Bali: Uluwatu & Legian

After spending three hot and humid days in Ubud, I was aching for some beach time. My friends and I decided that our next stop in Bali would be Uluwatu, a very relaxed town on the southern shore of the island. It was not a very large tourist area, which was actually a problem in the sense that it was pretty difficult to find an ATM anywhere. Nevertheless, Uluwatu was extremely beautiful. The beach that we visited the first day was tucked under an enormous cliff formation, which provided for a gorgeous view but an asthma-attack inducing climb up (and down) about 500 rocky steps. The beach itself was accompanied by a large coral reef set out in the water just enough to create a perfect little wave-less pool to wade in. My friends and I passed time staying cool in the water until the tide began to rise and there was hardly any beach left to stand on.

The next day we decided to visit a beach further away, which required renting motorbikes. Since there were only four of us girls and one boy, Derek picked us up and dropped us off one at a time at the top of the stairs that led down to the beach. After hopping off Derek’s shuttle service, I followed the signs that lead to the beach and began to climb down stairs that cut through a cliff. Suddenly I noticed a repetitive drum beat, and it grew louder as I descended down the stairs. As I rounded a corner of the cliff, what I saw before me was truly spectacular. I happened to walk right into the middle of a Hindu ceremony; hundreds of people dressed in white faced an elaborate gold altar, a band played their drums and chanted along to the beat, and animals such as goats and chickens were tied up, sure to be presented as offerings to their deities. The sight stopped me in my tracks. I did not see any other tourists and had no idea what step to take next; to continue on to the beach required me to walk through this ceremony. I felt rude and out of place, but the native Balinese people waved me on and I hurried as fast as I could past them. This was undoubtedly my favorite moment out of the week, and I will likely never experience something quite like that ever again.

After Uluwatu we moved on to Legian and had our first accommodation with air conditioning! Legian is highly populated with tourists, and it reminded me of Ubud if Ubud was a beach town. Even still, Legian lacked the rich culture that Ubud had. Let’s say that Legian was not my favorite Bali town.

After ten days of high temperatures and low prices, it was time to return to the low temperatures and high prices of Melbourne. Bali is a one of a kind place and I will never forget my time spent there.

Bali: Ubud

Unlike Loyola, Monash University gives its students an entire week for studying before final exams as opposed to one measly day. Since none of us would actually study that far in advance anyway, we decided to spend the allotted week in Bali, Indonesia. Perhaps we were not hitting the books during that time, but it was still a learning experience.

Our first Bali destination was Ubud, an inland village with an abundance of culture and a lack of air conditioning. From our first day in Ubud, we could tell that we would be very sweaty and smelly for the duration of the trip. But once I was able to look past my physical discomfort, I was able to absorb all that Ubud had to offer: street vendors, the huge village market, rice fields, the monkey forest (filled with thieves disguised as adorable little primates) and beautiful temples. Possibly one of my favorite moments in Bali was when my two friends and I discovered a gorgeous temple tucked behind a Starbucks (yes, a Starbucks in Bali!). This particular temple was intricate to a breathtaking degree if one is not expecting to find it. Its symmetry was designated by the pathway that lead straight down the middle; on either side were lily pad-infested waters, yellow-green and dotted with pink flowers. At the end of the path was the entrance, where about ten steps lead up to a flamboyant red and gold-plated door. The door was covered in both swirling floral designs and hard geometrical lines, the combination of which might remind one of early Italian Renaissance art. To the left, right and above the door were stone figures with large eyes and ferocious teeth, which are clearly figures of Hindu worship. The entrance continued to wind up into a pyramid-like shape, and both sides of the entrance sprawled outwards to create a sort of patio. The fact that such a beautiful structure could exist behind an American coffee shop reflects the merging of Eastern and Western cultures.

Ubud was unlike any place I had ever been before. Its beauty and uniqueness is something that I will always remember, and I hope that some day I may return to experience it all over again. 

Faerie Land

On our last full day of spring break in Cairns, Queensland, we were to take what was described on the itinerary as a “rainforest walk.” As I had moderately injured my foot several days prior, I was slightly concerned that I would have difficulty maneuvering this activity. As it would be revealed, it was less of a rainforest walk and more of a slippery-rock-river crawl.

The “walk” was actually on a concrete path at a minor incline for about ten minutes; this was not the difficult part. As we marched onward, the view around us became increasingly scenic. A river appeared to the right and began to unwind itself before us as our path climbed higher and the river remained at its original elevation. Before long the blemished surface of the opposite cliff had grown lush and verdant. At the end of our walk awaited a picturesque surprise: a cascading waterfall and accompanying still water pool. The only problem was getting to the spot.

We first had to climb down off of the walkway, down the side of the cliff, and leave our belongings on dry rocks. Then the most difficult part (at least for me, as my center of gravity was off) was climbing over hundreds of feet of slippery, mossy rocks. The action required to do so was a hybrid of crawling, leaping and swimming, and it did not do much for my foot. Finally my crippled self reached the serene area of the waterfall. A friend of mine described the place as “faerie land,” which were the most accurate pair of words one could use. It felt like a scene out of a fantasy film. The water was crisp and clean, and unfamiliar trees stretched as high as the eye could see. Heaps of people were gathered on the rocks and in the water, and I imagined that this would have been a more popular spot in the days before technology restricted us to the indoors. Though it was a struggle getting to and from the waterfall, it was positively worth it. 

The Not So Great Barrier Reef

If my mother could visit any place on the planet, she would choose and always has chosen the Great Barrier Reef. I feel guilty for stealing her dream, but I reached the Reef before she had a chance to. Hopefully some day she will forgive me.

