This is the question that haunts most of us who decide to become a fashion designer and "I am no exception."
Watch the below video to know everything about it...!
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| It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves - in finding themselves.” – Andre Gide |
Amidst the hustle and bustle of a routined life, one yearns to escape to a different world, to reinvigorate the soul for a small amount of time.
Curiosity, budget and climate helped me and
my guy to seal it to Bali,
Indonesia. It took us around
45 days to choreograph the entire trip. From identifying the cheap and best air route to sequencing the places to visit to hotel reservation and finally to settle for 6 days, we loved it all. We "self-packaged" our trip at ₹53,000 per person.
Day
0
Commute to Chennai by train. The flight was scheduled to take off at 1:20am time.
Day 1 (Beach temple visit)
We landed on I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport around 8am and took a taxi
to the Horison hotel, Seminyak where we booked our first
stay.
After a day-long trip via
road, air and road, we freshened up and filled our starving stomach with a delicious lunch in the hotel's
restaurant.
Nothing is more fun than wandering in a
two-wheeler. We rented a motorbike near the hotel and headed to Pura Petitenget
temple.
The backdrop of the setting sun and it's golden rays mirroring on the ocean floor with the view of the temple in shadow was splendid.
We spent the evening in the
beautiful Petitenget beach beholding the magical transformation of a day into night. The clear
sky and pleasant temperature add a perfect icing to it.
Nusa dua (First scuba diving):
The beaches of Seminyak are
not favourable for scuba. Hence we headed to Nusa Dua.
It is famous for all water adventure.
It is famous for all water adventure.
Scuba diving was on the top of my bucket list when we started planning our trip. Honestly, I was a little nervous at the beginning since I don't know swimming. In reality, it was easy and incredible.
Living in the moment, witnessing the
kaleidoscopic and vibrant aquatic world all around you makes it a mystifying experience of
life...!
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| The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever. - Jacques Yves Cousteau |
After an exhilarating Scuba diving experience, we relaxed for a while and headed to a cafe, Kynd Community. I loved their cold coffee and would recommend others.
The interior was perfect for some of my Instagram collection 😉
Double six
beach:
Double six
beach is at a distance of 5 km from the cafe. We enjoyed
the live performances and the 360° view of the beach immersed in the golden hues and the beautiful
evening lights.
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| “Because there’s nothing more beautiful than the way the ocean refuses to stop kissing the shoreline, no matter how many times it’s sent away.” – Sarah Kay |
Nusa Penida:
Nusa Penida is an
island southeast of Bali and one of the least explored by tourists. We were very excited about the one day trip to Nusa Penida that we booked on Klook (₹3100 per person). The package included pick up and drop from the hotel, speed boat commute to the island and a complimentary lunch. Total travel time from
hotel was approximately 45 minutes.
The roads are
very bumpy but it all felt worth once we reached Angels
Billabong, also known as Nature's infinity pool.
Angels Billabong:
The name says it
all. The water
is crystal clear and the sight is awe-inspiring.
At the same time, it was
disheartening to be not able to climb down due to intermittent high tides alerts.
Broken Beach:
Adjacent to
the Angels Billabong is the broken
beach which provides a perfect natural frame to any amateur photographer's avidity. The colour of the water is
gorgeous.
One
can only be enchanted with the view of the beach and beyond.
Kelingking beach:
The feeling here is
enigmatic.
If you are planning to get
down to the beach and explore more in the West Nusa Penida, one night stay is recommended. It will be a
1-hour hike (difficulty level: medium to hard). One needs to be prepared with the right gears (shoes with
good grips, water etc.)
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| "She loves the serene brutality of the ocean, loves the electric power she felt with each breath of wet, briny air." - Holly Black |
Gili islands:
Gilli Islands are a
group of 3 tiny islands. We visited Gili Trawangan
and it took
approximately 90 minutes to reach the island in a speed boat (booked
on klook).
The cool breeze, the
endless blue horizon, music and beer made the journey delightful.
Gili Trawangan is a small island ideal for snorkelling,
scuba diving or for partying. Horse cart, bicycle and on foot are the main modes of commute.
Since it is a dead coral beach, rubber shoes can make
it easier to get into the water.
Gilli Trawangan is known as the party island of
Bali. The parties can go up to 3 in the morning. Arak, the local drink is not recommended since it contains dangerous menthol. One should stick to canned drinks. 1-2
days of stay is recommended.
We checked in at Melati cottage
in the afternoon. The cottage is very pretty. Post lunch we spent some leisurely time on the beach till the golden shimmer filled the western sky. The night view of the island is
beautiful when all the cafes and pubs are lit up.
