Asia Travels – Indonesia, Vietnam & South Korea
- 23 minsI travelled a lot in just one month. This was the final sprint towards adulthood, so I really wanted to make the most of it. I knew heading back from Korea to New York City meant moving into my apartment, suiting up, and getting to work. I needed to start my career and this trip was the last hurrah.
Bali (August 28th - September 18th)
The journey to Bali felt like a marathon. Starting from the Algarves, hopping through London, Abu Dhabi, and Singapore, the excitement built up with each leg of the journey. Finally touching down in Bali, the fatigue hit hard.
I met up with Josh, my really good friend from high school, in the airport. Despite the excitement of being in Indonesia, all I could think about was getting some food and crashing. I found some Thai food that surprisingly hit the spot and ended up dozing off on the beach, the sound of waves lulling me to sleep.
Waking up in Bali was surreal. Had breakfast with Josh, and we immediately hit the waves. The sensation of the board under my feet and the saltwater on my skin was exhilarating. I am by no means an amazing surfer, but the exercise and vibe is unparalleled. Post-surf, we vegged out on the beach, letting the day’s stress melt away. We capped off the day with a beast of a Japanese meal, toasting our first full day with frozen piña coladas. Stumbled upon Atlas, this crazy outdoor nightclub, and decided to check it out if we had the time at some point.
The next day we slept in late, grabbed some snacks, and then tried my hand at riding a motorbike for the first time. Pulling into a parking lot and cruising around was a strange but freeing feeling. After 20 minutes of nervousness, we were off! I didn’t even have a license at this point, so it probably wasn’t the best idea. But it was the only way! We drove up to change our accomodation from the AirBnb where we wanted good sleep, to the Farm Hostel. What do you know - we bumped into a friend’s sister, small world! During the day we planned a 6-day trip into the lakes and mountains and ended the day with beers and meeting new friends: Ting, Miguel, and Hollister. We then made the questionable decision to ride bikes to Club Favela with girls on the back – not the safest move, but thankfully, we made it back in one piece. The night was wild and fun.
The next few days were a mix of late mornings and spontaneous plans. Randomly, we struggled with a cryptography exam for Josh’s friend who needed some computer science degree help, but managed to get it done. Then, we tried to motorbike to a chicken shop but ended up at a Japanese restaurant instead – it turned out to be a great choice. The food in Bali is generally incredible. Conversations over meals with Josh delved into deep thoughts, making the experience even more memorable.
We then packed our bags for Ubud, an hour’s drive through stunning rice paddies. The feeling of freedom on the motorbike was really novel for me. Ubud was a different world – stayed at Cendana Resort and Spa for just $23 a night. The place was amazing. We went to the monkey sanctuary and tried hot yoga at Ubud Yoga Center, which was an intense experience. I practically created a new Balinese waterfall with the sweat dripping from my forehead. The dinner afterward was a feast of açai bowls, pad thai, and more. We ended the day with a night swim and just hanging out.
Our next adventure took us further north into the mountains. The temperature drop was noticeable, and the vibe was completely different from southern Bali. On our way, we stopped to see some rice farmers working. We walked over and took some photographs of them labouring. We tried to be as least touristy as possible during our trip, but I’m glad we did this.
Up in the mountains, near the town of Gobleg, we stayed in a small hotel right at the top. During the day, we decided to explore various nearby waterfalls – almost having the places to ourselves. We also ate some incredible chicken satay from the hotel and helped to cook one night.
The next morning, we woke up early and had breakfast at a mountainside restaurant. The view was incredible. We then attempted a hike in the national park but had to get creative when we found the entrance closed. We ended up scaling down onto the trail from a nearby village entrance which ended up being really dodgy. We probably blazed through 300m downhill of dense jungle thicket with just a stick to bushwhack. The benefits were worth it: exploring the vast park alone. About halfway through we set up a hammock in a forest to nap – absolute bliss.
Our energy levels were dipping, but we pushed on. Explored a temple and sneakily flew my drone. Later in the day, we also found another gorgeous waterfall later. The force of the water was something else.
That evening we had a 2-hour drive through the mountains to Mt. Batur. The ride was a mix of stunning scenery and the thrill of the open road. We stayed at Batur Happy House, where we were cooked a fresh fish by the one man who ran the hostel up there. The dark, early morning (4am) hike up Mt. Batur the next day was tough but worth it for the view and the volcano-cooked eggs.
