Holiday in My Head
A typical Friday for me consists of 6-7 working hours, 1-2 lunch hours, vocal practice, and occasional hang out time with friends. Today is not different, except that it was the first working day after a week off. The office was still in oh-so-quiet mode. I guess Jakarta will still be sleeping until Monday. Did you get any day off for Eid holiday?
Talk about holiday, all of us must have kept at least one unforgettable memory about it. Some of us treasure the excitement or contentment that we felt during a particular trip. I have had that unforgettable experience exactly one year ago in Bali. This "Island of Gods" is one of the world's favorite holiday destinations, and I am not the exception.
There are many romance stories rooted in this place, and I completely understand why. 
Since Jakarta to Bali is just less than two hour flight, it is always tempting to go to Bali every year. I love the weather, the wave, the atmosphere, and... the food! Last year, I was planning to go to visit some friends who live and work there. There was a new guy in town who wanted to know more about Bali, and decided to go there with me when he knew I was going there to meet my friends. It was a traveling a la backpacker, where we went to three different parts of Bali and stayed from one hotel to another. We explored a bit of Jimbaran, Kuta, Seminyak, Ubud, Bedugul, Lovina... Admiring GWK, exploring Beratan lake (you can see the praying temple in the mid of the lake is printed on Indonesian money), art galleries and all those morning dolphins at Lovina beach. 
They were all fun, but what I remember most was that one rainy evening when my friend and I got lost inside the car. The streets were dark, nearly flooded, and sparing us nobody to ask for direction.. yet both of us were enjoying every minute of it worry-free! That was my experience of traveling with my boy friend for the first time. Tomorrow is going to be our first anniversary!
How about you? I hope I will get the privilege to know some of your unforgettable holiday (romance? spiritual? horror? You tell me). Have a great weekend, friends.
Comments
.....congratulations, Shirley, for your first anniversary, hopefully an amazing one. I feel fascinated everytime I see BALI on TV or Internet; really it is an worthy place for holiday. And my mental inclination tends to ask you " why so many stories of romance rooted" there in BALI as you "completely understand". Shirley your journey is simply unique; I loved your expression of "getting lost inside the car" rather I would say, you both were in a virtual world of roMancE created by a living car where RAIN and Darkness were your romantic agents; and flooding water a driving force towards mutual ecstasy. Great.....!!!..Eventually, subsequent to your interest to our unforgettable holiday, I am trying to figure out which one is forgettable. Thinking....
I don't know exactly what is my unforgettable memory, but I really like to read your Blog. Thanks for writing for us
Hi shirley. what a nice place should be Bali.. all the world want to be there one day! my friends went to timor leste to work and then they spend some free weekands there..shirley I have question about your country,,is there many people who speak english? is it possible for a foreign to travel for indonesia without have many problems for the language knowledge? your english is very good..does evryone speaks and write in neglish as you do? in my holidays I use to go the beach too, a special place named BERTIOGA here, its an indigenous name. if you wnat to know more visit..www.b ertioga.sp.gov.br..
I am looking forward about your annniversary with your boy friend. Furthermore, I feel that the "Island of God" is special and spiritual. Have a nice holiday!!!! Happy Man
Hi Shirley, Congratulations for your anniversary!!! I can see that Bali it`s a great place, at list for falling in love!!! Was a very nice holiday and we (my wife and me) expect to celebrate our 2o anniversary there, We`ve got married in 1994. We`ve got three children, Nico 14, Valentina 8 and Juanita 5. Bye!!!! Gustavo
Hi Shirley! How are you doing? I was impressed to know Paulo Coelho is one of your favourite writers. Could you tell me what you like most in his books please? He´s a controversial figure in Brazilian´s literature world, therefore his works always cause hot discussions among the literature academics. Best wishes, Ana Paula.
Great blog, love your style, keep up the good work; yes, holidays can be the best times of the year and help recharge our batteries and start over. On the other hand, it can spoil us too. I think the better way of saying "talk about holidays" is "Speaking/talking of holidays".. I hope the teacher would enlighten us on this issue in her next, much awaited blog.. Thanks
Hello Shirley, lovey pictures! I like the giant hand and wonder what a huge rock might have been used to carve it. I send you best wishes on the anniversary of your first meeting with your boyfriend. Naheed
Hi, Shirley. Please accept my belated congratulations. Wish you and your boyfriend have enjoyed an unforgettable anniversary. My memories came flooding back when I read your column. It was way back when I was doing my internship in a hospital in a different city during my senior year. At that time I was a girl like daydreaming. I sometimes wondered when the boy of my dream would pop up in my life. And one day it really came out of the blue. That day was my birthday, and he turned up from my college city with two tickets to the famous amusement park of my internship city. He said he had had secreted crushes on me since the first day he met me on campus. And he knew that day was my birthday and decided to get it off his chest by telling me the truth. Though he was not the type of boy of my dream, I was really moved. And that day I went out with him to the park. It was also a rainy day but we both enjoyed so much. From that day we both fell head over heels in love and it was our fist love in life. Though we broke up when we graduated from the university and worked in different cities, I still look back with nostalgia to those university days.
so beatiful places
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