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Trip of a Lifetime

June - July 2023
Bali, Australia and New Zealand 2023 Read more
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  • TravelerTrip of a Lifetime
    Day 1

    Travel Day 1: Chicago -> Istanbul

    June 10, 2023 in the United States ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F

    Today is the day! We spent the morning finishing up packing and getting everything labeled (in case we lose something!) and ready to go. Uncle John showed up early and we were soon all loaded up in his car heading to O’Hare. At the airport, we got checked in and through security easily and found our gate. We were all TSA pre-approved which helped! O’Hare was busy and big. We grabbed dinner before our first flight to Istanbul. We are so excited for this trip but are not looking forward to the next 3ish days of travel.Read more

  • TravelerTrip of a Lifetime
    Day 2

    Travel Day 2: Istanbul-> Bali

    June 11, 2023 in Turkey ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    We landed in Istanbul after getting some sleep on the flight, even though it was very warm and we were a little squished. Our next flight wasn’t for 10 hours so we wandered around the airport, got some food, read our books, took naps, and played games. Anything we could think of to kill the time. I think we walked around the entire Istanbul airport. We did end up finding a “nap zone”, which had more comfortable lounger chairs. We chilled there until our gate number was finally posted and we were able to head there.

    We made it into our gate, behind a whole separate wall! We were then ready to board and brave another 10ish hours in order to get to Denpasar. So close!    Read more

  • TravelerTrip of a Lifetime
    Day 3

    Made it to Bali + Emily, James and Heidi

    June 12, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ 🌬 84 °F

    WE ARE IN BALI! We made it through customs and immigration without much issue, and then headed out of the airport. There were SO MANY people waiting for people from the airport. We walked through all of these people until we found our driver. Mom’s dream finally came true of someone waiting at the airport with a sign with her name on it!

    Our driver took us to the AirBnB in Uluwatu where Emily (who had been in Bali two weeks already), James and Heidi (who arrived yesterday) had food delivered from a noodle and dumpling place and were outside waiting for us! We ate, got a quick tour of the place (4 bedrooms and a swimming pool) and are now off to sleep and to adjust to a completely different time zone 13 hours ahead of Wisconsin!    Read more

  • TravelerTrip of a Lifetime
    Day 4

    Uluwatu-> Nusa Penida

    June 13, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

    Today we had an early wake-up call - we had to be ready to go by 7:00am (although our driver showed up at 6:35, so we ended up rushing!). We said goodbye to Leanne and her mom, and loaded 6 people and all of our luggage into a not so big vehicle. We somehow managed to get everything to fit and were off! It was about a 45 minute drive to Sanur. We arrived around 7:50 - and the docks were packed!! SO many people everywhere! Thankfully our driver guided us through the crowd to the correct boat company that we had reserved.

    We paid for our tickets, and then had to put bag tags on our luggage to mark the right boat. We then were off to the actual dock. We followed the crowd and were directed to our boat! We handed our luggage off and then boarded the boat ourselves. We all fit in one row. We enjoyed the breeze coming in from the front and cruised 45-50 minutes to Nusa Penida (a small island off the southwest side of Bali)!

    Once we arrived we got off the boat and collected all of our luggage. We google mapped it to our AirBnB and took off walking. It was about a 20 minute walk. One of Mom’s luggage wheels broke, so we ended up having to carry it, but we eventually made it! Once we arrived we realized we had ended up coming into the wrong port. We were on the 8:30 boat rather than the 8:00 boat which took us to a slightly different port. Had we been at the correct port it would have only been a 3 minute walk….

    We got settled into our rooms (3 separate rooms with a shared kitchen area and another pool right on the north coast), and then after talking with the host, we booked a tour of the west side of the island for the afternoon! We quickly grabbed lunch across the street, and then met our driver just after noon.

    Our first stop of the day was Kelingking Beach - wow the views were incredible! There were MANY people, but the color of the water and the rocks (that look like a T-Rex) were stunning to see. We took some beautiful pictures and then were off to the next stops: Angel Billabong and Broken Beach.

