What is it with Bali anyway?

To be honest, I had never been to Bali until this week. With so many Australians it seemed so familiar and I always wanted to go somewhere new and different.

But 2017 has been busy with work, uni and sitting on boards so when Air Asia had a sale I found myself booking a ticket to Bali for a few days of rest and relaxation.

While I love adventure, I am also really tired after working a crazy schedule.

Everyone said Seminyak was amazing and it was. Just a place to sleep in, relax and indulge a little.

                                     

But what struck me was how Australian it was and how much it was geared to the Australian market. From the cafés that were almost identical the ones found at home to some locals putting on aussie accents to make us want to buy more stuff or to jump in their cab.

It just made me wonder what the point of visiting Bali if it is so similar to home. Being an adventurous sort, I kinda like going somewhere totally different and out of the ordinary. That is where I get my energy from, not to mention my joy and something that calms my restless spirit.

Would I go again?

Maybe, if I needed to recharge my batteries and relax but adventure will always take priority. It always does.

Loitering on the East Coast.

I don’t know why I went on holiday. I couldn’t afford it and I should have my money elsewhere but what started as a cheeky trip to the Sydney Writers’ Festival became a two-week holiday on the east coast of Australia.

This is what happens when you’re obsessed with travelling, you just have to go regardless of the consequences. 

The Itchy feet become too hard to handle.

But it's done now and as I sit in this cute café in Byron Bay killing time until I go to the airport, I look back on this week (has it been that long?) and process the memories of this trip.

It started in Melbourne which was cold, damp and a little dark. As it turned out, I didn’t end up doing much except eating, walking and eating more with friends. This is why you go to Melbourne right? The food and coffee were amazing.

But I couldn’t go to Melbourne without visiting the National Gallery of Victoria which had a Van Gogh exhibition on. While the NGV is my favourite gallery in Australia, I thought that they surpassed themselves with this exhibition. It was beautifully presented and had a wide range of Van Gogh’s work based around the Seasons.

A Walking Tour of Melbourne was especially interesting but spooky.  

Anyway, soon enough it was time to move up the east coast to Byron Bay. Despite rain being forecasted, it turned out to be warm and balmy with pure sunshine. It was so beautiful.

As a stepped off the bus, it was like being set into slow motion, especially after an espresso-fuelled couple of days in Melbourne. It defiantly seems like a holiday town here.

Everywhere you look there are gaggles of pretty young things in their bathers and hot guys swaggering around like royalty. The smell of weed is as common as the smell of sunscreen.   

I had to visit the Light House even though it was a bit of a track but the views were amazing.   

I also had to visit Nimbin, not because I wanted to smoke a joint (trust me, that didn’t happen) but just to see what it was like. I had been before but that was years ago.

Nimbin was smaller than how I had remembered it but it was as chilled. There is nothing much to do except smoke weed and eat lunch as a few average cafés. But the drive out there was super nice and just so lovely.

Now it is time to go to Sydney before getting back to reality. This break has been worth it and totally fun, even if not the right thing to do financially.

Rise, grind and repeat!

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I guess it is my fault for being a little hyperactive and passionate about a lot of things but being disabled and a feminist made me aware of disadvantage and inequality.    

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Instead of sitting at home feeling sorry for myself and blaming everything from the patriarchy, my disability to having had to move to Perth aged fifteen for all my woes, I have had this strong urge to get out there and do something.

Ever since I had some amazing opportunities a while ago, I have been able to contribute to my community and ensure that people with disabilities can live as part of our community and not in a separate enclave. 

This has inspired me to do Social Impact @ UWA. While a scholarship did lessen the financial guilt about going back to school, taking on another commitment did keep me up at night.

How on earth was I going to fit part-time study on top of sitting on two board of directors, a full-time job and an active social/travel life?  

Luckily, my uni course is delivered in block mode so while it is super busy for 6 or 7 weeks, there is some reprieve in between units.   

As it turns out, running life as a military operation, planning ahead and getting up at 5 am to get stuff done is the only way to fit it all in. The days are often long; they often start at 0500 and are non-stop until 2200+.  It is difficult to keep on top of everything while dealing with everyday challenges such as a blocked sink, broken wardrobe and bathroom renovations. 

The joys of a blocked sink

A wordrobe malfunction 

Luckily my classes fit in to my ‘weekend’ which means no days off to relax and do chores.  But shift work allows me to to prepare for board meetings and complete assignments before work.  Still, it is all worth it!

What could I do different? I could reduce my hours at work but being financially independent and a homeowner with a mild travel obsession means I need all the money I can get. I just have to keep on juggling.

My hot tips are:

• Run a diary;
• Prioritise, sometimes its ok that the stuff like the ironing doesn’t get done for awhile;
• Take shortcuts. Coles Online is a lifesaver for home delivery for groceries and so is Uber Eats for when you can’t be bothered to cook;
• Enjoy the ride, you love it really.

Ironing becomes less of a priority

Look, life is great. The days are long and my coffee consumption might be a bit high but life is superb.  Besides, society isn’t going to be more inclusive if individuals don’t get involved.

Plus, a life well lived doesn’t come cheap nor do the good things come on a plate. There is something deeply satisfying about achieving something through your own blood, sweat and tears.