My Bali Adventure

An exotic island escape…waters bluer than blue… jungle adventures…a luxury private villa…lazy days by the pool – cocktails in hand! Our gorgeous student Christie Cameron (winner of the 2014 Valedictorian Award and an incredible overseas destination holiday for two to the island paradise of Bali) shares the story of her amazing trip….

The day has finally arrived! I am beginning to pack for Bali!

As I pack, I am reflecting on everything that has brought me to this exact moment, but mostly the decision I made last year to change my life and enrol at The French Beauty Academy. I committed my heart and soul to beauty. I lived and breathed my course and each and every moment and opportunity at college. I knew the year would fly by so I made sure that I made the most of every single moment!

They were decisions I will never regret and I know they have brought me here today, packing for this incredible holiday!

If I can tell you one thing it’s dream big girls! Seriously anything is possible, all you have to do is believe in yourself and tell yourself you can!

Dream Big! Even if others tell you you are stupid -YOU CAN DO ANYTHING!

I’ve finally made it to the airport after a steaming hot car ride to Brisbane and a sneaky mcflurry stop. I decided to take one of my great friends on this adventure for a girls trip to BALI! We’re sitting here at the airport, passport at the ready and champagne in hand, let the celebrations and relaxing begin!

Everything is so exciting! The hustle and bustle of passengers rushing to flights, the smell of hot chips that is in the air as we walk past the airport cafe, the sound of the attendants making final calls for passengers.

Oops that’s us we better go! So long Australia see you soon!

I can’t believe it, we’ve arrived! We walk out of the airport only to be greeted by Dewa holding a sign with my name on it! He’s dressed in his Balinese skirt and greets us with a huge smile. WELCOME TO BALI!

He has a car waiting for us and tells us about all the amazing things we can do on our stay.

Dewa takes our suitcases, walking us through the crowds at the airport to get to the car. The air feels warm and there is a distinct smell of Balinese cigarettes that fills my nose as one of the locals walk by. There are so many Aussies holidaying here and wow the architecture is so beautiful! There are amazing details that curl and twist on an incredible arch way that leads us into our adventure in Bali!

Oh my gosh! The villa is to die for! The pool is legit at the back door of the lounge room, which means you can step from the lounge room into the pool. The bedroom is upstairs and has a gorgeous canopy above the bed, a walk-in wardrobe and a cute lounge room area. Oh my gosh, there is also 24 hour room service! The grounds of the resort are amazing and there are transport carts available to take you all around the property.

Today we’ve decided to have a day exploring and getting our bearings, but first breakfast! The buffett is AMAZING with everything you could possibly want for breakfast! I go with some lovely fruit as it’s to hot to have a hot breakfast. We choose a cute little patio table overlooking the pool. At this point I’m melting as it’s such a steamy day, but I love it. I finally feel like we are on holidays.

Now off we go for the day. I’m so glad I have my friend with me. She is amazing and has a fab sense of direction (I have no idea where we are going), but we have our map and we wander down the scooter filled streets getting wonderfully lost in Bali. I’m lost in the smells, the people, the stores! Sooooo shopping up a storm while I’m here!

We have a look around town and then decide to head to the beach. We see a cute little bar with bean bags and umbrellas. Is it to early for a cocktail? Never 🙂

We sit taking in the view of a storm rolling in from out to sea while sipping on cocktails and buy some bracelets from some cute Indonesian ladies. Sinking further into the bean bag, I feel so relaxed and stress free. This is what I had been dreaming about all year – a cocktail on the beach in a magical place!

It starts to sprinkle so we decide to head back to the villa. We start to walk back and suddenly it begins to pour and we’re running the streets laughing and dancing in the rain! The rain feels beautiful on my skin washing the hot day away. We decide to make a pit stop on the way home at one of the many spas in Bali. We open the door dripping wet and the staff usher us inside and hand us a towel. Spa time it is 🙂 I choose a body wrap (for 18 Aussie dollars) and my friend chooses a hot stone massage. They hand us robes and then we are off to relaxation land!

The rain stops so we head off to get some lovely food and do a bit of a bar hop.

First up Potato Head Beach Club. This place is the coolest place ever! It’s right on the beach with day beds by the pool and the food and cocktails are to die for.

Next stop Wahwah’s. This place is a must if you ever come to Bali -the burgers are next level! I’ve never had a better burger in my life. Sitting along a bar bench watching the traffic and hustle and bustle I sink my teeth into my burger and everything just melts in my mouth. The flavour is incredible. It’s one thing I will crave for the rest of my life. I wash it down with a chocolate martini…mmmm yum!

Then it’s to another amazing place called Chandi that’s just gorgeous. It’s lit up with beautiful candles and the staff are well dressed, welcoming us with smiles. The customer service is like nothing I’ve experienced.  Everyone is so attentive and is making sure we are well looked after.  So a straight up martini it is! It’s dangerously delicious and I even eat the olive in the bottom of the glass. That’s the signal to go back to the villa to bed. We dance down the street home, walking past so many amazing restaurants and shops. It really is excitement overload!

ADVENTURE DAY!

This is absolutely the best thing I have ever done! When we arrived in Bali Dewa had given us a pamphlet full of activities we could do on our journey. My friend told me to choose what one I wanted to do, so I picked an adventure tour! So first, it’s off road buggies, bike riding, visiting the rice fields, then hiking!

We wake up early the next day for the 3 hour bus ride out to Munduk where the adventure begins. It starts at this incredible house on top of this wondrous mountain where we are debriefed about the day before we set off to our buggies. I hop in to drive and off we go. At first I am like this is so easy, then we turn a corner and OH MY GOSH! It is the most hectic rocky off road track ever, but wow it is fun navigating the buggy through the tract. The team helps guide you through so you are safe the whole time. One of the cars behind us had a couple from Holland whose car fell into a ditch and was totally sideways! Everyone is fine as the cars are built for safety, but it takes 10 people to pull them out, everyone laughing the whole time!
After the crazy drive next we stop at one of the locals house and try some of the native fruit. Then we’re off on a biking adventure! 

We jump on mountain bikes and head off through the villages. We head down through the valleys of the mountains with incredible views of the rice fields. It’s simply breathtaking! After a lengthy ride we arrive at the bottom of the rice fields and begin to trek taking in the sights of the Balinese people working hard to extract the rice grains. We even get a chance to have a go at extracting the rice grains ourselves and we drink from fresh coconuts in the fields.

Then we’re off again on our buggies to the next amazing location. An  incredibly green hike to majestic waterfalls. The waterfalls are spectacular! There’s no stopping us jumping in for a dip! We have a yummy lunch which has been prepared for us and then head back to the buggies and the house where we started. It’s a lot cooler out in the mountains so it is welcoming to arrive back and the fire is going and the table set with some hot delicious food! This was the best most memorable day!

We spend the other days and the rest of our trip shopping, sight seeing, going to the spa, having amazing seafood at Jimbaran Bay, enjoying cocktails and beach time at Finns Beach Club and just relaxing!

This truly was such an incredible experience, not just Bali, but the French Beauty Academy as well. I have never felt so happy and full of confidence. I have a new found belief in myself and I owe it to all the staff and my experience at the French Beauty Academy.

Best of luck girls! Aim high you can totally achieve anything as long as you put your mind to it! Always Believe in your self xxx