I got sick on a kid-free trip to Bali and it was the best holiday I've had

"When I needed something to eat, I rang for room service and a nutritious meal was delivered to my bedside. That doesn’t ever happen at home!" mum Danielle writes for Kidspot. #truestory #notanad

When you’re a parent, your life is an endless juggle of work, bills and kids. 

My days are marked by meeting the needs of my teenagers, writing stories, chasing invoices, novel drafting, emails, work trips, taking teens for driving lessons, teaching my students about grammar/persuasive writing/poetry, writing web copy, looking after family members, budgeting, supermarket runs, housework, walking the dog, maintaining a social life, cooking dinner, planning for the future and *only just* managing all of the above…

To be frank, sometimes life can get a teensy tiny bit overwhelming.

After many, many years of solo parenting, I am very, very tired. I’m weary of being responsible for everyone, all the time, forever.

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"I dream of Adults-Only resorts"

In my most challenging moments, I dream of Adults-Only resorts on tropical islands where I’m flat out on a deck chair, book in one hand, cocktail in the other, watching the ocean gently lap the shore. 

When I recently discovered that my twins would be on school camp together for a whole week, I knew my dream was about to come true. I rang my travel agent and booked a five-day mini-break in Bali. 

The agent suggested Bali hotspots Canggu or Seminyak - with breathtaking new hotels and exquisite, world-class dining experiences at my doorstep.

But I deliberately chose an area of Bali that was not as currently ‘hot’. I wanted the lowest of the low-key vibes for this week.

My dreams of peace and quiet did not include dancing or trendy people. I wanted to relax and feel like I was really in Bali; where the gamelan music played, the heady smell of incense mixed with the frangipanis in the garden and the beach was a few steps away.

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"Unfortunately, like every busy mum - I got sick"

So, I chose Sanur. A 45-minute drive from the action, this seaside spot has a strip of shops with all the rayon clothing, beaded bracelets, carved souvenirs and Bintang T-shirts a tourist would want.

It also has an elevated mix of Indonesian restaurants, French bistros, Korean BBQs, gelato stores and great coffee. Also important to me were the nail bars and massage therapy centres offering facials, body scrubs, and all-over pampering.

Unfortunately, like every busy mum in the world, by the time I arrived at my fantasy island - I was SICK.

It started with a sniffle, which became a cough. I tested myself for COVID, but - luckily - I was clear. By the second day, I had a full-blown ear and throat infection and needed antibiotics from a doctor. 

"I felt so cared for, so nurtured"

Even though I felt poorly, I was SO GRATEFUL to be in Bali while I was unwell.

When I needed something to eat, I rang for room service and a nutritious meal was delivered to my bedside. That doesn’t ever happen at home! If I needed a drink? A fresh juice appeared! When I felt well enough, I booked in for massages at the hotel’s day spa and kind ladies patted my back like they would their own children, brought me ginger tea and even offered me special menthol oils from their handbags.

I felt so cared for, so nurtured. I was looked after far better than I ever would be at home, where I’m always the caregiver.

Here, someone changed my sheets when they were soaked through from feverish sweats. My towels were refreshed, and my room was cleaned daily. This is usual practice in a hotel but when you are sick, and someone does it for you, you recognise it as the gift it really is.

I do have family and friends who care for me at home. They make me soup and drop it at my doorstep when I’m ill.

But the kids still need to be picked up from school. Their clothes still need washing, hanging out and folding. And every single day, they ask ME what’s for dinner. 

Thankfully, the rest and the care I received at my modest little hotel in Bali helped and I recovered quickly.

I’ve been home a week now and I’ve had to cook dinner EVERY NIGHT for seven days in a row.

It seems outrageous. It’s also time to mop my floors and change the bedsheets.

Honestly, I think it’s time for me to book a massage and another holiday!

Originally published as I got sick on a kid-free trip to Bali and it was the best holiday I've had