Kyoto as it should be

2 years ago, when I visited Japan in a nutshell, I promised myself that I would go back when the cherry trees were in full bloom, and coincidentally for the 8^th of April, which is my namesake day. And that’s what I did. I planned 10 days of trip, taking advantage of the Easter weekend – the only 4-day weekend the Brits have, with a full week in Kyoto, and I filled it with… well at first, I filled it with nothing. I had no plan, apart from going back to the Utano Youth Hostel. I planned so lightly that, up until the middle of the trip, there was one Saturday night I didn’t know where to sleep (but that’s a story for later).

So I arrived on Saturday morning in KIX and in Utano by 3 PM, an hour too early to check in. So I left my suitcase, and went back to see an old friend: Ninna-ji, one of many World Cultural Heritage Sites in Kyoto. And the picture I had taken 2 years ago, that only showed a bud now showed a blooming beautiful flower. I was so happy! My timing was perfect!

Except that the weather didn’t last... 

For the next 4 days, it kept raining, with wind to finish the rain’s work of destroying the flowers. But that’s ok, because when you travel a lot, you learn to make the most out of every situation, even the wettest ones.

So on Sunday, I started the real visit of Kyoto, focusing on all the wonderful things that I hadn’t had time to see the first time. At this minute, I should mention that I bought the Book “7 paths to the heart of the City” by Diane Durston. It gave me a rough idea of what I should do, even though I knew I wouldn’t exactly stick to it. I still recommend it though, it is a beautiful book.

I started with Shinbashi, in the very early hours of Sunday, where the streets are empty apart from newly wed taking pictures in traditional costumes.

After admiring the canal and the flowers resisting the rain, I continued forward to Gion, and that's how I discovered all those posters about "light-up" events in several temples during the Cherry Blossom season. These were completely in Japanese, so not very accessible to a Gaijin, but using the small amount of Kana I know, I could tell the dates and time where these were taking place. You will see later on that, thanks to that, my trip took a turn for the better. So my advice is, even though you can't read Japanese, keep an eye on posters on walls on the street with pretty pictures of temples and cherry blossoms illuminated together, you are in for a wonderful surprise.

Continuing on to Gion, I have to say, to be honest, the daytime is not as exciting as the nightlife.

Then I walked to Kiyomizu-dera, which I had already admired my first time around, but I really wanted to see the difference with the cherry blossoms. To be fair, Kiyomizu-dera would be impressive in any kind of weather, so the cherry blossoms didn't change much, apart maybe for the amount of people touring around it.

After coming back to the hostel, I met a German girl for whom it was the first time in Kyoto, and together we took the bus #10 to Kawaramachi Marutamachi. So we walked the same path I took in the morning, but this time at dusk. Shinbashi by night is very impressive, making you feel intimate with the atmosphere of the Tea Houses.

Then we went to the "light up" in the Shorenin temple, and it was our first view of how the Japanese see the Cherry blossom and how they add to its original beauty in a way only Japan can handle. Soft music, changes of light, highlights on the cherry trees, everything seemed to be in harmony.

On Monday, following one of the "paths" from the book, I took bus 10 from the Hostel to Kitano Tenmangu Shrine, allowing me to discover a nice temple in the quiet hours of the morning.

If you follow the side road from this temple, you can apparently find a whole neighbourhood full of traditional artisan shops, but I preferred to walk on Imadegawa St toward the bus 46 stop on Senbon St, in order to go North to Kamigamojinja, the Shrine for the God of Thunder.

Note: Even if the bus stops right in front of the temple entrance, I suggest you go back to cross the bridge, because, given the Northern location of the temple, you can see the moutains surrounding Kyoto in the horizon, and with the cherry blossom, it is a grand view.

After admiring the garden full of cherry trees, I continued East toward Shake-machi, a street following a canal, with traditional houses along the way.

It is not well known, so it's nice and quiet, but there is a sacred tree and the house of Nishimura, the famous Shinto priest to check out. 

Since I had time, I decided to pay a visit to the Imperial Palace, and it was a lucky draw, because it turned out the entrance was free just for 2 days, for people to admire the Ikebana. I won't put pictures of the Ikebana, because it would spoil the fun of discovering the work of these artists. But the famous cherry trees still held on tightly to their last flowers, so even without the Ikebana, it was well worth it.

