After 3 weeks in Bali… it would’ve shaken all the things we take into consideration our way of life, work, and the place we wish to stay.
For a little bit of context, we left our residence in Bulgaria round mid-January as a result of we had been bored with the chilly.
I imply, Bulgaria will not be chilly in any respect in comparison with our residence nation of Canada… however there was a stretch of chilly climate so we thought perhaps we’d change issues up a bit.
So we determined final minute to guide a visit to Asia. We hadn’t been East since COVID… and we had been actually craving one thing completely different.
We booked our flights lower than 2 weeks earlier than flying out. We needed to pack up our home, get in some final minute appointments, make amends for some work and we had been off.
However what occurred on this journey and the times main as much as it actually shocked us.
From the minute we hit “guide” on these flights… there was a welling inside us. A sense that we didn’t count on in any respect.
A sense that perhaps we forgot. And a sense which may culminate in us altering our total lives, environment, and enterprise within the subsequent few months.
Bali specifically appears to have some type of energy over us.
They are saying that this island is an “vitality middle”, and whereas I don’t know if that’s true… it does all the time appear to ship ripples by means of our lives after we go there.
Earlier than I get into that although, I wish to share with you a bit of bit in regards to the travels we did main as much as Bali.
It’s been a very long time since us Goats have come on the weblog simply to share a journey replace.
So let’s begin with a superb outdated vogue “journey weblog publish”. You realize? Like again within the day?
The Purpose For The Journey
Earlier than we get into the journey, why did we even go?
It began as a result of a few of our greatest associates, Vivien & Aaron (who we met whereas we had been pet sitting within the Caribbean) had been getting married in Australia.
At first it was simply going to be a fast 2 week journey over to Aus for the marriage and festivities, then again to Bulgaria.
However as anybody who’s been to Australia is aware of… it’s not shut. So we figured… why not make a visit out of it.
That 2 week wedding ceremony journey shortly became 3 months+ as we saved including new nations and locations to the itinerary.
We determined we’d fly into Hanoi first as a result of there was a terrific flight from Bulgaria to Hanoi.
Then we’d go to Taiwan as a result of it’s a brand new nation for us and solely a brief flight from Hanoi.
Then Bali to go to a few of our different greatest associates, Tom & Anna… then onwards to Aus for the marriage.
And since you possibly can’t go all the best way down beneath and NOT go to New Zealand… we added that on too (plus New Zealand has a few of the greatest fly fishing on the planet… so that you higher imagine half our baggage is filled with my fishing gear).
And that’s when the journey went from being simply in regards to the wedding ceremony… to one thing fully completely different.
It was about shifting gears. Stepping away from our acquainted rhythm in Bulgaria and making an attempt out the digital nomad life once more.
Leaving Bulgaria
We’ve beloved our time in Bulgaria. To us, the nation is simply coming into what we name “The Goldilocks Zone”.
There isn’t a lot tourism that the magical locations are ruined, and but there may be sufficient that there’s a good quantity of facilities and worldwide range.
There are nice eating places, each native and overseas, there’s a rising neighborhood of expats, there are stunning locations which are but to be found, and a few up-and-coming hotspots which are simply beginning to get on the vacationers maps.
I really like the mountains, the character, and the unimaginable delicacies, which is a mix of Balkan, Mediterranean and Center Jap.
We have now nice Bulgarian associates and there may be incredible wine and fly fishing.
We additionally adore it’s location. Proper on the fringe of Europe, Africa, and The Center East, it’s surrounded by a few of our favourite nations (like Greece and Turkey) in addition to some we haven’t spent a lot time in but like Romania and Serbia.
Plus it’s the proper gateway to the remainder of Europe.
In reality, it’s the situation that’s saved us right here for thus lengthy.
Up to now 3 years that we’ve lived there, we’ve finished loads of journeys.
In actuality, we solely actually spend 6-8 months a 12 months in Bulgaria.
