Last Tuesday was Nyepi (silent day) in Bali, a new year of çaka calendar when Hindu-Balinese people celebrate the victory of goodness against bad things. During the day we aren't allowed to 'speak' loudly, to walk on the streets or to light any lamp. But I needed to work on some stuff so Ana and I booked a hotel room nearby called Desa Nyima (before it was Nyima Budget Inn).


I instantly fell in love with the place for it is beautifully made by used/white-washed woods and Kunci tiles and many greens in the garden. It's the interior-architecture's latest trend in Bali now, I can say. I love how tropical-vintage it looks like and just simply love being in the scene. So I could  already imagine how happy I would for the season being in the place.



Then we found that we would be stuck for two nights with a group of European guys and two other guests, so we went to the poolside to get to know them and found that Frenk and Joep came from Holland; Bert is from Belgium and Carlos from Germany; they are all backpacking and met in Bali (except for the first two ones who are friends from work back then).

After we checked in we went to the supermarket to buy some supply for the next 48 hours being stuck then went home to bring our stuff. Dewi joined us chilling at the hotel that evening, watching movies on DVD and then went out for dinner at the junction of Merta Agung and Mertanadi. There were also the ogoh-ogoh parade going on our way so we didn't have to go to the market to see it.


We went back to the hotel and decided to chill by the poolside, where the guys were hanging out and made some conversation with them. We ended up talking in group for hours till like 1 or 2 a.m. The Nyepi begins at 6 a.m. on the March 12 and ended on 6 a.m. the next day. So we needed to get at least two days booking at the hotel. That means 40-48 hours stuck with the same people in the compound.


Luckily I got myself surrounded with great environment and people. We had to cook our own meals for the day and night and of all the guys apparently three of them are chefs (which made Ana and I felt so bad about our cooking skills). We had the signal dropped for the last half of the day and also the first of next day so basically we were completely sealed in.


But it was more than okay to me and Ana. The night turned out to be magical for without any electricity and/or lights in the whole Bali island, the stars came out so brightly as if there was someone sprinkled the sparkling stardust on the black sky, which all look so close and could be seen with bare eyes. Me, Ana and the guys spent the whole night by the poolside looking up, mesmerized at our first stargazing experience.


I woke up at 6 a.m. the next day and both me and Ana went outside to see the first sunrise on the first day of the çaka year. We then had things arranged with the guys that after we checked out we went back to the hotel again and went with them looking for lunch by walking along the Seminyak area. We turned up to be walking all the way; 4 km to Kayu Jati street.


We decided to have lunch at a new Mexican restaurant for the others were still closed due to the Holy day. Dewi caught up with us and we had another 2 km walking to Seminyak beach by the sand. We had second lunch at the Warung Taris (because the portion before was too tiny), then walked back to Kayu Aya street, had some window shopping before finally went back home to get some nap.


We made it back to the inn at 8 p.m. and went together to The Deck at Jl. Petitenget where we met Dewi's friends; Priskilla and Hans. We had dinner, drink and played pool table till it was 12 a.m. then we carried on to Zappas at Kayu Aya, then we went home at 1 a.m. It was a really tiring but very fun Nyepi Day for me and Ana. So many great experiences; from new friends to watching ogoh-ogoh to stargazing. I am simply blessed!