It's the last leg of our multi-country trip and despite it being as dirty as parts of Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), as crowded as parts of Chiang Mai (Thailand) and as hot as Singapore I immediately felt at home the moment I started talking to the first smiling local.
We're staying in Legian, which is near the (in)famous Kuta beach a place I never thought I'd spend time. It has the reputation of being full of drunk, disrespectful Australians. But Brad wanted to stay somewhere he could run easily. And since I got to visit my beloved Ubud last time, it seemed only fair that he got to pick the location this time.
He's also a water baby; he adores the ocean.
So I figured I could put my preconceived ideas aside and stay in Legian. And after spending almost two weeks doing and moving and doing and travelling I think it will be nice to just cruise around the beach streets and do... not much at all.
Right now I'm being a total hypocrite and drinking two cocktails back-to-back. Why? Well, the restaurants all seem to sell two cocktails for the price of one and Brad doesn't really like drinking much at all. (It gets in the way of his running).
So this is a Strawberry Daiquiri (that I drank quickly because it was frozen and rapidly melting in this heat).
And this is a Passionfruit Daiquiri (that I'm a third of the way through as I type this) and... I already feel very tipsy because I rarely drink more than an occasional glass of red wine at home.
I fear I will become one of the drunk Australians I so despise. At least I turn into a puddle of loving hugs when I'm drunk (and not a beligerant asshole).
So, Bali.
Last stop on the way home.
One of the handful of places around the world that has truly felt like a home for me.
A land where I feel my nervous system relax, like it's finally letting out a big breath it's been holding onto for much too long.
My body's reaction tells me I need to come back here more often. So, I best make some more money, 'ey?
{All photos taken by me on my wonderful, long-living Google Pixel 2XL phone.}