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Travel, we are told, rewards careful planning. Routes researched, tickets booked, contingencies considered. And then there is Bali, which has a rather charming habit of ignoring all of that. Our neatly conceived plan to glide effortlessly from Ubud to Bedugul by bus lasted just long enough to be gently dismantled by reality, leaving us instead with a Grab, a last cup of coffee, and the beginning of a journey that would trade schedules for scenery, and certainty for something

Ubud is supposed to be tranquil, or so the reputation goes. Bali’s spiritual heart, should greet us with whispers, wind chimes, incense, and the gentle suggestion that all haste has been left behind. Instead, Ubud announces itself loudly and unapologetically. This is the first lesson. Ubud is not calm in the way postcards and blogs promise; but, the rhythm shifts. Plans falter. Time stretches. You stop trying to conquer the day and learn instead to step aside, order an iced c

Somewhere between a delayed departure from Gili Air, a harbour full of vultures, and a pleasant blue lagoon, for us Padang Bai stopped being just the place we arrived and became the place we stayed and it is a shame more people don’t.

A tropical paradise with great food and a proper holiday feel, unless you are miserable like me To be honest, I am a little unsure about Gili Air. Coming straight from Sekotong and Senaru, the difference is immediate and unmistakable. From the moment you step off the boat, something has shifted. The close-knit sense of place we had grown used to has gone; the easy Sasak smile and the casual hello have been replaced by downcast eyes and a kind of inwardness. The only people ke