Since I had to take bus 59 to go back to the hostel, I decided to stop by Kinkakuji, that I hadn't planned on seeing, because my first time was really good, with the sun and everything. But still, it is always a great sight for tired eyes. 

After resting a few hours at the Hostel, just before dusk, I went back to Gion, admiring the theatre by night.

I walked up to Yasaka Shrine and Maruyama koen, which also had a "light up" by night, and once again, the cherry trees were the stars of the show.

I continued to stroll to Kodai-ji, which offered a fantastic "light and sound" 

And of course, I could not have stopped my walk there, I had to see Kiyomizu dera by night, and of course I was not disappointed.

On Tuesday, I had to change hostel, because, for some reason, on the 7th and 8th of April, the Utano hostel was full.
Before I left the neighborhood, I took the bus 10 to Myoshinji (even though it is definitely doable by foot) and was able to admire Taizo-in and its weeping cherry trees.

Then, after taking back my suitcase from the hostel, I took the bus 26 to Kyoto Eki to change to an Airbnb south of the station, in a much more urban neighborhood, but close to the station (obviously) and to Toji. Right next to it, the river has cherry trees bordering the path along. Very cool.

Just before dusk, I walked to Toji to see, once again (you must have guessed by now) the "light up" by night.

And once again, I was not disappointed. All the cherry trees were spectacularly lit, and Toji being itself impressive, let's just say it was a photographer's paradise.

On Wednesday, I decided to walk the Philosopher's path, but considering the weather, it was more for a nice stroll than to see the cherry blossoms, as most of the petals were on the ground.

At the end of the path, I followed the crowd to Nanzen-ji, crossing paths with youngster for High School graduation. Nanzen-ji is very impressive in a non show off way. It has wooden temples, but also brick arches that make for great pictures.

I continued my walk to Heian, and the sun decided to make an appearance, enabling me to take nice pictures of flowery trees reflecting on the lake. A definite must see, that I failed to recognize the first time...

Following Kamogawa and Takase-gawa, I had lunch in one of the traditional restaurants hugging the river bank, then moved on to go down the canal and admiring all the bridges crossing the canal with cherry blossoms all around.

Thursday was Yukata day! After checking back in to Utano, I went around Gion to find a store that would rent Yukatas to Gaijin (be careful, though, the price will vary just because you're not Asian...), then took the buses 93 then 91 to Daikaku-ji, one of the oldest temples in Kyoto,

with its crimson Shingyohoto Tower

And Ikebana (early April is definitely the season for Ikebana in Kyoto)

At this point, it is worth noting that I only had great feedback from Japanese when they saw me with the Yukata, a lot of smiles or "Nice costume" for the bravest of them.

Daikakuji trees still had some flowers in them, so it was again a great opportunity for pictures.
I then took bus 28 to Tenryu-ji, the Temple of the Heavenly Dragon, World Cultural Heritage Site.

- and walked once more on the bamboo path, but this time in traditional outfit, which was great. This part of Kyoto has a lot of couples or friends doning their pretty Yukata, so I felt a bit less weird wearing my rented one.

Of course, I finished my stroll to Arashiyama and its very picturesque bridge.

On Friday, I took the train to Uji, and the Byodin temple that appears on the 10 yen coin. This was once again taken from the “7 paths to the heart of the City”. The Entrance ticket includes the Hoshokan museum, which features famous murals with amazingly beautiful colours.

Back in Kyoto, I walked from the station to Rokkakudo Temple, just in time for dusk and the "light up", which featured more Ikebana.

I then walked to Nijo-jo, for an amazing "light and sound" by night. The inside of the castle was closed, but the projection on the walls features the flowery painted panels that Nijo-jo is famous for.

I forgot to mention that during that week, I still did not know where to spend Saturday night, but around 3 days in, I had an epiphany. The Himeji castle that I could not visit last time had just reopened, and it made so much sense to go now, so I booked an Airbnb close to the castle and finally had my week planned.

So On Saturday, just before I took the train to Himeji, I had time to kill, and decided that my old friend Ninna-ji was the best way to do it, and oh my, was I inspired. I knew as soon as I approached the temple that something was going on, because the entrance was packed. And why? Because the Omuro cherry trees, which bloom later than the others, featured pure white blossoms.

What a bliss! It was really like swimming in a sea of coton white flowers!

