My worlds are converging in Bali. I was scootering by in the beach town of Canggu a few days ago, stupidly helmetless and wearing my colorful shortie jumpsuit frock when I hear my name being low-screeched from my left on the street. I slowed down and heard it again. I turn around to see my friend John from NYC cackling on the street.
We stopped and had a juice together before heading back to his villa in Canggu, a growing mecca for digital nomad types or vacationers wanting to avoid the insanity of Kuta, Seminyak, and Legian.
I invited my friend Jay over, and it turns out that he met one of John’s friends in Singapore just a few weeks earlier. Too many coincidences or perhaps we all just travel in small circles. The world is not so small as we may be small-minded in our habits and communities, a function of our privilege and proclivities. Tech entrepreneurs from NYC or SF (well, John is so much more than that, obviously, special fragile petunia that he is) paired with semi-ambitious Asian women…that is one paradigm.
My stay in Bali has been amazing as usual. I started out in Canggu, one of the beach areas close to Kuta and Seminyak but a bit to the north.
The vibe of the people, the beauty of the rice fields and surroundings, the amazing furniture – it feels like one home.
One of my hotels in the rice fields near Canggu, KTS Villa, welcomed me into their family. I went to sleep with the sounds of frogs chirping in the fields around me and woke up to the staff all warmly greeting me. According to one TripAdvisor review, they cried when leaving, and I can understand why. It is one of the most beautiful and phenomenal places I have ever stayed, especially for $29/night.
You walk in through the lush green property across the restaurant through the spa and pool. I walked up some winding steps to my room, with a small temple shrine ahead of me. Here’s a room view – I was groggy after my long itinerary.
My 4 nights at KTS were followed by a night at the Kirana eating everything in the mini-bar and watching TV close to the beach. I ventured out for a gorgeous sunset at Old Man’s surf spot and for the occasional surf lesson, walk, and yoga sesh.
Also met up for lunch with some friends I made at my program in Jeju, Korea:
The juxtaposition of my life in Canggu – here’s what my Friday night looked like (minus the almost-Tinder meetup to play guitar and flute with a digital nomad):
What can I say? Life is good.