The remainder of the time we’ve been touring round Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean, or again to Canada.
However that’s principally been it. And people nations and areas are so “straightforward”.
They’re stunning. They’re inspiring. They’ve the historical past, the meals, the pleasant folks, the pure magnificence.
However they don’t have that one factor that we’ve realized was lacking from our lives since COVID.
Tradition shock.
That feeling of being barely uncomfortable, barely disoriented… the place the language sounds completely different, the rhythms of each day life don’t fairly match what you’re used to, and even easy issues power you to be current once more.
It’s the type of expertise that wakes you up – not simply as a traveler, however as an individual… reminding you that there are locations that simply transfer to a distinct beat.
So after we hit “guide” on these flights to Hanoi, Vietnam… we had this new surge of vitality.
I used to be virtually gitty about getting again to Asia.
It felt like we had been again in 2008 about to embark on our first ever journey.
I assume as a result of it had been so lengthy, I simply felt like this was going to be a completely new sort of journey for us – although we’ve spent over 5 years whole touring and residing round Asia.
We yearned for the sound of Asian languages, the hum of motorbikes on the road, the style of overseas spices and fruits, the sensation of sitting on plastic chairs with a chilly bottle of beer in hand, folks watching on the busy streets.
That is what Asia is all about. We had been lastly going again. Lastly going to the place all our travels started. Our nomadic “residence”.
Touchdown in Hanoi
We landed in Hanoi after a 24 hour whole flight day. It was solely speculated to be a 12 hour flight from Sofia, however after we landed in Istanbul at 1am for our deliberate 1.5 hour layover… we bought some information.
Our subsequent lag was delayed for five hours!
There was nothing we might do however sit within the lounge for the following six and a half hours and attempt to get some sleep.
We did handle to get some sleep, and really although the journey ended up taking rather a lot longer than anticipated, after we landed in Hanoi we had been instantly charged with a brand new vitality.
We arrived at night time (which we all the time attempt to do to keep away from jet lag) and so we checked into our Airbnb and went proper to sleep.
The following morning we awoke early feeling refreshed and prepared to take a look at the town.
Stepping out of our condominium constructing and onto the road, I couldn’t shake my goofy smile.
I used to be grinning ear to ear as we pushed by means of a sea of motorbikes to cross the street.
I used to be smiling as we bought our first vietnamese espresso and after we sat on our child-sized plastic stools to eat some mysterious and scrumptious road meals.
And I used to be beaming after we bought misplaced down a tiny alley for the primary time and watched because the locals sat behind tiny metallic tables, slicing contemporary fish and arranging piles of herbs and greens for the afternoon rush.
It simply felt prefer it was all the things I had been ready for for the previous couple of weeks since we booked the flights.
Have you ever ever gone someplace, finished one thing, or felt a second hit you the place you out of the blue thought… why has it taken me this lengthy to do that once more?
That was us in Vietnam. What took us so lengthy to get again to Asia?
What took us so lengthy to make it to Northern Vietnam?
We really travelled to Vietnam on our very first journey. Again in 2008. It was our second nation on the journey.
However shortly after arriving in Vietnam, Dariece bought Dengue (or another unusual illness) that rendered her bed-ridden for 10 days with a loopy excessive fever and no option to maintain in fluids.
That delayed our journey, which meant we solely made it as far north as Hue earlier than our visa ran out. We all the time stated we’d return, nevertheless it took us 18 years to do it!
In reality, 18 years virtually to the day. We seemed again at Dariece’s journal entries from that 2008 journey (sure one way or the other she nonetheless has them) and we realized that we left Vietnam 18 years in the past on virtually the very same day as we had been touchdown in 2026.
Loopy how the universe has these methods of drawing us again to locations and the timing at which these issues appear to occur.
Typically it feels fairly serendipitous.
Halong Bay
Except for wandering round Hanoi, consuming unimaginable meals, and assembly cool folks, we knew we needed to go to Halong Bay whereas we had been in Vietnam.
