The Practical Free Spirit

Yes, dear Reader, by the time you peruse these words, I plan to be en route to Bali. For vacation! No networking, no writing, no revising, no critiquing, no researching. This trip is solely for rest and relaxation. And I am so excited about it!

The only predominantly Hindu island in Indonesia, Bali is known for its dance and music and rose in the American zeitgeist after the publication of Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestseller Eat, Pray, Love (Bali was the love part of that equation). Yes, I have read the book. No, that is not the reason I want to go to Bali.

Actually, this year I was planning to go to the UK for some book research, followed by a quick jaunt to Iceland. I’d been thinking about Bali but had shelved the idea to revisit in 2016. But then in July I changed my mind. I’d been wanting a non-writing vacation for the last several months, and the London research wasn’t as necessary as I had originally thought, so I seized the opportunity to do something different.

As you may have noticed, I haven’t traveled anywhere for six months, which is the longest I’ve stayed home for … years. So I’m ready to go somewhere far away and feed the traveling part of my brain.

Nala is very skeptical about the idea of me leaving.

And now for the Q&A part of our program.

Okay, but isn’t Bali really far away?

Why, yes, it is. The two flights will take something like twenty-two hours, including the layover.

What do you plan to do in Bali?

Sleep, swim, eat. I have filled my Kindle with All the Books, which is very exciting for me. I hope to go to some music and dance performances, and maybe some temples. I expect I will do some low-key wandering, hopefully of a quantity that won’t disturb my toe, which is still healing. I will attempt (and possibly fail) to not buy any large instruments, get sunburned, or become a mosquito’s favorite feast.

Yeah, about those mosquitoes….

Uh huh, I have read all about dengue fever, become paranoid, and purchased special mosquito-repellent clothing and bug spray. Luckily, malaria is not a concern.

Couldn’t you just go to Hawaii instead?

Yes, but that wouldn’t be nearly as exciting. And I’m very interested in the Balinese culture.

Are you traveling by yourself?

No, the Boyfriend is coming with me. I wrote “Want to know somebody better? Travel with them” several years ago, and yeah, that’s going to be happening. Also, let’s be honest, it is super romantic. And uncharacteristically spontaneous. I love it!

(Or maybe I’m just going with him so he can nurse me back to health if I get dengue fever. I am, after all, exceedingly practical.)

Will you be blogging while you’re in Bali?

No. The blog will be on hiatus for a few weeks because vacation!

Are you excited?

Yes! Yes yes yes yes yes!