Everyday Inspiration: Day 17 – Where the trade winds take me

It’s been a busy few days, so excuse me being a tad behind. Today we are asked to let a Map be our Muse, kind of ironic, or perhaps just well-timed. I have been very busy trying to finish off some projects, as I will be heading to Bali in a couple of weeks for a long overdue holiday. So I had to hit the internet for royalty free photos…I just don’t have any yet.

Tropical Island, full of temples and ancient architecture, crystal clear waters, and soft sandy beaches with warm tropical breezes. Sounds quite pleasant doesn’t it, I hope so. It’s not the destination I originally had in mind, I wanted to go back to New Zealand, but we are now going over for a wedding; seemed pointless to go to a country I have never been for just a wedding, so we are going exploring, for a few weeks.

I know nothing about Bali, apart from all the horror travel stories, plus of course the real horror stories. Drug trafficking, with supposedly innocent people being targeted, people being poisoned by ethanol in the night clubs, people being kidnapped, stabbed and murdered on the beach. Hotel bombings and acid attacks. Then there is the infamous Bali Belly with bad food and water, plus the ever-increasing onslaught of drunk, rude young entitled Australians making a nuisance of themselves. I’m sure if you remove all that, it’s a tropical paradise.

We are hoping to mostly stay away from the real touristy areas and all that trouble. I am not one for lazing by a pool or on the beach. I want to see rice fields, and temples, ancient monuments, and rugged pristine landscapes. I want to see the sunrise over the water from my hotel room. I want to see tropical and exotic plants and birds and animals. I want to walk on the bottom of the ocean and see coral reefs and exotic fish. I want to visit a Forest full of Monkeys and feed a giraffe or elephant at breakfast. I want to see a lovely and romantic beach wedding of a dear niece to the man of her dreams. I want to spend some time with my man, reconnect and explore a strange and exotic world together. Most of all I want to feel the sun on my skin and feel carefree, no phones, no deadlines, no work.

I should be more excited, shouldn’t I? If I was going somewhere where else, perhaps I would be. Or is it not real, not yet. My bookings are all arranged and paid, my vaccinations all were done, passport all set, pets arranged, I even have my new camera (both of them to take-I bought an under water camera last Summer), I just have to pack my bags and go to the airport. Where is the excitement? Am I just too tired, too over worked?

People ask me what I will do there, knowing how organized I am, my reply is, not really sure, I don’t really have anything planned. A few temples, water gardens, rice fields, a beach or two. See the Monkey Forest and the Mara River Game park. Visit one of the islands. Apart from a week in Ubud, I am not even sure of the names of the places we are staying. It’s a strange and surreal experience; not knowing. Perhaps if I have no expectations, that is a good thing? Everyone tells me it’s lovely and when I ask what they did, most of them laugh and say they went in their 20’s spent all their time drinking and then sleeping their hangovers off by the beach or pool. Not helpful. I think maybe that is the problem, most people visiting Bali are the young ones, we ARE NOT young lol.

Everyone states the locals are all wonderful and helpful, especially to get their hands on the good old Aussie dollar. So we are hoping to pick up a local driver to take us anywhere and everywhere we choose. Hang around while we do our photography thing, perhaps even help carry some of the gear 🙂 A local guide who knows where the good spots are for sun rise or set and when to go to a particular temple before or after it is usually crowded, and where one can get a good gluten free meal.

Again I ask, why am I not excited? I am going overseas to a tropical island, warmth, and sunshine after a long Australian Winter. To be able to walk around in shorts and T-shirts and not be cold. To be able to walk on stretches of warm sandy beaches and dip my toes in a warm ocean. To drink cocktails and relax, to whatever the trade winds take me.

I feel a little lackluster, full stop of late. Perhaps I just really need a holiday and I have not shot anything of note in two weeks, not used to that. Will play in the studio tomorrow, and perhaps if the weather holds fair on Sunday Moth and I can go do something, go explore somewhere local and get our adventurous spirit back.

~ Julz