’11 OZ PHOTO SERIES PT14
PERTH – COTTESLOE BEACH – BALI – GILI T
MY FIRST TASTE OF ASIA
As per the traditional backpacking trail of Australia, a few of us few across to Perth to see what the west coast had to offer.
ASIA INSTANTLY WON ME OVER!
Bea was hanging out around Cottesloe so a few of us took a trip there to check it out
WHERE IS BALI?
My first taste of Asia
COTTESLOE BEACH
Perth city didn’t impress us much but Cottesloe was stunning and entirely different to the beaches on the east coast, mainly the lack of empty boxes of goon!
Myself Ben and Kai had been in need of a proper break from the booze so we looked around for ideas. To give you an idea of how little we knew in this respect we decided to book flights to Bali, hardly the detox retreat we were looking for!
ESCAPING THE SESH
In Cottesloe we stayed at Ocean Beach backpackers and got talking to a guy in our room. He recommended us to venture out to Gili T if we wanted some real chill time so we made and noted and packed our bags. Back in the day this is how people would find out about new places, its mad to think you just couldn’t google it. If we could then it would have been clear than Bali probably wasn’t the best place to chill out!
RELATED READ: SGETTING HELD AT GUNPOINT IN TEXAS
BALI
Don’t ask me why but when we arrived in Bali we got a taxi straight to Kuta and booked a hotel. Kuta is a city full of clubs and bars, if we expected any sort of rest it wasn’t going to happen here. Most of our time was spent drinking Bintang and smoking cigars (much to Kais frustration) in the sky garden, fending off pick pockets and eating our way out of a hangover!
My first taste of Asia
My first taste of Asia
GILI T
Eventually we noticed this wasn’t going to do and immediately booked our boat to the Gili Islands.
Arriving in we couldn’t believe our eyes! This was the real Asia I had always dreamed about. Tiny paradylic islands surrounded but the clearest turquoise water you will ever see! The first thing we noticed was the fact there were no cars on the island and everything was done by horse or bicycle!
Of course it made sense for us to check into Tír na nÓg, a hotel owned by an Irish guy and I knew immediately any sort of alcohol detox wasn’t going to happen.
The island is small and each of the bars and clubs take a turn in hosting the main night. One night it could be our own and the next the hotel or bar next door would be the one to attend. Either way we were stuck in yet another rut but in for a penny, in for a pound!
Incredible beaches
RELATED READ: MY FIRST AND FAVOURITE BUNGEE
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BALI & GILI T….
- PEOPLE – 8.5/10
- BACKPACKING – 9/10
- WEATHER – 8/10
- THINGS TO DO – 8.5/10
- FOOD – 8.5/10
- VALUE – 8.5/10
Tony’s last stand
SUMMED UP….
- HIGHLIGHT – Hostel in Singapore
- LOWLIGHT – Perth and getting our McDonald’d order stolen in Cairns
- MVP – Harm
- VISIT AGAIN – Yes, but there are other places I would prefer to return to
- RATING – 7.5/10
FINAL THOUGHTS
Bali was an experience but Gili T was sure the shock and highlight of the trip and a place I would jump at going back to!
NEXT UP
Another road trip, this time up the West Coast of Australia where we come into contact with a cow! Click to read!
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
16/229
This episode is part of The Oz Photo Series, click to see episode 1.