But all good things must come to an end, and my train for another white marvel, Himeji, World Cultural Heritage Site and National Treasure, was waiting for me. It had just reopened after a 5 year restauration, and after my disappointment last time, I was really looking forward to it. On the way, I mistook the omnibus train instead of the express one, and traveled through some stations stopping almost on the beach, it was unexpectedly summery.

After getting lost in Himeji (yes it is possible) and discussing with the two tenants in my Airbnb, they advised me to go to the park by night for a great view of the illuminated castle.

The best surprise was that the interior park was also open, again during a limited time for the cherry blossoms, and on top of people picnicking on the grass in the exterior park, there were concerts and costumes demonstrations.

On Sunday, what was there to do other than Himeji by day? So I enjoyed the Interior Palace which was newly renovated, then a long tour around the gardens.

After a good half day of walking around the castle, and as the gardens were started to fill with lots of people, I decided it was time to take the train to Osaka.
After checking in at the Shin Osaka hostel, I went to Osaka Castle, stop at Osaka-jo Koen Station on the JR Osaka Loop Line

There was a lot of activity in the gardens, which was very pleasant, especially with the smell of grilled octopus!
Then I went to Shinsaibashi-suji, with the famous running man and crab

All in all, this trip enabled me to erase the frustration of the first trip, and I managed to take time to see everything I wanted to see in Kyoto while also simply enjoying the atmosphere around the cherry blossom. Of course, there are so many other things to see in Japan, and most likely the North will be my next Japanese destination. What is your favorite place in Japan?

2 years ago...

Two years ago, I was on a beach in Queensland, north of Cairn, camera ready to shoot at one of the most amazing spectacles of Mother Nature: a solar eclipse. It was not my first time in Australia, but it was the beginning of the Journey, the one defining experience of my life, and from the moment I stepped out of the plane, my head was set for a full on discovery of the world around me, and what better experience to begin this adventure than seeing, along with a beach full of people, the marriage of the Moon and Sun?

One year ago, I was on my second road trip to New Zealand, this time driving our way from North to South. We were actually just arriving on the Southern Island, visiting wineries on the road to Abel Tasman National Park, where one of my many firsts was waiting for me: the next day there was to be a parachute with my name on it.

This year, I will be celebrating my fifth month living in London. When I came back to Paris after 14 months of travelling, I quickly realized that, even though my social life was thriving, Paris was no longer enough for me. The world was my oyster, I needed to live outside of the city that I grew up in and that I still loved. I needed to find again the thrill experiencing living abroad. At first, the idea of going back for another year of working holiday visa in New Zealand was reassuring, but I figured that I needed to find a real job in Europe first before trying to move back in that part of the world.

What would have happened had I gone back? I have no clue. I might have worked in a winery like so many backpackers, I might have tried to find a real job, that would only have lasted six months due to the visa restrictions. I would definitely have come back to Australia, and done what I missed out the first time. I would most certainly have travelled to the Philippines, which have been on my To Do List for quite a while now. In an ideal world, I would have found the perfect job in New Zealand; got a working visa, planned my next five years in the Long White Cloud, learning how to navigate a boat around the coastline of this wonderful country, and finally would have found my place under the sun of Australia. That would have been a good plan, but only in an ideal world.

I love living in London, for so many reasons. First of all, obviously, people here speak English most of the time, and I have always loved hearing and talking in English. It’s actually more than love. I’ve always told myself that I was born in the wrong language. When I speak English, I am another version of myself. I dream in English, think in English my most crazy thoughts and fantasies. Second of all, people kept telling me about all the events, but I would never have imagined being blown away that much. Up until now, there hasn’t been a month without a theatre matinee, with big names on the scene (Martin Freeman, Kristin Scott Thomas, James McAvoy, Ralph Fiennes…). And even when there is no theatre, it is impossible to stay idle, if you don’t want to spend your weekend on the couch.

London is a fascinating city, both historical and modern, both cultural and fun, and living in the city centre – I found a place in London Bridge – just makes it so easy to make the most of it.

My 300 days of Summer

After these holidays in Bali and Northern Territory, I can officially say that my 300 days of Summer are over. So what happened between then and now? And most importantly, what happens now?

What happened after I left?
Well, after a non motivating job in Paris, I finally decided that it was time for me to make the move, and I now live in London. It is great, I enjoy living in this city as much as I enjoyed visiting it, especially since my appartment is really central

I know that I would never have made that move if I hadn't spent a year in Australia. I would have longed for it, but never achieved it, probably because my will would not have been as strong.

