Dali in 16′ – Bali in 18′
Very rarely do you experience something so amazing and powerful that all you want to do is shout it off rooftops in an attempt to share and spread that feeling. The feeling of confidence, freedom, happiness, and love all in one. A feeling you want everyone to be able to experience. A feeling you want to live in for as long as possible, one that you will cherish forever.
The first time I felt that way I was traveling in Dali. This was over a year ago. For a week I stayed at a Shaolin temple up in the mountains to learn kung fu. There was no reception, no traffic, no noise – just temple life. Together with an international group of amazing people, we got up every morning at 5:30 to run to a river where we would pick out a rock that we balanced on our heads as we walked back to the temple. At 7:00 we had breakfast together with all the monks and the Shifu. At 8:30 our training started and didn’t end until 12:00. A bell would go and we knew it was lunchtime. Between 13:00 and 16:00 we had a break. We would walk to the river and find a nice place to relax. We each did what we wanted, some meditated, some swam in the river, others talked and soaked up the sun. After another two hours of training, we had dinner. Each day looked like this and each day seemed more amazing than the previous one. We slept in the most basic of rooms. A mattress on the concrete floor was all you got and it was more than enough. We also each received a bowl and chopsticks that we would use while throughout our stay. We were to abide by all the rules in the temple: bow and greet the Shifu every time you see him, no speaking at the table until after the Shifu spoke, no serving yourself food (only giving to others) and only leaving the table two at a time. There were so many more rules, all equally intriguing. The kung fu training was intense, we were all sore the minute the first training was over and the soreness didn’t go away until a couple days after we left. We were pushed passed limits that we didn’t know we had. Those that didn’t push themselves were not welcome to stay. There was something amazing about living in a temple with such bare minimum conditions in the middle of nowhere. It was rejuvenating. No texting, no calling, no movies. Just you, nature and those you chose to surround yourself with. It’s hard to say how it came about, but it struck me like nothing ever had before. I felt high off life that whole week and long after. Nothing could ruin it, nothing could get in the way. I can only describe it as a feeling of being one with yourself. The memory of it has been deeply ingrained in my heart, one I hold on to. Since that trip, I have often thought back to how I felt then, thinking it was a once in a lifetime thing. When I look back I’m still overwhelmed with gratitude. I was so unbelievably lucky to have felt what I felt.
Little did I know that Bali this past month would do that for me too. I thought it was naive to hope for something fun or even remotely close to my Dali trip. I never thought what happened was possible.
The Bali trip was very different. I didn’t stay at a temple or learn kung fu or anything of the sort. There was almost nothing constant about the trip other than the nature, the Hindu temples, mangosteens and the person I ended up bumming around with. I landed in Bali and instantly had a smile on my face. Why? I’m not sure, but it felt good. The people seemed genuine and nice. As solo travelers do, I checked into my dorm and met people. Now, I didn’t expect to meet people that I would hit it off with right away, but I did. Before I knew it, it didn’t feel like I was traveling alone and when you’re not alone, the traveling changes. You do things you otherwise wouldn’t do. You walk through streets you might otherwise avoid. You end up in temples you didn’t see in the travel guides. My days were filled with Balinese food, breathtaking scenery, temples, nature and good conversations. The day before I left for Yogyakarta to visit Borobudur, we rented a scooter, giving ourselves the freedom to go wherever we wanted. After visiting several temples we ended up at a coffee plantation where we got samples of coffee and tea. We sat, talked and enjoyed everything around us. Our conversations were frank and honest- it was refreshing.
At the plantation there happened to be a large swing overlooking the jungle. For someone afraid of heights, I was a little too excited to try this thing out. However intimidating it looked, I had to try. I was there and probably wouldn’t be back, why not! The guy calmly tells me he fell off a couple times and survived. That sure wasn’t the way to reassure me, but I still did it. All of a sudden I was swinging above a jungle. Every push was a rush of adrenaline. When the swing reached it’s highest point, I could see nothing but jungle. The breaths I took felt like they could last me a lifetime. The wind hitting my face felt invigorating. As I swung back and forth it slowly started to rain. I couldn’t be happier, you couldn’t get the smile off my face. As the rain got more intense, it cooled down quickly and yet I felt like a light was burning inside me. I felt so alive. Being alive felt like the most beautiful thing in that moment and time. For an instant, nothing could go wrong.
