A paradise on earth; The Gili Islands (Impressions, boat information and timings and of course, pics to make you run for the door)

When I started my research about Indonesia (yes, I know that you all know by now that I research a lot!) it was when I started hearing about these great three tiny places on earth; the Gili Islands.

A little reachable paradise and it is with this word that I wish to title this post as hardly any other word can define better what this place is; a paradise on earth.

A little enchanting place in Bali; Ubud and my tale of how I got there

I heart so much before arriving to Ubud that I didn’t know what to expect other that it was a little jewel of sophistication in the middle of Bali and that puts Kuta into shame.

Of course, being the person I am, I preferred to wait until I could judge it by myself, I know that in many circumstances words often just don’t make justice for better or worse to places and also, unless you are a travel writer, we let our personalities and feelings get into the way of how we express ourselves and what we say about the places we’ve been.

 

Doing Mount Bromo by yourself has never been so easy

I must confess that I’m guilty (and a bit obsessed, too) of reading endless travel blogs prior my trips. I tend to use them to do research of the places that I want, wish or hope to visit and hopefully to learn something from more experienced travellers which I always do (soon I will create a list of my favourite travel blogs out there and hope to get you as inspired as I am when I read them.)Heck, I hope that mine WILL inspire you first! :)

 As it is the case now, I did my research prior deciding to do Mount Bromo by myself, which I knew I would as I always have this silly thing against taking tours which does, of course, not mean that I do not take one from time to time.

Doing things by yourself in a challenging country like Indonesia, implies a bit of an adventure factor here and there, add to that having lots of patience and not giving in to kill a few locals for their persistence at selling you something and voila, you have designed your own tour!

Indonesia is different! 10 first days filled up with impressions

“Better to see something once that to hear about it thousand times”

You may think you are an expert in Indonesia because you know the facts; one of the most populated countries in the world, mostly Muslim, more than 17.000 islands to keep you entertain for a life time, corrupt government, land of active volcanos, impossible flirty Indonesian men with a bad habit of breaking women westerner hearts…however I would suggest that you forget anything you may think you know and makes you an expert on the matter because unless you have been here and travelled like a local, there is no way you know anything at all about Indonesia.

 I’m saying and writing this when it is now about then days that I’m in Indonesia and I can positively say that I have still everything to see and live however I am now ready to write some impressions because that, it does not take you that long to go experienced.

(UN) Mastering the art of packing

I must advised you that if you have opened this post expecting to find “never disclosed before” tips on how to elaborate the perfect backpack for a long trip, then you better stop reading now and search the tips of those who really know what they’re talking about (meaning everyone else but me)

But if you have ever felt that packing for a “backpacking” trip has brought the worse in you, you have felt full of desperation and wanted to scream and send the trip to that place, then by all means, keep reading because you and I have lots in common and is not satisfaction derived from packing your life in it.