What happens now?
Well I don't know. Of course I don't know the future! But these few days in Australia made me realize that I am nowhere as happy as I am in Australia. This is now my goal: trying to find a way to live in this part of the world that is so amazing. And I also want to do another RTW trip for my 35th year, but this time, I want to really take the time to enjoy every country to the fullest, and that means using the whole length of the tourist visa, everywhere I go.

So a lot of projects are piling up, and I hope I will be able to do all of them.

TNT 2.0

Remember TNT? Well this time I took the time to explore Litchfield and Kakadu National Parks, "explore" being a bit vain when I had only a day for each of them...

Litchfield
Litchfield is a short drive away from Darwin, and it almost stands as Darwinians backyard. I would definitely recommend NOT going there on the weekend as it is packed with Australians enjoying the plunge pools.
After being picked up by the bus at around 7:15 AM, we arrived at Florence Falls early enough to enjoy it with not as many people as usual. The water is really refreshing, and there are plenty of space to jump and quite simply have fun. In the Dry, the falls are still going strong, but not enough to be dangerous, which is great.

You can reach the plunge hole through two paths, the stairway, and the shady creek walk, an easy walk that lets you enjoy the surrounding flora.

and the very very clear water

After that, we went to Tolmer Falls, which is now closed to visitors in order to protect horseshoe bats that have chosen the caves nearby as their natural habitat. From the lookout, you can still imagine how lovely it would have been to plunge in that hole...

Then, after a buffet lunch, we headed to Wangi for another dip in the hole. This time, you can see that the Dry has taken its toll, as the falls are getting thinner

Apparently, some fresh water crocs live there as well, but as they are very weary of humans, we didn't see any.

After a long and enjoyable swim, we got to stop to the termite mounds that are actually quite spectacular.

Then we headed back to Darwin, and as it was Thursday, some of the group, me included, were dropped off at the Mindil Sunset Market. There, you can enjoy food from the 5 continents, and eat it while watching the sun setting on the red horizon of Darwin.

Apparently, we were very lucky, as we were blessed with playful dolphins showing off their jumping skills for us.

Kakadu Nation Park
Kakadu is definitely deserving more than a day tour, as the day was packed with things to do and we only scratched the surface. It is interesting, and famous, for both indigenous flora and fauna and aboriginal culture. The park is a World Heritage, and is mainly run by the aboriginal clans from the regions. Apparently, there is a multi party council including aboriginal head of clans, department of Conservation representatives and industrial representatives that decide what needs to be done with the park, as it also harbours a Uranium Mine in its heart.

It is a 2h30 drive to the entrance of the park, and it is so vast that you spend quite a lot of time behind the wheel. After being picked up at 6 AM, our first stop was the most famous art galleries in the park.

the lightning creator

Keep in mind that these painting were like schools for the aboriginal clans, where they shared their culture, knowledge and legends from the Dream Time. Apart from the painting themselves, the most appealing part of these galleries is that they are in places that are always protected from the sun, so they are quite refreshing places to be, and with no flies, which is always a relief.

After a quick buffet lunch, we then headed to our cruise on the Yellow Water Billabong, where we spotted a lot of birds, and two crocs!

While waiting for the people who chose to do a flight tour, we headed to the aboriginal cultural center, and then back to Darwin. It may seem like a very short trip, but we went back at around 8 PM, just to give you an idea of the distances. Now you understand why we only scratched the surface of the 20 000+ km² National Park...

And that was it - for now - for the Northern Territory. I still need to cruise or kayak in the Katherine Gorges, but I really tried to make the most of my time there.

See you in a while, crocodiles! (sorry, I just needed to make that joke...)

Beautiful Bali

Yes, Bali is the island of "Gods, that's beautiful!". It is so small, but so packed with wonderful sceneries and amazing things to do, that you could spend a month there without being bored. Unfortunately, I only had a week, so I had to wisely choose what I wanted to do. At first, my plan was to do a road trip to connect all the dots below:

Fortunately, learning from my year long experience, I didn't plan anything more than my first two nights in Ubud. And from Ubud, you can basically connect all the dots, so that's what I did.

Day 1
I arrived late on day one, 2h30 from Darwin, but on day 2, where I could walk around Ubud, I managed to plan nearly all the things I wanted to see. Mawar, the homestay manager I was staying with, gave me the contact of a chauffeur to see Taman Ayun and Tanah Lot, and after a short walk, I had already booked my sunrise trek to Mount Batur. But let's do things in order.

