You never really know how you will travel with a friend until you actually do it.
Last week, I finally went to Bali.
I was afraid it would be a hot mess of drunk bogans wearing Bintang singlets and necking stubbies at 10am while haggling in the streets over fake Gucci.
I was so wrong.
Rather, it was my own little version of Eat Pray Love as we enjoyed a few days of massages, amazing food and lounging on the beaches.
For me, travel is about seeing new places and making life-long memories.
So, with our carry-on luggage (four pairs of togs and the new Liane Moriarty book), Elly and I set out to enjoy nirvana.
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I have two memories from our sun sojourn that will fortify our friendship forever.
The first was a day spa pamper package that included a ‘rain shower’.
We had no idea what to expect as we were shown a concrete room with two plastic-covered beds.
Wearing nothing but those one-size-does-not-fit-all throw-away undies, we realised we were basically nude in some sort of couples massage.
The giggles started.
We were told to lie face down and put on shower caps. With handkerchief-size mesh covering my curvy bottom, big metal rods were swung above us with seven shower heads attached.
Freezing cold water shot down as if we were being whipped. It just kept coming.
Laughing, we tried not to swallow the water. We didn’t want Bali belly.
It was not relaxing or luxurious. It was uncomfortable and strange but one of the funniest experiences of my life.
For half an hour we snorted with laughter, trying not to drown.
As for my second memory, it is hard to beat a Bali sunset.
Nestled in bean bags, we wiggled our toes in the sand while soaking up the sounds of Pearl Jam covers.
We spent the sun-drenched afternoon drinking $3 beers while locals tried to sell us ‘authentic’ pearl bracelets for $10.
But the highlight was when our waiter asked if we were hot.
He disappeared before promptly returning with two sandwich bags full of ice, which he told us to put on our heads.
We did as we were told.
The sun set on our cool scalps: me, paranoid the leaking water would make my hair dye run.
We just laughed and laughed at the little patch of the world we had discovered.
Friendship really is a sheltering tree.
Sami Muirhead is a radio announcer, blogger and commentator. For more from Sami, tune into Mix FM.
