As Einstein said, “Once you stop learning, you start dying.”
So, to live it up as much as I could while travelling around Indonesia, I surrounded myself with new experiences, unchartered territories and much-needed lessons.
From riding waves to riding motorbikes – and making friends while solo – here are a few things I learnt on my Wanderlands tour around Bali and Lombok, and a few tips on how you can do it too!
How to ride a motorcycle
As someone whose mum has a face of horror whenever the word “motorbike” is mentioned, I’d never been on one before my adventure around Indonesia. But, seeing as though it’s the go-to method for getting around, I had to learn pretty quickly how to sit on one – safely.
First off, you need either the Gojek or Grab app to order a motorbike to take you where you need to go. And if you’re hopping on the back of a friend’s bike, here is rule number two…
Always wear a helmet! Safety always comes first and, even if you’re riding with an experienced driver, you have no idea who else is on the roads.
Unless you’re sharing a romantic moment with a potential love interest, do not hold the driver around their waist. Either hold the handle at the back of the bike or the driver’s shoulders.
How to surf
While I’ve watched a fair bit of surfing (safely) from land, I’d never been on the board myself. So, when the first day of my Wanderlands tour had surfing on the itinerary, I knew I had avoided it long enough.
Learning to surf, or perhaps more accurately, learning how to stand up on a board for a few seconds while riding a wave, was a highpoint. The feeling, the athleticism, the accomplishment – it can’t be put into words.
Spots like Kuta, Uluwatu and Lombok are renowned for their great surf, so getting to learn how to ride a wave in Indonesia was a surreal experience and a lesson I’d encourage anyone to take.
How to make friends while travelling
Yes, many people learn how to make friends at a young age. However, making friends while solo-travelling can be quite nerve-wracking and distinct from your earlier years, especially when struggling with social anxiety.
Travelling around Indonesia alone really threw me in the deep end when it came to approaching people, and to help other lone travellers, I thought I’d share a few tips.
Enter into a conversation with a compliment. There’s no better way to start a friendship than with kindness and a shared connection, and by complimenting their shirt, laugh or sick beer pong skills, you’re making them feel appreciated.
What’s more, asking your newbie friends where they’ve been travelling and where they’re hoping to go next could spark a shared talking point, and even gain you a future travel buddy.
“Heading to Ubud? Me too! Let’s go together!” Friends for life. The end.
How to speak Bahasa Indonesia
Learning a new language while travelling is so fulfilling. It’s the approving nod you receive when you say something right. The pride you feel when it rolls off the tongue effortlessly. And the connection you feel to the place and people around you by, as the saying goes, speaking the same language.
So, to give you a head-start on some basic phrases, here’s a small talk introduction on all things Indonesian:
Hello – Halo
Thank you – Terima Kasih
You’re welcome – Sama Sama
How are you? – Apa Kabarmu
How to let go of expectations
As someone who has had my shoulders tensed up to my ears most of my life, travelling Indonesia taught me a valuable lesson: Let go.
When plans change, when obstacles arise, when life doesn’t look how you thought it would, it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. It often feels like there’s a designated road that you should be on and, if you’re not driving as fast, well or safely as others, you’re failing. However, travelling around Indonesia made me realise that everyone’s roads are different and they’re not all going to the same place.
These days, there’s a lot of pressure to get a degree, get a job, buy a house and find a partner. Often, when one of these things hasn’t aligned, you feel like you’re missing the mark.
But while exploring Indonesia, I met so many travellers and locals from all kinds of walks of life. Former London bankers, local coffee bean harvesters, German digital nomads. None of their journeys were the same, but they were all exactly where they wanted to be.
Perhaps the true tell of success is not which road you’re on or how far you’ve driven, but how much you’ve enjoyed the ride.
– Author: Megan Watts
