When I was working as a trainer, I think I had pushed myself beyond my limits without even realizing it.
One day, while the training for the second class I was in charge of was progressing, I came home and took a shower when I noticed a red rash spreading on my side. At the same time, I felt very tired and had a fever, and when I took my temperature, it was close to 39 degrees.
Still, I went to work the next day.
The reason was simple: I felt a sense of responsibility because I was a trainer.
I took the cold medicine I had brought from Japan, went to bed early, and somehow recovered enough to come to work. However, I could barely speak. That day, instead of speaking directly to the new employees, the class proceeded by communicating with them by projecting text onto a monitor at the front of the classroom.
Fortunately, the trainer didn't have much to say that day, so there were no major disruptions. His voice started to return little by little from the next day.
My senior trainer and my Indian boss, who had been watching me, must have judged that I was "clearly tired." When the new employees had moved on to practical training and my role as trainer had come to an end, my Indian boss said to me:
"I want you to take a vacation. Please, get plenty of rest."
So I ended up taking nine days off in a row.
Why did you choose Bali as your holiday destination?
At the time, I was living in Malaysia, a country with an international hub airport. Since I was there, I wanted to visit a famous resort, so I started looking up airfare and accommodation prices on the Expedia app.
After considering several options, including Bali and Dubai, we ultimately chose Bali for a simple reason: it was surprisingly cheap .
The cost of a five-night stay in a five-star hotel and round-trip airfare combined came to just around 70,000 yen, so there was no reason to hesitate.
I also had a Japanese acquaintance who worked at a different company than the one I was working for at the time who was knowledgeable about Indonesia, and I had heard many stories from him. Among them, I had learned about an island called "Lembongan Island" on the web and had become very interested in it.
In fact, it was a completely solo trip abroad.
Looking back, this trip was a completely solo trip abroad for me.
When I traveled to Malaysia, I went alone from Kansai International Airport to Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and then took a taxi arranged by my company to get to my residence.
However, this time was different.
I started in an English-speaking country and arrived in an Indonesian-speaking country. From transportation to accommodation and what to do when I was there, I had to make all the decisions on my own. English was the only language I used along the way.
The itinerary is as follows:
- From Kuala Lumpur International Airport, take a small 737 class aircraft to Ngurah Rai Airport (Denpasar International Airport).
- Using the ride-hailing app (Gojek), I took a motorbike taxi The Magani Hotel and Spa (Kuta/Legian area) .
- All hotel check-in and procedures are conducted in English.
The moment I checked into the hotel and lay down in the queen-sized bed, I felt a sense of clarity.
"Ah, my body feels a little less tired."
I still remember that feeling very well.
A man named "Andy" whom I met in Bali
I spent the first few days walking around Kuta and Legian Beach. My
first impression of Bali was, "I've never been there, but it looks like Okinawa."
One day, as I was heading to Legian Beach, I suddenly heard Japanese at the entrance to the beach.
The voice belonged to an Indonesian man named Andy,
who had taught himself Japanese and was acquainted with a famous Japanese celebrity.
I had always wanted to see the Kecak (traditional dance) at Uluwatu Temple, but Andy said:
"I recommend Kecak in Ubud."
To be honest, when I heard those words, I hesitated for a bit. But at the same time, I was also very interested in the place called Ubud. The reason for this is my previous job. I used to work at an art museum on Naoshima Island in the Seto Inland Sea. From that experience, I naturally got into the habit of wanting to visit local art museums when I traveled.
When I told Andy about this, he said, "In that case, I know a place you should definitely go," and recommended the Neka Museum near Ubud
He offered a reasonable price, so I decided to ask Andy to be my guide and driver.
This is how I decided to head to Ubud not just for sightseeing, but as a trip to connect with my past work.
The mysterious similarities I felt on Lembongan Island with the Seto Inland Sea
During my stay, I took a day trip to Lembongan Island, and Andy and I planned to go to Ubud the day after our trip to Lembongan Island.
We took a boat from Sanur, but on the way there we encountered rough waves that were rarely experienced in the Seto Inland Sea, let alone the Pacific Ocean. At first we were having fun together with the Western tourists, but halfway through the trip we all fell silent.
On Lembongan Island, I rented a motorbike and drove without a helmet for the first time in my life. I chose not to join the mangrove tour and instead prioritized enjoying the island's atmosphere.
When I stopped by a French-run restaurant on Jungutbatu Beach on the west side of the island
"The scenery looks like the Seto Inland Sea."
The shallow sea and the smell of the shore
were surprisingly similar to Gotanji Beach on Naoshima.
At that moment, I was definitely reminded of the Seto Inland Sea and Naoshima.
Andy's words taught me what trust is
On the way to Ubud, the scenery seen from the window of Andy's car looked somewhat like the countryside of Kagawa Prefecture.
At the end of the trip, when I paid the fare, I honestly thought,
"You'll probably be charged more than the amount you originally agreed on."
However, Andy charged me the exact amount that we had originally negotiated.
When I asked him why, he said:
"Japanese customers value their promises, so I don't raise the prices. This way, they will rely on me again when they come to Bali. In the end, I benefit as well."
I was deeply moved by his words.
They were very Japanese, and at the same time, I felt that he was someone who understood the essence of business.
What this journey taught me
This nine-day holiday trip wasn't just a change of pace.
My mind and body were reaching their limits, so I took the time to disconnect from the workplace and quietly think about where I wanted to go.
This experience will then lead to the next big decision.
Next episode preview
In my next article, I will talk about why I decided to change jobs to a Japanese company in Bangkok, Thailand, as the pandemic was creeping up.
I will also write about obtaining a visa, travel planning, and the days leading up to the world changing dramatically.
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