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Around the time of the 10th Anniversary of the Sari Nightclub Bombings, I travelled over to Bali with my boyfriend and his 32938 surfboards (apparently all necessary).
Upon arriving in Denpasar International Airport I felt a mixture of excitement and anxiety.
After all, we’d just touched town in a country famous for more than good surf and beautiful people; we were right in the heart of a country that had been crippled by terrorism.
Later that night after we’d found our hotel, washed the dirt off and collected ourselves we caught a taxi into the nightclub precinct, right in the heart of Kuta. Across from the remains of the bombed Sari club (now just a dirt car park is the Bali Bombing memorial. So many names of American’s, Australians’s and Balinese people.
Seeing the monument in person made the previously inconceivable death and suffering really hit home for the first time.
But the turmoil didn’t end after the survivors were pulled from the burning buildings; or after the funeral’s of the departed.
The sadness and hardship continues in Bali to this day.
During our time in Bali we got to know a lot of the locals. One of my favourites was Roy (I think he lied about his name).
Roy was our driver for the majority of our time in Bali. He lives on the outskirts of Kuta in a small shack with his wife, who was heavily pregnant at the time, and his 4 kids.
They all cram into this little hut together, sleeping on rough concrete floors, living on less than $5 Australian a week. And Roy and his family are some of the lucky ones.
Kids as young as 3 are on the streets working, trying to make money to feed their families. Roy told as that since the bombings, tourism in Bali has, as you’d expect, bottomed out. While it’s starting to recover now, it’s been a rough 10 years for the Balinese; so heavily reliant on the tourism industry.
Roy told of friends of his that had committed suicide, unable to look after their families, or turned to lives of crime.
But despite all this heartache and suffering, the thing that struck me most about the people of Bali was there resilience
Always smiling, always friendly, always working to find the good. Despite everything they’d been through they we’re still some of the most beautifully natured people I’ve ever come across. They’re staying positive and working to rebuild their lives, and are risen to the challenge with dignity and grace. It was an honour to spend time with these people, and I’d encourage everyone to get over to Bali and do the same.
It’s a truly life changing experience.
Hi there! I'm Megan! Welcome to An Australian Wintour. We are here to help Australian women navigate modern life in style. This is a travel blog, a fashion blog, a beauty blog and a lifestyle blog all rolled into one! 
They had no choice but to be strong, thanks for sharing this.
They are very strong people!! Wow.
I have survived two terrorist attacks being in the US, the Oklahoma city bombing and 9-11, but I didn’t think that we would ever recover so I feel for them. I know what it feels like to feel hopeless and to wait for a change, to encounter new people with a different outlook on life. I am glad to see that these people are making the best out of what they can. They are strong and it’s hard to go through a tragedy like this. I am not trying to compare my experience with theirs but in a way, I guess i kind of am. The Oklahoma city bombing was the one that struck me closer to home since I lived in the town when it happened and I knew people that died in the bombing. What’s bad is that this bombing was done by a domestic terrorist and it left Oklahoma crippled for a long time. It’s hard to pick up the pieces after something like this happens.
Wow! such a tragedy to have to live with. Memorials make it harder but it also makes it easier in some ways. I use to walk by the memorial in New York City and it would always make me cry but it was also such a great feeling when I would remember all of the people reaching out to help one another. Bali has showed me how people can be strong and how a tragedy doesnt always have to determine a persons life.
That is such a tragedy and I am very sorry for all that has happened to them and I couldn’t imagine having to live through something so devastating as this. I am so sick of bad things like this happening and I am a huge promoter of piece but in order to get piece we have to first have piece within ourselves.
What a tragic situation but when faced with adversity you have no choice to be strong.