Trapped in Bali

- December 08, 2025

I hopped on my flight sandwiched between a lovely middle-aged Balinese woman and a young French traveler. The two had met each other on their 12 hour flight into Singapore. Vibes were extremely high and we immediately hit it off. After some debate, we decided to sync all three of our screens and watch the movie Materialists together. The movie was mid, the company was great.

I landed in Bali with two missions: surfing and securing a Chinese visa. I had been rejected once already but I was determined to navigate the process successfully. This entailed online approval, in person fingerprinting and drop off, and an eight business day processing period. I could not leave Bali until I was approved online and could drop off my passport to begin the eight day processing period. I was functionally trapped until then.

Before I worried about application attempt #2, I of course hunted down some Indian food.

I then set up shop in my open air hotel lobby (the only place with consistent WiFi), swarmed by mosquitoes, rapidly booking various hotels and flights until I submitted attempt number 2 at 4am.

The next day I explored my neighborhood, Legian Beach, which consisted of drunk Australians, tattoo parlors, bars, and overpriced Western restaurants.

The streets were roamed by Bali Beer Buses.

And ample shops offering dreadlocks for white people.

I went to a Circle K to try to buy some peanut butter and was jump-scared by this tattoo art.

Eventually I retired to the hotel pool. The time was 1:42pm. This tattoo'd Australian was already well into a bottle of Maker's Mark.

My concern was growing, but in the eleventh hour I found this wonderful, cheap, pork satay shop. This place saved me and restored my faith in Bali.

I then learned that my second Chinese visa application was rejected. I applied again that night.

Day 2 I found my surf shop, took zero photos, caught zero waves, damaged one board, and got severely sunburned.

I did find this cheap warung serving $1.50 entrees. I ate two every day for post-surfing lunch.

My third visa application was denied. I applied again. But the center was closed for a local festival, so I would have to wait two days to hear back.

Despite the fact I took zero photos, I did indeed surf every day in the meantime. I damaged another board. This was also not my fault as a I was run over by a surf shop employee as he learned how to surf (ironic I know). I ended every session exhausted and famished. Initially critical of the Western food in Bali, I quickly found myself eating triple cheeseburgers and fish n chips (oftentimes for back to back dinners).

On day five in Bali, sore, sunburnt, and with a second damaged board under my belt I heard amazing news: my fourth Chinese visa application had been approved! Or at least the pre - dropoff online component. I took a break from surfing to swing by the Denpasar visa application center. I felt so accomplished.

Then I went to McDonald's to take advantage of fast WiFi and cheap food to catch up on the blog.

I ordered a celebratory McSpaghetti and McSpicy.

And the elusive four patty double Big Mac.

After some blog work I took a taxi to a Reels-recommended spot for Babi guling, Indonesian spit roast pork. The open roasting meat was a good sign.

This pork was so good. Incredibly crisp skin and fatty tender meat. Also with an assortment of other meats and sides.

Having finally dropped off my passport and online application (after three rejections) I was finally free to leave Bali, which is exactly what I did. The next day I checked out of my room which I had grown to quite like.