It is hard for me to admit, however, that the GBR was somewhat of a disappointment. It is no longer the magnificent wonder that it was back when my parents were planning their honeymoon; of course it is still beautiful, but climate change has killed much of the aquatic life forms. Unfortunately the reef has lost large amounts of its color and richness, and I could tell with my own eyes.

The declining state of the reef was not the only upsetting factor of the day’s experience; the two-hour trip by boat to our reef spot of choice was unsettling to my stomach. The ocean and my stomach had much in common this day, as they both reeled and swayed. But when I was able to look past my nausea, some pretty wonderful things were right before me including clear blue water, endless coral and exotic fishes. It was bizarre to be out so far in the ocean, saddening to see one of the world’s wonders dying before my eyes, and humbling to see such an awesome natural structure up close. 

I was sure to tell my mother that she wasn’t missing much (almost entirely truthful) and bring her back some pieces of washed up coral. Both actions appeased her just enough. 

Tonka Trucks and Dingoes on a Sand Dune; or, Fraser Island

Australia is home to some of the most beautiful places on Earth, and I was lucky enough to visit several of these on my spring break tour up the coast from Brisbane to Cairns. The most beautiful of these sites, in my opinion, would have to be Fraser Island. Made entirely of sand, Fraser is the largest island off the eastern coast of Australia. Its unique structure lends to its fame; Fraser Island is the Katy Perry of Australian getaways.

To navigate the island requires transport by ferry and a vehicle equipped to function on sand.  The rest of the tour and I boarded three large black trucks of the strangest appearance; a friend of mine described them as “Tonka trucks.” We cruised up the shore of the island like tanks heading into war, but our destination was quite the opposite.

After turning inland away from the shore, we encountered a bumpy ride through a rainforest. Our amazing Tonka trucks navigated narrow paths, tree roots and ditches. Finally we arrived at Lake McKenzie, the most serene and surreal place I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. Since Fraser Island is essentially the world’s largest sand dune, Lake McKenzie’s water is crystal clear. Dingoes run rampant on the island, and it wasn’t before long that I saw a rusty-colored pair of pointed ears stick out past some trees. Those ears eventually found their way into a beachcomber’s bag and pulled out a sandwich, which caused quite a stir.

I don’t consider myself to be a beach person, but I loved Fraser Island intensely. I couldn’t imagine any type of person who would not enjoy the island, and if there were such a person I would never care to meet them.

Lake McKenzie

Driving Along the Beach

The Legacy of the Late Great Crocodile Hunter and Other Australian Staples

As someone whose childhood found its home in the 1990’s and early years of the new millennium, I spent a great deal of time learning about wildlife from the late Steve Irwin. The Crocodile Hunter was my first connection to Australian culture, and his pure enthusiasm (and ridiculous uniform) had a lasting impression on me. So when I found out that my spring break tour included a stop at the Australia Zoo (founded by Mr. Irwin), my inner child’s heart soared.

One of the first things I noticed about the zoo was just how strong Steve’s presence still is even though he has passed away. His picture and name are plastered all around the zoo, and I couldn’t help but be saddened by this. His family still works at the zoo, and the thought that they still have to see his face everyday made me think that it must be very hard for them.

Speaking of his family, I was lucky enough to see Terri, Bindi and Robert perform and feed crocodiles, and it was quite the thrilling experience. They ran out to pumped up rock and roll with the help of a fog machine; it might have seemed juvenile to others but my friends and I were ecstatic.

Next came the koalas and kangaroos. My friends and I jumped at he opportunity to take a souvenir photo holding a koala. I handed over the twenty dollars it cost to take the photo as if it were a five-cent napkin. I had been looking forward to holding a koala since I chose to study abroad in Australia. Though only about eight people were in line ahead of me, I could not wait. When the zookeeper finally placed the animal into my arms, I was surprised in two ways: by how heavy the little thing was and by how incredibly not soft he was. Still, my obnoxious smile in the resulting photo was entirely genuine.

Another surprise came in the form of the lacking security around the kangaroo section. You simply buy kangaroo food out of a vending machine (yes, a vending machine) and walk up to the kangaroos lounging around their field. There are no fences and no zookeepers watching over them. At first I was taken aback, but considering the fact that kangaroos are such commonplace animals to Australians the setup makes more sense.

We only spent about two and a half hours at the zoo, but this was plenty of time to check off a few items on a typical Australian must-do list.

Beautiful Brisbane

I suppose that it is atypical for one to have spent less than 24 hours total at their favorite travel destination, but this is true for me. Although I was only in Brisbane for such a short stay, the city exceeded my expectations. We arrived in the afternoon and would leave the next morning to start our spring break tour, so I had not anticipated gaining much from the city. Later that night while we were walking around, an overwhelming feeling that I was home swept over me. It reminded me of New York City in the late spring, only cleaner and slightly more relaxed; a crowd gathered around a street artist as he created impossibly striking pieces from spray paint, happy people conversed over drinks at an outdoor bar, and the music of Cat Stevens played through city speakers. In this moment, I couldn’t help but repeat to myself, “I love this city.”

We spent the few hours we had of sunlight at a man-made beach on the edge of the river; it reminded me of the lazy river part of a water park. After dinner we sat at the edge of the river and watched a magnificent light show that utilized the river as a sort of canvas. I was sad to leave Brisbane in the morning, for I could tell that it was the sort of city I could gain so much from. I wanted to squeeze all of the life out of the city and absorb everything I could, but my time limit did not permit for such a pleasure. Hopefully at some point in my life I will be able to return and gain all that I can from Brisbane.