    Angel Billabong is an area with massive waves crashing up onto the rocks creating beautiful small pools. The broken beach included a neat arch that we got to see and walk across. While exploring Broken Beach we also got to see a sea turtle swimming! We were trying to guess how big he was based on how far away we were and still seeing it quite clearly!

    Then we headed to our last stop: Crystal Bay. Here we were able to go swimming! After a long, hot day the water felt so, so good. We all swam and relaxed on the beach. Then we headed back to our car with Gede. Gede was such a great driver! We were lucky to have him as our driver all day. To top it off, he drove us to a place on the beach for dinner so we could watch the end of the sunset.

    Finally we made it home at the end of a long, full day, and are all exhausted! We all showered, settled in more and are ready for a good nights sleep. Tomorrow’s adventure: snorkeling!    Read more

  • TravelerTrip of a Lifetime
    Day 5

    Snorkeling!

    June 14, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 81 °F

    Today we had the opportunity to go snorkeling! We woke up and had breakfast at 7:30am. Our breakfast was cooked by our host, and then our driver, Gede again, picked us up just after 8:00 to head to snorkeling!

    It was about a 20 minute drive, and then we had to walk to the snorkeling check-in counter. We quickly checked in, and then were each given a wristband with our company’s name. We were sized for flippers, and then given a safety briefing before heading to the boat. We boarded the boat with about ten other people, and then were off!

    It was about a 10 minute boat ride to our first snorkel location: Manta Point. We put on our masks, snorkels, fins, and life jackets and were in the water! Unfortunately we didn’t see any mantas, but we did see some cool fish and coral! Heidi, sadly, got pretty intense motion sickness at this location due to the waves, and sat out the rest of snorkeling, but was feeling better by the end.

    Our next stop to snorkel was Gamet Point. Again we saw some beautiful fish and coral. Here we even saw a big school of fish swimming together! Next we headed to Crystal Bay, and enjoyed more snorkeling. Our last stop for snorkeling was Wall point (really a very steep incline that continued into the water). We were amazed at all the fish and coral that we could see.

    From there, we were back in the boat heading back to our starting point. We got off the boat and then rinsed off the salt water. We then met Gede and headed back to our AirBnB. We changed and then headed across the street for some lunch. We enjoyed some food before heading back to our Airbnb to relax for the afternoon and do some planning for the rest of our trip!

    We booked a handful of things to do in Ubud (our next stop) and to finish out our time here in Nusa Penida. Dad’s eye was not looking good, and he was resting most of the afternoon. When Dad woke up we all walked about 15 minutes down the road to the “apotek” or pharmacy to get dad some eye drops. He was able to get some antibiotics, and we are all hoping it is a magical Balinese eye drop that will cure him quickly!

    We ended our evening with dinner at Mae Mae with live music, and then played Euchre (Emily had never played!).    Read more

  • TravelerTrip of a Lifetime
    Day 6

    East Penida

    June 15, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

    Today was a favorite! We started off with breakfast at our Airbnb - again it was simple but delicious. Then our driver and guide, Gede, met us and we were off!

    Our first stop of the day was Diamond Beach and Atuh Beach on the Indian Ocean. We paid admissions and then were stunned by the beautiful views. Dad was not excited about the steep cliffs on either side of us…. but braved it initially. We began a STEEP descent down some stairs, and about 15 steps down, Dad turned around and returned to the top with Gede. The rest of us continued down to the bottom. We had to use ropes and some big steps to get to the bottom. The sand at the bottom was amazing and this became our favorite beach yet, the views and color of the water were breathtaking.

    After enjoying the beach and water on the way up Mom did the Bali swing over the water! She even got to wear a beautiful dress! We then finished our ascent back up. There were many more people coming down as we were headed up and it got quite congested! We made it to the top and reunited with Dad and Gede. Then we headed down the other side to Atuh beach. These stairs were not along a cliff wall, and Dad did much better going down! We enjoyed a refreshing swim in the ocean. It was absolutely beautiful, with a window cliff in front of us. We swam for a while and then headed back up. The stairs up were hot! We met Gede and were very excited for some AC in the car :) We stopped for some lunch and enjoyed delicious milkshakes!

