a moped unless you wanna end up in the hospital
• ·         Sip on a Bintang while watching the sun go down on Kuta beach as often as possible. They never get old
• ·         Don’t skip out on Ubud
• ·         Earthquakes can occur at any time!
• ·         Costs an arm and a leg to hike up Mount Anjung with a guide
• ·         If you’re a female, you may get groped… several times
• ·         Uluwatu has the best surf… but only for professionals!

All in all, I honestly feel blessed to have experienced so much. I’m truly a better and smarter person then I was 3 months ago. Its amazing what travel can do to your outlook on life and lifestyle. We all continue to better ourselves each day, but when you travel, that process is exponentially accelerated. You learn so much about yourself and your capabilities. You can do things you never thought possible. i.e. go to Australia on a whim. The sky is the limit and you control your destiny. 

Ironically, the more of the world you see, the larger it becomes. There is so much out there to see and do, and I don’t want to waste my time missing it. I refuse to let my crusade end in Indonesia which is why I’ve decided not to return to California. After 3 months of traveling, I’ve met people of all nationalities raving about the work opportunities in Australia. America is still in the midst of a recession and jobs are not as prevalent as they once were. I am hoping for some new doors to open for me (and if I get a chance to see a new and exciting English speaking country, then I’m all about it) to take me on a new and unmarked path. I know my family and friends are disappointed that my return is postponed, but I can assure you, this is what’s best for me at this time in my life. I have nothing holding me back and opportunity is knocking at the door. Let’s see what Brisbane has to offer!

Lonesome in Kuta

This describes exactly how I feel. All by my lonesome in Kuta for the next week, awaiting my Australian visa approval. I figure, it’s better to wait out the process in Indonesia then Australia since it’s much cheaper here. But now Heather is gone, and I’m left to make the best of my situation in tropical paradise. I suppose it’s not a bad place to be if you’re just going to chill out and save money. I spent about $15-$20 a day including lodging and food. How you like them apples?

Say hello to Bob!

So I checked into a single room for $10 a night at the Beneyasa Inn once Heather deserted me. It was pretty dodgy but it’ll do. I had a bed with one sheet, a fan, a dingy toilet, and no toilet paper and no bath towel. Glamorous, right? The first day was mellow not only because we went out the night before, but I also had a case of Bali belly so I basically didn’t eat and just slept and read all day. That was until I went to the internet cafe that night. I didn’t spend much time there, but when I was paying my fees, a man about 55 years old approached me because he saw my California driver’s license. His name was Bob and he's from the states, the US Virgin Islands in fact. Bob was also by himself purchasing an assortment of goods to bring back with him to sell to other businesses for profit. We get to talking and ended up having a cup of coffee together. The guy is super interesting and has a great outlook on life. Since I was still not feeling 100%, I suggested we meet up for breakfast the next day. That avalanched into casually meeting up the next few days until he left to go see some friends in Sydney. We talked about everything under the sun including such topics as: traveling, men painting their toe nails, problems with America, relationships, his sailboat, not using the word "hate", having the same birthday, the grateful dead, and more. Who doesn’t want to talk to this guy!? He’s such a teddy bear and I sincerely enjoyed hanging out with him. Although I was getting some evil looks from some of the young Balinese women out in front of the massage parlors… Lol. There’s nothing wrong with making friends, no matter how old they are!

October 31^st… HALLOWEEN! As per usual, I spent all day on the beach. I was planning on some surf but the beach was like a bloody lake! Damn! When my tummy began to rumble, I walked to the nearest café for a cheap sandwich and a large Bintang. I end up going to the Rainbow Café where the only table available was next to about 20 Aussie men. They of course were all drinking and it didn’t take them long to invite me, all by myself, over to their table. I was a bit outnumbered wouldn’t you say? (See pic) They are all apart of an Aussie rules football club from Wagga Wagga in New South Wales. Of course, right? Only this would happen to me. Good thing they were super chill and bought me a grip load of beers while I told them about LA and why I was a single chick all alone in Bali.

Aussie Aussie Aussie! Oi  Oi Oi!

