My Healer

When I first arrived in Bali, I wasn’t very well. I was jet-lagged and completely lost my appetite for 5 days after landing so I was taken to a Healer.

My host, Ketut, took me to her Healer. If any if you have seen the film Eat, Love, Pray with Julia Roberts then you’ll understand a little more about what a healer is. Since the release of the film in 2010, it has become more common for tourists to pay a Healer to spend some time with them and have a reading.

In the Balinese community, a Healer is a doctor, therapist, friend and family member all in one. In a nutshell, they are there to nurture your soul, mind, health and body. Each family has their own Healer but the Healer helps a couple of families. A family usually visits their Healer when they are unwell, perhaps a chest infection, aches, pains or even stomach upsets.

Let’s get back to my experience with my Healer. I was sleep deprived, homesick and hadn’t eaten properly in roughly 5 days. I spent hours in my room crying, talking to my family, looking at flights home and I hadn’t been away from home even a week yet! So off I went to Ketut’s Healer.

We reached the Healer’s home which is where he is always visited, (I must admit I expected a local hall or something) and sat to wait my turn. While we were waiting, Ketut speaks to the Healer’s family and I’m taking in my surroundings. I can see over a dozen small birds in separate cages, lizards on the wall, a small child watching TV outside and a cockroach or two by my feet.

When my turn arrives I head up the stairs to where my Healer is sat crossed legged on a small short stool. I sit opposite him and he tells me that I am not well. This is something I was very aware of and felt like laughing at him because that’s the whole reason I went to see him. I respect Ketut and didn’t want to upset her so I carry on,

I am given a coconut and told to drink the coconut water inside. Okay so here’s a fact about me, I hate the taste of coconut. Love the smell but cannot stand the taste, so this for me is my nightmare. I look at Ketut and she gives me an encouraging look. I drink the warm coconut water but have to give it back after a few sips as it was disgusting. My Healer takes a couple of small dainty pink and white flowers and pours the leftover coconut water over the flowers and shakes them in my face. I’m now soaked and wondering how on earth this is going to help me get my appetite back and make me fall asleep.

I didn’t understand the majority of what was said to me. The Healer pushes his three fingers into my mid-chest and I’m told by Ketut to resist it. Now I’m wet and my chest hurts. Ketut translates for a few minutes telling me that I should meditate and listen to my soul and what my body wants.

Another fact about me, I hate feet. They are ugly and I’m just not a fan. Guess what the next part of my healing process entails? My elderly Healer putting his feet ON TOP of my feet and stomping. Yay.

I’m given a red string bracelet and sent on my way. I honestly had no clue why I left my bed.

The Result

This is until the following morning when I realised I had fallen asleep and stayed asleep for 6 whole hours. Two days later I was eating normally again and was mentally happier again,

At first, I only went to the Healer to please Ketut but two days later I was cured of my troubles. Because of my Healer, I stayed on travelling, I got to experience South East Asia and meet some amazing people.

I truly believe that my Healer helped my mental state too. This is because before I went travelling my head was rather negative. I was in a job I really didn’t like because of the people I was working with. I went to the doctors and I was crying before every shift. Something clicked when I left the reading with my Healer. Since then I have been able to truly be myself and do what makes me happy. My family have also noticed this too.

My experience was life changing, not necessarily the best or pleasant process but it worked and I got better both physically and mentally. I now practice yoga at least once a week with meditation and am still relaxed!

If you find yourself in Bali, I recommend you to Pray. To experience a reading from a Healer for yourself and have your own story.

Here’s what else I did in Bali.

Weekends in Bali

Volunteering 4 days a week, we got 3 days off a week to explore the wonderful Island of Bali. In the four weekends I was there I managed to fit a lot in. I must admit that I didn’t do any of this alone as I always went with the other volunteers. Having those people with me just made the experiences even better and some of them I wouldn’t have even done without them!

On our first weekend, we headed to Ubud and Gili Trawangan.

Our second weekend was spent on a sunrise hike of Mount Batur and traditional tattoos.

The third weekend was spent diving in the sea of the North of the Island. I have a few photos here.

The final proper weekend I spent in Bali was spent in Seminyak. We went out and had a few farewell drinks and spent the following day relaxing at a bar on the beach.

We were also taken to a couple of other places in our first week which is what I talk about in this post!

I also had the magical experience of having a reading by our host’s Healer.

There is so so much more I wanted to do in Bali which is why I will go back! I know that this sounds cheesy but I feel a strong connection to this place. I think that this is a combination of that this is the first place I had ever been to on my own that I felt so welcomed and part of the family that I was staying with or that I met and helped so many young local children there. Perhaps it’s because it’s an Island like mine. My mind was right to lead me to Bali as this is the place I can call my second home. I feel safe here and this is where I began to find the real me.

Farm, Fishing and Cooking like a Local Trip – Hoi An

This was an amazing day, I learnt so much about how the local people live. Humbled by how happy they are with what little they have, It makes me grateful for being able to have so much in my life. I took this trip with my friend Jeannie.

