No, this is not a story of my love to Bali.
Though, I absolutely fell in love with this magic place. I fell in love with Balinese people and their warm smiles. I love Bali flowers, Gekkos and gigantic butterflies. I love its colors – colors of the ocean, which surprises with thousands of unimaginable shades; colors of its sun, which warmly embraces you like a beloved friend; and the juicy green of the trees, which are calling to shelter you anytime.
Ah! I fell in love with its massages, spas and flower petals baths. I adored the fresh lemon-mint juice, sweet durian and morning dragon fruit granola. I even fell in love with its motorbikes and its noisy streets.
But this is not the story of my love to Bali. Nor it is a story of my love to my travel companions. Thought, my heart is full of gratitude and love for each one of them. I did fall in love with these amazing women who shared with me their souls and trusted their secrets. We laughed and cried together. We all searched for light and peace. I know there was a reason for us spending our days together. We all know it! But this is not the story of my love to my women-travelers.
This love story is about something else. It is about me falling in love with myself. Here in Bali, I left behind my roles and let all my masks down. I turned up naked in front of myself and started learning who was I for real. I let me be me, boldly accepting the person I was discovering, I left behind my prejudices, permitted myself make mistakes and enjoy it. And loved the real me that I’ve discovered. I’ve I fallen in love with my inner child, who was smiling and laughing all the time, who was wearing flowers in her hair, silky dresses, going barefoot wherever possible. I’ve learned to open up my heart to myself in an authentic way. I learned that I was enough, I was perfectly imperfect, I was everything I ever needed. There in Bali …I was free, I was wild, I was feminine, I was me… This was my barefoot journey into myself. It was my wonder retreat that guided me to find women, hiding inside me behind the responsibilities and roles of her daily life. And I am endlessly grateful for everyone and everything that helped make it happen.
Olga <3