Since we were craving for some
Indian food, we had dinner at Persona. Hookah is also available here.
Sama-Sama Reggae
Bar has a great ambience with live band performances. The place can be a little crowded at late night. We danced our heart out until 1 am.
Ubud:
We returned to Seminyak from Gilli T and post-lunch, we hopped on the motorbike and headed to Ubud. Ubud is famous for royal palaces, temples, waterfalls, and Bali swing.
The one hour ride to Ubud through the lush green rice fields during sunset made the journey beautiful. Cost of everything in Ubud is comparatively less.
We
checked in to Wijaya guest house around 6 pm. The next day, we had a delicious breakfast at the guest house and headed to Bali Swing.
When one visits Bali for the first time, Bali Swing is a must to be added in the itinerary. The picturesque spot has gained much popularity among tourists and can be annoyingly overcrowded.
So we went to a little less known place called Swing heaven. Tickets were ₹2500 per person.
So we went to a little less known place called Swing heaven. Tickets were ₹2500 per person.
The gigantic swings amidst the lush greenery make perfect frames for one's Instagram pictures. Needless to say, it is an incredible, adrenaline-fuelled experience...!
Tegenungan
Falls:
The next place in our list was Tegenungan Falls, a hidden beauty of Ubud. The path to the falls was beautiful. We stayed there for a while to adore the view and savoured our lunch in one of the nearby cafes.
Saraswati
Temple:
Later that day we visited our last
destination, Saraswati Temple in Ubud.
We got to know from the locals that the temple visit is barred for tourists. Well, that's disappointing but one can sit at the pretty entrance of the temple surrounded by lotus ponds on both the sides.
Pretty soon we realised we should have stayed in Ubud for at least 3 days and were in no mood to leave Ubud.
Kuta:
We opted to stay in The One Legian hotel, Kuta on our last night since it is at close proximity to the Airport. The breakfast and the pool was the best.
There was no time to explore
Kuta since our return flight was scheduled for next day morning.
We had dinner at Lola's Shakin all-day. The place offers healthy food and the decor is pinkish.
Day 7
Had a delicious breakfast at the Hotel and it was time to say Bye to Bali.
Bali is often stereotyped to be a beach destination. My few hours into the city made such assumptions completely obliterated.
I loved everything about Bali from beaches, islands, green landscapes, cafes, humble people among many more things.
One of the most fascinating weeks of my life and I would love to revisit again someday.
Summary:
Cost per person:
| Details | Currency in INR | Currency in Indonesian Rupaih |
| Bangalore to Chennai(Train) | 550 | |
| Metro to Airport | 50 | |
| Bali Flight expenses | 18300 | |
| Commute from airport | 750 | |
| Horison, Seminyak (3 days) | 5069 | 994488 |
| Melati cottage, Gili island (1 day) | 1142 | 224049 |
| Wijaya guest house, Ubud (1 day) | 750 | 147143 |
| The One Legian, Kuta (1 day) | 1156 | 226796 |
| Rental Bike(N-max) (5 days) | 1750 | 343333 |
| Food and Drinks | 9790 | 1920701 |
| Scuba diving | 2243 | 440054 |
| Swing heaven | 2500 | 490475 |
| one day trip to Nusa Penida | 3100 | 608189 |
| Entry tickets to Tegenungan falls | 100 | 19619 |
| Motorboat ride to Gili island | 4000 | 784761 |
| Commute to Airport | 250 | 49048 |
| Lunch and Dinner at the Airport | 900 | |
| Metro to Railway station | 50 | |
| Chennai to Banglore | 550 | |
| Total | 53000 |
Visa:
Indonesia allows a free 30-day tourist visa to around 169 countries including India. However, the tourists have to provide a copy of each: passport, hotel reservation and return tickets.
If you are planning to stay for more than 30 days, you will have to apply for a visa on arrival.
Lessons Learned:
-
Flight options from Bengaluru are limited and expensive when travel dates are within a 45 days window. During our research, we figured out that Chennai (at a distance of roughly 350 km) has the cheapest flights to Bali. Since we were on a budget, an inconvenient break journey through Chennai made a lot of sense. We paid ₹18,123 approx. per person for a round trip to Bali from Chennai.To get a cheaper deal one should plan to book a flight at least 3 to 4 months prior to travel date.
- The commute from the airport costed us ₹1,500 for 9.7km by airport taxi.
Like OLA | Uber in India, there are applications like My Bluebird | Go-Jek for booking cabs at a decent rate.
- Decent 3-star hotels can be booked online starting at ₹500.
- Timing of Pura Petitenget temple.
The temple is open till 5pm in the evening.
