Hi Beach Cottage lovelies, I am still here in Bali…and today some pictures from out in the country and the rice fields…it’s a whole world away from my day to day life on the beaches and I loved every second of it when up and away a bit from the main tourist areas…
We loved it out here…lush and calm and green and the people were wonderful & friendly…I stopped to say hello to these kiddos…they were talking to me and chuckling…I thought they were saying ‘water’ ‘water’ but it turns out they were saying ‘photo’…they wanted me to take their photo and were laughing and giggling, so lovely….
Mr Beach Cottage and I like to get away from the main drag when away on holiday…the way we normally do it is to research on the internet, book our accommodation from there and then buy a guidebook and use travel blogs and travel websites to find tips and tricks on things we like to do…sometimes it’s tricky and very expensive finding accommodation to suit five of us…but once we get here we like to eat the local food only (that’s been a lot of noodles so far), try and hunt out little cafes to eat in (this time that was at a place in the city where the whole meal for 5 of us cost under $10 including drinks and was fabulous and we survived!! …though it was a whole other world in terms of what we are used to…we ate rice with our fingers, our plates were leaves…you get the picture), go on long walks and take taxi rides off to places a bit off the beaten track.
We have been doing just that, however not all has gone smoothly…if you follow me on Instagram you will know that this time one of the places we had booked to stay did not live up to the website (it claimed to have things that it didn’t and the standards weren’t up to much) and we had to find a new place to stay…not fun at all, but all part and parcel sometimes I guess…
Best thing for me on hols though is getting out with my camera and seeing the locals doing their thing…
I could (and have) taken a million photos of ladies with things on their heads over the last week or so…it’s fascinating to me…they have the most amazing deportment…
We have always had a kiddo or three with us on our holidays so some of what we want to do has to be mixed up with what they want to do…when they were littlies going to the beach and digging sandcastles all day long….in this case it meant that we went to a water park last week (NOT my idea of fun sending myself, with wobbly bits may I add, hurtling down a slide that it took me five minutes to climb up with a whole bunch of pale tourists from all over the globe)…but needs must in the parenting world do they not?
…but it all works itself out in the end though and it’s funny but this holiday and Hong Kong recently we have realised that our kiddos now actually like the things we like too….getting to see local life, going on walks, eating the food and learning the culture…plus they like messing about in a pool, they love local markets and a bit of shopping…
…though they aren’t quite as enamoured with taking pictures of washing as me…that may come
….local life here in the country still seems quite basic and rural…
So many interesting things to look at, so far from my own life…
…the colours are outstanding
…everything to me seemed very lush and green….of course, it’s the wet season here so it would be lush!
…love just seeing local life and stuff that’s different ..
…the people here seem to work so hard…and are happy at the same time…just seeing them about their life made me stop and think a whole lot about how I go about some of mine…and how I take so so so much for granted in my life…
I hope you enjoyed the first part of this, I must say I enjoyed my part in this blog post…I could spend my life taking photos all day…
Love from Bali
Sarah
p.s. I have been getting some questions lately about what camera I use…I am still using my Canon camera and lenses and love them, though I am looking at investing in a new camera pretty soon
V v lovely pix – have a fab holiday! x
We went to Bali / Lombok / Komodo Island in 2011 as part of a cruise package. i agree about the colour, so much to look at.
yes, heaps!
what a lovely pictures you made. I have been last year to Bali, With your photos it seems like yesterday
thanks manon, I am glad you liked them and I hope it brought back good memories x
Fabulous photos! The people, their activities, the colors… It’s a whole new world and lifestyle! Do you know what that red machine does? (e.g., shaking papaya seeds loose maybe – since this pic follows a picture of the fruit?) Or, what the succulent like growth on the trees is? Sounds and looks as though the BC family’s holiday is being filled to the brim with wonderful new experiences! Only thing your camera misses is “smellivision” for the scents of the places…if only, right! Your topic selections are so diverse! Enjoy (as we are, too, through you)! TKS (PS – In the long run, the BC young ‘uns will remember eating from leaves a lot longer than the water parks, and in particular, being together w/ Mr. BC and you!)
I hope they value it, we’ve really tried to give them experiences…
I think the red machine is actually a scale…this was at a roadside fruit and veg stall x
Gorgeous piccies! Love those beautiful bright Colours :)
thanks Selby, too kind, the colours are wonderful!
Another lovely post Sarah…and your photos are just wonderful. I received a beautiful canon DSLR camera for my birthday 3 years ago and I am still not using it confidently in all its glory. I must persevere and practice more….you keep me inspired! Bali has never really appealed to me mostly because I don’t like it too hot and humid and the crowds, bars and touristy spots put me off so it is lovely to see where you are venturing into the countryside….far from the madding crowd! Annie M
thanks Annie, I must say I feel the same, even though people say my pics are good I still feel like such an amateur – it’s kinda frustrating…I want the time to learn more and improve but have learnt to just do it bit by bit as I go along…
I have seen that Bali has lots of sides…I wouldn’t be going anywhere near the tourist resorts again…not my cup of tea at all
x
One of the most beautiful, magical days for us as a family was spent in Bali. We book a Banyard Tree bike riding tour through Tabanan and I will never forget that feeling of riding a bike through rice paddies and villages. I felt like we were sent back 200 years in a time machine. It was such a fun and educational day for all of us. At the end we had a delicious lunch at the home of the family who run the tours.
I love those days on holiday that turn into an education! I missed out on that when a child so I was determined my kiddos would get that x
Stunning photos Sarah! They make me want to revisit Bali as it has been a few years since we were there.
