Thanks for the tip on knowing my prices Astrid.  I'm hoping that I will be fairly OK in Bali.  My dad lives there and his wife is from Java, my sister's boyfriend is also Balinese - so they will look after me and won't let anyone over charge me.  Mind you, if I go exploring on my own, away from Lovina . . . then I'll probably be a prime target for people overcharging!!!

I really have to learn how to barter - I'm too polite to try, I always pay the first price that's asked!

Well I think it's better to see places first near your destination, so you have something to share with your new students. I think it will help them to feel colser to you because you already know some about what they know. Maybe you can go to Hongkong, or some part of China. I heard there are a lot of places to see in China.

And about Bali, yeah, it is a GREAT place to visit. But one thing you should know before you go there, you have to learn about the prices for things and read as much as you can about it and do not EVER tell any local guy in Bali that that is your first time.

It's ok for me to say that because I'm Indonesian and they can see that so they won't dare to give me high price for everything.

Happy travel!

Thanks for your input, Bali before the iternship is still on the table - sounds like it could be a great place to go.  Have put plans on hold until I hear whether I've been accepted onto the August China Internship.  If not, then I'll just go all out to get a job in Bali and stay over there for a while . . . heads I win, tails I win!

Try going via Hong Kong and Singapore, Use Jetstar. I have bought a ticket to Hong Kong from JKT (They go to Bali too) It cost me $150 with 20kg on checked! 

Bali is AMAZING! I spent last Christmas there, had a truly amazing time!

JANE! I would LOVE LOVE LOVE To go to Bali Have you tried looking at AirAsia flights. I found flights for around 78 USD there :)

Drat . . . looks like the Bali plan may not come off after all.  So far my trawl of flights from Denpasar to Beijing return, are coming up in the £800+ mark.  And that's way too expensive for me.  So it looks like I'm going to be flying from the UK after all.  Grrr!

No I think you're right, Jane. My two best friends are teachers (elementary school) and they are often worn out by the time the weekend comes - the kids have a lot of energy and they are standing all day, etc. So yeah I think I'll just want to stay close to home on my time off and save my travelling for after the internship! I would LOVE to meet you in Bali but I'm not sure I could afford it. Also not sure if I'll have enough time - how far ahead of the internship are you planning on going? If you do happen to come across a flight deal, let me know as it's a possibility I could fly to the UK then go from there also. Anyway, we'll see!

Thanks Honor & Kim, its starting to look like Bali before China is going to be a good option!  Anyone want to join me?!  I've contacted my dad (he lives there) and asked him to suss out flights etc from Denpasaar to Beijing to see if its cheaper to get them from there rather than the UK.  Thanks for the link to Robert, I've been reading bits off his profile and will get in touch with him.

Like you Kim, I reckon they're won't be a huge amount of time for doing extensive travel whilst we're working.  Have been a trainer for 13 years, I can tell you that its not just the lesson planning that eats into your time, sometimes you give so much of yourself in the classroom that all you want to do on the weekend is not be anywhere near any other people and just sit quietly contemplating stuff - but that could just be me!

Jane I'd have to agree with the others and say go to Bali for a bit before the course starts. I think it would be a great way to relax before being tossed into the TEFL work and I agree with Honor that it will give you a feel for Asia, perhaps make the culture shock less, well, shocking when you enter China. I've been thinking myself that there won't be much free time to travel while we're on the internship between teaching and lesson planning, so I will most likely stick close to where I'm working, maybe visit some sights around China that aren't too far away on weekends and holidays, for the duration and travel a bit once the internship concludes. Hopefully a few of us want to go to some of the same places and can travel together! Hmmmm I think I'll start a discussion about this :)

Hmmm - this is a really tough choice!

Meeting up with everyone at the airport will be good fun, but I guarantee you'll get the same sense of excitement when you all meet up in Beijing (remember that there'll be quite a few guys coming over for the internship from the US & Australia as well as everyone flying from Heathrow).

So, I reckon go for Bali - you'll have a chance to really relax before you start your internship and arrive in Beijing refreshed and relaxed. Plus, it'll give you a chance to get a feel for Indonesia before you commit to working there. You might want to get in touch with Robert to see what he thinks, as I know he spent Christmas in Bali: http://www.tefl-chalkboard.com/robertclarke (he teaches in Indonesia).

Let us know what you decide!