How living in Bali ruined me

I know the title sounds a little dramatic — but hear me out.

After living a year in Bali, we knew a change of scenery would do us good.
Word around the digital nomad grapevine was that Ecuador and Colombia were the new hot spots — perfect for remote workers like us.
So we crossed the globe in search of our next nomadic headquarters.

We set foot in South America psyched up and convinced we’d find the one — that one town that would feel like home. The one boasting everything a digital nomad could ever dream of:

• Fast internet

• Affordable cost of living

• Moderate climate

• Easy visa policies

• A welcoming, friendly vibe

• Natural surroundings

• And, of course, a variety of great eats

Talk about high standards…

Once in South America, we couldn’t help but constantly compare every potential living spot to our old (and, let’s be honest, romanticized) life in Bali.
Everywhere we looked, there was something not quite right: too cold, too urban, too expensive, too loud, too remote – Too much this, not enough that.

We didn’t realize it at the time, but the truth was staring us in the face:
We weren’t just looking for a new home — we were looking for a second Bali.
More precisely, we were chasing another Ubud.

Now, don’t get me wrong — Ecuador and Colombia are absolutely stunning.
They boast mind-blowing natural diversity, incredibly friendly people, endless sunshine, good vibes, top-notch food, great internet, and amazing activities.
Still, no matter where we went, something didn’t click. I usually find a great deal of places I’d love to live in during my travels. What was going on?
There was nothing wrong with these places.
They just…weren’t Ubud.

It felt like we were going through a breakup — still hung up on our ex-love.
Still thinking about her.
Every new place we visited, we compared to her.
Everywhere, we secretly wished we were still with her.
The big question inevitably arose:

Do you push forward and find a new love, or do you go back to the one you never really got over?

In any other situation, I would have said, “push forward.” Hands down.
But this wasn’t any other situation.
We didn’t leave Bali because we were tired of the island.
We left for practical reasons.
You could say…we never really broke up.

Bali was still in our heads, still in our hearts.
We weren’t done with her.

That’s why — after months of searching — we decided to move back to Ubud.
Back to our old life… with a brand new addition.

Of course, everything’s a little different now.
Our situation, our goals, and our expectations have evolved.
But somehow, it feels like we’ve landed exactly where we need to be.

Still, I can’t help but wonder:
Is this it?
Has Bali set the bar so high that no other place will ever measure up?
Will I never be able to call another corner of the world “home” because I’ve idealised this island too much?

To be continued…

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Is there a place  you can’t help but compare all the others too?