    We then got back in the car and headed to our next stop: Goa Giri Putri Temple. We arrived, rented sarongs and then headed in. This temple is inside a cave! You have to enter through a small hole (that they claim anybody can fit through!). Once inside it is a massive cave that you can stand up in. Gede told us that many people from Bali come to this temple for ceremony.

    Then we headed to our last stop: an ATM… because we needed more cash! We then made it back to our AirBnB and relaxed by the pool and played Euchre for the afternoon. We went to a restaurant just down the beach from us called Kul-De-Sac Beach Bar and enjoyed cocktails and dinner while watching the sunset. We ended the evening playing the Crew!    Read more

  • TravelerTrip of a Lifetime
    Day 7

    To Ubud + Mom and Dad’s 33rd Anniversary

    June 16, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    Today was a travel day as well as Mom and Dad’s 33rd wedding anniversary! We woke up this morning in beautiful Nusa Penida and enjoyed a delicious breakfast at our AirBnB. We were talking to our host, and she mentioned the potential of an earlier boat back to Sanur at 1:00pm, rather than us having to wait until 4:30 which was our current round trip ticket.

    We wanted to check out a beach in town called Kutampi as well, so James, Heidi, Mom, Maddy, and Emily walked into town. James, Heidi, and Maddy stayed at the beach and swam for awhile, while Mom and Emily walked down to the port. They were able to go to the Idola Boat desk and switch to the earlier boat!

    We swam for a little while at our AirBnB before heading across the street for lunch, We enjoyed a quick lunch and then met our taxi down to the port. The taxi couldn’t fit all six of us, so we had to take two trips with our luggage, but that was ok because it was only a 5 minute drive.

    We boarded our boat a little late, and then were headed towards Sanur! We made one stop to pick up some more people, and then began the 45 minute fast boat ride. The ride was incredibly hot, but we all made it feeling pretty well, and then met our driver at the port. After about an hour and a half drive we were at our AirBnB in Ubud!

    Our AirBnB here is beautiful! We have an outdoor kitchen and pool with three bedrooms with their own bath. We chatted with our host briefly, she gave us recommendations for dinner. We made reservations for 7:30pm, and then mom and dad headed to a mart to pick up snacks/drinks for happy hour. We enjoyed drinks and snacks by the pool while we chatted and planned the rest of our time in Ubud. Maddy, James, Heidi, and Emily played the Mind, and we won! We then all got ready and headed out to dinner.

    We had dinner at the Copper Restaurant on the rooftop. It was a fancier place with delicious food. It was their seafood night special, so Dad enjoyed lobster, Maddy had shrimp, and Heidi had squid. Mom and Emily enjoyed steak, and James had pork ribs. It was a great time celebrating Mom and Dad’s anniversary!

    We then walked the short walk back to our AirBnB and headed to bed. Excited for our first full day in Ubud tomorrow!    Read more

  • TravelerTrip of a Lifetime
    Day 8

    Bali, Bintang and Boom Boom

    June 17, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    Today we got up, had an hour and a half drive to the gorgeous Bali Telaga Waju River where we went whitewater rafting. Per Dad, if we do nothing else on this entire trip, it will still have been worth it. It was sooooo much fun! We split up into two groups: Emily, James, and Maddy in one raft with a guide, and Mom and Dad in another raft with two guides. (Heidi was having a spa day back in Ubud). We were told to yell Boom Boom every time we were about to hit a big rock, log, or river wall. Mom and Dad were pretty sure their guides were running them into these intentionally because they liked hearing us yell Boom Boom all the time. There were many beautiful waterfalls that our guides were not able to avoid so we had several good showers. The whole trip was about 17 kilometers. We had a couple breaks throughout where we refreshed ourselves with some Bintang, Bali’s most popular beer. We also switched up our groups to boys and girls.

    At the end of the river trip we were served a delicious buffet lunch, the highlight of which was the shrimp chips (and more Bintang!)