Day 2
So I was saying, after arranging things with Mawar, I walked on the main street of Ubud, to see Ubud Saraswati, the Water Palace

and then the Royal Palace not too short a distance away. After I came back, my chauffeur took me first to Taman Ayun, then Tanah Lot.
Taman Ayun is a nice little temple that, like most temples in Bali, you can't see the core of, so there is a path when you walk around the temple. When I was there, there was apparently some construction to make the park around more pleasant. Be careful though, the path around has a wall, and as a 154 cm person, that was kind of hard to see the whole picture.

Anyone taller than me should be fine, though...

As for Tanah Lot, I was pleasantly surprised, as I was expecting an artificial temple just set for tourists, which it is, but the surroundings make it worth a visit, especially NOT during the sunset. Go there in the morning or early afternoon, as it is less busy, and with the low tide, you can actually get close to the foot of the rock.

Day 3
Day 3 was the sunrise trek of Mount Batur, that you can do from Ubud, provided you are ready to get up at 2 AM. The ascension lasts around 2h, and like any other volcano trekking, can be a bit difficult, particularly in the end, but the scenery at your feet and the sun rising makes it all worth it.

you can actually see Lombok on the horizon

On the way back, the chauffeur got us through the Tagallalang rice terraces. They were really nice, cascading right in front of the village - and honestly, rice terraces abound in Bali, and not just in the places you have to pay to see them, so you will have your fill of rice terraces by the end of your trip.
Back in Ubud at 10 AM, I followed the advice of the french couple we did the ascension with and took an hour of Balinese massage at Lily Spa, on Bisman Street.
After some good relaxation, good food, and good shopping at the Ubud market, I finished the day with a Dance show at the Ubud Palace. This is a very special experience, even when you are lacking knowledge on what the story is about and how it is expressed through dancing. The female dancers were particularly graceful and expressive.

Day 4
Today was the part with Jatiluwih and Lake Bratan temple.
7 km before arriving at the rice terraces, you suddenly see that majestic mountain facing you, and then you arrive at this wonderful place where all you can see is the green of paddy fields. This is the paradise of panoramic photography, as the scenery is just too much for a simple picture.

Be careful, the locals are a bit weary of tourists, so make sure that you disturb them as little as possible.
Then we went on to Bedugul, and more specifically Ulun Danu Bratan.

I was a bit disappointed, not by the size of it - I expected it to be small, but it was still worth a detour - but by the crowd there. There is a lot of tourists, probably as much as Tanah Lot, but at least at Tanah Lot you have enough room to move around without bumping into other tourists.

On the way back to Ubud, keep your camera handy, as the scenery is really beautiful. Actually, that is some advice that you should always keep in mind. As I said in the introduction, everything is beautiful in Bali, and not just the parts you have to pay to see, so always keep your camera close.

Day 5
After my goodbyes to Mawar and his family, my chauffeur took me to Besakih to see the Mother Temple. Be careful, as it is on the way to the Kintamani geopark, you might be stopped for money at the entrance. Just say that you are not going to the geopark, and you should be fine.
I was warned about Besakih, and my chauffeur also briefed me before dropping me off, but in this temple, unlike any other temple I went to, Balinese people see this place as a cash machine from tourists. First, even if you are decently clothed, you will have to rent a Sarung, which in my case wasn't even a Sarung, just an ugly wool scarf for 20000 Rp. Then, at the first stop point, one guy takes your ticket and asks for a donation. Of course, he has a book with supposedly previous visitors and the amount they "donated", which is usually around 300 000 Rp. I only gave 60 000 and it was ok. Then, a girl shoves into your hands offerings, saying that you cannot enter the temple without it, and it is supposed to cost 100 000 Rp. I gave them back and was still ok. Then a guy came up to me and said: "I'm not a guide, I'm a guardian, you cannot enter without me", but I politely declined - without too much eye contact, and went on my way. Once I entered the temple, another guy said the same thing, and told me that previous tourists gave him 5 euros. I said I only had 20 000 Rp, and he was ok with it. After a half hearted explanation about the temple, he left on the main square, told me that from there I could go wherever I wanted, which was not true, as I got kicked out of one part of the square where people were supposed to be praying but were in fact only socializing. After all that, I didn't want to explore that much, even though the temple is huge and has a lot to offer.

