As winter wraps her icy fingers around our forgotten tans, the lure of the tropical lushness of Bali, its seductive balmy heat, relentless infinity pools and 2-and a half hour massage packages with facials, hot towel sponge downs and mani pedis - all for just $250,000Rp or Australian $25! is just a 6 hour flight from Melbourne! Its impossible to resist a quick and easy winter escape to the tropical paradise that is Bali. Australians are one of the top three countries that visit Bali each day.
It’s no secret, Australian women are among the top travellers in the world - more and more we dive into paths less travelled and unearth passions that love exploring the juicy heartbeat of this incredible wild wide world.
Two weeks ago, I waved goodbye to the chill of winter's embrace and boarded a Qantas flight direct to Bali with one small carry on suitcase and a beautiful new handbag (Perfect for unexpected adventures and airport stylish) filled only with Resort booking confirmations, passport, lip gloss, baby wipes and cash to change in Bali for my Blue Bird taxi (I normally use my trusted Balinese driver, Wayan and now friend of 3 years - I pay him a day rate of about $50 Aud or more depending on our adventures. Blue Bird taxis are metered and you can get a quote before you embark on your trip - remember if the price is not right for you, you can step out and get another driver. More often than not, your original taxi driver will lower his quote to accommodate you.)
1. Travel Light!
I love compressing my life into the bare quality essentials, I get a thrill from seeing how little I can travel with and still have everything I need.
Space always creates opportunity for the serendipitous and the unexpected!
A simple travel capsule leaves room for the right great straw hat or 'bling sarong' and a new gorgeous wicker basket from the Ubud markets.
2. My travel capsule
One of the two pools at our resort in Ubud at Puri Sunia. I am definitely going back.
3. Smile, dress well for the airport and expect the unexpected!
First impressions count. I was gifted a business seat upgrade purely by arriving early at the airport and dressing much the way I would dress for casual work day. A silk cami, dark denim jeans, a camel long line cardi, black leather Scandi look dress sandals and a blazer. My business class flight was cozy, warm and comfortable and perfect for my 10.20pm Denpassar departure to Sydney.
'The beautiful Swish Fashion Kyoto Jacket is the perfect travel piece to ensure you depart from one country and arrive in another looking as good as when you last saw a full sized mirror – airplane toilet mirrors are too small and too bright!'
4. Smile and be prepared for the unexpected!
Stop overs are incredible opportunities to meet some awesome new friends from unexpected places. Meeting new people, creating new connections with people who wake up expecting the same sense of wonderment from their day.
5. Hot travel tip for all the single ladies travelling - airports are fabulous places to meet single, independent explorers just like you!
I love meeting people at airports, my experience has always led me to believe airports are full of physically vital, sometimes a bit exhausted -but happily so - friendly open people getting ready or returning from wonderful adventures.
6. The most wondrous anti-aging benefit of my trip to Bali?I don't know how many days had passed, before I noticed - one of the things I love most about holidays, is that time, no longer is a constraint of my day - but the dark shadows under my eyes, the shadows I concealed daily with make up, back in Melbourne, had all but completely vanished!
My shadows I believed were a result of aging - I am 51 - and I just thought ok that blue tinge is with me for this decade and beyond. But I believe sleeping in Bali, without any to do lists, or managing my western life lists, sleeping smiling about luxuriating in happy adventures, lots of daily walking and the continuous flow of sweating and replenishing fluids reinvigorated my lymphatic system and completely erased my dark shadows. I ate three large meals a day AND lost weight! I drank only 3 alcoholic beverages over 9 days, spaced over 3 days, a single Moscow Mule being my favourite - vodka, ginger beer and muddled lime and mint - , ate zero processed food - although I did devour and enjoy some cashew nut chocolate and basically without trying, ate all the good things, full of the nutrition my body needs.
I believe letting go of every day stresses helped a lot with my shadow free complexion, but I also believe the daily exercise and balmy heat of Bali biochemically restored my skin tone.
We are all biochemically unique, what works for one does not necessarily work for another but I know Bali seduces, entices and restores me each time I visit
7. The best thing about travel for me, is waking up each day with that tingling, excited sensation of, ‘oooh what now?
What new and wonderful experience will I encounter the minute I pull back the sheets of this gorgeous mosquito net draped bed - that could easily sleep 10 - I travelled with my two daughters, both of whom shared this bed with me, on one of our nights in the jungle surrounds of Ubud.
Everyday new experiences, from waking to the smiles and reverential-clasping-of -hands-together-greeting of every Balinese person I met, to welcoming Balinese children dressed in traditional costume as I ate breakfast, to dancing under Balinese street decorations and sweat dripping into my smile lines. Too much everyday fun!
My daughters and I together in Ubud, on our winter break in Bali.
Travel is an easy opportunity to gift ourselves the joy of adventure, the joy of the present moment and the joy of dressing and caring for the fun loving best version of ourselves, as we step face first in to new and unexplored adventures.
Travel is all about collecting memories and not possessions.
Written by Simmon Wagner, a Freelance Writer, working as a Professional Movie Critic, Nationwide Australian Style Writer, Yogini and Founder of theloveauthentic, https://theloveauthentic.wordpress.com/. Curious and trained as a Journalist, Professional Writer and Editor, Private Investigator and Fashion Designer, now creating content to tell stories, feature friends, wellness, travel and inspiring people.
Find me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Movie Critic, Style Blogger
and at https://theloveauthentic.wordpress.com