A week with AirAsia had us appreciating sights and spaces in Bali that did well for our mind
Sometimes, surrendering and trusting is the best decision one can make.
This is my realization as I write this on the flight home to Manila via AirAsia AK 582 from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. We spent a few hours there after arriving from Bali, Indonesia, where we spent the most part of the week covering Capital A’s (AirAsia’s mother company) events at the inaugural Bali International Airshow.
Breathing room
In Bali, we were billeted at the Sintesa Jimbaran, a hotel situated atop a hill just a few minutes from Uluwatu-Jimbaran Road.
As soon as we got there, the high ceilings, open spaces, and colors through greens and flora served as the best welcoming committee. There was none of the usual hotel music or scent we would normally experience in hotels in Manila. It was mostly fresh air, quiet, the sound of water from their zen fountain, or the singing of birds in the trees surrounding the hotel.
Good vibes in the first five minutes there. I knew it was going to be a good trip.
Traditional and modern, subtly combined
What struck me about the hotel’s interiors and furnishings was how smartly yet simply they combined traditional and modern elements.
At the lobby, there were charming Balinese sala sets for guests to wait at. I’m not a big fan of red and pink but these sets made me smile as soon as I saw them.
Corridor entrances were framed with traditional Balinese wood carvings done with amazing detail. As Filipinos, they were not new to us. But they were done so well that we couldn’t help but appreciate them.
They had a bar called The BARber because it was a bar with a hidden door leading to a charming barber shop. It reminded me of concepts we have in Manila where barber shops would serve whisky or beer to their patrons.
I’m a fan of wood and leather, and The BARber’s interiors indulged my taste. Outside it was the pool, whose ceiling design is one of the most beautiful and memorable I have seen in a while.
A monkey stole my phone
A visit to Bali would not be complete without visiting Uluwatu Temple, known for their cultural show, their views of the sea, and their naughty, naughty monkeys.
While I was quietly standing in one spot, concerned about a peer whose glasses where snatched by a monkey, another one snatched my phone and then hurriedly climbed a tree.
I lamented coming home without my iPhone (and all my personal and work files stored in it). Good thing, a kind lady and another peer helped me get it back. Whew.
Sustainability in aviation
“ASEAN sky,” I remember Capital A CEO Tony Fernandes saying in a media briefing about what he was really there about: carbon credits, reducing environmental impact, and sustainable sustainability.
It can’t just be a buzzword anymore; we need to act now, and we need to act together.
What does this have to do with real estate? We all travel to see the world and experience as much of it as we could in our lifetime. For some who are blessed, they travel to buy and invest in property or delve in the property industry.
But to what end? How will we enjoy our spaces and investments if, environmentally, we are driving ourselves towards a climate crisis we might not be able to dig ourselves out of?
[Sept 21, 11:33am] The pilot has just announced our descent into Manila. I am surrounded by peers I met on this trip who have now become my friends: Tyrone of PDI, Joel of Manila Standard, and Rodmill of Manila Bulletin. Carlo Carongoy and Janmar Ibanez took such care of us, and I am taking this opportunity to express my gratitude.
If you are reading this, consider it your sign to book a trip to anywhere that’s good for your eyes, tummy, and your mind. Appreciate the beauty, do it sustainably.
Most importantly, give your mind a break. How you show up for yourself determines how you show up for others.