Unfortunately, Americans are the only ones who properly celebrate one of the greatest holidays ever invented. The Aussies and Balinese are missing out! None the less, the Skygarden lounge was having a huge Halloween party and of course, cheap drinks. The group of football guys invited me to join them out that night, and well since I didn’t have anything better to do, plus it’s Halloween, I accompanied them in the evenings festivities. We all had a blast and while some of them didn’t make it through the whole night, some disappeared into Kuta’s wilderness, and some got kicked out of the bar, I had a pretty fabulous time! Being alone in Bali is turning out to be just as fun as with Heather (just kidding Heath, lol)!

The next morning was perhaps a little sluggish… But I made myself useful by going to the internet café to check on my visa application and catch up on some emails. I was minding my own business, when what do you know, a guy next to me starts making conversation. What’s with me meeting randoms in internet cafes? Hmmm. I’m not complaining! Turns out, he’s from Chatsworth, California. For those of you who don’t know, Chatsworth borders Northridge, where I went to college and lived for 4 years. Rich and I chopped it up and talked about backpacking throughout Southeast Asia, and about what we missed about LA. It’s really such a small world out there. We even have mutual friends on Facebook. Imagine meeting a long lost friend half way around the world?! Anyways, we agreed to meet up later to watch the sunset with his friends. I agreed and after hanging out at the beach all day once again, I met back up with Rich and his best friend, Dylan. It was an awesome time getting to know new friends. That night we all went out to the bars in Kuta and had a killer time.

Dylan and Rich from Chatsworth

My last couple nights were not too out of the ordinary. I was primarily trying to save money while also enjoying paradise. I ran into a few people each day that I had met throughout my time there. Tried to surf but failed cause there were absolutely no waves all week starting the day Heather left. Sadness. Had some more sunset beers. Bought a few souvenirs and couple things I could use before I got to Australia. Time is winding down!

The last day was extremely surreal and I’ll never forget it. Because my flight left at 11pm, I didn’t need to leave for the airport until 8pm giving me all day to dick around the city. Unfortunately, I had my final banana pancake breakfast and had to check out of my hotel at noon. What does a girl do for 8 hours where you don’t sweat or spend money? Ya, there’s not a lot of options. But I’ll skip to the part where I was doused with perspiration and watching my final Bali sunset *sigh*. I intentionally went to a place where I was by myself and could enjoy a Bintang. I sat and thought to myself, “I can’t believe it’s my last day. Where did the past 3 months go? I’m moving to Brisbane, Australia in a few hours where I only know 2 people. What the f%ck am I doing?” I was honestly choking with fear and on the verge of a panic attack. If I wasn’t wearing my sunglasses, I’m sure people would have been coming up to me asking if I was ok. I wasn’t ok, I was up to my ear in anxiety and freaking out inside. Frankly, I can’t remember being that scared in my entire life. It was the calm before the storm. Then before I knew it, I was riding the backseat of a moped to the airport. I bid adieu to my crusade through Southeast Asia and said G’day to my new home in… Australia!

**Please stay tuned while I wrap up my finals thoughts about my crusade and continue to update my life in Brisbane, Australia!**

Sanur, Uluwatu, and back to Kuta

If you read my last entry, you'd know that I stayed up to watch the sun rise on Gili Trawangan and got 1 hour of sleep before we had to catch the boat back to Bali. Ergo, I was a hot mess that morning. Holy god I was struggling... But I was able to muster up some energy to pack and walk to the pier on what seemed like the walk Moses took across Egypt. Anyone else notice that I manage to be obnoxiously hungover during the majority of my boat rides? 

Heather and I booked our ticket the day before for the "fast boat" to Padangbai and then a shuttle bus to Sanur. It was supposed to leave at 9am and of course didn't leave until 10, so we waited in the blistering sun with our all our luggage. Then once we boarded the boat we waited for another 30 minutes below deck that was probably about 100 degrees. We were packed like sardines in there and I was doing my best to suppress my nausea. Once we actually got going on the water, we made a pit stop at Gili Air and then Lombok. This "fast boat" turned out to be a slooooooow boat and instead of taking 1 hour like they told us, it took 3. Son of a b!tch! Not the greatest way to start the day, right?