This bay is a pure marvel of the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Web site. It’s well-known for its limestone karsts jutting out from emerald-green waters, creating one of the surreal seascapes in Southeast Asia.
Cruises, yachts, and “junk boats” all ferry vacationers across the islands and cease for snorkeling, sundown gazing, and squid fishing.
We’ve by no means really finished a cruise collectively, so we thought this may be a superb time to splash out.
We booked a luxurious cruise in a wonderful suite that had a king sized mattress, a deck overlooking the ocean, and an enormous lavatory with a free-standing tub tub.
It was pretty! It wasn’t low-cost, particularly for Vientam, however not one of the nicer Halong Bay cruise boats actually are.
We paid $250 for the night time together with transport to and from Hanoi, all meals and excursions, kayaking, and so forth.
You may guide the identical one Right here on GetYourGuide.
The journey was wonderful.
Whereas we had suffered by means of a few of the coldest days on current file in Hanoi (5°C / 41°F) and loads of cloudy days and rain… as quickly as we bought to the boat the sky parted and 20°C / 60°F turned the each day highs.
We spent a whole lot of time simply chilling in our room on the deck searching on the view.
However after we peeled ourself away from there, we’d go as much as the highest ranges for scrumptious meals that had been served by onboard cooks, or we’d be out on a kayaking journey or doing morning Tai Chi on the highest deck of the ship.
I undoubtedly would suggest that ship we went with, or a minimum of visiting Halong Bay in the event you’re ever in Vietnam.
We had heard that there was a bunch of trash within the water that actually took away from the expertise, however our ship really spent a whole lot of time in Lan Ha Bay.
I’m unsure if that bay is cleaner, or we simply bought fortunate with currents, however we didn’t see any rubbish in addition to one or two rogue plastic baggage floating by within the water.
Heading to Taiwan
After every week in Vietnam, consuming incredible meals, exploring the town, consuming at rooftop bars, listening to stay music and cruising Halong Bay, we had been off to Taipei.
We’ve been wanting to go to Taipei for years. And it was thrilling to lastly get to go.
Once we landed it marked my 82nd nation and Dariece’s 83rd (she visited Dominican Republic with a girlfriend earlier than we bought collectively… I’ll catch up sooner or later).
I’ve to say… had been had been each blown away by Taiwan.
Having lived in China for a 12 months as English Lecturers again in 2012-2013, we’ve all the time beloved Chinese language language, tradition and … meals.
Oh my god the meals.
Once we attempt to describe Chinese language meals to our family and friends who’ve by no means visited China, we all the time have to elucidate that Chinese language meals is nothing just like the Americanized deep-fried cantonese fusion dishes that we get within the west.
It’s not all chow mein, candy and bitter pork, ginger beef, spring rolls and fortune cookies.
Though apart from the American invention of the latter, the opposite issues may be present in variations in numerous components of China… the actual delicacies is a lot extra numerous and refined.
If you wish to style layers of daring flavors that mild up your pallet, then you must attempt actual, genuine Chinese language meals.
After all, as a result of Taiwan has such an extended historical past with China and Japan, there may be an unimaginable assembly level of those two world class cuisines that makes for one of the unimaginable meals locations on the planet.
Fusion consolation dishes like Taiwanese beef noodle soup (牛肉麵) are the star, however you’ll additionally discover road meals legends like xiao lengthy bao (小籠包 – broth-filled soup dumplings), gua bao (割包 – Taiwanese pork stomach burger), Taiwanese popcorn hen (鹽酥雞), and scallion pancakes (蔥油餅), together with some extra uncommon native favourites like oyster omelette (蚵仔煎).
There are additionally loads of homey classics like lu rou fan (滷肉飯 — braised minced pork on rice) and three cup hen (三杯雞 – soy-glazed hen historically cooked in a clay pot).
I truthfully suppose I had the perfect meal of my life in Taiwan, or a minimum of among the best.
