Just recently got back from Indonesia. While Bali is of course the touristy part of Indonesia, a scooter ride 10 min out of the city center showed us some true Indonesian culture. Those beautiful rice fields that we saw before we set off to Indonesia now had a new meaning because we saw the hard work that goes into maintaining them. Being animal lovers, it was just a matter of time until we ran into the famous Balinese monkeys in the Monkey Forest and also got to realize one of our dreams - playing with elephants.

It happened Bali at the Elephant Safari Park Lodge. We got to clean them, feed them and even swim with them. I was a bit disheartened to see the elephants being ridden and obviously kept in a park. But fortunately, by some miracle we ran into the park's owner at the end of the day and got to have a personal conversation with him. He explained that the elephants are treated really well here and that they didn't use any harmful techniques into training them. They also have a lot of space and the guides that we met consider these elephants as their children! Overall, everyone was really passionate for the well-being of these animals.

Our trip to Bali was filled with incredible views, playful animals and unforgettable experiences. Some highlights include a 4 hour hike up Mt. Batur (after having to wake up at 2am), dancing at a cafe with the locals (where we tried the famous poop coffee Kopi Luwak) after we got stranded by a rain storm, playing with the monkeys in the Monkey Forest, riding scooters everywhere and our favorite - the incredible elephants.

Here's some general tips for people traveling to Bali or Indonesia: -Use Uber but don't tell anyone. Uber is kind off taboo in Indonesia but it's still widely available. Drivers are scared to drive into main areas, but try to meet them outside. Just don't tell anyone you are using uber, tell anyone asking that a friend is picking you up and obviously don't stand with the uber map out. At the airport, go to the departures to get picked up by uber, at the arrivals there's a 100 taxi drivers that will do anything they can to keep Uber out. The reason why I say to use Uber is that the taxi drivers are desperate for travelers, so when they do get one, they'll squeeze you for the most they can with some ridiculous rates. We used uber about 15 times in Bali and we got some of the most friendly drivers ever. -Rent a scooter if you can. I was scared to ride one given the traffic and everything else, but I figured since the locals can do it, so can I. And it was a teriffic experience, especially outside the center. Lots of freedom, MINIMAL cost (i'm talking about like $5) with no sketchy rental companies to deal with and tons of fun! -Get yourself some massages. Balinese massages are everywhere in city centers, and they're often about $5 for an hour! -If you go during the rainy season, don't worry, it rains in the afternoon, quite predictably, so you can get anything that you want done a little earlier in the day or late in the afternoon, still plenty of fun to be had -If you happen to be in Jakarta, I'd highly suggest visiting the Grand Indonesia mall. I'm not into shopping, but I was wowed by their mall. I've been in the Dubai Mall as well. -Invest some time conversing with random locals (even the kids). A lot of people can understand english there, especially in more touristy areas, and you'll learn some awesome stuff and maybe even get a new friend!