SPOTIFY PLAYLIST OF THE MONTH.

Whether it’s going for a run, spending time on our mats, or watching sunset on the beach with friends, music is our pulse.  Introducing: the Karma Collective Soundtrack! This is a collection of songs curated by our tribe of ambassadors, who have given you their favorite songs to jump into spring!  These guys mean everything to us,  and these tunes they’ve shared create the perfect mix, enjoy!  https://open.spotify.com/user/125599993/playlist/01K2I5PoVvFo1R2rK9HcXB

APRIL CONTRIBUTIONS AND ARTICLES 

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AN INSIDE LOOK TO LIFE IN BALI

What is it like to live in Bali? We brought Karma Collective to this place for so many reasons – the community, the lifestyle, the natural beauty.  The more we live here, the more we love it.  But sometime it’s hard for others to grasp exactly what it’s like to build a life here.  We’ll be the first to tell you it’s out of the ordinary, always full of surprises, but equally rewarding.  It is a constant place of inspiration, remembering our purpose, and discovering new experiences. Take a peek into our lives!

Photo 1:  Scooters are the main form of transportation here – each time you get on you have to gear up for the craziness of Indonesian roads!  There are no rules here – driving up on the sidewalks, passing with inches to spare, and sudden stops are all fair game!

Photo 2: Let’s get spiritual.  While Indonesia is the largest Muslim country on earth, Bali is primarily Hindu. The entire island revolves around it’s spiritual practices and you will find temples on every corner here like you would find Starbucks’ in New York City.  We took a visit to Pura Lempuyang in March, the tallest and oldest temple in Bali that has the sun set perfectly through these gates every evening.  Namaste. 

Photo #3: Walk and talk! Our community manager, Savannah, lives in the jungle and sometimes our meetings take place in her neck of the woods.  Our strategy sessions are always unconventional – we used to battle 16 hour time differences and Skype calls but ever since relocating the whole KC team to Bali, we capitalize on holding meetings outside, in new coffeeshops, or on the beach after sunset surf sessions.

Photo #4:  Hidden Treasures. Bali is full of them.  The cities here have no organization to them whatsoever so houses, cafes, yoga studios, and beautiful views are all nestled down hidden little alleys. It takes courage and patience to find them but once you do, it makes their discovery so much more special.  Everyone’s Bali is different, and that’s the beauty of this island. There is always something to discover (whether by intention or by accident!). 

Photo #5: Stay home.   The world is Karma Collective’s oyster (office!).  One of the beauties of this is that we can work from wherever, whenever.  Often, this is a blessing, as it allows us to be mobile and constantly discovering new parts of the island.  Other times it’s a struggle, there is no ‘off’ switch, no 9-5 schedule.. We have to consciously make time to unwind, and one of our favorite ways to do that is by going to the local market for some fresh fruit and bread, and staying home for breakfast in bed! Notice the sarong?  Batik is a traditional art in Bali that can be found on every corner and in every market. It’s a huge source of inspiration for some of our prints!  

Photo #6: A weekend adventure to Bali’s east coast, about 2.5 hours from our home in Canggu.  Bali is famous for its rice paddies and there are so many beautiful places along the road to stop, meditate, and breathe life in. 

Photo #7: Remember how we said Savannah lives in the jungle?  Well, Cordia has the beach at her doorstep! This is Echo Beach in Canggu, a little surf village that is the perfect mix of local culture and expat entrepreneurs.  This place is a go-to for nightly sunsets and drinks on the beach, the perfect way to unwind.  

Photo #8:  Smoothies are our favorite energizer here!  It hovers around 90 degrees every day (that’s not factoring in the humidity) and we are constantly looking for ways to cool down.  Fresh and local are the easiest ways to go here – the local market is open from around 4am until 9am and you can bargain to get the best prices.  This one is packed with pineapple, banana, mangosteen, and dragonfruit!

Photo 9:  Crystal clear blue water isn’t too hard to find here! While the beaches in Canggu have black sand and big waves (good for surfing), some of the islands off of the east coast of Bali have the most secret beaches you can imagine…it takes chatting to a local to find them!  We got to this one in Nusa Penida by taking our scooter on a dirt road and walking around a pig farm.  The sad part about the beaches here is that many of them are littered with trash even if they are isolated because of the lack of waste management in Indonesia – it makes you think twice about every piece of trash you create and where it goes.  Choose consciously!

Photo #10: In Indonesian, a cow is called ‘sapi’.  They all look like this and you see them on the side of every road, even in the cities!  They are very gentle and typically mind their own business, they are used to the buzzing of scooters.

Until our next post, where we will share some of our favourite health and wellness hotspots in Bali and where we predominately have our coffee and lunch meetings. Have a wonderful day. And as they say in Indonesia- Sampai Jumpa (See you later.)