A mother who says her “true love” is Bali has visited the resort more than 30 times in 23 years.
Sarah Neal, 40, from Darwin, first visited the Indonesian island when she was 17 after her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
His family lived in Port Fairy, Victoria, where the community supported them and financed the trip.
“It was our last family vacation – Bali is a really special and meaningful place for me,” Sarah told FEMAIL.
Since then, the mother has continued to return to her family, taking three trips that cost $25,000 in 2022 alone.
Sarah Neal (pictured with her family), 40, from Darwin, first visited the Indonesian island when she was 17 after her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Sarah’s family have traveled all over Europe and North America, and even lived in the UK for a few years, but Bali remains close to her heart.
“It’s not about the number of times I’ve been there, I understand that people have been there more than me, this is just my story,” Sarah said.
“I was in Bali after our Year 12 exams with my friends the day my mum died,” she revealed. We had just landed and arrived at the motel when I got the call and had to go back.
But the space is associated with dozens of fond memories for Sarah’s family, and she looks forward to long weekends in Bali.
The mother moved to Darwin a few years ago, which is only a two and a half hour flight from the popular seaside city of Seminyak.
“It’s a long weekend destination for us, and we spend Christmas and every major birthday there. We always fly Jetstar, they have the best prices and flight times.’
He recently celebrated his 40th birthday in Bali in 2022, where he reserved a huge villa for his family and friends.
Sarah recently celebrated her 40th birthday in Bali in 2022, where she reserved a huge villa for her family and friends.
Sarah’s family has put down roots in Indonesia as her husband, David, plays annually in the AFL at the Bali Masters.
The mother also revealed that her daughters, ages 12 and 9, are learning Indonesian as a foreign language at school.
The family does not do much active tourism and uses their time on the island to relax after long months of strenuous construction and renovation business in Darwin.
“It’s nice to turn on our ‘Out of Office’ emails and just relax,” Sarah said. “We love the beach – the kids can just swim and paddle board and we don’t have to worry about crocodiles or jellyfish.”
“We meet friends and family there and it’s like one big party together. There is so much history for us.
Sarah’s family have traveled all over Europe and North America, and even lived in the UK for a few years, but Bali remains close to her heart.
The mother also revealed that the proximity to Darwin was a great aspect.
“It was six hours from Melbourne, but now it’s much closer and more accessible, it’s very convenient for an international family holiday.”
Sarah recommends investing in travel insurance because you never know what could go wrong on a vacation.
“My husband slipped in the shower and broke his arm,” she recalled. ‘He had to have surgery, he cut her skin to the bone.’
“It was 2007 and before Facebook, we had to call our family in Australia with flip phones to keep them up to date.”
“Especially with children, it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
The mother also revealed that her daughters, ages 12 and 9, are learning Indonesian as a foreign language at school.
Jetstar Group CEO Steph Tully also said that Bali remains the favorite destination for Australian travelers.
“A lot has changed in the last 12 months, but one thing that hasn’t is Australians’ love for Bali and Jetstar’s commitment to delivering great value, low fares,” said Ms Tully.
“Demand for our flights to Bali is booming and we are on track to carry 10% more passengers between Australia and Bali in 2023 compared to 2019 as customers continue to prioritize post-COVID travel.”