Please don’t be tempted to drink any ‘spirits’ in bars though (except for Hotels) as there is a warning out about deadly ingredients which killed a Perth young man.
yes thanks Sue, in my researching on Bali I came across some quite horrible things, it was good to find them out, I think you have to have your wits about you here…we have been ripped off more than a few times already x
Absolutely stunning photos Sarah … cannot wait for my adventure … and yes we’ll be Waterbom-ing it!!
our kiddos loved the water park a whole lot!!!
Gorgeous pictures, Sarah! Looks like you got right into the local living experience! The only thing I would caution on, however, is the getting off the beat and track. Not always the safest way to go. Have fun and be safe!
yes, thanks, we are always careful though we have had one scary experience involving two policemen! not nice at all ;(
Gorgeous photos! I love Bali too! I’ve been there once and would love to go back there again.
If you don’t mind me asking, which Canon camera and what lens are you using?
thanks this was with a 70-200mm :-)
Love the pictures Sarah! I am the same; I like to get off the beaten path and see how the locals live, capture their life and love taking pictures of the children. It does make us so grateful and thankful for what we have and at times take for granted. We all need reminders of how blessed we are. Your bc kids are getting a valuable lesson and I’m sure they are appreciative. Enjoy your trip and thanks for sharing!
xoxosafe travels~
yes we do and this trip has certainly done that for me…
I hope the kiddos are seeing it but to be honest I don’t really think they are…xx
Lovely photos. Not a resort in sight! I don’t have the photographer lingo to express myself but I love those photos that capture people and objects in a moment of day to day life, unposed with colour and texture. Do you think that dragonfly in the last photo is trying to get some of the limelight?
alison
PS It’s great when your family holidays as a group, not as parents and kids. Enjoy this special time Sarah.
thanks we are having some great family time! x
yes I just spotted the dragonfly as I was uploading it! I love those moments too…and love tyring to capture everyday life x
i’ve been living in bali for the past six months, and you’ve captured rural life beautifully. i have a Nikon SLR camera, but was wondering what lenses you used to take these pics? i
if you need any info or suggestions on what else to do in bali, drop me an email ;)
thanks Pip, I took these with a 70-200mm – it’s the lense I use most of the time when I am out and about (apart of course from my iphone) x
OMG Sarah looking at these pictures…It was like having flashbacks to my childhood….Except it wasn’t rice fields but corn fields…. My mum and grandmother, aunts etc.. used to carry the bunches of corn stalks (I can’t quite remeber what they were used for…Maybe to mix with the cow manure for feeding the soil before planting season started again in spring). Actually thinking back I was in awe at the things they could balance on their heads… Massive bunches of grass to feed the cows, baskets full of grapes and even 10L jugs of water from the springs (ummm no running water at the time had to drink from springs)… Pretty much anything! I always wanted to copy ofcourse but my mum pretty much forbade it, said it would affect my posture and she didn’t want that for me…Funny I have shocking posture anyway!
Sorry rambling away….These photos just remind me of a time when life was so much more pleasant and simple for me… Thank you..
wow how interesting! I thought it would be good for your posture! xx
I reckon!!! She has better posture than me! Puts me to shame… Actually so does my 80 year something grandmother lol!
I love your photos! You make me want to go on holiday there too! I hope you’re having a fabulous time.
I am, it’s lovely to be away :-)
My goodness you are good with your camera!! Keep enjoying with your fam…xx
Lovely photos Sarah! We went to Bali 4 years ago for our honeymoon with our 2 year old in tow. I thought the people were lovely and I loved the vivid green rice paddies. Enjoy :-)
yes the paddies are divine!
Oh my god, Sarah! Your pictures are stunning! Gotta feeling I’m there with you!
Thanks so much to brighten up my day in totaly white & still snowy Holland ;)
Enjoy the rest of your holidays!
XX Chantal
thanks Chantal, I love taking photos! x
Seems a world away from snowy Belgium! Was this trip to Bali the surprise you said you had for the kiddos for Xmas? And I seem to have missed your trip to Hong Kong – must check back through your blog. Enjoy!
yes it was, they were surprised!
hello Belgium, I miss snow lol x
Beautiful! Keep enjoying your time away!
Beautiful!
Wow. Gorgeous photographs. You are very talented. If you ever wish to sell your existing Canon when you upgrade, shoot me an email with a price. My 17 year old daughter is a budding photographer and I would love to buy her a good camera (but can’t afford a new one). Can’t wait for more posts from Bali. Happy holidays. Kylee xx
Beautiful photos and a wonderful insight to Bali!e
Thanks so much for sharingx
Great pics Sarah! The life style there remindes me a lot of the locals when we lived in Korea. Isn’t it amazing how creative they can be when it comes to getting things from one place to the other. All I can say is the women must have very strong necks because I would have a very hard time carrying some of the loads they put on their heads. I don’t know about in Bali but many of the women in the little village we lived in Korea (we were stationed there in the Navy) were half my height and I almost had to run to keep up w/them most of the time, I could never figure out how they could walk so stinking fast! AND they were many times twice my age or more! hee!hee! I can definately say age has not made ME any faster! :) Anywho, the pics are great, really enjoy seeing and reading about all your travels…even the laundry. :D
Hiya Sarah,
I absolutely loved this post, your photos are truly beautiful. I could happily look at them all day, they’d make a perfect book :-). Thank you for showing us lesser travelled people the real Bali.
Take care,
Angela x