When you think of Bali, you probably picture a quite, serene town with lush greenery, crystal clear water and must-see temples.  Well, the town of Kuta is everything but.  To be completely honest, it’s a dirty town that reminds me of an overpopulated spring break destination.  The narrow streets are congested with motorbikes (scooters) and there’s local vendors on every block selling everything from inappropriate bumper stickers to knock off Louis Vuitton bags. Its a far stretch from the pristine streets of Singapore, it almost feels as if the locals have completely lost pride in where they live.  This town now caters to the tourists (mainly Aussies on holiday) who want to take advantage of all the nightclubs & bars that have been built on every block.

Because Kuta is so close to the airport, many backpackers or budget travelers will come here for an inexpensive place to stay.  Having done a little research before we arrived, we weren’t expecting a beautiful Bali paradise, but the reality of Kuta was a bit of a surprise.  When the taxi dropped us off in the middle of the madness, it was in that moment that Austin & I looked at each other with faces that read “Okay, I guess we are doing this!” It took us a bit to gather our bearings.  We knew we weren’t going to a peaceful paradise but expected a much more laid back beach town.  Neither of us would have ever imagined that Kuta would be this insanely crazy, noisy & dirty.  But we were here and we were going to make the best of it damnit!

The Silver Lining

Experiences like these are why we did this adventure.  Are we dying to get to the beautiful Bali that everyone pictures in their head?  ABSOLUTELY!  But while we had about 2 days here, we needed to teach ourselves how to find the silver lining in all the madness.  So what did we do?  We went off the beaten path and explored the narrow, stone paved streets that were hidden in between the shops, bars & vendors.  Once we got away from the busy main street, our surroundings were more quite and relaxed.  The winding street had brick walls on either side and shaded by large trees and plants. As we walked we were given a glimpse into the lives of the local Balinese people.  We could see into their homes, how the lived and what they did for work.

Walking down this quiet street, we were given a taste of the true Balinese culture for the first time.  The Balinese people are some of the most friendly I have ever met.  They continuously greet you with a smile & wish you well.  This narrow alley was truly a hidden gem in the midst of all the chaos.