Travel As Transformation: Bali Part 1

Seeing the world from different perspectives has always been extremely important to me. Stepping outside of what I know and into a realm of potential discovery is often what I crave most; I love to move, I love to see and experience new things and I love the exhilaration I feel when I set foot on new, unfamiliar territory. It's actually kind of odd that this is the case as I don't do well without a plan and have a hard time not being in control or knowing what's coming next. Maybe this is why I love traveling so much; while it is unnatural for me, I crave being at the center of the unknown and in the midst of a discomfort zone. I also love stepping out of an airport knowing that a journey, big or small,  is about to begin.

This week, I am turning into travel.memoir.writer mode as I like to call it. Otherwise referred to as a week of reflections from my past travels and a look into my bucket list for where I will head next. I will pay tribute to the many amazing places I have so fortunately been able to see and experience; from Tuscany and Rome to Israel and Bali. I am doing this not only to reminisce but to simply remind myself of this insatiable desire I have to see the world and how each of my travels has shaped who I am today and where I will go tomorrow; from the past, in the present, to the possible.

Why not start with the most recent of my travels abroad?

I like to describe Bali as majestic.
It is too intriguing to be simply beautiful and far too spiritual to be "fun."
It is small and quaint but massively dynamic at the same time.
Its beauty lies within the ongoing terraces of rice paddies and stretches far into the beauty of the Balinese people and their unwavering gratitude for life.
I have not been anywhere close to everywhere in the world but I feel confident saying that there is no place quite like Bali. It is curiously magical and upon arriving, I just knew I'd come home changed.

Travel does this to us; it opens the world up when it can so easily fit into a tiny bubble in the cup of our palms. It opens our eyes and challenges us to see from new perspectives and step out of our everyday comfort zones. However, like anything in life, you only get as much as you put in. Traveling only has this power when we open ourselves up to it and when we really, truly want it; to be transformed first requires being curious. Curiosity demands passion and passion lies at the center of any worthwhile journey. At least that's how I see it.

I've pressed green for "go" on my time travel portal, as I attempt to reflect upon the journeys that have transformed me over the last few years... Back to Bali I go.