We began our stay with my friend Ravi who has a pretty amazing apartment in the heart of KL and a driver (Razmi!) who offered to take us around
AC is EVERYWHERE
I have not seen one mosquito or ant. I worry my newfound love of spiders and lizards (the pests that actually eat the mosquitos and ants) may quickly disappear
Still … what. a. place. A few of the KL highlights:
Petronas Towers
Crazy foods (how big is that watermelon?? and that cinnamon!)
Nearby historical colonial town of Malacca / Melaka
Batu Caves
Islamic Art Museum
August 10 – August 14 – Shah Alam
I left Ravi’s very wonderful company to visit the family of my friend Arif!
Aside from dealing with the onset of a cold (I think all this travel is finally catching up with me!), my stay was immensely wonderful. Arif’s family is incredibly kind and generous! They took me around to see more of Malaysia (Shah Alam, Putrajaya, One City). A few highlights in pictures below (sorry I forgot to take as many this time!):
Tonight I will be heading back to Orlando for my cousins’ B’nai Mitzvah! After I will be off to Japan, then Shanghai (officially booked!), then Ko Lanta in Thailand (also officially booked!!!!).
Well, our time in Bali is about to end. Tis bittersweet …
I am excited to explore more of Asia, but I learned a lot about myself in Bali and I will always be grateful, particularly to the community in Ubud, for incubating the changes in myself I’ve experienced over my 2+ months here.
In the spirit of reflection, here are some ways I’ve really grown since coming to Bali:
I will never have a life without balance again. I know I’ve said this before, but now I truly understand what not having balance can cost you. I sleep a full night every night (most days not even setting an alarm). I exercise regularly. I eat because I am hungry (not because I am stressed). And, speaking of stress, I’ve learned to control it rather than letting it control me
I will continue to travel. Honestly, I was a bit nervous to travel across the globe, but, guess what everyone?, traveling is not so hard. AND it really opens your mind to how big and diverse our planet is (and even how similar we all are). You can find a community anywhere. Don’t wait (seriously DO NOT WAIT). Travel while you’re young. You’ll make mistakes, you’ll sometimes spend too much, you’ll not always be comfortable, but you will grow. I guarantee it.
I am an introvert. I know I seem extroverted and am often times yeah-yeah’d every time I say otherwise, but this is who I am. And, you know what? I am okay with that. No! More than okay with it. I get my energy from time spent with myself and I cannot build a life without this space.
I want to learn how to code. And I will. I am planning to cut my travels short in winter and go to a developer bootcamp (I’ll apply to a couple and see what sticks). I don’t want to always be advising or helping someone work towards their vision. I want to build. I want to serve my own passions. I’ll learn how to code to do this.
I’ll stop apologizing, asking permission, and saying what I don’t exactly mean. It’s time I stopped being the scared little girl trying to fit in with the big bad boys. I am going to learn how to be confident in my own abilities and project this in my behavior. I think business school may be a way for me to work on this more, but I certainly plan to try to develop these habits on my own.
Thank you everyone who has supported my move to Bali! Next we are off to Malaysia (where I’ll be staying with Ravi and Arif’s family — Wahoo!!!! SO excited!!).
Now for the images from our last week in Bali ….
Amazing dragonfruit (get it, cut it, scoop it, go to fruit heaven):
My one true love, crepes, and the magical restaurant in Bali that made them for me (with only a dash of judgement!):
Final Galungan parade:
The newest in internet cafes:
A hip new restaurant owned and run by a single man (Restaurant Abels):
AND, hands-down, the BEST RESTAURANT IN BALI (Locavore — seriously at the same level as Lazy Bear in San Francisco — this place had innovative, stylish, surprising courses for half the price of any place in NYC or SF at the same level. A seven course tasting menu amounted to literally more than 15 actual courses —- best are NOT pictured below unfortunately, because I ate them too quickly. Reserve a month in advance):
Well — we’re off. Will let y’all know how Malaysia is!
