Holidays: BALI

The past month has been a lot less about teaching since it was a month full of exams for the students and a lot more about travelling. Which I'm not complaining about because travelling is one my favourite things about living in Malaysia. One weekend we ventured to KL as it had been 5 whole months since we had seen most of the other volunteers!! This meant lots of catching up was required but it was so nice to see everyone again and be in a big group. We went out to Sunway Pyramid- a huge mall on the outskirts of KL- where I spent too much money shopping and even went ice skating- and I didn't fall over once!!




Most of the girls in KL

Although the students were in exams, on the 16th of May Malaysia celebrated National Teachers day. This meant I got a few cards from my students and everyone was wishing us happy teachers day, which was lovely. Days like this show just how much Malaysian students appreciate their teachers compared to British students.



As part of the teachers day celebrations I was tasked with training all of Form 1 to become a beautiful choir ready to perform for their beloved teachers. This was not an easy task I might add as 150 12 year olds in one room are not the quietest. However after days of rigorous practice and songwriting we had something and they were outstanding on the day. It was so nice to work with them and see them so happy with their performance at the end, especially since it was the first time they had done something like that at the school. I loved working with them, form 1 are just adorable bundles of energy willing to try anything.




Singing practice always ends in a mad selfie

Once exams had finished it was the end of semester 1 and we went off on our semester break to Bali. This has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember and it definitely lived up to my expectations, it was some of the best two weeks of my life. We flew from KL on Sunday the 29th of May to Denpasar, Bali. We were staying in Kuta at Funky Monkey hostel, home to the cutest puppies ever.









We spent one week in Kuta, this is the most touristy part of Bali filled with lots of Australians and travelers. There was such a nice chilled vibe here and we had lots of fun, especially on nights out. Sky Garden is the place to be if you're ever in Kuta!






Squad ready for a night out

While in Kuta we had to try out surfing as it is what Kuta beach is known for. I was particularly scared about this to begin with as the waves looked huge. Once I got going though I was fine and even managed to stand up a few times and ride some waves. I definitely wasn't a natural, and I don't think I'll ever do it again, but I am very glad I gave it a go and can say I have done it now.




Getting our hair braided on Kuta Beach





My favourite day in Kuta was spent at Waterbom: the 3rd best water park in the world and the best in Asia. It was a hilarious, thrilling day spent with the best girls. We had so much fun going down flumes, swimming in the lazy river and chilling in the pools.



The next day we went on a day trip to the south part of the island. Here we went snorkelling and although it wasn't the best visibility we did manage to see lots of cool, colourful fish and even some huge starfish. We then went to Uluwatu temple for sunset. This was extremely beautiful as the temple is set on a cliff side and you can hear the waves crashing beneath you. We then watched some traditional Balinese Kacek dancing. This involved a choir of 70 men chanting as they told the story of a beautiful girl who was kidnapped by a monkey king. It was truly a spectacle and something not to be missed when in Bali.


Sunset at Uluwatu temple








Kecak Dance



After a fun filled week in Kuta we took a 2 hour shuttle bus to Ubud. Ubud had a much more relaxed vibe than Kuta with less time spent going out and more time spent reveling in the culture. Ubud is extremely beautiful and even on our first day there when we're just walking down the street found some beautiful temples, hidden behind Starbucks!





Sarswati Temple, Ubud

One day in Ubud we decided to rent bikes and cycle to the near by rice fields. We didn't really plan this and I was not in the best attire, a dress and sandals and the route was all up hill which, when you haven't ridden a bike in about 6 years, was a struggle. However it was completely worth it for the views surrounding you the whole way and the journey back down hill was delightful!





Views

The best day in Ubud was when we woke up at 6.30am to go on a tour. Our first stop was Tengungan Waterfall. We wanted to get there early to avoid crowds which was well worth the early rise as we were the first there and had the whole waterfall to ourselves. It was bloody freezing getting in the water, especially at 7am, but once you got used it, it became very refreshing. We even swam round behind the waterfall and into the caves beneath. What a fab way to spend a Tuesday morning.








We then took a stop at the nearby coffee plantation. Here we saw how the Balinese make coffee and even got to sample all the different kinds of coffees and teas. Not being a coffee fan I wasn't particularly looking forward to this but some of the coffees were surprisingly nice. I especially liked coconut coffee and chocolate coffee. They even had Luwak coffee on offer which is where a wild Luwak cat eats the coffee beans which then get fermented in its stomach and come out the other end still in tact ready to be turned into a special coffee. I myself did not try this but I did pick up a packet for my parents when I go home haha!



Then we headed to Mount Batur where we swam in the most beautiful natural Hot springs with a magnificent view of the mountain and turquoise lake at the base. This was my favourite part about that day, they were so warm and relaxing and we just chilled in them for hours.

Mount Batur

Mount Batur with the beautiful lake

Finally on our way home we headed to the legendary rice terraces. The view here was spectacular but I definitely would not like to be one of the rice farmers as the tiny little ledges they have to walk along are deadly. While we were waiting for the others some local Indonesian children started waving at us and trying to speak to us, they were so adorable I had to get a photo to remember them.





Cuties

Sadly it was soon time to leave Bali and take the long journey back to Mersing, which involved another sleep on the floor of KL bus station, yay! I had an absolute blast in Bali with the best bunch of people, Indonesia was a beautiful country and the people were so kind and helpful. It's a place I definitely want to return to.

With the best hostel staff- CX Hostel, Kuta




Traditional Balinese blessings

I'm now back at project filling my last two months with lots of exciting projects. I'm so not ready to leave yet but excited to be reunited with all my friends and family!