    We had a miscommunication with our driver on the way back and instead of heading straight home we visited a coffee plantation and sampled a number of different coffees and teas (most of us only partook of the teas, we still don’t drink coffee): )

    We finally made it home and caught up with Heidi. We all went out shopping, except for Dad who recuperated from the Boom Boom and Bintang. The visit to the local market was overwhelming with the myriad of stalls and items for sale. Some clothes and pictures were purchased. We finished the night having dinner at the Semujaen, which means “Delicious Atmosphere.” We are now heading to bed early for our early early rise tomorrow to climb Mount Batur.    Read more

  • TravelerTrip of a Lifetime
    Day 9

    Mt Batur, hot springs, coffee & massages

    June 18, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 63 °F

    We had a very early (2:30 a.m.) pickup time from our driver and we were off to Mt. Batur. We were each given a head lamp and a walking stick and were assigned Charlie and Coleman as our guides. Emily wasn’t feeling well (we think she has sun poisoning) so after climbing about a half hour, Emily and Mom decided to ride on the back of motorbikes up the mountain. They still had to climb the last half hour, which was the most difficult, but got there before the rest of us. Maddy, James, and Heidi climbed fairly quickly and left Dad with Charlie as they took their time going up. Charlie was patient and Dad says he wouldn’t have made it without him. At the top, Charlie managed to find all 3 of our groups so that we could sit together. There were probably 500 people waiting at the top of the mountain and it was dark, so that was quite an accomplishment. Charlie then made us breakfast of warm banana sandwiches, boiled eggs, and oranges. The sunrise was amazing. When it came up, we could see that we were above the clouds. Charlie also took us to the very top where you could see steam coming out. Mt. Batur is still an active volcano. After taking pictures, we headed back down, which was not as easy as we had hoped. With the loose rocks, it was very easy to lose your footing so we needed to go slowly.

    We finally made it to the bottom where we thanked Charlie for his support (we’re not sure where Coleman ended up) and met our driver and headed to the hot springs to soak our sore muscles. After the hot springs, we stopped at a another coffee plantation and tried a sampler of 14 different coffees and teas. Heidi even tried the special coffee that is made from a coffee bean that has been pooped out of a mongoose. It was very dark and very strong, but Heidi liked it.

    After the plantation, we finally headed back to our villa to relax. After resting for awhile, Dad and Mom got their first massages, a 1 hour Balinese massage, and Emily got a post sunburn treatment before dinner. After dinner, we were very tired, so got to bed early.    Read more

  • TravelerTrip of a Lifetime
    Day 10

    All Around Ubud

    June 19, 2023 in Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 86 °F

    Today was a much more relaxing start than yesterday! We were able to sleep in a little later and had a slow start. James and Heidi were up and ready to go so they headed out to a coffee shop while Mom, Dad, Maddy, and Emily slept in. Once everyone was up we headed out to breakfast at a place with crepes! They were delicious and then we headed to our first stop of the day: Monkey Forest! Emily still wasn’t feeling 100%, so Mom and Emily got Grab scooters to go to Monkey Forest, while Maddy, James, Heidi, and Dad walked. We saw SO many monkeys, and even got a selfie with a monkey!

    From Monkey Forest we headed to Tegalalong Rice Terraces - or so we thought. Our grab ended up dropping us off at Uma Ceking - another rice Terrace in the Tegalalong Area. We first grabbed some lunch and then explored the rice terraces. We had a lot of fun with the different levels, and Maddy got to do a Bali Swing in a beautiful pink dress!

    We got a Grab back to our Villa, and Emily still wasn’t feeling well, so Emily and Mom headed to a doctor, while James and Maddy did a Campuhan Ridge Walk, and Heidi and Dad chilled. The Doctor gave Emily some cream antibiotics on her hands and feet and prescribed anti nausea and anti inflammatory meds. He wants to run some tests to see if it’s an infection and we will know tomorrow. James and Maddy enjoyed their hike!

    We all met up down at the markets, and enjoyed some gelato before dinner. During dinner we got to see some beautiful Balinese dances! We headed back to our Villa to wrap up the evening and get ready to head to our new locations tomorrow: James and Heidi - northern Bali, Mom, Dad, Emily, and Maddy: Seminyak.    Read more

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