lucky to be stuck in bali - spanish travelers in bali after transcontinental road trip
After traveling to Bali as backpackers in 2013, Laura Cañal and her longtime friend Maria Rodriguez both knew they'd come back some day.
“Next time, we’ll do it by car,” said Rodriguez.
“You are crazy,” replied Cañal.
But it happened as after 7 years both drove a van halfway across the world from Spain to Indonesia.Canal is a nurse and Rodriguez is an accountant by profession and both belong to Madrid. After experiencing past travels they brain stormed the idea of a longer much adventurous journey but this time by car.
They chose the Indonesia to be their last destination on the list as they fell in love the first time they visited it. They also have friends in Indonesia and it seemed perfect to end the journey there.
The journey started with their purchase of 2014 volkswagon Caddy in 2018. Few months after they quit their job and started the preparation for the trip and finally in the June of 2019 they were on the road.
Russia took them two months to cross from west to east. Throughout the trip there were no problems except for a few car hiccups. From there they continued their trip to South Korea, Japan, Malaysia and finally by the end of the year on 31st December 2019 they were in Indonesia.
At the beginning of their stay in Indonesia, Cañal and Rodriguez were in paradise, bouncing between Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa and Flores. They spent over a month with their friend Blanka Palamos, another Spaniard.
Palamos, an artist, moved to Bali in 2013. Since then, she has married an Indonesian man and started a family.
Cañal and Rodriguez met Palamos in 2013 during their first trip to Indonesia. The three kept in touch and became close friends over the years.
At the beginning of their stay in Indonesia, Cañal and Rodriguez were in paradise, bouncing between Bali, Lombok, Sumbawa and Flores. They spent over a month with their friend Blanka Palamos, another Spaniard.
Palamos, an artist, moved to Bali in 2013. Since then, she has married an Indonesian man and started a family.
Cañal and Rodriguez met Palamos in 2013 during their first trip to Indonesia. The three kept in touch and became close friends over the years.
“I think in Indonesia, the three of us really feel at home,” said Palamos.
Palamos is in admiration Canal and Rodriguez because of the journey they have taken as for him it represents kindness and generosity.It is incredible to see two women traveling from Europe to here said Palamos. It is beautiful and inspiring to others.
However the blissful days didn't last long as the borders started closing due to covid-19 spread. They both knew that their drive back to Spain is now doomed.
“All my colleagues were having a horrible time in Spain,” said Cañal. “I felt like I should have been there. It was a strange mix of feelings.”
They both didn't go back to Spain because they didn't want to abandon their partner, the car. Instead they decided to hunker it down in Bali and send the car back through a shipping company in June. Once the car gets on the boat these two will get on the plane to go back home.
When it comes to being stuck in Bali, things could be worse.
“We feel very lucky because of the place, because of the people. They’ve treated us very well,” said Cañal.
Now that the situation in Spain is improving with their families being safe and sound. Canal and Rodriguez feel more at comfort and ease. They at the moment are staying in a hostel on the eastern side of Bali with complete isolation. They are teaching spanish online, working on their website, do gymnastics and visit beach for sunset sometimes.“This is something that the trip I think has taught us,” said Cañal. “That in the end, there is always a way.”