EXPLORING ROME & POMPEII: A Cinematic Travel Film
Come with us as we journey through the ancient streets and alleyways of Rome and Pompeii in this cinematic travel film.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOUR TRIP TO BALI
HERE ARE FIVE TIPS TO HELP MAKE YOUR TRIP TO BALI AS MAGICAL AS IT LOOKS ON INSTAGRAM.
Bali, Indonesia seems like an unreal island paradise, but there are a few things that you should know before traveling there.
The Traffic
The traffic in Bali is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Do yourself a favor and hire a local driver to get you around the island.
The traffic in Bali is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. It’s a constant stream of mini-buses, scooters, and taxis. Tourism is the primary economic powerhouse of Bali, and because of the islands small size and relatively large population of locals and tourists, traffic jams are common at all times of day. It’s very common for it to take hours to go just a few miles in Bali. Most cities in Bali are not laid out in a grid pattern, the streets are narrow, and there are very few traffic lights. All of this contributes to massive gridlock in and around most major hubs such as Ubud, Canggu, and Denpasar.
PRO TIP: If you want the very best experience without the stress, I recommend hiring a local private driver. We hired our driver through Ubud Excursion Agent. (If you see Hendra tell him I said hello!)
Bali is Deeply Religious
Bali is deeply religious. Be respectful of the Balinese culture.
Unlike the majority of Indonesia, Bali is a primarily Hindu culture. Balinese Hinduism, called Agama Hindu Dharma, originated from Java and is a blend of Shivaism and Buddhism. Religion is deeply woven into the fabric of everyday Balinese life. Religion is so intertwined into daily life that many families, business owners, and individuals have small shrines to the gods in their homes, places of work, and businesses. Each morning, you can see the Balinese people making small offerings to the gods for good fortune, health, and happiness. Every town and village has at least three shrines dedicated to the worlds of humans, the gods, and the sea. Because of this deep connection to religion it’s important to show respect for the Balinese people and their culture as a guest in their country. Be careful not to touch, remove, or step on offerings made to the gods each morning. You will see many small baskets of incense, bits of food, and flowers on the sidewalks in front of stores, so watch your step. Also, you may want to explore the Balinese holy temples (most of which are open to the public for a small fee). If you do, know that you’ll be required to cover your legs with a sarong before entering (regardless if you’re wearing pants already). This is a sign of respect for the holy significance of the temple you are about to enter. To have the best experience, simply use some common sense and realize that the Balinese people are allowing us to enter some of their holiest shrines and temples, so be respectful.
Don’t be afraid to barter on prices
If you’re visiting Bali, it’s likely that you’re going to want to take home some souvenirs or do some shopping for some unique gifts. Know this: the first price that you’re given is rarely the real price (with the exception of larger chain stores or fancier boutiques). Balinese culture has an expectation of haggling over prices. This can be pretty intimidating at first (especially for tourists coming from Europe or the United States, where prices are typically firm), but you’ll get the hang of it after a few tries.
PRO TIP: Not getting the price you want? Don’t be afraid to walk away and come back, or find another vendor with a similar item. Most tourist focused markets will have several vendors selling the same things, so don’t be afraid to hunt for a good deal.
Learn a few phrases
Before I travel to a new place, I always try to learn at least a few phrases to help me communicate with the locals. While Indonesian (and it’s many variations), are notoriously difficult for Westerners to learn, having a few phrases under your belt such as “please”, “thank you”, “hello”, etc. can go a long way in helping you feel more welcome in this amazing country. Take the time to learn a few common words and you’ll notice the already friendly Balinese people become even friendlier (if that’s even possible).
There will be crowds.
This may come as a surprise if you’ve spent any time looking at those perfect Instagram photos of what appears to be an empty white sand beach and a beautiful model in Bali, but there are tons of tourists just about everywhere in Bali. Bali’s economy is driven by tourism so expect to see plenty of them wandering around the streets of popular destinations like Kuta, Seminyak, Canggu and Ubud. Be prepared to wait in long lines to get that perfect Instagram snap from the perfect viewpoint.
BONUS TIP: Get off the main island.
Nusa Ceningan, just off the coast of Bali is a true island paradise with fewer tourists and less traffic.
Indonesia is comprised of over 17,000 unique islands which means there is a LOT to explore. To escape some of the hustle and bustle of the main island, take a short fast-boat ride from the port of Sanur, to the Nusa Islands. A ride will typically cost around 270-30,0000 IDR ($18-25 US) and takes about 30 minutes in calm seas.
To get a truly relaxed island vibe, I recommend staying on the tiny island of Nusa Ceningan. Nestled between the larger and more popular island of Nusa Penida (home of the T-rex beach), and Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Ceningan has great food, a relaxed atmosphere, and can easily be explored via motorbike or scooter. Ceningan was one of the best parts of our trip and gave us time to reset in between exploring Ubud and Uluwatu. I also recommend finding a place to stay at least for the night (we would have stayed a few days had we known how much we’d love it here). The Bridge Huts is a great private and relatively inexpensive option.
