About me and why I am here

Hi, I am Mary, I live in Bali, and have done since 1995. I grew up in England, but never felt I belonged there, and always liked to read about far away lands. I started travelling when I was 18, and found I loved visiting new places, learning new languages and understanding new cultures. I did not want to be a mere tourist, looking in from the outside, I wanted to really get to know the people and understand what made them tick. I took a year off after school, and spent time in France and Israel. I learned such a lot by living on a kibbutz in Israel, being part of a completely different lifestyle really opened my eyes to an alternative way of living.

I continued travelling after university, and when I arrived in Bali, I felt I had found a place where I could settle. Meeting my husband was a deciding factor! It has not been easy, but its certainly been interesting! Bali has so much to offer visitors, and part of my reason for blogging is to share my experiences, to encourage people to go beyond the tourist traps like Kuta, and see the real Bali.

Another reason for starting this blog was an attempt to find my voice, and see where it takes me. I am a mother of 3 wonderful children who do not need my constant supervision any more, so I have more time on my hands to do the things that make me happy. Writing is the top of that list. I absolutely love to write, and so many strange and wonderful things happen on a daily basis here, I figured there is plenty of inspiration to write about.

I want to share my love of Bali, and give insights in to the way the people think and live here. I am no expert, but I like to think I have something to say. I plan to have weekly recipes of Balinese and Indonesian food, as well as share my thoughts on what is happening here, and give some explanations on the culture and traditions. Let me know what you think, and what you would like to know more about. I am open to any and all suggestions.