Dipannita Sharma went for basking in Bali with her husband

My husband Dilsher Singh Atwal and  I love beachside destinations be they Goa or Greece. Which was why we set out to holiday in Bali recently. Thankfully it was not too far away, and after a brief stopover in Bangkok we found ourselves in this beachy Indonesian haven.

Our hotel was a resort in an exclusive reserve in the Nusa Dua area where entry was well-regulated with tight security.  I remember the first day we walked into our villa, we were transfixed by the ocean view. The villa led directly to the ocean, and there was the whitest sand and bluest waters. I loved the way the tiny waves broke on the water as white surf.

We spent the first day just admiring the view and settling into our villa. After that we hit the beach like total beach bums. I would carry my book and my iPod along as we sat under sun umbrellas and lazed around and suntanned the whole day. We’d break our suntanning sessions with swims in the sea and my husband would indulge in his favourite drink from time to time. This remains my favourite memory of Bali to this day.

We took long walks together. Bali is very green and it was a pleasure to walk along the beach trails which were safe and tourist-friendly. Being with my husband made all the difference as we spent some quiet time together, it was very romantic. Bali boasts of many multi-cuisine restaurants. I remember going to a cool Japanese restaurant that served authentic Japanese food. I gorged on sushi and teppanyaki while Dilsher who’s not so fond of seafood tried out some meat dishes. Also, the roadside cafes serving Indonesian food are worth a visit. I ate loads of Nasi Goreng (fried rice) as well as Burmese Kaukswe. We also went sightseeing. My most vivid memory of that time is the number of ancient Hindu temples we saw. Bali, and in fact Indonesia, is full of Hindu temples since Hinduism and Islam are the two major religions practiced in the island. The stories of the Mahabharat and the Ramayan are told through folk culture and art depictions in the temples in relief in different forms. Though Bali has a great affinity towards Hinduism, which has been there for over a 1,000 years, it has interpreted the texts according to its own particular culture and geography.

I particularly remember the numerous images and depictions of Ghatotkacha, a character from the Mahabharat that I saw. Ghatotkacha, in local terms,was the son of Bhima and is supposed to possess magical powers.