I'm out of the country-thousands of miles away!

It's a new year and I'm in a new country. I was so excited; still some disbelief that I had actually done this. I was in a foreign land, I don't speak the language, and I'm all by myself. I really did it. And for some reason, I wasn't afraid. I guess I have more of an adventurous spirit than I thought. See, I'm learning things about myself too. Something that has remained a constant throughout my travels, is the disbelief of people I meet that can't believe I'm traveling solo. "You're brave" "I could never do that" "What about your family?" These were the questions. And I get it. I got the same thing from people in the US when I was moving so much for work. I mean, I moved 10 times in 12 years for work. You know, climbing the corporate ladder-but for what? That was one of the questions I had when I decided I was tired of working 80 hours a week and the constant hustle. I made so many sacrifices, but why? I was so focused I never even took the time to get married- how can I have a husband when I'm making budgets and spreadsheets my best friend? Covid forced me to stay home. While that was hard- I live alone, it also forced me to really think about things. That's when I decided I wanted to focus on doing what I WANT to do, not what I was SUPPOSED TO do. I know that will be different for everyone, but I'm single and I have no children (by choice) so my only focus is on me and what's best for me. But back to Bali...

I'm in Bali, and funny story. I secured an Airbnb for a month. With the currency conversion, it was extremely affordable. That made me very happy—I'm off to a good start! The owner had researched me before I arrived, and when I got there, he was showing me around and told me he looked up my LinkedIn profile and saw that we went to the same college—small world, right? Turns out we were even there at the same time...a little alarmed. Stalker vibes, but in hindsight, I probably should have researched him and his Airbnb a little too. You live and learn. But we had several conversations over the course of the month, and he's a really cool guy. So if anyone is going down there for an extended period, I would be happy to share the info. Another plus is that since he lived in the States for years, he speaks perfect English. He was always willing to help too. Plus, his rental has AC and a kitchen, what more do you need? There was a laundry 1/2 block away and it cost under $4 a week to wash, dry, and press my clothes. With lodging squared away, I just needed to explore. Which is what I did. I used this place as a base and took the ferry to other islands for day trips. I also hired a private driver that worked as my driver, tour guide and photographer. It helped that he knew the correct posed and took video and stills. Plus he took me other places besides just the tourist spots. His wife is also a manicurist, so I got my hands and feet done too!

Bali is a beautiful island, and the people were very helpful and friendly. However, I don't think this is my spot. To visit, absolutely, but to retire, I just didn't feel the pull. I didn't feel like it could be my forever home. So off to Malaysia- Adventure awaits!