Lunch on the beach after an exhausting day

Our shuttle bus finally arrived in Sanur and we had no place to stay. We followed some other backpackers to their hostel but it was a piece of sh!t for the price the’re paying so we continued to look for lodging. We finally found a place that was agreeable but still a hole. We were so exhausted at this point that it really didn't matter anymore. I don't think I have ever sweat so much in my entire life from the beating sun on the beach, the suffocating boat ride, the cramped shuttle bus with no AC, and the trek around Sanur. Yikes!

After settling in, we immediately looked for food and a place with some TV’s so we could watch the rugby world cup between France and New Zealand. However, there were only a few places that fit our prerequisites and they were all full. So we eventually gave up and found a restaurant to grub at by the beach. Food had never tasted so good!

Sunset in Sanur

Sunset was upon us and though we were facing east, we had some killer pictures. It was so beautiful despite all the damn kids running around and the massive 5 star resorts in the background. 

That evening Heather and I went out for a cocktail at a bar around the corner. Everything was going great until this crazy drunk surfer chick from England starts talking to us. She has blonde dreadlocks and has a typical story of a western nomad who ends up staying in Bali. She's been living here for the past 5 years working as a scuba instructor/ surf clothes designer/ bartender... Whatever. She's hilarious so we let her stay until her antics brought us in the middle of a conversation consisting of her gay roommate who was hooking up with this girl loaded on mushrooms. That was our cue to leave... Just another day is Bali! Lol. 

Crazy b!tch

Originally we were going to stay 2 days in Sanur but we realized the whole city was just a bunch of Aussi families on holiday. There wasn't great nightlife, the beach wasn't as good as Kuta, and our hotel was a piece of sh!t cause it was full of mozzies (mosquitoes). So we packed our stuff and got a short taxi ride back to Kuta. We got a room at the Suka Beach Inn, not far from our first hotel, for a cheaper rate and with AC. However, the facilities were not as, how should I say.... Classy. It's definitely a beach bum's paradise. But it did serve a bomb free breakfast and had a sick pool. Shannon's happy. 

We immediately head to the beach for a surf session. After some wave action we had a beer on the beach with the guy we normally rent boards from, Andre, and two Australians dudes. We kick back and eventually watched the sunset together. These kinda days make me never want to leave this place...

That night we had dinner at Goku, a Balinese BBQ joint that is popular with the local surf crew. Its super cheap and the food is to die for. We both got the teriyaki chicken and 2 sides for $2.50. Ya, amazing.... Ill be back here for sure. After dinner we went to Skygarden where they have free drinks and appetizers from 10-11pm. Oh yeah baby! This is every traveler’s heaven and a prelude to the rest of the night’s shenanigans. Another 4am bedtime it is...

Padang Padang beach

Bali is famous for their surfing but so far, we only had seen one beach worth surfing and that was Kuta beach. The most famous surf spot on the island is by far Uluwatu, which is a 45-minute drive south of Kuta beach. Our taxi driver took us to Padang Padang beach where we proceeded to bask in the sun for the next few hours while we watch a few surfers catch some waves just outside the reef.

Surf break at Padang Padang

Afterwards we needed some chow so we went on a search for a restaurant recommended in Heather’s guide book. We’re cheap b!tches so we opted to walk to the place rather then take a $2 moped ride. It took us like 45 minutes but it was worth it. We arrived at Uluwatu beach and it’s a completely different part of Bali then we’ve seen. It’s a small beach community that over looks one of the most famous (and dangerous) surf breaks in the world. You have to march down a zigzag path to the water but on the way down, you pass surf shops, cheap bungalows for surfers, restaurants, etc. So sick and I definitely regret not making this a place to chill for a couple days rather then just a day trip.

We had a beverage overlooking the beach until it was about 30 minutes before sunset. We wanted to go to the famous temple (Pura Uluwatu) to watch the sun go down. A taxi got us there just in time to snap some amazing pics and check out what has to be one of the most sacred Balinese sites on the island. Words cannot describe the beauty of this place.