So I'm not sure what to advise you. Going on a tour with a real guide that can tell you and show you everything you need might be a good option, but you will be surrounded by more tourists than locals. As for the hour of the day to go, I went in the early morning, which was nice because the "guardians" were not as aggressive as they can be by the end of the day, but the sunlight is against you, so again, choose wisely considering what you want to see.
After this, we took the road to Amed. I usually never go to TripAdvisor, because I want to have my own opinion and discover my own places, and surely, make my own mistakes. But this time, I made an exception, because I wanted to choose the best diving center in Amed, and I'm so glad I did. I chose Adventure Dives, which is number one on TripAdvisor for a reason. First of all, it is not right at the entrance of Amed, so you can avoid all those touristy places that are an easy choice when you don't want to drive too much. And yet it was central enough to have delicious Warung not too far away, and good hotels as well. When I arrived, I didn't know in which hotel I would stay, but I knew which dive I wanted to do.
So basically I arrived at the dive center, and I was immediately greeted by Lisa, the owner, who treated me like a long lost friend. I was able to book the early morning dive to the USAT Liberty, which was my goal for Amed, and she also directed me to nice places to eat. Lucky for me, the hotel across the street from the center only had one villa left, and it was 1. the best one, that is to say the one closest to the pool AND the sea, and 2. in my price range, that is 250 000 Rp per night.

So after a late lunch at one of the Warungs that Lisa recommended, I spent some quality time with the infinity pool

Then with the sunset

Day 6
After waking up at 4:50 AM - I definitely woke up at weird hours during this trip - David, manager of Adventure Dive and his dive masters took us on the bus to Tulamben for the two dives on the USAT Liberty.
No need to tell you that it was amazing. On the first dive we dove around the ship and the second dive was more about exploring inside the ship, which meant diving in small spaces which is always pretty cool.

from Google Images, I didn't have any camera, unfortunately

Of course, it is so amazing and so easy a dive that it gets very busy. By the end of the second dive, there was a forest of plastic fins all around us, and you then understand why Adventure Dive goes in the early morning.

Bumper head fished, also from Google Images

When we came back, a complimentary early lunch was waiting for us, and it was then time to socialize. Lisa and David arranged this space at the Dive Center where everyone meets up and talk about their experience. It is so comfy that even though I lived across the street, I wouldn't leave. That's how I met this American blogger, Young Adventuress, and this Australian traveller, another woman travelling on her own, just like me, who quickly became my dinner partner for the next two nights.
So after arranging for some other dives the next day, I got changed and we went to Sails, a very nice restaurant with a view of a secluded bay just outside of Amed. Very good food and they pick you up and drop you off.

Day 7
After awakening at a normal hour this time, we again took the bus to Tulamben, this time to see the drop-off and the Coral Garden, two beautiful dives. The Coral Garden in particular was amazing, as I wasn't expecting to see a Buddha statue underwater! (To be honest, there also were some tyres, so it wasn't all that perfect)

Again from Google Images

After the complimentary lunch, which was a delicious curry soup, I just had time to get change before going to La Griya with my newly found dinner partner, where we enjoyed the pool

The rooftop bar

And the delicious restaurant!

Day 8
Today was the last day, but I intended to make most of it. AS it takes roughly 3h to go from Amed to the airport, I decided to wake up before sunrise to snorkel one last time in the bay. As I couldn't take picture of the Coral Garden in Tulamben, I really wanted to see the small temple that was accessible from the beach. And I was not disappointed, even though it's not as cool as the one in Tulamben.

Besides, it was really nice to see the sunrise from the sea.

And that was it for Bali. It was really in a nutshell, and I'm pretty sure there are loads more to see and do. In Ubud itself, I could have taken a yoga class, a cooking class, a jewellery making class... I could have done plenty of other dives, could have explored the west... So the good thing is, I leave plenty of stuff to do for when I come back!

One last piece of advice. If you are like me and never print your e-ticket because there's never any need for it, be careful, as at the airport, security checks e-tickets (not passports) before check in, which in my opinion is pretty stupid, but that's the way it is. I got away because thankfully they have wifi (they have wifi everywhere, in Bali) and I could show the guard the confirmation email, which as we will all agree has no value per se, but he was happy with it and I could go on with the actual check in.

I know that there are many of you out there who spent more than a week in Bali. What was your itinerary? What was your favorite place?