Travel Better, Travel Lighter with these Minimal Travel Essentials
TRAVEL BETTER, TRAVEL LIGHTER WITH THESE MINIMAL TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
““Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” ”
If you’ve done any amount of traveling you’ve probably thought at some point “Why did I bring all of this stuff with me?”. Yeah, me too. During our last few trips, I’ve found that I often overpack, bringing too many pairs of pants, too many shirts, and things that only serve a single purpose. Today, I’m making a vow to pack lighter, and pack better. To do that, I’ve distilled my packing list down to a few absolutely essential items that I’ll never travel without. Take a look at the video below to see my minimal travel essentials:
Here are a few of my essential travel items:
A sturdy duffel bag - When I travel I prefer to use a duffel bag. Now most travelers like to use something like a hard sided roller bag, but when roads and sidewalks aren’t in great condition, a roller bag can become more difficult to move around. In Europe, we usually take trains from place to place, and it’s much easier to go up and down the stairs to the metro stations with a duffel on your back than with a roller bag in your hand. My favorite is the REI Big Haul 60L duffel. But if you need something bigger, the Eagle Creek Cargo Hauler duffel is also a great option.
Packing Cubes - Packing cubes are essential for keeping your clothing and accessories organized inside of a duffel bag. I use the Gonex packing cubes available from Amazon. They come in several sizes and help keep my clothing, toiletries, and accessories separated and easy to find and grab.
A backup/extra stuffable duffel bag - Whether you are taking a short side trip, or planning on bringing home lots of souvenirs, a second, stuffable duffel is a great option to get you where you want to go. I use the Stuff Travel Duffel from REI.
A good shirt that you can layer - One of the newest additions to my packing list is the Patagonia R1 Hoody. Originally designed for mountain climbers, this shirt is loved by backpackers and adventurers the world over. It’s super light, very comfortable, and fitted enough to be worn under a light shell jacket. It’s perfect for long airplane rides, or for ripping down the side of a mountain on a ski trip.
A good quality rain jacket - A good quality rain jacket or lightweight shell jacket can serve a few purposes. First of all, it’s a raincoat, so you’re protected in wet weather. Shell jackets can also be layered to create more warmth. Pairing a solid rain jacket with a few layers can keep you warm and dry even in cold, wet climates. My go to is the REI Groundbreaker jacket (available in women’s and men’s sizes).
A few pairs of travel/outdoor pants - Outdoor and travel pants are usually made of some sort of water resistant, stain proof, odor preventing material. Most of the time though, these pants look like you’re trying to be someones tacti-cool dad, or that you’re ready to hike the AT in your birkenstocks. If that’s your style, then own it, but for me I want my travel pants to look like regular pants. This means that I have a pair of pants that I can wear on the plane, on adventures, or out to dinner. Two of my favorites are the Slim Rivet AT and Evolution pants from Western Rise. These pants are comfortable, flexible, and give you great options no matter where you want to wear them.
Something to write with - This might seem simple, but having something to write with and something to write on is essential. If your phone dies and you need to remember something, what are your options? Maybe you just want to write something down as a special memory. There’s nothing like a quality pen and paper. I use the Field Notes notebook and a Fisher Space Pen. Both are built with quality in mind and don’t break the bank.
A good pocket knife - A lot of people may not do this, but I prefer to travel with a good quality pocket knife. A knife or multi tool have a million uses and can help get you out in a pinch. Please be aware thought that many historical sites may have metal detectors, where you may be prohibited from bringing in a pocket knife. A little pre-planning and research though will help you avoid any difficult situations. A few that I use are the Benchmade Griptilian or just a simple (and cheaper) Swiss Army knife
What are some of your essential travel items? Leave a comment below and let me know!
Exploring Bali
BALI IS AN ISLAND THAT’S SEEMINGLY MADE OF PURE MAGIC. COME WITH ME AS WE EXPLORE THE ISLAND OF THE GODS.
It all started with what was supposed to be a trip to Europe. We had been planning on taking a few more trips before trying to start a family, and Europe has always been a go-to for us. We’ve loved the countries we’ve visited, and the people that we’ve met there. As an added bonus it was very easy to get to. However, as we kept searching, researching, and building our budget and travel schedule, one destination kept coming up: Bali.
Now you can either chalk this up to poor search engine optimization (or possibly so brilliant that we were being shown a destination that we didn’t even know we wanted to visit yet), but as we kept doing the math, we realized that it was going to cost us about the same whether we went to continental Europe, or if we took a leap of faith, and headed to Bali. Now getting to Bali from the United States isn’t easy, and it’s a very long journey. However, we thought “when are we ever going to have the chance to do this again?”. So we made our choice, booked our tickets, and headed to this incredible and magical island.
Twenty-six hours of travel later, we landed in one of the most simultaneously beautiful and chaotic places I’ve ever been to. To me, anywhere in Southeast Asia is a completely new and foreign concept. There’s nothing familiar there. I have no root in the language or culture. I have no bearings or experiences to draw from except what I had seen on the internet. The sights, sounds, smells, and culture were all completely new to me. The constantly honking horns and revving moped engines created an unbelievable din. The heat and humidity in the airport alone were stifling and it was late in the evening. What would we see and do? What would our experience be? Did we make a mistake?
The short answer is no. What we were set for though, was one of the greatest adventures of our lives.
Bali is impossible to encapsulate in the span of a single blog post. The longer we were there, the more we realized that the chaotic traffic and constant noise were more of a dance and a song. It was the voice of the island. The beep-beep of mopeds, the revving of engines, the stifling heat, all of it was the heartbeat of Bali.
You could spend a lifetime here and still never experience everything the Island of the Gods has to offer. If you immerse yourself in the chaos, if you allow yourself to find and experience the moments of quiet serenity among the trees, singing insects, and chirping birds, you will find a pure happiness that only a place like this can bring you.
Want to see more of our trip to Bali? Here’s a playlist of our vlogs from this trip