Uluwatu community and surf break 

Sunset over Uluwatu 

Sad day…. It’s my best friends last day in Bali before she returns to California. As a surprise, Heather booked us a nice room at a “proper” hotel for her last night. We arranged our stuff and walked a few hundred meters to DeKuta Hotel not far from the beach. Since it was her last day, we needed to do it right and had a full day of events planned. Once we checked in, we went shopping for more gifts to add to the generous amount Heather has already purchased. Then we had lunch followed by our final trip to the beach together. We didn’t lay out in the sun long before we were compelled to go surfing. It was an awesome surf sesh and Heather couldn’t have been more stoked. As usual, once we finished surfing, we sipped on some Bintangs while watching the sun drop over the horizon. Perfect way to end the afternoon.

Pura Uluwatu

Totally not sweating....

Everything in Bali is cheap… especially beauty services i.e. massages, hair cuts, waxing, etc. Our beautiful blonde locks have taken a beating this trip with all the sun and salt water that we decided we needed a hair treatment. So for $6 we got a hair mask and a phenomenal head massage. Score!

To end Heather’s last day in paradise, we had dinner at our fav restaurant in Kuta: Dog Dragon. We each had grilled fish coupled with 2 amazing sides of our choice. So delicious and unforgettable! I’m gunna miss this place… but now we're off to Skygarden for some dranks. Of course we saw everyone we’ve met over the past 3 weeks in Bali at Skygarden. Though the bars were packed, we saw the Germans from Singapore and Gili T, the Aussies from the first week in Bali, The French guys from Gili T, and our fav local Kiwi, Chong. After Skygarden, we hit up Eikon, then the mini mart for some more beers and chilled by the hotel pool drinking until the wee hours of the morning. Can this really be our last night together?!?! NOOOOOO!

Leaning like a cholo with Chong

Heather and I packed our belongings and enjoyed our last few hours together in our awesome hotel room. It was an emotional goodbye not only because I was saying goodbye to my bestie who has been my partner in crime for the past 2 months, but also because I am going to be alone for the next week before I head to Brisbane, Australia. I’m going to miss having Heather around but I know she’s excited to see her family and friends back in Cali. Now here I am, alone in Indonesia…. To be continued….

Gili Trawangan

Jukung

Originally, the plan was to take a jukung (small fishing boat) from Amed on the mainland, across the Lombok Straight to the Gili Islands. However, after speaking with the locals, they informed us that that was an impossible task. The seas had become treacherous and we wouldn’t have found any captain to take us for the 3-hour journey into the open ocean. Although it would have been fun, we weren’t too keen on the idea of having our having our backpacks and all our belongings soaked by the time we got there. So the only other option we had was the fast boat. It left at 9am and we got there in an hour. It was fairly choppy along one of the deepest straights in the world and we definitely realized why a jukung would have been an epic fail of a decision if we’d gone that route.

View of Gili Meno from Gili Trawangan 

The Gili Islands are made up of 3 oval shaped islands off the east coast of Lombok: Gili Air, Gili Meno, and Gili Trawangan (or Gili T). Air and Meno are smaller islands and a lot less developed compared to Gili Trawangan. Don’t get me wrong, the island is still small… about 3km long and 2km wide. Heather and I ran around half the island in about 35 minutes one day. There’s one main road that links the entire east coast of the island and all it bungalows, restaurants, pubs, and backpackers. It’s month 3 of me backpacking so I've been through the ropes with the whole looking for a place to stay bit. Heather safeguarded our bags at a café while I went into every bungalow looking for the right one for the right price. I end up finding a steal of a bungalow that overlooked the water for 180,000 rupiah, or about $18 a night. They originally wanted 250,000 but I bargained it down, given the fact I have a cute smile and they were completely vacant at the time. Shannon – 1 point.

Bungalow party!

