Backpacking Indonesia

Backpacking Indonesia: Day 001 (14-April-2025)

Escape to the present

Late evening, on the 14th of April 2025, I left Bangalore for yet another solo backpacking trip. I had had a busy week. I was exhausted - Mentally, not physically; saddened by the display of ingratitude among people. Therefore, this break was much needed. I do not deny that how much ever I enjoy traveling and exploring new places and culture, I also like the escape it provides me from the monotonous life back home. Escapism, though not the only reason for which one travels, is however, one of the important reasons and there is nothing wrong in accepting it. I remember my first big solo travel when I was 24 years old. I was leaving back everything I knew and flying to America for a year. I liked the idea of being in a place where nobody knew me and I knew no one. It was a chance to start over again, which I did, prominently. On these backpacking trips, I live a shorter version of that experience.

It was not until I reached Kuala Lumpur airport that the excitement hit me. As I sat in a restaurant, sipping on a cafe latte, taking a bite of my favourite kaya toast, I felt free. Well I know that one can never be absolutely free from thoughts. But what I mean here is that when the present becomes more and more exciting, one frees oneself of the past and the future. So going away from everything you know for a while allows you to experience the present better; as it unfolds.

The last time I had been to South East Asia was in 2020 (Laos). I longed to return here as I feel traveling in these countries is more adventurous and lot more exciting. With only 16 days in hand, I decided on covering Bali and Java islands. When I mentioned my plan to Michael, a young American traveler whom I had met in Jordan last year, he planned to join me for a few days. It is always a pleasure to reunite with travel mates. 

I booked my flight tickets two months in advance. Though Indians have a 'visa on arrival' facility here, it is advised to get an e-visa to avoid waiting. The process is simple. Follow the instructions on their official website and get a tourist visa emailed in few seconds. You will need an image of your passport, a photo and your onward or return journey ticket. A hotel/residence address will also be required. 

I had booked a hostel in Legian - a suburban beach area near Kuta and Seminyak. Apart from that and some suggestions from friends and travellers, I knew nothing about the place I was visiting. That is how I like it -  to discover as I go along. 

I landed in Denpasar airport at around 6:10PM, on a sea side runway. A beautiful cloud formation had covered the island of Bali from above. The water, the clouds and the land was tinted with an orange glow by the setting sun. It was a mesmerising sight.

The immigration process was smooth. The officer asked me what I do for a living  and when I told him that I was a French teacher, he asked me to speak something in the language, as though it were a job interview. The customs procedure was online and super fast, as I had nothing to declare. 

The sequence of stalls in Denpasar airport is well organised. As soon as you pass the customs, you arrive at stalls exchanging money. Though the exchange rate at the airports are terrible, you will need some cash to get to town. You can also use the ATMs available here. I got some dollars exchanged to the local currency. Next, set of stalls sold SIM cards. For 400K IDR, I bought a Telkomsel SIM card. 

Next, I followed the signboard that said - Grab and Gojek. It is recommended to book transport through these apps for a better deal. At the Grab booth, the staff helped me to quickly download the app and set it up with an OTP sent to WhatsApp, instead of messages. Once that was done, I booked my ride. An Innova arrived in 10 minutes. When I had studied the direction from airport to Legian on google maps, I had imagined wide highways, but here I was driving through narrow streets filled with shops on either side of the road as soon as I exited the airport. Bali resembled a small town in my native district of Dakshina Kannada - in terms of vegetation, tiled houses and humid weather. 

My hostel was not very far from the airport. I had picked this place to relax for two days and get to know the country before Michael would arrive. The island Bali hostel where I was to spend two nights is beautiful. Since the owners live there it is more of a residence converted into a hotel/hostel. With a spacious common area, neat swimming pool, beautiful garden and a terrace, this place seemed peaceful. It was off main road, in a much quieter neighbourhood. 

The hostel staff was happy to converse with me and speak about Bollywood films which they often watch. After freshening-up, speaking briefly to a young British traveller who was on a gap year, I took a walk to the beach. The google maps showed a scary-looking, suffocatingly narrow and deserted alley as a walking route to the beach. I double-checked with a security guard of a hotel and he asked me to continue. Bali is filled with such narrow dark alleys. Sometimes, even two-wheelers pass through them. 

The beach was inactive - with nobody around.  So, I headed back to the main street and walked into a bar called Fat Buddha Legian which was playing live music. It was a very lively ambiance out there. Everyone seemed to enjoy the beautiful Rock and Jazz music played there. Thus, I spent the first evening in Indonesia, immersing myself in good music. 

It is strange isn’t it - A few hours ago, I was in Bangalore, consumed by the thoughts about my life and the people I know. And now, here I was, in a distant land, midst strangers, without being pre-occupied with any kind of thought, not worrying of being judged for anything, not identified by anyone, listening to some lovely music and enjoying good food and drink. I speak of such freedom. I seek such solitude. Therefore, I travel!

To Be Continued...