The Travel Speak’s Featured Traveler : Emily Anastasia
In this post we will get to know a young adventurous London girl who quit her full time job to travel the world. Even managed to convince her boyfriend to do the same with her!
You can follow her on her awesome Instagram profile and her vibrant twitter feed. She blogs about her travel and gluten free eating at emilyanastasia.com.
Here she is sharing story of her travel through Bali, Indonesia.
Introducing Emily in her own words (unedited)
A 24 year old London girl, I didn’t want to settle for the 9-5, so quit my job and became a full time traveller.
I have wanted to travel the world ever since I can remember. I never wanted holiday to end and ‘chased the sun’ by working my University summers in the Balearic Islands for months on end.
In June 2015 I sold the backpacking dream to my boyfriend Frazer and in May 2017 the adventure began!
Places Visited
List of places she has visited during this trip:
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Bali
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Gili Trawangan
- Malaysia
Currently in: Thailand
Places still to visit on this trip:
- Vietnam
- Cambodia
- Laos
- Australia
Emily’s Travel Speak – Travelogue (unedited)
First stop on our travels was to Bali in Indonesia; visiting Kuta, Uluwatu, Seminyak and Ubud. Bali quite honestly has something for everyone, whether you’re into scenic views of rice fields and volcanos, experiencing religious temples and palace ruins, getting up close and personal with wildlife, or dancing your night away with a martini at sunset – Bali has it all.
Although with very contrasting vibes, Seminyak and Ubud were our favourite destinations in Bali. Many travellers dislike Seminyak due to its touristy feel and ‘pricey’ beach bars and clubs. However, with colourful beanbags fringing the coast line, and with so many quirky eateries and a free cinema!!! – we absolutely loved it!
Seminyak
Seminyak is like being on holiday but with South East Asia’s budget prices. The beach itself is not the stereotypical picture of paradise, it doesn’t have crystal blue waters but if you’re a budding surfer then it is paradise for you! As big foodies, Frazer and I enjoyed trying all the different cafes, restaurants and bars in Seminyak. Our top recommendation for a cosy dinner in the heart of Seminyak would be ‘Bo and Bun’. Their menu is heavily influenced by Vietnamese and Thai food and you won’t be short on choices. Making your own rice paper spring rolls is fun – but if like Frazer and I you are a bit of a novice, ask the staff how to do it before making a big, big mess…
If beach bars are on your to do list, I would highly recommend going to ‘Potato Head Beach Club’, an infinity pool bar which gives a breathtaking view of sunset and some delicious cocktails!
Ubud
Ubud was our last destination in Bali and we could not have asked for a better way to end the month. Tourists often label Ubud as a place of pure relaxation, but with so much to see who really wants to relax?
7 days in Ubud entailed a volcano hike at sunrise, monkeys on our heads, cocktails in the jungle, breathtaking waterfalls and views you only see on postcards.
First thing’s first, if visiting Bali you HAVE to do the Mount Batur volcano trek (given you are in tip top health of course). The volcano trek was like nothing I have done before, it pushed my boundaries both mentally and physically but the feeling of accomplishment when watching sunrise on top of the clouds was incredible. The trek is not for the faint hearted as it involves a 2am pick up, a 2 and a half hour trek in the pitch black up a volcano (with no steps or walk ways – you literally are climbing up rocks!) and a 2 and a half hour trek back to the ground… what comes up must come down!
Although now two months into our trip seeing monkeys has become the norm, we will never forget our first encounter with them at Ubud’s Sacred Monkey Sanctuary. Monkeys really are as cheeky as you imagine, and really will steal your sunglasses off of your head – be warned! Having a monkey eat a banana whilst sat on your head is not quite as scary as you would imagine but is definitely not going to be your classiest moment (Instagram pictures never show the pure grace of having a bum on your face and banana smeared across your forehead).
Gili Islands
If going to Bali you have to make sure you take a boat over to the Gili Islands. When picturing a tropical paradise island most people describe powder white sand beaches, fringed with palm trees and grass umbrellas. People envision snorkelling amongst coral reefs and swimming alongside turtles in the shimmering turquoise waters. Well the Gili islands are a true picture of pure paradise.
Gili T is our favourite place so far and we even extended our one week stay. Although a tiny island, Gili T has many activities to ensure no day is spent lazing around – unless you want to of course. Snorkelling around all 3 Gili islands is something I highly recommend and for a whole day trip it was extremely cheap (the equivalent of £3.50 per person!) and included all the essential snorkelling equipment, a bottle of water, and a stop off on Gili Meno where you can buy lunch.
The island’s sea swings are iconic and getting a picture on them is a must! – I mean did you even go to Gili T if you didn’t get a picture on a swing!? However, no one seems to tell you the obstacles your feet will face walking on non visible stones and rocks to get there… no pain no gain!
Gili T oozes uniqueness with the fact that no cars or scooters are allowed on the island. Their only form of transport is horse and carriage, riding a push bike or simply walking. Although at first I found the idea of horse and carriage intriguing, I soon began to realise that the horses are not treated well at all. If going to Gili T PLEASE try and avoid using horse and carriage – it may seem like the best option when you have your heavy case or backpack, but these horses are worn down to the ground. Throughout our ten days on the island I never saw them drinking water, never saw them with the carriages off their back (even in the middle of the night) and I constantly saw them foaming at the mouth – a sign of intense dehydration.
However, riding push bikes around the island seemed to be most people’s choice of transport and if like me you are not a confident bike rider, there are tandem bikes so someone else can take the lead!
Being an island, there is no shortage of fresh fish restaurants and you will be spoilt for choice of which grill to choose along the main beach front; with fish straight from the Java Sea. However, every night at 6pm there is also a night market which serves local cuisine, cakes and crepes, meat skewers, and whole fishes for a fraction of restaurant prices.
Something which can not go without mentioning is the breathtaking view of sunset that dominates the island every evening. Whether you want to watch it over dinner, whilst on the swings in the sea, cycling along the coast or whilst sipping a cocktail at one of the many beach bars – one thing is for sure, it will be a sight you will never forget.
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Emily Anastasia
Emily’s Favorite Travel quote:
The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.
Editor’s Note
We hope that Emily’s passion for travel and her story inspires you. Follow your dreams, make your travel plans a reality.
We wish Emily all the best.
Happy travels.
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