The saying above is appropriate when I reminisce those days spent at the beautiful beaches of Bali.
The dragging days , the dreadful months of drudgery and mundane existence suddenly took a halt and the upturn of events changed to unimaginable moments of contentment.
It was after a gap of couple of years that we planned a trip to Bali , Indonesia in the month of May 2016.
Though I have heard a lot about this beautiful place and with the boom of technology have browsed through the same images several times but how does it feel when you smell the salty airs of the beaches, touch the foamy waters as they heave through the crest and troughs , or gaze at the extreme end of your vision where the blue sky and the azure water seem to be in unison with each other , where nothing can separate these two elements of nature ? When I close my eyes and visualise these words they make me feel great .
On an early morning of May we boarded the Air Asia flight from Singapore which took us two and half hours to reach Ngurah Rai International airport ,Bali . As the plane was close to landing my " Lil' One " got excited to click the pictures of the expansive , abundant water bordered with the white foams rushing forth before lashing against the green patches of land .
Fortunately, the airport transfer to the hotel took us only fifteen minutes to reach the resort, " Bali Dynasty " , where we would be staying for the next few days. The resort was surrounded with greeneries , supported by structural elegance and friendly staffs. But we chose this one since it was close to the airport and had an Indian restaurant as an extended wing situated at the main entrance of the resort.
Bali, which is also known as the Island of Thousand Gods, has strong association of Hinduisim, which is why the temples also leave traces of hindu sect around them.Talking about temples, there are a lot of temples in Bali namely the Tanah Lot (Tabanan , West Bali ) ; Taman Ayun ( Badung regency ) ; Uluwatu Temple ( Uluwatu , Jimbaran ) ; Goa Gajah ( Ubud , Central Bali ) ; Ulun Danu Belantan Temple (Bedugal , Tabanan ) ; Besakih Temple (Karangasem , East Bali ) : Batur Temple (Kintamani ) ; Lempuyang Temple ( East Bali ) and many more. Most of the temples are noted for their architectural grandeur , religious atmosphere and beautiful locations. Many of the temples are in ruins now , but still their importance do not pale into insignificance as they retell the tales from the pages of history . When you are in Bali , a tour of the temples is an imperative. We hired a " blue teksi" during our visit to few of these temples but our body and soul were awed by the serene beauty and ambience of the Tanah Lot . While we were dipping our legs in the foamy water , in league with the crowd who were posing for different shots , even braving the high rising waves of the Indian Ocean . Suddenly, I could hear whistles, as the liveguard came to alert us about the high tide .
Nevertheless, a single dip was enough to cleanse my mind and soul of all negativity for the moment . The five elements of nature in conjunction with the divine created an atmosphere so serene and calm , that for a moment I was transported to a different world. But such moments are transitory...
Cogito Ergo sum !!!
Apart from the religiosity that exhumes in the air of Bali , there are various other places which can equally create an aura to make you go bonkers . The list can be endless like water sports, snorkelling , visit to historical sites and museums ,a visit to the mountains ranges overflowing with greeneries, a walk along the terraced rice fields , a visit to Tegallalang village and Ubud , or be it on a shopping spree along the shopping belt of this magnificent island or dropping down at a spa centre for a healthy and aromatic balinese massage .
There are many quiet pockets , unknown to almost all but taxi drivers who traverse them have an expert knowledge of the whereabouts. With one such taxi ride , we visited the pristine , not oft visited by tourists a place called the Dreamland Beach .
Nothing can beat the beauty of nature. But visiting every notable place within a short span of time might not be feasible or desirable by many . So , if your heart ever desires , you can also laze about in any of the beach beds of the notable beaches of Kuta , Padang , Nusa Dua or Seminiyak and contemplate the natural or supernatural, physical or metaphysical aspects of life. Oh...these might sound something too hard to deal with. Well , with such breathtaking view let's just relax our body and mind and gaze at the long stretches of sea and sky.
Our sight seeing was done mostly by taxi , fares of which are reasonable depending upon the destination. The trip to Taman Ayu and Tanah Lot from our hotel took more than an hour at the price of 400000 IDR( Indonesian Rupiah ) and the trip to Dreamland Beach which was a forty mins ride also took us 400000 IDR (Indonesian Rupiah ) .
Where to Eat :
Bali is also a haven for those who want to juggle with their taste buds . Apart from the wide range of Balinese foods, Mexican , Italian , Japanese , Indian and Continental are easily available.
We even spotted a Jamie Oliver outlet. Well , didn't try the food as our preferences were still inclined to the Indian variety.
Amidst the beautiful nature , cultural strength and spiritual inclination, literature and art are sure to reach their culmination .With a place having such exotic significance , it is undeniably have produced many rich literature. One such is the translated version of THE GIRL FROM THE COAST or the Buru Quartet by Pramoedya Ananta Toer , who is an Indonesian Legend . It's a boon for those who understands this language , but for people like me I have to resort to the translated version .
Picture Coutesy : Personal Camera and two google images .
