I left freezing cold Calgary on March 6th, 2011 and followed my heart to Bali.
I made a similar trip almost exactly a year ago but was only able to stay for a month – the real world (a job and responsibility) called me back. I had yearned for the hot weather, clear water and white sands of Indonesia and now I was going to attempt to stay surrounded by them for 6 months (attempt because of visa/boarder difficulties).
I spent the first week and a half of the trip in Bali. It flew by despite doing nothing more than lying on the beach, reading, pampering ourselves at the spa and eating. As I am typing this I cannot believe I left!
But I did. I took a short 75-minute flight to Kupang on East Timor. The difference between made for tourists Bali and remote Kupang could not be more pronounced. Three years ago I backpacked through Southeast Asia in search of remote un-westernized cultures. What I didn’t find three years ago is now in abundance around me.
I was excited to see authentic Indonesian life but something I didn’t think of, or expect to the full extent, was how these differences would make me stand out. How much attention I would really get.
Every single car or motorbike that passes me on the road feels it is necessary to honk repeatedly, people of all ages yell “mista mista!” where ever I go and for some reason everyone wants to take my picture – and then make sure I get theirs! At least the kids are cute :)
Enjoy the video! Excuse the quality I temporarily :) lost my camera charger so everything is shot on my iPhone.
- Tori
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