Travel Diary #50 : A “solo” trip in a little piece of paradise
Hi there,
At the beginning of the month, I went on a solo trip to the West of Bali. I stayed in the countryside of Tabanan, 5 minutes away from Balian Beach. For the majority of travellers, Balian is the last stop on the road west. This quiet surf town was the perfect gateway to explore the wild west of Bali.
I volunteered as a photographer at a seaside property hosting a dozen other volunteers from around the world.
It was the perfect occasion for me to recharge, away from the noise of the more touristy part of the island, while having a little taste of adventure.
I was hosted in this “artists' sanctuary" built in the 1970s. Over time, this property (which was owned by Shankari, an Australian women) was left to slowly decay. Today, Shankari welcomes Workawayers from all over the world to maintain the property and create content for her jewelery brand.
That’s how I ended up spending a week with people from 10 different nationalities.
With a luxurious garden to the left and the river flowing into the sea to the right, the view from the house was simply unreal.
Doing physical work such as painting, cleaning, gardening always feels good, particularly in our sedentary online world. As a freelancer, it’s easy to isolate yourself and get lost in work, some group work outside was highly appreciated.
Decorated with care, the sanctuary is covered with mosaics. From the balconies to the bathroom through the parking lot, the entire house is a piece of art !
I probably would never have visited this village without this volunteer work and that’s why I always recommend Workaway to travellers who wants to get away from the classic tourist route.
The village and beach of Balian was a 10-minute walk from the house, perfect for a healthy walk twice a day to go swimming and eat in a local “warung” restaurant.
The village is crossed by a river that turns chocolate brown after big storms. A surfer who has lived there for years explained to me that when the brown water flows into the sea, a phenomenon attracts more fish and consequently, sharks. About 2 shark attacks per year are recorded at Balian Beach. This was enough to convince me to skip out on my surfing tour this time ! 🦈👋🏼
Black sand beaches are underrated.
Beaches under cliffs are my favorite, like a Jurassic Park scene.
This week reminded me of Erasmus, where you live an intense moment with strangers from all over the world for a short period of time. After a week, these strangers become friends. You feel closer to them than people you've known for much longer.
I live for those "suspended” moments separated from reality. In the end, it is much more real than anything else.
Let me introduce you to my 3 best friends of that week : Alba, Roisin and Zach. Our little group of 4 formed quite naturally, and we had a really good time together.
Alba and I have the same life-story and a lot of other common points. So much that at some point, I wondered if it was all a joke. However, unlike me, Albla is Spanish and she is a very good surfer. She settled in Tabanan for 3 weeks between a trip to Sri Lanka and the Philippines and meeting her was a breath of fresh air. She is a talented photographer and the Yoda master of cheap travel. Go take a look at her travel photos on her Instagram !
Zach : 22-years-old - Italian/Moroccan - great chef. If you are in Southeast Asia for the next few months, you may have the chance to meet this model-in-the-making. While there's no doubt about his master of clothing style, he is a bit of a liability behind the wheel. Zach is a sweet guy who makes every place warmer, as long as you don't cut your spaghetti in front of him. “It’s good, no?”
When Roisin told me she was from "Jersey" the first time we met, I really thought she was an American girl disconnected from reality (New Jersey? Who answers by her state when asked where she is from?). When I realized that I was just uneducated for not even knowing about this English island off the coast of Normandy, I immediately changed my mind about her. Roisin is the kind of friend who knows how to listen and gives great life advice. Her and her posh British accent brought spontaneity and fun to our small group :)
A glimpse of our sunset conversation …
The week ended with a trip to Medewi beach on Sunday.
Finally, here are some images that Roisin and I made for Shankari's jewelry brand.
My sidekick Adam and I went on a road trip for the end of the year. It's one more Christmas under the palmtrees for us. I'll tell you all about it in the next article! In the meantime, you can leave a comment below↓
Lo’
