A time difference between NZ and Bali of 5 hours ensures a reasonable dose of jet lag for the first couple of days. It’s easy enough to google the best ways to avoid jet lag, but with kids in tow adhering to them is another thing. Avoid alcohol on a nine hour flight? That aint gonna happen. Likewise, controlling exposure to and avoidance of bright light might be something that is achievable when travelling on your own, but when kids are up, the reality is so are you.
My go to remedy, therefore, for jet lag has always been to stay up as long as possible once I’ve in order to align my body clock to the new time zone. During my younger years, this was most easily achieved by hitting the bars as quickly after finding my accommodation and striking up conversations with anyone who looked like they might be up for a few drinks and stumbling home in various states of disrepair to sleep through to what hopefully is something like the morning. Even if I sleep too long, chances are I’ll be pretty shattered which makes getting some shut eye at the correct time a whole heap easier.
Given I’m not overly keen on explaining why our kids are out drinking with us at 2am in the morning due to my fail proof jet lag remedy, not to mention I don’t fancy the pounding headaches that usually accompany a drinking session nowadays, I’ve had to resort to a different coping strategy with jet lag.
First morning in Nusa Dua, Bali saw me donning my headlamp, strapping on the runners and heading out the door before the kids woke (pretty much a rarity these days). Shambling past the guards at the gate and their amused looks it wasn’t long before I managed to hit the beaches after a couple of wrong turns.
A real short jog later and I’ve arrived at Waterblow, located some 400 metres or so from the Grand Hyatt Bali. As it turns out, this is a great place to see the sunrise.
The amazing thing was, I almost had the place to myself, with only one other couple on the viewing platform. It’s worthwhile hanging around for the daylight to see the waves rolling in from the Indian Ocean and smashing into the cliff and sending large spumes of water skyward, hence giving it its name.
After the early morning connection back to nature, its time to to some more run exploring before heading back down the beach on the way home.
On arrival back home it allows me to enthusiastically tell the family about the great things that await us once we get up and get going. After a well deserved buffet breakfast of course.
Tribe Travelling 