The first thing you notice when you get to the Gili’s is how much hotter it is there. Like suffocatingly hot which brings me to my only complaint about staying on the island. Our bungalow has no AC and the fan on the ceiling is sh!t, so I make a special request to the manager and get him to give us an extra fan so we could at least sleep comfortably. Thank god for it cause we couldn’t have gone through 4 days of heat exhaustion and insomnia. So once we settled in, we got some lunch down by the water. Then we laid out on the beach and soaked up the beautiful sun. Absolute paradise!

Prior to Gili T, I was convinced the Perhentian Islands in Malaysia were the most spectacular island I've ever been to… that is until I got to Gili T. The scenery and the color of the water looks like it’s out of a cartoon. The vibrant blues of the ocean contrasts the white sand. Breathe taking. Not to mention there is a reef and a drop off right off of the island, which makes for the best snorkeling I've ever seen in my entire life. Better then Thailand, Bahamas, Hawaii, Malaysia, anywhere. True story.

Turtle dude!!

Too many cocktails? Maybe.... 

So Gili T isn’t just known for its amazing beaches, no cars, and no dogs, but it’s also famous for its amazing nightlife. Gili T is THE party island. It’s been a backpackers/hippie haven for the past couple decades and now has a host of different bars rotating weekly drink specials. Tonight was Irish pub night and it was crazy! The entire island was there drinking and dancing. We of course had a blasty blast meeting more people from all over the world i.e. French, Brazilians, and Canadians. And I’m sure you’ll never guess what time we got back to our bungalow?... Answer – 4am of course!

Heather and I were both suffering from a case of the struggles the next morning. Ouchy hungover… so mission #1 is recover. Breakfast at our bungalow is served until 11am, which is completely reasonable time for most people… but not for us. We get out of bed at 11:30am and beg the managers to give us breakfast, which they thankfully oblige. Yippee! We had a banana jaffle (something we definitely don’t have in the states – it’s a pressed filled sandwich kinda like a panini) and a banana juice to boot. We alternated between the banana jaffle and the banana pancake each morning, which always put us in a good mood.

Heather is stoked for her banana pancake breakfast! 

Delicious fishies!

It was a partially cloudy day – the only one we had while we were there – but we managed to have a pretty epic snorkeling adventure. We rented snorkeling gear for $2 for the whole day and did 2 killer sessions. As mentioned before, it was absolutely unbelievable. We saw 5 turtles, cuttlefish, an octopus, stingrays, eels, and of course plenty of diverse and colorful fishies. At the end of the day, we had an amazing seafood dinner as we were craving it after watching them swim about all day.

The original crew winks to you. Respect! 

The next day was a pretty typical Heather and Shannon beach day. After having a nice breakfast, we begun our beach regimen of TSD. We also managed to meet back up with Pete and Sophie. They stayed at our bungalow, as per our recommendation so it was always easy to hang out. It was great to catch up with them again. We always have a blast with those two. We told them about our time in Ubud, Candidasa, and Amed.

Being Friday night, I’m sure you can already predict what kind of shenanigans we got into.  After enjoying dinner with the original gangster crew (Pete, Sophie, Heather, and me), we hit up Rudy’s for some drinks. We were all having a great time and attempting to dance but within 2 seconds of moving, you become drenched in sweat from the heat and overcrowding of the bar. So the dancing didn’t last long…. But the night was fabulous!

Ya, this is really a place on Earth. Come here. 

Dusk over Gili T

Despite drinking the night before, Heather woke up early to go scuba diving at shark point. I of course slept in while she did her thing. That afternoon we hung out with Pete and Sophie until beer o’clock. We took advantage of the killer happy hour specials for 2 for 1 and ended up getting a pretty good midday drunk. Cha-ching!

Sunrise over Lombok

Our last night was the best. The crew had dinner and drinks together again. And though Pete and Sophie went to bed late, we stayed up to watch the sunrise over Lombok. I’m not a morning person and I rarely stay up late enough to watch the sunrise so I haven’t seen many of them, but this one was the best! So beautiful and peaceful. The fisherman were getting ready for the days catches while we stumbled home in the morning sunshine. Only 1 hour of sleep until we have to catch a boat back to Bali’s mainland…. Great… but totally worth it!