My first week in Bali has been absolutely incredible! Of the 14 countries I’ve visited so far, the Balinese people are truly the most gracious, humble, and welcoming culture. I’ve been spending the majority of my time in the spiritual center of Ubud… plenty of yoga, meditation, massages, my first Reiki session, ecstatic dance, cacao ceremony, delicious healthy food, waterfalls, rice terraces, scooter rides, beautiful women… Life could be a lot worse to say the least!

I’m currently living at a beautiful private villa just outside the city center in exchange for professional photos and marketing on behalf of Airbnb Affiliate Hosting Program and Be-Remote, a digital nomads community for those who embrace combining work and travel. I’m truly grateful for this unique opportunity thanks to a personal intro from a fellow digital nomad in Cape Town. It certainly beats staying at party hostels with loud snoring roommates — at least until I continue my backpacking trip in Southeast Asia. Here’s my favorite long-exposure photo of the infinity pool and kitchen at night.

Be-Remote Villa in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

I’ve been checking out many of the popular tourist destinations surrounding Ubud for just over a week. The majority of people ride scooters around the island. It’s cheap & fuel efficient (only costs $1.50 to fill up the tank), easier to drive on narrow roads, and a great way to take in the many sights, sounds, and colorful people. I usually listen to music on the Bluetooth speaker in my camera bag, which doubles as a navigation device for long drives. There’s still so many places I want to visit on this beautiful island. For example, there’s Lombok, Gili Air, Nusa Penida, Java, and my Indonesian friend invited me to his wedding in Sumatra, which is located near Singapore. But I keep reminded myself there’s no huge rush (slow down & take it easy) since I already have my visa to stay legally for 2 months in Bali! Sometimes, Stillness Is The Key; also the title of a book by Ryan Holliday which I highly recommend reading when you get the chance.

Today, I worked for a few hours from Hubud, one of the top co-working spaces in the world. I also met with a wise man who’s lived in Bali his entire life (54 years) and organizes tours around the island. I walked him through step-by-step how to list his walking tour on Airbnb Experiences. In exchange he invited me to come on his next tour and take photos of the experience. This is a lesson that if you spread good karma, it will typically come back to you.

After our meeting, I walked across the street to the famous Ubud Monkey Forest. The entrance fee is only 80,000 Rupiah (almost $6 USD) and includes free parking. As I was entering the park, I noticed a beautiful girl and her friend taking photos next to a monkey chewing on an apple core. I started snapping a few photos as well, we struck up a conversation, I introduced myself, and her friend recognized my name from Facebook! What, no way?!?! I almost didn’t believe it. Turns out my friend Paul Walhus tagged me in her post since we’re both in Bali. We took a few photos together and went our separate ways, but not before connecting on Instagram. It’s amazing how social media can bring us together in surprising ways. It’s a small world after all. Keep reading to see my favorite candid monkey photo (may not be suitable for all ages). So without further ado, here’s my favorite photos from Bali so far…