My Journey – Part Three – Finding my Strength

Munduk, Bali, Balinese Moth at Karang Sari

My visit to Thailand paved the way for a trip to Bali a few months later. What started as a mere stop in my South Asia travels unfolded into a series of challenging adventures that could fill a book. Perhaps one day it will.

Arriving on this paradisiacal island, I encountered experiences far removed from any I'd had before. This leg of my journey was about discovering my strength. It reminded me of a simple yet profound truth: light shines brightest in darkness.

The cascade of movie-like adventures began on the evening of our arrival with a robbery. My friend and I, travelling companions, spent our first morning in Bali at the police station. The snatched shopping bag would have been inconsequential if it wasn’t holding my friend's documents. Little did we know, this was just the first of many incidents. 

During my Bali adventure, I encountered a tapestry of experiences weaving together challenges, exploration of breathtaking nature, and the warmth of Balinese hospitality and Hindu culture, forging new friendships along the way.

Amidst moments of admiring nature's beauty, I delved into the lesser-known aspects of Bali. On occasions local people shared their life stories and fears, often prompted by recent incidents. It became evident that tourists, while attracting attention, also drew the gaze of darker, more intimidating figures, attempting to evoke fear.

One day, faced with open threats and the sudden disappearance of friendly locals, who were clearly scared themselves, I tapped into my inner 'James Bond'. I empathized with the locals—they had to endure living alongside these dark characters who preyed on them and tourists alike. Injustice and exploitation of the vulnerable always stirred something deep within me.

During one incident, we decided to politely decline 'help' from these ominous figures and sought transportation independently. As soon as we did, all the locals vanished. The streets of the small village were empty, and our accommodation, once bustling, was now deserted. It felt like a scene ripped straight from a criminal movie plot. I half expected someone to jump out, revealing it was all a hidden camera joke.

But it was real.

With four of us now travelling together, we sought assistance, but our efforts proved fruitless. Surrounded by increasingly aggressive individuals, we made the decision to retreat to our rooms, preparing to flee at the first opportunity. Located in a remote village at the foot of Mount Batur, far from any other settlement, we found ourselves in a precarious situation.

As the tension mounted, I felt increasing anger and fearlessness. The lioness within me was awakening. It was new to me to witness my own unwavering focus and calm demeanour amidst the unsettling situation.

Deep within, I held onto this strong belief that we would emerge unharmed from our predicament and find our way to safety.

Our salvation arrived in the form of a young British couple in their compact Jeep. We flagged them down and explained our situation. Without hesitation, they agreed to help us escape the village. The Jeep was small, so we had to make two trips, crouching low to avoid detection. I went in the second one.

As we made our escape, lying low in the Jeep, I watched as dark figures gathered along the road on scooters. Some attempted to peer inside the vehicle, while others shouted frantically to one another before giving chase. It was an insane experience, but thankfully, we managed to evade them and reach safety.

If someone had presented this story to me as a hypothetical situation and asked how I would react, I would have never imagined behaving as I did. It's true—we often underestimate our own capabilities until faced with reality.

There were a few more instances when I unleashed my inner 'James Bond' or lioness, and once, I even ‘roared’ in the middle of a busy street to attract help- surprising myself again.

Our final dinner before departing the island was seasoned with tears of relief—'it's almost over!' I vividly recall my dear friend and I locking eyes across the table, tears streaming down our faces. It was a cathartic release of emotions.

Each of us and our friendship was severely tested throughout our entire stay on the beautiful island of Bali. It was intriguing to witness the delicate balance between beauty and ugliness, light, and darkness, all existing in perfect harmony like two sides of a coin.

From visits to divine places like waterfalls in the heart of the jungle to stays at charming 'home away from home' hotels with incredible gardens, and discovering hidden beaches, to witnessing sunrise atop a volcano —these experiences were opposed with encounters with the darker side of Bali: dirt, abuse, and crime.

I am grateful for the invaluable lessons Bali taught me. It revealed my own strength and resilience and emphasized the importance of trusting in myself.

As I write about it now, I find myself almost reliving those moments, even though they occurred years ago. It is becoming clearer to me, how much my reactions were directed by inner guidance, where there was little time for thinking, and my actions were driven purely by survival instincts. It is as if I was trained for those challenging situations as if in another life I was a fearless Amazon warrior! Despite the challenges, Bali truly empowered the Goddess within me.

Many realizations flood my mind now, but back then, my overwhelming feeling was gratitude for simply being safely back in Malaysia.