The next day, after our hike, we ventured on to Amed. Our journey to Amed was an adventure in itself. We followed Google Maps over a mountain, only to find ourselves on increasingly sketchy paths until we met a dead end at the bottom of the 400m hill we had sent our motorbikes down. The way back was brutal – pushing motorbikes uphill in intense heat. It was really a life or death experience - running out of water with all of our bags with us. But we made it, and the rest of the stay in Amed was a mix of diving, snorkeling, and relaxing dinners. The one really cool dive we did was the Tulamben shipwreck. You could walk in from the beach and immediately find the old gunship wreck, with loads of coral, turtles, and other amazing creatures.
The final stretch in Bali involved meeting Henry, one of Josh’s friends, in Sanur and dropping off our bikes. The drive was the longest yet, but the highway-like roads made it an exhilarating ride. We spent the evening chilling with Henry, catching up on sleep, and exploring the streets and beach of Sanur.
On the last leg of the trip with Henry and Josh, we explored the island of Nusa Penida, Gili Trawangan, and Uluwatu.
In Nusa Penida, the roads were rougher and our bikes poorer quality, demanding extra caution. Our accommodation was a cool wooden bungalow. At one point, we were on a super remote beach enjoying ourselves. We were burying each other, lying in the sand, and enjoying the sun – as one does. All of the sudden, we heard shouting and saw hands waving from deep in the ocean. Josh and I played water polo together and are experienced swimmers, so we immediately reacted and dove into the water. Little did I know that this was one of the most tiresome, dangerous experiences of my life. I genuinely think we saved the lives of the two French tourists who were caught in the deep riptide and would have drowned. It was both scary and rewarding.
On Nusa Penida we also visited Klingklang beach, a steep hike but worth it for the stunning beach and waves. Hung out with the Dutch guys who helped with the rescue the day before.
We went for a snorkel trip the next day quite early. We failed to see any manta rays but on the last of 4 snorkel sessions I spotted a turtle and got everyone over to check it out! My lungs felt really good, I was able to dive quite deep (probably 8-10m) and have a good look at the turtle. After, we spent the day chilling on the beach near our place. Was a super nice downtime day and I think we needed it for the Gili T mayhem to come. For dinner we ate some really good sushi, packed our bags, and then hit the sack for an early start.
The morning of travel, we woke up early and got on 3 hour boat ride to Gili T! We stopped in Bali and picked up more passengers, using Henry as a delivery boy for cash through the boat window to buy some Pringles and Oreos. Gili T is a cool vibe. It’s like one road that wraps around the whole island and then a small town on the coast. There are no vehicles, just bikes and horse carriages.
We checked into Atlas hostel and went for some food. After probably the only bad meal of our trip and some ice cream, we all committed to an hour long massage. It’s so cheap here, there’s no sense in not getting deep tissue!
After, we went with the hostel on a sunset boat cruise and chilled in the water with some beers. We then rallied with the hostel and then went out to a beach bar and then a club at a dive center. It was a good time but I’ve started to think I’m getting too old for clubbing haha.
The rest of Gili T was great. We woke up quite late, explored the island, swam with turtles, went to night markets, met cool people, and stayed at the Gili Pirates - a meme of a hostel!
Finally, we adventured off to Uluwatu. We went to Uluwatu to see the famous Kecak fire dance, go to a cool nightclub called Savaya that I had heard about, and do some surfing.
The first day, we got some motorbikes and headed to Bingan Beach, where we got some surfboards. It was a pretty dope beach, with tall cliffs and wooden shacks hanging off the sides of them, overlooking beautiful ocean and a reef break. The waves in some places were huge, and in the less big places there were a bunch of people (and the waves were still pretty damn big). I didn’t surf much but paddled around and met a 70 year old dude from hawaii out in the water who was knee boarding. He has moved to Bali 3 months ago, probably retired and living his life. What a chiller.
Then we went back to the hotel, and quickly changed before going to the Kecak dance. It was a ceremony with a story and during the whole thing 70 men and boys were on stage chanting. The costumes and fire were really cool. I’m glad we did something cultural. It was also in an open air cliff theatre which was pretty sick.
The next day, we woke up from our hotel, got some breakfast, and hit the beach! We went to Bundang Beach (or something like that) today. The reef was quite sharp so the lads cut their feet but I was on the beach and then subbed in and managed to get some reef shoes. Surfing is tough work but I had fun flying the drone and shooting some pictures.
