This weekend, I took a trip to Bali, Indonesia, which was my first time travelling outside of Singapore in Southeast Asia. Bali was absolutely beautiful, filled with beaches and temples. However, Bali was a clear black and white difference from Singapore. The streets of Bali were flooded with reckless car and motorcycle drivers and most of the houses were slums. But the water at the beaches was some of the clearest water I have ever seen.
During our stay, the country of Indonesia was observing the holiday, Nyepi, which is the Indonesian Day of Silence. Nyepi is a holiday that is similar to New Years in the United States. However, there are different values that are emphasized during Nyepi, such as self-reflection, introspection, and purification. During Nyepi, the entire island of Bali remains in their homes to ensure “silence”. People observe strict rules, including no traveling, working, entertainment, or even lighting fires. The streets are empty, and even the airport shuts down for the day. For tourists and travelers, that meant that we could not go outside and explore either. Therefore, we were confined to our hotel for the day. It was a very interesting day, especially as the day went on because the lights were not allowed to be turned on. The hotel had candles on the floor to guide guests where to walk. We also tried Indonesian foods such as different varieties of pork for the new year.