I flew to Yogyakarta the next day. I felt a pit in my stomach. Things didn’t feel right anymore. The vibes were different, the people weren’t as warm, the city couldn’t be compared to Ubud – the city and I seemed to be on different wavelengths. Before my trip, I wanted to see Borobudur so badly and now, I didn’t even look forward to it. I walked around trying to still give it a shot, but I couldn’t help mulling over a crazy idea I had had since the moment I got onto the plane to Yogyakarta. “Go back”, I thought, “…that’s insane, that’s completely crazy.” Yet, by 11:30, I had made up my mind. I just had to go back. After what seemed like hours and hours of conversations about amazing moments and people versus places, how could I not go back? Bali and the people there – I wasn’t done. Never in my life had I done something like this. I bought my ticket two hours before the plane’s departure. It was the right decision. Once I landed in Bali, even the airport made me smile. I was back and I was ridiculously happy to be back. The puzzle pieces fell back into place. I met up with the same person I had been hanging out with in Ubud, but this time in Lemukih at a homestay. What better way to start the Chinese New Year than a day of walking barefoot through rice fields and swimming under waterfalls. Every step, every breath felt right. All that nature, I couldn’t get enough of it. There is something magical about Bali, something indescribable. That feeling of being alive…it was back. It was absolutely amazing to not do all that much, yet enjoy every second of every day on that island.
Nothing could beat what I experienced and felt in Dali. Nothing had until Bali happened. Feeling truly and utterly alive, what’s better than that? I was reunited with myself again. I felt more in the moment than I had in what seems like a lifetime. I was happy. When you are in the moment, really in the now, your body resonates on the same wavelength as that feeling. Things feel right and clear when all that energy aligns. I read once that everything in the universe is perfectly orchestrated – well, my orchestra was on point. How did I get so lucky?
We keep going. We come to another checkpoint where there’s a man that has put a ladder up. You have to pay to use the ladder, but we don’t wanna pay. Forget that. There are two guys in the tower where we need to be: Monica just goes all spider man on the tower. Starts climbing against a flat wall. She gets up about a meter and one of the guys sticks out his hand. She’s so badass she doesn’t even need it. She up in the tower, I go next! Okay, we just saved less than 2 euros and made friends, so worth it! We ended up taking a picture with them and talking for a short bit. One of them was a photographer! (Had this huge, massive-ass camera with him!!) 
I keep walking. And walking. And walking. I’m not sure where I’m going, but I don’t mind. Everything around me is so beautiful and serene. I see a man run by. He’s decked out in grey running gear. I hear a little girl’s voice laughing, he stops and turns around. He yells something at her and she runs at him. With his hand he is signalling her to hurry up. She can’t stop laughing. Her hair is all over the place. As she catches up with him, he smiles gently and puts his hand on her shoulder. She sprints ahead. She’s still laughing and he jogs after her. I keep walking in the same general directions. About ten minutes later I see them again approaching an intersection. He clearly yells at her to stop at the end of the street and that’s exactly what she does. She jumps and firmly plants her feet on the white stop line at the end of the street, turns around and gives him a cheeky smile. He smiles and shakes his head. I turn the other way.
I keep walking and unexpectedly see temple after temple until I see the most beautiful temple I’ve ever seen. It’s simple but exquisite. From far it almost looks like someone’s house. I walk up to the front steps and take my shoes off. The wooden stairs are so smooth they almost feel soft. I slide open the front door. There is utter silence. I step in. The mats on the floor are soft and calming.There is nobody inside. I see beautiful scrolls to my left and right. They depict wh
at seems to be a normal life in a little village. In a huge frame to my left there is a painting of dragon. Wow. Down the middle, on the left and on the right there are altars. In front of the altars there are candles that you can light. This temple felt more warm and welcoming than any other temple I’ve visited. Perhaps it’s this feeling which makes this temple outdo all the other ones.
A bit over a year ago I was given a book that ended up influencing my life in ways I never thought a book could. 
It’s funny how life turns out sometimes. As a kid I used to think my life was pretty much perfect, besides the fact that my brothers and I fought sometimes. Then my parents divorced and my world collapsed. Nothing was as I thought it was. 
first time and it was fantastic. The combination of having cold pickled vegetables, bulgogi beef, a fried egg and rice, it’s incredible. We went to a friend’s house warming party, had a
Towards the evening we would head to the sauna. We took a lot of saunas! We would have herbal tea with honey from the mountains, figs, dates and an assortment of nuts between each session. As a kid I would always sit on the floor in the sauna and when my dad poured water on the rocks I’d run out and jump in the ice-cold pool. Not this time. For the first time I really experienced what a sauna should be like and it felt fantastic. The guys also enjoyed some Ukrainian vodka after my dad shoveled snow onto them. 
Travel - Savour - Perspire - Live 