I know the title sounds a little dramatic but hear me out…
After having lived a year in Bali we were sure a change of scenery would do us good. Word around the net was, Ecuador and Colombia were the new buzzing hot spots, perfect for digital nomads like us. So we crossed the globe in search of our new nomadic headquarters. We set foot in South America psyched up and convinced we would find ‘the one’. That one town that would feel like home. The one boasting everything a digital nomad could ever dream of: fast internet, an affordable cost of living, a moderate climate, an effortless visa policy and an amicable general atmosphere. Preferably set in a natural environment and with a variety of great eats. Talk about high standards…
Once in South America, we couldn’t help but compare every potential living spot to our old (romanticised) lives in Bali. We’d always find something that wasn’t quite right; too cold, too urban, too expensive, too loud, too far from civilisation, too much this, not enough that… We didn’t fully realise it then, but we were actually on the look out for a second Bali. A second Ubud to be more precise.
Ecuador and Colombia are both absolutely stunning countries with mind blowing and incredibly diverse nature, friendly people, lots of exciting activities, great internet, endless sunshine, top notch food, good vibes… Yet we couldn’t see ourselves living in any of the towns and cities we visited. What was going on? I usually find a great deal of places I’d love to live in during my travels. I puzzled over the issue and finally understood what was going on. There was positively nothing wrong with these places, they just weren’t Ubud.
It was as though we had just gotten through a break up and were still hung up on our ex-love. Still thinking about her, comparing every new encounter to her, secretly wishing we were still with her… So the big question arose: do you return to your old love or do you push through until you’ve completely forgotten about her?
In any other situation, I would opt for the latter, no questions asked. But these were different circumstances; we didn’t leave Bali because we got bored of her or because we needed a break but rather for practical reasons. You could say, we never really broke up. Be it as it may, Bali was still in our heads and in our hearts. We were not done with her.
That is why we decided to move back to Ubud! Back to our old lives, with a new addition. Though our situation, goals and expectations are different this time around, it feels like we’ve landed exactly where we need to be. However, I can’t help but wonder, is this it? Will I never be able to live anywhere else because I’ve idealised life in Bali? Has the island ruined me for other places?
To be continued…
The post “how living in Bali ruined me” first appeared on Travel Cake.
Is there a place you can’t help but compare all the others too?
