People always text me that I must be living a life of luxury in sunny Bali and chilling on the beach and in bars. It’s not so, guys. Bali is like life anywhere else; if you live here, you have to work to make money and survive, as nothing is for free in paradise either. Online work isn’t a walk in the park; you have to hustle all the time and then get paid!
I’m finding myself working harder here than when I lived in Europe or the US. It’s a daily slug, and sometimes I’ve got to remind myself there’s a beach around the corner, and I should maybe go there for a swim and some chillout time. Because if you don’t, you’ll burn out here just like anywhere else. Business is business here too, and it’s probably harder as it’s complicated to set up shop in Bali, as you require local partners, and so on. All of this comes with a price, monetary and mental.
The Paradise Mindset.
Sure, we have some ultra well off people here who live the paradise mindset, and I know a few of them, but most of them still work with their overseas business. They don’t really fool around here as you see in the south of France, Ibiza, or the Hamptons. People are down to earth and get on with their daily work and schedule and don’t go beachen’ much.
But then you have the surfers, a lot of them. They (obviously) mostly hang out on the water or stand somewhere watching the waves, deciding whether to surf or not. I don’t understand that whole game, as none of these younger guns seem ever to work. You can’t do much work if on a board in the surf all day. Maybe trust fund babies? Who knows? Who cares? I don’t. As long as they are all happy and good, that’s all that matters. They are all peaceful people.
The Emptiness is Sad to See.
Bali is currently likely at 10% capacity compared to regular times due to Covid and the lockdown we are now back in again, for the last 6 weeks. Streets and most restaurants are empty; 80% of restaurants and hotels are closed. Think about what that’s doing to the economy and local psychology. It’s not the stuff that supports a healthy mindset.
You end up driving around on your motorbike at times, through the emptiness, wondering where to go next and what to do. Is the beach open, or have they closed it again? Hard to know as things change here daily.
So then you just go back to your routine, for me that’s writing and working, and most days a lot of walking with some bodyweight exercises. I’m not a gym person, as I don’t enjoy the confined sweaty spaces when nature — especially here — offers us everything for free. There are so many natural obstacles, steps, and things you can work out on, using your body as your gym.
Hiking, for example, is another fantastic thing to do in Bali. People mostly think about beaches when it comes to Bali. But, Bali’s inland is a stunning paradise. There are several steep volcanos you can climb and trek around beautiful lakes that surround the mountains.
Then Comes The Rain.
It’s been raining hard for the last 3 days, which is unusual for August in Bali. Usually, summertime is nothing but blue skies and comfortable temperatures during the days and cooler nights. The rain makes things a bit complicated, as we all mostly use scooters or motorbikes to get around, and you can get very wet when driving in the rain, plus it’s super slippery and can be way more dangerous than normal.
As everywhere else, rain for many days gets people down and a bit depressed. You can sense the change of mood… frustration looms, and people feel kind of locked in. The thing is, Bali is all about being in nature and outdoors; that’s why most foreigners who live here, are here. They want to be free and in nature. When it rains for days, there isn’t much you can do other than go back to your place, check your phone, the computer, or watch TV.
The Good News?
After rain comes shine, always; I guess these rainy days have given me some time to slow down and reflect a bit. Reflection is always a good thing to do! The sun will be out soon enough, and we can enjoy our outdoor paradise, Bali, again.
For now, we keep on surfing our motorbikes in the rain, and that’s ok too. We always must look for a positive in a negative situation that immediately helps the mind get back on track and for you to feel good again!
Thanks for reading.
Rob
