Photo of the Week: Tegallalang Rice Fields

This photo was taken in my June/July trip in 2012 with my best friend; Amy (pictured on the left). We had organised with our driver, Made, to have a day trip to Ubud, as neither of us had been up there. We started our morning at the Tegallalang Rice Fields. We were expecting to have only a view of them from the roadside, but were pleased to discover that we were actually allowed to walk through them. It was hard work, with the uneven and steep steps going both up and down, but from where ever you happened to be in the fields, the view was simply amazing.

 

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13 Sleeps to go...

That's right; this time in 2 weeks I will be back in Bali. Lets hope the next 13 days pass quickly!! Stay tuned for more beautiful sunrises and sunsets, delicious food, lots of shopping and relaxing that I'll be sharing with my wonderful mum.

Anna's Ventures: Under construction

I'm currently working on improving my blog, so it might be out of action for a little while.
I'll be back soon!!

Anna

Photo of the Week: A Balinese Sunset

I took this photo during my June/July trip, 2012. Just looking at it brings back the memory of the night and of the whole trip. My best friend, Amy, and I were having our first holiday together. As we were about to have a nap before going out to dinner (we had arrived that day and had had an early morning flight) I realised the sun was setting so we decided to go down to the beach to watch it. We were so glad we did it. As we were walking long the beach, we had to keep turning around to look at this amazing sunset because we simply could not believe it was so beautiful. It was one of those moments when the beauty of the world just captivates you so much, that you have a hard time believing it's real. Even now, I have to pinch myself.

Photo of the Week: My First Trip to Bali

From left to right: my sister; Sam, Dad, my brother; Michael, and me

 

This photo was taken during my first trip to Bali. We stayed in Seminyak at was is now the Puri Saron.  I was just 4 years old and can only remember bits and pieces of the trip such as swimming in the pool with my floaty, going up to the swim up bar and ordering myself a strawberry milkshake (I was even allowed to sign for the bill), a stop next to some rice fields on the way to Ubud, getting my hair braided, the hawkers on the street with their suit cases of watches. The rest is a blur. It was 14 years before I went back to Bali. Now, I don't think I could go 1 year without a holiday on the beautiful island.

Photo of the Week: A Balinese Sunrise

Getting up early to watch the sunrise in Bali was always one of those things that was always on the to-do list but something I just never got around to doing. During my last trip, I vowed to myself, and my readers, that this was be the trip that I did it. Getting up at 5:30 is never easy but sitting on the beach, watching the sun change colours and the reflection on the calm waters, watching the place wake up, was so worth it and is something I think everyone should do whilst in Bali.

My Bali Bucket List

I get asked quite often why I keep going back to Bali, why I don't go somewhere else. The answer is simple: there is always something else to do, something else to see, new places to explore and discover, new people to meet, new experiences to be had. Of course I would love to extend my travels to other countries but I would like to save those adventures for when I can afford to do them properly. For now, Bali satisfies my travel bug. It's a beautiful place with so much to offer, why wouldn't I keep going back?

During, and in between, my numerous trips I have been working on a Bali Bucket List; all the things I would love to do, see and experience in Bali. This list is still a work in progress: I will be updating it whenever I come across something new so if there's anything that's not on the list that you know of and believe is a must in Bali, please let me know!

• White water rafting
• Visit Taro elephant park and ride an elephant January, 2011
• Visit the Safari Park June, 2011
• Visit Waterbom Park January, 2011 and June 2011
• Swim with dolphins February, 2012 and June 2012
• Cooking class February, 2013
• A bike tour July, 2013
• Visit the rice fields - I have visited the Tegallang Rice Fields in Ubud but there are so many more throughout Bali that I would love to see
• Visit a waterfall - once again, there are many throughout Bali
• Climb Mount Kintimani or/and Mount Agung
• Have a fish foot spa January, 2011
• Visit Lembongan Island - I did this on a day trip with Bali Hai, but I would love to spend a few days at Lembongan and explore the island February, 2013
• Scuba diving
• Snorkelling - although I have snorkelled in Bali, I'm yet to experience snorkelling in clear blue waters with beautiful coral and fish, so it is definitely something I would do again. January, 2011
• Sail on a traditional Balinese sailing boat
• Visit an orphanage
• Visit a school and volunteer
• Visit Lombok and the Gili Islands
• Go parasailing June, 2012
• Go jet skiing January, 2011
• Go banana boating January, 2011 and February, 2013
• Visit the Bali Zoo June, 2011
• Visit the Treetop Adventure Park June, 2011
• Eat at some amazing restaurants - there are so so many beautiful restaurants in Bali, I think this is one thing that I'll never, truly be able to cross off my Bucket List.