It was at this little gap within the wall restaurant identified for it’s “award-winning beef noodle soup” and I ordered 3 dishes that blew me away.
The meat noodle soup, the bottom pork wontons in a soy sesame glaze, and the congealed geese blood (I do know it sounds bizarre) had been phenomenal.
In the event you’re in Taipei, don’t miss that restaurant.
Except for hanging out in and round Taipei, we needed to see a bit extra of Taiwan so we booked a day journey on GetYourGuide that may take us to Shifen, Jiufen, and Yehliu.
The locations had been incredible, however the tour itself was completely horrible.
Usually we love GetYourGuide excursions however this one we undoubtedly don’t suggest.
We thought it was going to be a small guided group tour. Once we arrived it was an enormous bus of fifty folks with just one information.
You realize a lot of these excursions. The persist with the teddy bear on the top, the microphone, the entire bit.
The information spoke English your complete time, and although we’ve lived in China for a 12 months, so are accustomed to the accent, it was unattainable to know 99% of what was stated.
On high of that, he didn’t give us ANY info. He simply repeated the identical issues time and again about 10 occasions earlier than every cease.
He would merely repeat the time we had been arriving, after we would go away, the place the bus can be, and the place the bogs had been. Time and again. For an hour earlier than each cease.
It was so unhealthy it was comical.
I’ll hyperlink the tour so that you don’t make the identical mistake we did:
https://www.getyourguide.com/taipei-city-l190/yehliu-jiufen-shifen-guided-tour-from-taipei-t496437
However like I stated, the stops had been stunning.
The gorgeous Shifen Waterfall surrounded by jungle clad hills, the city of Shifen with it’s Hanoi-like practice road and Chinese language lanterns, the mountainside outdated city of Juifen, and the beatiful rock formations of Yehliu.
I might undoubtedly suggest checking this out on any journey to Taiwan, however simply not on the above tour.
Taking public transport, a personal driver, and even one other GetYourGuide tour can be a significantly better choice.
We actually needed to make it all the way down to Taroko Nationwide Park as nicely however we simply didn’t really feel like we had time, plus a few of the trails stay closed after a current main earthquake.
South To Uluwatu, Bali
Each time we return to Bali we do it with a bit of little bit of apprehension. Have our favourite spots been overdeveloped? How has this little island modified since our final go to?
And each time we we return, we’re slapped within the face with contradicting emotions.
On one hand, we see the overdevelopment.
We see the site visitors getting worse.
We see them reducing down as soon as lush jungles that had been residence to elephants and tigers, or paving as soon as vibrant inexperienced rice terraces with spas, gyms, cafes, and villas.
Bali is such a magical place, even at present. However it’s flame is slowly being snuffed by overtourism, overdevelopment and a scarcity of regulation.
That is what we noticed as we drove south from the airport in the direction of Uluwatu. A 9 kilometer drive took us an astonishing 2 hours and quarter-hour because of the insanely dense site visitors.
However as we neared Uluwatu, a cliffside surfer city, the site visitors thinned and we began to see the appeal of the place.
I might say Uluwatu is nearing the top of it’s goldilocks part.
Simply a few years in the past this city was an up-and-comer. A quieter oasis miles from the chaos of Changuu, Bali’s most up-to-date tourism casualty.
However now Uluwatu, or ‘Ulu’ as its typically known as, is in full swing.
Each mile of shoreline has new villas, strip malls, eating places, and spas being constructed. You may’t go anyplace within the city with out listening to the deafening roar of development.
And but, when dodge site visitors and stroll alongside the sidewalkless streets, you possibly can nonetheless see the great thing about this place.
It has all the things you want. Bars, eating places, well being, wellness, magnificence… it’s trendy Bali life at it’s best.
And whereas it might solely have a few years left, presently it’s most likely the perfect place in South Bali to go to.
As digital nomads, what struck us about Uluwatu was the approach to life for folks like us.
