Honeymoon (without a husband) in Bali

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In my wisdom I decided to snub the tourist centre of Bali and instead stay in a small village called Jasri on the north east coast - I was on a mission to see 'the real' Bali.

I started to regret this decision when two hours from the airport Jasri still wasn't in sight and it transpired I was the only guest at the accommodation I'd booked.

Although I'd booked the place on the Hostelworld website I actually arrived to more of a honeymooners hideout than a hostel. I had my very own thatched cottage set in lantern lit tropical ground and the pounding ocean as the theme tune. To complete my sad solo seduction was a four poster bed, open air bathroom and candle lit suppers prepared by my staff of three.

At this point I was quite keen to curl up into a ball and hide, but no such luck was to be had. At breakfast the next morning my 'staff' proudly showed off the 'welcome Iona Maclean' chalk drawing they had lovingly created. To avoid having a nervous breakdown, and because it's difficult to lounge by the pool with three people watching you intently, I borrowed a moped to disappear for a few hours. Now, you'll realise how desperate I was to escape when you learn that on the drive to Jasri from the airport I'd seen a guy lying 'dead as a door nail' on the road after being knocked off his bike.

If it wasn't bad enough to be the only guest in my accommodation I soon realised that I was also one of very few tourists in Jasri and certainly the only lone female tourist in the region. Over night I'd taken on a semi-celebrity status with people following me, pointing and laughing at me and everyone desperate to question me (where you from, where you going, where's your husband, do you have a husband?). Everyone was very sweet and just curious, but boy is it wearing to explain that 'no, I'm not a freak because I'm 26 and have no husband'. I ploughed on regardless and went to the beach, attended a local ceremony to the Gods and visited some nearby towns - where the entire Police department came out of the station to witness me climb on my bike (I got a round of applause). After 4 days I was so happy to be on my way to Australia, where I hope to be totally ignored.

All in all, Bali is beautiful and everyone is so sweet but if I come back I won't be doing it alone.

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Photos

Beautiful Bali
Beautiful Bali

Villa Iona
Villa Iona

Sunset
Sunset

Comments

[Katherine Stewart]

HA!!!
That is the funniest thing I've read in ages!! Hope you've recovered xx

[becky]

Hee hee hee! So you didn't get any offers of marriage when they realised that you were indeed flying solo?

[Tracy]

Hee heee
Hee hee, that made me laugh out loud. Poor you!

[Clare Mackay]

I only just discovered your blog!
I'm rolling on the floor clutching my tummy!! Hilarious! I can imagine just how you felt. I'm sorry I've only just discovered you have a blog, I'm reading it all now. Only 8 more days of work left for me and I'll be off to Nepal for my trek - whoooohoooo! I'll be in Perth Australia from 6-18Dec - will you be in Oz then?

[Iona]

Nepal
Oh no, I´ll miss you in Oz! Have a fab time, can´t wait to catch up and swap pics when you get back. XX