What Bali teaches you in five minutes: let go or suffer!

I had planned everything, organized everything, and on day one my scooter broke down halfway to the Tegallalang rice terraces. Result: I walked forty minutes in blazing sun, Yuuki clinging to my bag like his life depended on it. And you know what? That moment set the tone for the whole trip. In Bali in summer, the heat is dense, almost tangible, and you have to learn to slow down from day one, whether you want to or not. When I finally reached the bamboo walkways, the smell of damp earth mixed with offering flowers lifted my spirits.

The second big shock caught me off guard too. At the Ubud market, I was looking for a simple wicker basket, and Yuuki decided to move in before I'd even finished haggling. The vendor laughed so hard she gave me an unbeatable price. I'm telling you, traveling with a cat has its perks. What I understood that morning: arriving early at the market, before nine, changes everything. The colors are more vivid, the air is still cool, and the vendors are in a much better mood. The sound of nearby temple bells mingles with the voices, and together they create something strangely soothing.

My real revelation came much later, one evening at Uluwatu. I'd come for the sunset over the temple, like everyone else, and then the Kecak dancers began. Honestly, I didn't expect to be so moved by something I'd seen a hundred times in photos. The fire, the voices, the orange light on the cliffs... Yuuki was staring at the flames without blinking, which made me vaguely nervous. I ended the evening with satay bought from a roadside stall, sitting on the ground, and it was without a doubt the best meal of the trip!