The day began by being picked up by two men. Whisked away on the back of motorbikes. We were taken to a traditional fishing village about 15 minutes away from our hostel and definitely away from our fellow backpackers and tourists!

In this traditional fishing village, we were taken to an elderly lady in a bucket boat, we got in and she rowed us into the trees. Shegave us a stick with string and a hook on the end and were told to get crabbing just as the locals do! Crabs hid in the branches, we leered them out with fish guts and caught about 8 in total! While we were fishing, the lady who was with us made us rings, bracelet, earrings and a hat each from leaves. Very impressive and I still have the earrings as a sentimental keepsake.

We then moved to the guide’s home which was in another small village in the middle of nowhere.  A very close-knit village in which all families live in one with houses next to one another. Our guide lived with his wife, daughter and his parents, his uncle in the house behind his and his grandparents were buried in a small cemetery which the houses seemed to revolve around. This really showed me how the local people live there.

At our guides house, we were made very welcome by his mother. She gave us refreshments and a change of clothes so we could go fishing. Our guide’s house had a large garden where he grows his own cucumbers, melon, jackfruit and many more vegetables and fruit. He also keeps chickens which he lives off.

Gosh, fishing was a once in a lifetime experience!

We walked over to the local small river, got in and was given basket-like instruments which had a large hole in the bottom and a smaller hole in the top. With the instructions to push and pull the baskets into the mud, up and down and up and down, after doing so a couple of times to put our hands in and get the fish out. It worked!! I caught 5 fish all by hand!

To finish the day we were given a lesson in the art of Vietnamese food! We were guided on how to make beef stir fry and chicken spring rolls, all of which was delicious!

I would highly recommend this trip to anyone wanting to know about the real people of Vietnam. This is an experience that I know I will never forget! Here is the link to their website, I highly recommend you have a look.  http://hoianimpressivefarm.com/HOI%20AN%20ECO%20FARMING%20TOUR.php

Photos!

 

 

5 Days in Hoi An – Vietnam

Hoi An is a small, well preserved ancient city on the central coast of Vietnam. I felt like I was stepping back in time when I walked through the town, lanterns everywhere, small shops, and lovely locals. This little city is my favourite place in Vietnam.

As there are so many different reasons for falling in love with this little city, I’ll tell you briefly. If you want to know more about them there are separate articles for most of them, with the links in this post.

Jeannie and I went on excursions because we wanted to see as much of this little city as possible in the short time we had there. If we could have stayed more than 4 nights we definitely would have done!

The excursions were:

In the evenings you can easily pass hours by walking through the old town visiting the many little shops. You may have seen the episode on Top Gear where they drive South to North Vietnam and stop off in Hoi An to get some clothes hand-made just for them (if not, then watch it- It’s hilarious!). Hoi An is famous for its very well made tailored-to-you clothing and shoes. I had my own silk PJ’s made just for me whilst here! Two pairs of silk shorts and strappy top PJ’s cost me £35.00 for both, I was not disappointed! Now at home, I wouldn’t usually spend much on PJ’s but these were so comfortable and literally made for me! I still wear them now.

There are lots of little cafes and restaurants, visitors are spoilt for choice! My recommendation is to stick to the local food, you can eat pasta and pizza anywhere in the world.

The ancient tradition of lighting paper lanterns and letting them float away down the river next to the night market is a must do too! This happens every evening as the sun sets.

I hope that once you have read about my experiences of this beautiful old city, you are inspired to add it to your trip. It really is such a beautiful place to see. The locals are incredibly friendly and can’t do any more to make you feel welcome. Hoi An is an ancient city but is bursting with fellow travellers and the odd honeymoon couple.

Backpack or Suitcase?

This is a question almost every traveller asks themselves?

There are a few different factors to consider:

  • The length of time you’re going to be away. If it’s a couple days or a week, you’re not going to need a giant suitcase.
  • What you plan on packing. My choice was to pack light- You will be carrying your own luggage and you want to be able to carry it comfortably. Others may opt to pack more so they have more choice in clothing or shoes.
  • How often you will be travelling from one place to another. If you’re staying in one or two places a suitcase may suit you better, if you’re travelling to a new place every three to four days it may be easier to be able to pick up your backpack and go.
  • What are the different method of transports going to be? If it’s by car hire then you have lots of room but something like a night bus, you are limited to your own small pod for a personal bag, other luggage can be stored under the bus until you get to your destination.
  • How concerned you are about theft. I wasn’t too concerned about it because I didn’t take too many valuable items with me. If you take your Macbook, expensive headphones, and GoPro, you’re going to want to keep them. Backpacks are easy to get into, if someone wants to get into your bag they aren’t going to fuss over a lock, it’s more likely they will slash it with a knife. The safest option is a hard shell suitcase because they aren’t easy to get into.

The short of it is that backpacks are most popular with travellers due to them being so adaptable. You can chuck them on your back and not worry about it. Whereas with a suitcase it’s not ideal if it turns out your hostel is down a 1km walk down a stone road from the train station.