Our associates, Tom and Anna simply purchased a shocking villa there, so had been had been thrilled the get to stick with them for a couple of nights.
Their location was down a quiet again road, and whereas there was nonetheless development, it was removed from the site visitors of the primary middle of Uluwatu referred to as Bingin.
Their villa was stunning, however what we had been actually impressed by was the approach to life there.
Morning coffees and coworking adopted by spas, chilly plunges, saunas, the fitness center, a therapeutic massage, a bit extra work, sundown drinks after which dinner at one of many many scrumptious eating places on the town.
It was wonderful. There was neighborhood, inspiration, well being, magnificence, the ocean… all the things that somebody must be completely happy.
And it actually bought us fascinated by why we went into this life within the first place.
Sure we love Bulgaria, and we love our life there too.
We particularly love our home – a big two story home on the foothills of the mountains with a pleasant automobile, a giant again yard, and loads of good mountain climbing and fishing close by.
However what it doesn’t have is the neighborhood. It doesn’t have the ammeneties. We are able to’t simply go to a spa / fitness center with 3 completely different temperatures of chilly plunge, a well being resaurant, and a sauna.
We are able to’t be a part of morning yoga lessons on the ocean or do breathwork retreats surrounded by rice paddies.
On high of that, the Balinese folks reminded us how nice hospitality could make you’re feeling welcome and even brighten your day typically.
The Balinese folks, regardless of the apparent destructive impacts tourism has had on the island, nonetheless deal with us like honoured visitors.
They exit of the best way to assist us. They all the time greet us with a smile, and so they’re genuinely concerned about the place we’re from, what we’re doing, why we’re in Bali and all the time… the place we’re going subsequent.
Bulgarian individuals are a few of the coolest folks I’ve met. Our associates, our neighbours, the folks we all know there, they’re simply actually nice folks… when you get to know them.
However the service business in Bulgaria remains to be rising and there are many occasions you’ll get actually poor service while you’re out for dinner or lunch, and it’s not customary to greet folks with a smile there, which may come off as “grumpy” to some guests.
We undoubtedly know higher, nevertheless it was nonetheless wonderful to really feel the real kindness from strangers in Bali who would simply wave at us as we walked by, or cease and discuss to us for no cause.
This stuff all added as much as make us actually take into consideration spending extra time exterior of Bulgaria within the coming years.
We don’t wish to transfer away from Bulgaria, we nonetheless adore it there, however we wish to stay extra of a digital nomad life.
One the place we go to Bali for a couple of months yearly, and perhaps we spend a while in numerous components of Asia like Vietnam and Thailand.
We beloved working from cafes, assembly up with different entrepreneurs, going for massages and simply residing the nomad life that’s actually solely accessible at that stage in Asia.
Our 5 Evening Staycation in Bali
As a substitute of staying within the busy South of Bali your complete time, we needed to stand up north the place we had been hoping to nonetheless catch a few of Bali’s magic… and we had been blown away.
Going north introduced us proper again to 2009, the primary time we ever visited Bali, and we had been so completely happy to see that the island has retained some pockets of its former glory.
Ubud
The primary cease was Ubud. The placement of the Indonesia a part of Eat Pray Love (we watched that film once more from our villa there).
A LOT has modified in Ubud since that film was shot, and since we visited a couple of years previous to its launch.
The middle of the village is now bumper to bumper site visitors, honking horns, car fumes, and zooming motorbikes snaking their means by means of the vehicles and enormous vehicles.
However we did discover a few good again streets that also had some Ubud vitality to them, though between the warungs had been numerous ramen, smashed avocado cafes, matcha outlets, and present shops.
All of the issues that us vacationers apparently have to have anyplace we go.
However what actually blew us away about Ubud was the place we stayed. About 10 minutes north of the town by bike, our non-public pool villa was set on the sting of the rice paddies.
Owned by a neighborhood Balinese man who grew up in Ubud after which constructed the villa after spending 10 years working in accommodations within the USA, this place was most likely one of many nicest Airbnbs we’ve ever stayed at in our lives.
