It was our first international trip, and we were all set to go to Bali. Shivangee and I were both were very excited to see what the trip would be like, how the place would be, what all we would do there and whether it would be close to what we dreamt of. Mind filled with various thoughts and excitement to have the first stamp of immigration on our passports, we finally started the trip with all enthusiasm and even got to the airport 4 hours before the scheduled flight! Finally, after going through airport security and sadly leaving behind the paneer bhurji and paratha with airport security, we finally took off from India.

Getting down at the airport at Bali, the cool breeze blew our minds and we were so excited to explore this new place amongst new people, use some new currency to eat some new food and much more which words cannot express.

Our journey started with the utmost hospitality as our driver gave us cool water, a wet towel and a warm welcome. On reaching our hotel, we were again greeted by sweet and smiling faces saying namaste to our great surprise! We were so grateful to the Catterfly team for arranging for such a beautiful villa for us with a swimming pool, greenery, flowers and flowing water and felt like our holiday would have been made by just staying in this beautiful villa and soaking in the positive vibes.

After lunch, we finally met Archita from the Catterfly team who had been in touch with us to plan our trip before our arrival and now set us up with a local SIM card and went over the plan with us for the next couple of days. Soon after, we hopped in the convenient shuttle cab provided by the hotel to the town centre and started our journey. We roamed the streets of Ubud looking for its famous market and it was such a different place to be. There was no noise, no pollution and we kept hearing the intriguing sound of drums on every street. Well, this was the famous Kecak dance of Bali and we were able to catch a dance performance at a local temple. We ended our day with chicken curry, Bali style and of course a Bintang – famous Bali Beer and my new friend in the trip!

The next day started off with our car and driver waiting for us. Our driver who continued to show us around throughout the trip was such a wonderful person and made us laugh continuously. After seeing some stunning rice fields, we went up to the volcano and despite the rain it could not have gone better. We stood admiring the beauty of the mountain under an umbrella with slowly falling rain all around us, a picture perfect moment. Our final stop was the beautiful Gunung Kawi and Tirta Empul Temple. It involved a fairly challenging climb but we were surrounded by nature and did not really feel tired. The kind, cheerful staff waiting for us at the hotel and a delicious Indian meal made our day perfect.

The next day was the most awaited one for both of us since we were headed to the beach. Words cannot express the magic of Canggu beach with its cool, calm and still atmosphere and waves calling out to us. After rescuing Sinvangee from some local dogs that enthusiastically tried playing with her, we started following the distant sound of music, which led us to a beach club, the perfect setting to enjoy the waves.

We reluctantly left the beach but were rewarded with the most amazing sight in Bali – sunset at the Tanah Lot temple. The ocean, the waves, the temple in the middle of the ocean and again the rain made it all so special. I remember walking along the path to the temple with the waves lapping along our feet – an unforgettable experience I hope to have again some day.

The next day it was time for adventure and doing things differently. We were going to explore the back roads of Bali on our Scoopy scooter, something I had never imagined myself doing before the Catterfly team suggested it to me. We drove to a hidden waterfall, to a ridge among the rice fields, to various alleyways and villages and just had a blast. This was the perfect way to end our holiday, and left us wanting more. We were sad to leave but happy to take back the beautiful memories of our time in Bali with us.

The Catterfly team made this a holiday that exceeded all our expectations. We got to interact with so many locals who told us that they were happy to see us in the real Bali away from the crowds. We had a wonderful experience perfectly suited to us with plenty of privacy and yet felt supported throughout the journey. Needless to say, our villa was spectacular and in a great location that we could not have discovered on our own. Big thanks to the Catterfly team for a phenomenal trip, and even though I’m not sure where we would be travelling to next I am sure that we will definitely visit Bali again.