Bali, a home from home

Flying to Bali I can barely hold my excitement. I feel like a kid on christmas eve who can't sleep as they don't want to miss a slight glimpse of Santa Clause.

When I arrive I get my visa, collect my rucksack from the belt and head to get a taxi to Kuta beach.

The taxi drops me in Kuta central and although its pretty late now I decide that I'm so pumped up with excitement I'll try find Merel's hostel. So with a little help from some locals who point me in the right direction I see if I can find it. Unfortunately I can't so succumb and get a scooter taxi driver to take me and I eventually get a room in the hostel next door around 1am.

I finally drift off about 2am when I am able to get over the excitement of being in Bali and seeing my friend soon and get some sleep.

Sunday morning and I change rooms from hostel number 1 to number 2 next door where Merel's staying and get the complimentary breakfast. As far as free breakfasts go, I think this is actually the best I've had. Pineapple pancake, fruit, juice and tea is always a nice way to start the day.

After running a few errands and chatting to my first Ketut of the island I head to the beach. (Ketut means first so every first child, boy or girl, is called Ketut. And the same with second, third etc.)

Kuta beach is blissfully heaven. The waves crash on the shore, surfers are entwined with the water balancing on the waves, and there's perfect sparkling sand. Sunbathers and surfers, chilling and chatting on the beach with the occasional vendor selling their wares- even if some are a little obscure to say the least.

Ok, so I've heard of vendors selling ice-cream and fruit, and perhaps even paintings- that kind of stuff even gets sold on Fistral beach in Newquay... But an archery set? Really?!... Do people actually think 'oh I was sunbathing, but you know come to think of it you read my mind! That's exactly what I need!' Hmmm maybe not. I sure hope selling bows and arrows on the beach isn't this guys day job, or I worry for his livelihood!

(Later I spoke to a girl- who had asked what exactly do I need that for, to what he replied, killing chickens?...and she was like I don't kill any chickens in Coventry!)

Kuta instantly feels like a home from home. Life is so easy here and before I even know it a week slips by without me even blinking an eyelid.

I spend my days between hanging out at the beach and riding my bike around Kuta and the local area.

Merel and Phillipp (who also came to Bali!) made friends with lots of locals so as soon as I arrive I have an instant group of friends. Rachman has a surf stall on the beach so everyday under the big tree all his friends come and go, so whenever you go down to the beach there will be at least five people there to sit with. Okky ( who no joke looks like the Indonesian answer to Jack Sparrow!) plays his guitar, quietly singing away to himself while others chilling out join in every now and again.

Every night me and Merel head to the night market on our bicycles and get dinner from a group of different stalls where whatever you want is available for around £1.

Everyday fruit shakes too- any fruit you want made fresh for around 40p...

The only bad thing about this place is what's happening to my English! Spending so much time with people who speak English as a foreign language is ruining my own pronunciation of English. Everyone has their own pronunciation and it sounds so broken and its rubbing off and I too sound like English is not my first language! Its like "You want?" "I make picture" "yes, it good!" Even when I meet and speak to another English girl we both find ourselves slipping into this mash of English. Its the worst travelling bug to catch!

Except catching Finglish (foreign english) life is good. If your not relaxed on Bali then there's something wrong with you- happiness here is infectious. With every ridiculous laugh you hear and the smiles you see, everyone greeting each other happily and enjoying life. I would challenge the most bitter cynical person to spend a while here to try and not walk away with a smile and a new positive outlook on life.