-
Scuba diving on klook costed ₹2243 per person including hotel pick up and drop.
Booking Scuba diving online is cheaper.
- Canon EOS 80D: https://amzn.to/2Y51zQQ
- Iphone 6S: https://amzn.to/2ODRyag
Sewing keeps my creative juices flowing and saves a ton of money:) So, I thought why not put up a post on the reasons that will make you consider sewing.
One of its kind:
One of its kind:
Making an outfit which is one of its kind is what got me started with sewing. walking out without worrying that you might spot someone wearing the same kind of dress is a really good feeling.
When you are sewing for yourself, you will have full freedom to play with different cuts, styles and fabrics. sometimes, it might end up being a disaster but that's gonna help you figure out what you shouldn't do next time. I have had my share of mishaps.
Custom-fit:
Are you tired of getting ill-fitted clothes? then its time to try sewing.
Everyone has different body type and getting clothes that actually fit is a struggle. Ready to wear brands use the standard size for making clothes which will not fit everyone.
Clothing is all about the perfect fit. If it doesn't fit well, it won't make you feel comfortable which will end up making you loose confidence.
Clothing is all about the perfect fit. If it doesn't fit well, it won't make you feel comfortable which will end up making you loose confidence.
Well, who else knows about your body more than you..! When you sew for yourself, your fittings will be according to your body measurements so you will end up having a perfect fit outfit.
Mending your clothes:
Even if you are not planning to sew your own clothes, mending your clothes will help you a lot. I'm damn sure all of us have few clothes in our closet which needs a little mending and we are lazy to get it altered.
Well, this problem will be solved. Also, you will end up having more wearable clothes than before without even spending money.
Mending your clothes:
Even if you are not planning to sew your own clothes, mending your clothes will help you a lot. I'm damn sure all of us have few clothes in our closet which needs a little mending and we are lazy to get it altered.
Well, this problem will be solved. Also, you will end up having more wearable clothes than before without even spending money.
Saving Money:
The money I used to spend on shopping was a lot when I got a job. I still remember those days when I use to shop almost every week. when I shifted to Bangalore I did not have a sewing machine so I ended up shopping a lot than making my clothes. After buying a new sewing machine, I have hardly shopped.
Think how much money you could save by mending your clothes and by creating new ones. It literally takes a few minutes to alter something.
Making Money:
Once you develop your skills, you can sew things for others and make money. You don't have to be an expert to make money out of sewing. I have made money when I was in school by stitching a basic circle skirt and a top. I use to stitch for my neighbours and my relatives whenever I had time and they use to pay me a small amount but that meant a lot to me. First thing, because I was in school and any amount of money meant a lot and also I was super proud of myself earning out of my hobby.
So, just start and you will slowly develop skills with trial and error. if you don't know how to do something, just google it. That's how I learned most of it.
You never know you might even turn your hobby into a job one day....!
Once you develop your skills, you can sew things for others and make money. You don't have to be an expert to make money out of sewing. I have made money when I was in school by stitching a basic circle skirt and a top. I use to stitch for my neighbours and my relatives whenever I had time and they use to pay me a small amount but that meant a lot to me. First thing, because I was in school and any amount of money meant a lot and also I was super proud of myself earning out of my hobby.
So, just start and you will slowly develop skills with trial and error. if you don't know how to do something, just google it. That's how I learned most of it.
You never know you might even turn your hobby into a job one day....!
Feel good factor:
Sewing your own clothes does wonder to your self-esteem. When you wear a dress that you made and someone comments and asks where did you get it from? you get that glow on your face and will be so proud to say "I made it"
Stress relief:
Did you know that sewing reduces stress and anxiety? Yes, you read it right. one more reason to start sewing.
Also, it increases concentration and creativity.
Environmental impact:
Did you know that fashion is the second-largest polluter in the world after the oil industry?
Gone are those days when people used to wear one shirt for years. Since fast fashion provides clothes cheaply and quickly, people end up buying, wearing and discarding clothes.
By recycling your existing clothes, you can contribute to the planet.
If you are sewing your own clothes, you will love it and will wear it for a longer time.
Hope these reasons make you consider sewing...!
Did you know that fashion is the second-largest polluter in the world after the oil industry?
Gone are those days when people used to wear one shirt for years. Since fast fashion provides clothes cheaply and quickly, people end up buying, wearing and discarding clothes.
By recycling your existing clothes, you can contribute to the planet.
If you are sewing your own clothes, you will love it and will wear it for a longer time.
Hope these reasons make you consider sewing...!
Gear used:
- Canon EOS 80D: https://amzn.to/2Y51zQQ