Then we hung out a bit and drove motorbikes to Savaya! It is the reworked Omnia Club that I wanted to go to for ages. There’s a beautiful cube high up in the coast, loads of bars, a pool, and then a DJ came on in the evening. We partied until 9:30 and then went back towards our place for shaka tacos, but it was closed so we did Thai food instead.
Woke up, ate our mega breakfast at the hotel, and then went to go drop the bikes off and get some trinkets as gifts. I bought a coconut bowl which will be nice for yogurt in the mornings in NYC, and a sarong for Grace.
After shopping, we packed up and got a taxi to the huge monument in the middle of the island on the way to the airport. The thing is bigger than the Statue of Liberty and the Jesus statue in Rio de Janeiro. The statue is definitely one of those things you see up close and are like damn, humanity fucking BUILT THIS THING?! What an accomplishment. The detail of Wisnu riding Garuda was incredible. We toured around and saw a bunch of really beautiful statues that were also creepy inside the building too.
When leaving, we snuck into the brushes and I managed to fly my drone a bit, which was fun. I wish I had the time to do a full lap around the statue, but I still think I got some cool footage. Then, we headed to the airport.
Goodbye Bali!! Wow, what a whirlwind of 3 weeks. I’d say it was just the right amount of time. This trip took me a little while to settle into for some reason. I kept thinking about time after the trip rather than just enjoying the present. But eventually it came, and it felt so good. My mind is refreshed, and my body feels it.
Time with Josh was pretty incredible. We had some great chats, bonding moments, and really shared each other’s company for so long. It was pretty crazy how few arguments had. We were just 2 particles vibing. He’s an awesome friend that I hope to have around for a long time.
Bali is an interesting place. It brings together a lot of things I love about humanity and our planet at once. The people are super friendly. I think I literally had 1 hostile interaction and it was legit just someone trying to scam me for a parking ticket.
There is the ocean, waterfalls, rivers, fields, islands, and mountains, all packed together on one small island and it’s neighbours. It’s pretty insane that there’s legit something for everyone in this place. Also, community is ever-present in the backdrop of these beautiful people and places. People have strong relationships as if they were family. One person manages the shop one hour, and then subs out for his friend. The guys down the road take naps on the chair outside the shop nearby. It’s like this sense of community and trustworthiness that I haven’t experienced in many countries before. And I really like it. I hope I can be more chill about making friends and loosening up to anyone in my vicinity too.
The departure from Bali was a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction. Three weeks of non-stop adventure, surfing, and exploring. The memories from Bali were a collection of thrilling rides, breathtaking views, and nights out that tested our limits, and finally it was time to say our goodbyes. I gave Josh and Henry a hug and told them I’d see them in London for Christmas. Onwards to Vietnam!
Vietnam (September 18th - September 23rd)
I landed in Hanoi after a long day of flying. The hotel had not one, but two beds! A luxury after the hostels in Bali. That night, I was still hungry before sleeping so I ventured out for some chicken broth noodle soup. As I was sat down, a group of like 10 older Vietnamese guys joined me for dinner. They waltzed into the restaurant (which really is a roadside metal shop) and sat all around me. Initially intimidated with their smoking and banter, they turned out to be a fun bunch. We shared chicken feet, liver, and beer - a night to remember.
The next day I spent the next day exploring Hanoi. Visited temples and historical sites, tried the famous egg coffee and bahn mi, and had the best Pho for lunch. Every meal was an opportunity to meet someone new, leading to interesting, albeit broken, conversations.
After my exploration of Hanoi, I took a flight to Da Nang where Chau, a friend from university, picked me up. She is a small Vietnamese girl with the heart of a lion. I rode on the back of her motorbike as we rode to Hoi An that day. Everyone who saw us just simply laughed.
In Hoi An we spent the night admiring the night market and tailor shops. Chau introduced me to rambutan – and it instantly became a favorite. We shared beef noodles and huge beers, making the most of our time together before Chau had to run to a Minerva class and I continued exploring!
The next day we crused around the city, getting coffee, and finding a local tailors to make me some new clothes! Hoi An is known for it’s tailoring. They measured me for 2 different suits, a trench coat, and a button down shirt! They made it all so quick and perfectly tailored too. Although, I do wish they made it slightly bigger because they now feel a little bit tight after my desk job days started…
While it was being made, we left and visited a village nearby called Cam Thanh. There, we found what I had been dreaming of doing for a while – a circular boat tour! We paid to hop in one of the boats and they took us around. It was super cool. Chau thought it’d be funny to put me in a super spinny one and a got really dizzy and nearly puked. All in good humour. It was beautiful - the area was full of really long bladed grass like a marsh.