An ideal mix of Balinese structure, trendy touches, and nature, it was so stunning that we didn’t wish to depart.
The infinity pool seemed over the rice paddies, there was a kingsized mattress, a full kitchen, and an open air lavatory with a free standing tub, an enormous mirror, and a bathe that seemed prefer it was popping out of a jungle wall.
However what made it so particular was the view. As a result of it didn’t simply overlook one rice discipline, like so many Ubud villas – it seemed out over an vista of rice paddies and palm bushes.
As a result of the proprietor of the villa additionally owned the land in entrance of it, the view of the rice terraces was expansive.
There was islands of jungle, then extra rice, then some palm bushes, then additional off extra rice, and Mount Agung within the distance.
It actually felt just like the Ubud we remembered. So we spent most of our time there, and little time on the town, apart from visiting with our associates Jen & Stevo for lunch, who we taught English with in China a few years in the past.
Stepping Again in Time in Sideman
After Ubud, we headed to Sideman. This place is known for its rice terraces. Whereas Ubud is slowly filling its rice fields with cement to construct villas and accommodations, Sideman is what Ubud was 20 years in the past.
The each day life right here nonetheless revolves round farming.
There are after all villas and accommodations popping up in all places and sure, even right here the sound of chainsaws, hammers, and metallic grinders is tough to disregard… nevertheless it’s virtually silenced by the great thing about the world.
I can’t even clarify this place and the movies and pictures actually don’t do it justice.
It’s so serenely stunning that each time we seemed out of the window of our 2 stage “barn” condominium, it felt like somebody had turned on an Ai picture of the panorama.
It simply didn’t look actual.
Mount Agung loomed darkish beneath a blanket of clouds, whereas a winding river spilled from its foothills, carving by means of the deep valley under.
On both facet of the speeding river, emerald hills rolled into the space – damaged solely by the occasional palm or banana tree standing beside tiny bamboo-thatched farmer huts.
We spent hours strolling by means of the rice fields which, due to the season of our go to, had been really planted with marigolds, corn, and peanuts between harvests.
It was absolute bliss. Strolling by means of the uninterrupted fields of inexperienced we got hope once more that a few of Bali’s magic has remained unchanged.
Sideman was like a time machine, transporting us proper again to our backpacking days almost 20 years in the past when the Island of Bali was extra jungle and rice terraces than it was strip malls and seaside golf equipment.
Once more we had been speaking about what it could be wish to spend extra time right here. Possibly spending a couple of months in Uluwatu however taking extra of those “staycations” to Ubud, Sideman, the deep jungle oasis of Munduk or the coastal calm of Candidassa.
Bali actually does nonetheless have all of it in so some ways.
The place can we go from right here?
Geographically, after Bali we proceed this 3 month journey in Australia after which New Zealand, however past the map, this journey has left us with some greater life questions we’re nonetheless making an attempt to reply.
Will we wish to maintain residing in Bulgaria for 6-8 months per 12 months, or can we wish to get again right into a extra digitally nomadic way of life.
Many of the members of our Distant Goats Neighborhood are constructing their companies in order that they will turn into digital nomads. That’s the final word purpose for thus many.
Have we been squandering it by residing in a single place so lengthy?
Although we’re over 40 now, there’s nonetheless a draw for that way of life. It’s all the time so exhilarating spending a couple of weeks or a couple of months in a spot, after which shifting on.
Attending to know a spot. Having a bunch of associates. Being in an entrepreneurial sizzling spot. These are all issues that we type of miss residing in Bulgaria.
Possibly we’re not totally able to pack up and transfer but, however what I do know is that this journey, and Bali specifically has planted a seed.
One thing is rising inside us and I feel the Goats is likely to be again on the street once more quickly.
We truthfully aren’t certain but… however what we do know is that this journey has been unimaginable up to now, and we’re excited to see what the following few weeks has in retailer.
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