I used an Osprey FarPoint 70L backpack. There are a few reasons which lead it to be ultimately the best backpack for what I wanted.

It has a zip suitcase style opening which means that I can open my backpack and see everything rather than having to get everything out to find something. A comfortable and supportive back. A zip on and off day bag on the front. There are a few hiding places for the few small valuables I did take. The shoulder straps zip away for flights so there’s no risk of them getting broken while being chucked about. This is a men’s backpack but suited me as I am tall (5ft 8).

 

What Made Me Travel “Solo”? (Pros and Cons)

Travelling solo is a big decision to make but for me it was pretty easy.

As much as I am a “people person” I also like my own company. I’m not saying I’m always a blast to hang out with but if I am alone I am okay. I will happily go out for dinner on my own, walks and even on tours solo! If you’re not so comfortable being alone all the time then that’s also absolutely fine, everyone is different you just need to find the right person to stick with.

The only person that I wanted to go with was my boyfriend, unfortunately he doesn’t like the idea of hostels or leaving his great job- which I can understand! There was no one else from my little Island that I thought I could put up with for weeks. I knew that I would rather be on my own than hating the company I had and potentially ruining a friendship from home.

Solo travel has lots and lots of pros and cons, for me there were more pros than cons but this may be different for you.

Pro Solo

  • It’s your choice where to go (from a country, to village, even for dinner)
  • Sticking to your budget is easier
  • You can get up and go to bed whenever you want, you’re on your own schedule
  • You’re not afraid of hurting anyone’s feelings if you do or don’t want to do something
  • Encourages you to get out your comfort zone to talk to and meet new people
  • The little things are enjoyed so much more
  • You can change your mind on anything
  • You learn more about yourself as an individual
  • Experience and find out the real value of “me time”
  • Self confidence will improve so much
  • Only depend on yourself, there is no one to let you down

Con Solo

  • Can get lonely at times
  • Some tours/ day trips have a minimum of two people to be able to take part
  • No one to take photos of you
  • Travel may not be as safe

As mentioned above, for me my cons out-weighed my pros. I knew that I would make new friends each place I went to and if I didn’t feel safe I would g=make an effort with the new people around me and go out with them.

 

My First Night Alone

And when I say alone, I mean completely alone!

The first stop of my solo travels was Bali. What I didn’t find out until I got there was that I was the first volunteer to arrive. The three others were due to arrive the following day. This isn’t something I was prepared for.

So there I was laying in bed, surrounded by mosquito nets, in an empty building which was in the garden of a family I had only met a few hours before, in a strange country miles from home.

That night was a bit of a blur. I remember that all I wanted to do was go home- I was even looking at flights!

Eventually, I must have got some sleep because I was woken up by the host letting me know that the other volunteers would be arriving soon. I had never been so pleased to be around fluent English speaking people.

After that unpleasant first night, I am happy I made myself stay, that I wasn’t too hasty to book a flight home because this was the worst part over.

This was the start of the most amazing time of my life. Where my love for travel began and where some of my heart still is. In Bali.

 

Choosing to Volunteer

As I was travelling solo for the first time I began with volunteer work to ease myself into it. I am so glad that I did!

Deciding to travel alone, especially as a female can be very daunting. Volunteering is an awesome way to meet new people, bond with them and start to get a feel of what your life is going to be like for the next few weeks or months.

I spent so much time researching where to go and what to do. I mean I was giving away my time and actually paying to volunteer. (The majority of voluntary work is not free.)

My mind was drawn to Bali. I don’t know what it was about Bali but it was like my mind just knew it was the perfect place to begin my journey.

Now, what shall I do? What am I good at? Well, I have an English Language A Level, I am a native English speaker, I’m good with kids so teaching English was the perfect suit for me.

After hours of research, I went with the company Plan My Gap Year. Their costs weren’t as expensive as other companies, they had good ratings and feedback. To top it off teaching English in Bali was on their list!

Jumping ahead to when my volunteering in Bali finished, I had planned on solo travel from there but I didn’t feel ready. I contacted Plan My Gap Year again and they helped me organise my next step: I decided to volunteer to care for elephants. They helped me sort everything out from flights to my visa.

I am so happy I made the decision to go to Sri Lanka. I had the best time here and I also met Jeannie, the girl I travelled Vietnam and Cambodia with… You’ll be hearing more about her!

Why Did I Decide To Travel?

Travel. This is such a big decision to make and personally, I think that if you’re umming and erring about it, GO!

The story behind my decision to go is below, I hope it inspires you to just do it!

After working in a job that I hated for six months I decided there’s more to life than going to and from work each day. My thoughts at work soon turned into adventures, seeing different countries, learning about different cultures and experiencing everything possible. There’s got to be more to life than this beautiful little Island I live on. I decided to endure the job until I had enough money to buy a one-way ticket and not come back for a few months.

In March 2016, and after a lot of research, I booked 4 weeks volunteering to teach English in Bali. The first and most scary part done! I was committed to going. I was both petrified and excited at the same time.

 

Diving in Bali
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