 

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Photo of the Week: Counting Down Again

I took this photo on my first full day in Bali, February 2013. It was one of those moments when I was laying by the pool and I could just feel my whole body and mind breath a sigh of relief. I was in Bali. The waiting was over; it was time to sit back, relax and take it all in. Now the weather is starting to get cooler, I'm back at Uni and I'm once again left waiting, and counting down, to my next trip. Hurry up, July...

My Travel Bug: How it started

My travels began when I was just 11 months old. My parents were taking us; myself and my older brother and sister; to Canada to see our grandparents. This was also the first time I was going to meet them.

Of course, being so young, I don't remember any of it, but I look at photos or watch home videos and I know it happened. I wish I could remember the trip though so I would know what it was like to see snow, to play in it, to go tobogganing with my dad and having snowed sprayed into my face. I wish I could remember holding my grandpa's fingers as he taught me to walk and opening presents on my first and only (so far) White Christmas.



I don't know if having my first trip as such a young age is what has given me the almighty urge to travel, but for as long as I could remember, the urge has been there. I remember when I was young, I would frequently look through some of Dad old book that were just filled with amazing pictures of the beautiful Canadian landscape and thinking to myself one day I'll go there and see that for real. Now that I have broadened my knowledge and interests as well as increased my travels (see my About Anna to find out where I've travelled to), I have felt the same way about so many different places. It has almost turned into a pull, getting stronger and stronger every day.

There are so many reasons I want to travel and that pull that I feel is just one of many. I also want to go because the history of the world has always been a fascination of mine. I'd love to go stand in front of some amazing, historic place like the great Egyptian Pyramids or some of the many ruins in Rome, to walk the streets in Florence and picture all the people that have walked the same streets, have stood in the same place and have been a part of history, have seen it happen.

I remember the feeling I've had when I've been standing on top of a snow-capped mountain in Canada and looked down on the city of Vancouver, or when I've been walking through the famous Tegallalang Rice Fields in Ubud. It was such an overwhelming feeling that I'm a small, insignificant speck in the world but in such a beautiful way.





Every year, I go through phases of wanting so desperately to get away. My mum calls it restlessness and I guess to a point it is, but that feeling is always there and I know it won't go until I've travelled till my heart's content.

Planning yet another trip

But not just one trip. Two trips are currently in the making. The first, a mother-daughter trip with my wonderful mum who is stuck on Bali just as much, if not more, than I am. Just today, we made the call to Jetstar and handed over the Credit Card details that have extended our trip by 3 nights. We will now be there for 8 glorious nights. Lucky us!!

Although the plans are still coming along, we will be having our first 3 nights at the Pearl Hotel in Legian. I have heard wonderful things about this hotel and am eagerly awaiting staying somewhere new again.


Image from www.balihotelpearl.com

We discovered this hotel via Trip Advisor and decided to stay here because of the great reviews, the beautiful restaurant and also the fantastic NO UNDER 15'S ALLOWED!! When you work with kids everyday at home, staying at a hotel that has a guarantee that there will be no kids is definitely more than welcome, but do not read that as I don't believe parents should be taking their kids on holidays.
During these 3 days in Legian, we're looking forward to trying some new restaurants as well as returning to some favourites.

From here, we will be returning to Sanur for 5 nights at the Tamukami Hotel. This is a little budget hotel just off the main drag of Sanur. It consists of only 18 rooms in the whole complex and can be booked only directly online with them or via booking agents such as www.booking.com. Once again, we are so looking forward to staying somewhere new.




Images from www.tamukamibali.com

While we're there, Mum will be celebrating her birthday so as well as planning these trips, I will also be planning numerous birthday treats for her.

My 2nd trip, and what will be my 3rd trip of the year, that is currently in the making is a girl's trip in November. I will be off with 3 of my Uni girlfriends for 10 nights. As they haven't been to Bali as much times as I have (6 and counting), the planning as been left up to me which I have been more than happy to do.

After asking plenty of questions on Trip Advisor and doing lots of research on potential hotels, we have decided on 3 different ones, which once I again I have not stayed in before, in 3 different areas of Bali.

The first will be Kejora Villa's in Sanur for the first 3 nights of our trip. The villa complex is in a fantastic location in Sanur and backs onto the beach with its own private entrance. I have walked past it many times and have always wondered what is behind that elusive wall. Finally, I will be finding out.


Image from www.kejoravillas.com

Our next stop will be Ubud, where we will be spending another 3 nights at the Beji Ubud Resort.
Although it's located about a 20 minute walk out of central Ubud, it looks fantastic and has an amazing view. I think we will be more than comfortable here.




Images from www.bejiubudresort.com

And lastly, we will be spending our last 4 nights in Legian at Villa Coco. I'll be taking my friends to some of my favourite restaurants here such as Hitana at the Niksoma and Potato Head.






Images from www.villacoco.com

Waiting for another holiday to begin is hard, but planning another trip, or in this case 2 trips, makes it a lot easier.