If you desire freedom, if you crave for compassion and are hungry to unleash your unique self, I confidently encourage you to book your ticket to beautiful Bali. My 14 days in this wonderful island were as magical as Enrico Travel’s brochures promised. For those of you thinking of packing your bags and hopping on a plane to Bali, this two part series will show you why you’re about to make one of the best decisions of your life. Let’s start with what captured my heart as soon as we arrived – the Bali flow, lifestyle and the people.

The Balinese Life Style
There’s this saying ‘create a life you don’t need a holiday from’. Well, unlike the majority of us, the Balinese have embraced this in their culture totally. They are born on a luscious, green island and they will die there after living a long exhilarating happy life. They do not feel the need to run away from the life they have built. They live each day like it’s their last, they carve out moments for meditation during their day, and they shower each task with the utmost dedication and love. It’s not magic – it’s living life the way we are supposed to, believing that together we are stronger, happier, and better.

The Balinese People
The people of Bali will capture your heart. For instance, Suma is a Bali native, and owner of the biggest smile I have ever seen. Her twinkling eyes compliment her sun-kissed skin, and my guess is that she repeats the phrase ‘welcome to Bali, come visit my shop’ at least five hundred times a day, and each time she says it sounds like the first time! Repetition does not drag her down, demotivate or frustrate her. I bought a ton of treasures from this world-class salesperson because she is passionate about each item she sells, she gives her clients undivided attention, making them feel special and cared for. Suma has never studied the art of sales, nor is she a business school graduate, she just applies her love for her country, appreciates all her blessings, treats each moment like it’s a gift, and all this resonates in her attitude. She is not pushy, stuck up and does not let her ego get the better of her when someone opts to leave the shop empty-handed. On the contrary, she wishes them good luck and a wonderful stay on her island.

Suma taught me a wonderful life lesson. Admittedly, repetition – doing the same thing over and over again – gets the better of us; it sucks up our charisma and makes our performance poor. We tend to focus on the routine rather than try and find the ‘onlyness’ of each experience. You see, no two acts are ever exactly the same, so if we open our eyes and see the detail, if we look closely at the fine print of an instance we will train our mind to find pleasure in what is unique in the actions we usually perceive to be identical. Each moment is rare and offers us a new experience, it opens a door of some sort or has the power of leading us down a new avenue. The secret is not to get stuck in the boredom of repetition but to find the magic of the moment. Suma can teach us all a thing or two about exceeding sales targets, customer care, and having a healthy appetite for our chosen career path. Suma is a teacher of life in the world’s biggest classroom.

The Bali Flow

There is an undeniable flow here in Bali. There are thousands of motorbikes and cars on the same road, at the same time, yet no one honks and we rarely get stuck. As soon as you shake hands with the first Balinese, you immediately get in sync with them. They are all going in the same direction, at the same pace. They all practice the same morning, afternoon, and bedtime rituals which keep them connected – they truly share one flow. They celebrate their uniqueness, embarking on their own journey, yet all come together at points during the day to connect through prayer, silence and meditation.

I explored this theory further. You know how sometimes you can finish someone’s sentences? It’s because you get to know them and their mind well. You have the ability to predict their reactions because you are in tune with them. The flow in Bali is exactly the same just on a bigger scale – on a nationwide level. When a tourist steps on this island, they are greeted with a warm smile and a friendly hug, and are quickly engulfed into this magical synchronisation and have the power to embrace the beautiful pace of these people and live just like a metronome, beating to the dance of the Balinese life.

Curious to read more about my trip?
With more stories to share, I can’t wait to tell you about my river rafting and quad bike adventures, my days at the Yoga Barn in Ubud, Nyepi, and the vibrant street celebrations the day before, our epic night at Potato Head in Seminjak, our lazy afternoons at Turtle Island, the world’s best Lord Ganesha smoothie at the Genius Bar in Sanur, our visit to the sacred temples and the Fountain of Youth, plus some practical travel tips too, so watch out for the next blog!

In the meanwhile, get in touch with Enrico Travel, hop over to their offices in Ta’ Xbiex or check out them out on Facebookand Instagram and book your tickets to Bali, you really must.

Happy Travels!

HighwaytoHappy