Bodyboarding is a super accessible form of surfing and ideal for people who want to get out on the water and start having fun immediately. What’s more, you can pretty much do it anywhere. Bodyboarding is just as fun off the coast of northern Europe as it is in Bali (although some locations are colder than others. You have been warned).
Most travelers have a bucket list. I have been lucky enough to have checked quite a few off my personal list, but one place I have not yet reached is Jakarta. The 13,000 islands of Indonesia are astonishing, and having spent a month in serene Bali, my dreams now turn to city life. Enter Jakarta, the massive capital on Java, the mixes cultural influences from around the world.
image via Flickr by Stenly Lam
Meester Jeem, Meester Jeem. Eat here, Eat here! Each night, the calls from the local restaurants followed us down the street. Wherever we travel, few can pronounce my name, but Jim seems to be universally understood. In post bombing Bali, tourists were scarce and the local businesses were in desperate shape.
In these dark, damp, long nights of winter, my soul longs for the tropics. Warmth, humidity, exotic flowers, fascinating culture, and inexpensive traveling….. oh Bali, how I miss you!!! Here our fantastic cottage in Ubud.
Lately I have been missing Indonesia and SE Asia. I miss the tropical scenery, the food, the laid-back lifestyle, the inexpensive prices, and the vibrant culture. This scene from rural Bali perfectly captures what I am missing. I can’t wait to go back.
I was momentarily blinded as I entered the labyrinth of makeshift booths. The simple relief of stepping out of the blinding sun into the relative cool of the market stalls was temporary as I moved further into the crush of bodies surrounding the overloaded tables.
Under cover in SIem Reap
“Knee deep in the water somewhere, got the blue sky breeze blowing wind through my hair, only worry in the world is the tide going to reach my chair” – Zac Brown Band with Jimmy Buffet
It’s not news to anyone that we love the beach. Not only do we camp there regularly here in the Pacific Northwest, but we’ve made a point of visiting great beaches wherever we travel around the world. This week, in honor of our upcoming vacation to the beaches of Puerto Vallarta, we bring you some of our favorites from near and far.
Ubud, Bali proved to be as magical as we had heard. Our days were spent strolling the back streets in awe of the local culture, eating amazing local cuisine, visiting temples and cultural events such as the Fire Show, and simply sitting on the patio of our gorgeously carved cabana and wondering how we ever got so lucky as to be spending time in this enchanting town.
Ubud Bali is full of enchanting temples where the locals leave their daily sacrifices. We never tired of the peace and tranquility that surrounded them.
We loved Bali; the scenery, the food, the people, the culture, it’s an amazing island. The local artisans are expert carvers, as evidenced by our lodging in Ubud. Off a dusty side alley and through a falling apart door, we came upon a sort of Eden, all at a bargain price! We could have stayed forever.