After all of our fun in Hoi An, we rode a motorbike all the way to Da Nang, which was again crazy with all of my bags. Then we got a van to pick us up with some other people and take us the rest of the way to Hue, Chau’s hometown!
Her family was so lovely and it was really amazing to be in Hue with them. They kindly gave me my own room in their house. Chau brought me to this really cool dessert place where we are shaved ice with different sweet treats too.
The next day Chau brought me around Hue. I saw some really cool temples, went by her school where all the students were staring and giggling at me, and finally went to an ancient king burial temple where we took some funny photos!
I then left back up to Hanoi and said my goodbyes to Chau. Thank you so much for everything – it was honestly such a memorable trip, I will never forget it. Words cannot describe how much fun I had. Until next time friend.
Upon arrival at Hanoi airport, I had a connection to make to Seoul. However, bad news struck when the check-in person told me I didn’t have visa acceptance! I forgot to apply and it would take a day or so, so maybe I could fly the next day. Frustrated, a random man approached me and asked me if I wanted to stay at his airport hotel. There aren’t many options in Hanoi, and I had to be back at the airport in the morning, so I committed. It was the hardest bed I’ve ever slept on in the middle of nowhere.
The next morning, once I woke up after some terrible sleep, a german girl that I had seen at the airport was also in the exact situation as me in the hotel lobby. We went back to the airport together and changed our flights to the evening. We then had the whole day in Hanoi to explore. She had never been so I showed her around and we had a good time – some silver lining in our mishap!
South Korea, Seoul (September 23rd - September 26th)
Eventually, I arrived in Seoul a day late and exhausted. I took a nap and then wandered into Gangnam to meet up with my old friend Janghoon for dinner. We had all-you-can-eat chicken and KBBQ - a perfect start to being back in a city I love.
It was so great to catch up with Janghoon. If you look back into my other blog posts, you will find his name mentioned. He is such a kind, humorous, loving person. I simply don’t get to see him enough.
We explored Itaewon a bit and went to a really cool cigar bar. We shared one for old times’ sake (I don’t think he smokes and nor do I really… but it was funny) and we then revisited our old Seoul residence hall from Minerva those 3 years ago! It was really shocking to be back. It really didn’t seem that long ago, but to think that it was 3 whole years was scary. I am getting old. On the way back to Itaewon, I bumped into the nice man who owned the restaurant down the street that I once went to quite often with friends.
The next day was about catching my breath and seeing more friends. I ran up Namsan Park to reinvigorate some memories and snap photos (I love the incline in this park!), then met up with Junyoung, my other long time Korean friend from Minerva. Despite his recent scooter accident, he was in good spirits. Junyoung is one of my really close friends from all of my Minerva travels. He is really charismatic and has great taste in so many things. I have a lot of respect for him and love him to bits – it was great to see him.
That night, I met up with a Minerva teacher who I had last seen in NYC over the summer! She had asked me if I could help her sister with some voice acting while I was in the city. It was such a random thing, but super cool. I had to read off a script in a really English accent for an upcoming tech conference audio guide. We grabbed dinner and drinks and she showed me a cool speakeasy in the city afterwards.
The last day in Korea was a mix of last-minute sightseeing and preparing for departure. The trip had been a non-stop adventure from the moment I landed. Seoul was the perfect end to this journey.
Now it was time to head to New York! My parents were conveniently going to be there a day or two after I landed to help me move into my new apartment and set me up to start my new job at Palantir.
The entire trip, from Indonesia to Vietnam and finally Korea, was a series of memorable moments and lessons learned. It was about embracing the unknown, connecting with friends old and new, and experiencing the world in its full glory. From the thrilling rides in Bali to the cultural immersion in Vietnam and the fast-paced life in Seoul, every part of the journey added to the tapestry of memories that I’ll carry with me long after I’ve returned home. The world is vast, and this trip felt like a very distinct period of me exploring it, particularly in terms of meeting new people and trying new things.
Some cheesy yet real takeaways I came out of this trip with are that life is too short to worry about stupid things. Have fun. Fall in love. Regret nothing, and don’t let people bring you down.
Thank you for reading. I look forward to the next adventure!
Alexander Bricken
Travelling the world.