Visiting Bali has its ups and downs.

Let’s explore some of those.

There’s the excitement of getting on a plane…

Eight of wands: Air travel

Only to discover there’s only two toilets for hundreds of passengers. The ones upfront are reserved for the business class passengers – all eight of them.

Five of Pentacles: Experiencing hardship (of the first world kind, lol)

There’s staying in a beautiful traditional hotel…

The World: Getting immersed in another culture

Only to slip over in the outdoor bathroom after a storm and hurt yourself…

The Tower: Accidents

The bruises lasted for weeks. Outdoor showers are a great idea but smooth tiles for them, not so much.

There’s the enjoyment of spectacular views everywhere you look…

Ace of Swords: A glorious vista

While you get eaten alive by insects…

Nine of Wands: Feeling battered and bruised but continuing to fight off the blighted creatures

It’s enjoying delicious new dishes…

The Empress: Indulging your senses

This was a traditional Balinese Pepes Ikan dish at The Green Mango, a local warung in a fishing village in Amed. I highly recommend this quiet part of Bali on the north-east coast – you get all the best bits without the hordes.

Only to develop Bali belly when you forget to sanitise your hands (this happened earlier in my trip when I was eating an Indian dosa with my hands, whoops)…

The Fool: Being careless

There’s staying in a gorgeous resort…

Ace of Pentacles: Hitting the accomodation jackpot

Only to discover your cottage is next to the pumping, late-evening bar in the dive hotel next door.

Nine of Swords: Kept up at night

There’s snorkelling and diving in the Gili Islands…

Knight of Wands: Being adventurous

Which requires suffering the sea sickness of the ferry journey there and back again…

Wheel of Fortune: Swings, roundabouts.

And then there’s the warmth of the local people…

Two of Cups: Forming new friendships.

No downsides 🙂

Can you think of any more?