• Introduction: Going diving in the Ring of Fire
• Review: GVK Lounge East Wing, Mumbai
• Review: Jet Airways Mumbai to Singapore, Economy (Airbus A330-200)
• Review: Plaza Premium Lounge Singapore Terminal 1
• Review: Jetstar Asia Singapore to Bali, Economy (Airbus A320)
• Things to keep in mind while visiting Bali
• Where to go if backpacking solo in Bali
• What to eat when in Bali, Indonesia?
• Review: Premier Lounge, Bali
• Review: Hong Kong Airlines Bali to Hong Kong, Economy (Airbus A330)
• Review: Plaza Premium Lounge (West Hall), Hong Kong
• Review: Jet Airways Hong Kong to Delhi, Economy (Boeing 777)
• Conclusion: Elevating my backpacking trip

---

Sometimes when you all worked up, all you need is a break from the routine. For me, my Bali trip from Mumbai was a perfect chance to relax and rejuvenate.

Though the trip did not pan out as planned, at the end I had a great time eating, exploring and partying for about two weeks. When I compare this trip to my last one to Vietnam, I can’t help but notice how much I’ve grown as a miles and points enthusiast.

Whenever I tell people my age that you can travel comfortably without burning a hole in your pocket, I usually get blank stares. And this trip was a testament to the fact that just by having a well-planned travel goal, you can do trips like these for cheap.

It all started with booking tickets during one of many sales that Jet Airways ran early this year. I made the conscious decision of paying a little more for tickets which would offer me more flexibility. And that came in handy when I had to rework my plans when the earthquake struck.

I earned a ton of miles using a co-branded credit card too. If I added all my JPMiles that I earned on this trip, I’d have enough JPMiles for a domestic business class upgrade.

Staying with JetPrivilege, I cannot stress more on the fact that loyalty does matter. At Mumbai and Hong Kong, I accessed the same lounges as folks who’d be flying business which would’ve easily cost 3X the amount that I paid for my ticket.

Credit cards too played their part. As an Axis Bank Select Credit Card Holder, I have twelve free international lounge accesses courtesy Priority Pass. So, wherever my status couldn’t get me into a lounge, my Priority Pass did.

If I had to do a quick back of the envelope calculation, I saved close to INR 8,000 in rebooking fees and four hearty meals at the airport wouldn’t have costed anywhere less than INR 4,000. That’s INR 12,000 worth of value unlocked right there. To put things in perspective, my accommodations for the entire trip costed less than that figure.

And I can think of a million and one ways to spend that kind of money better. The effects become even more pronounced when you are a budget traveler where every cent counts.

I can’t wait to get back on the road again, exploring places and making new friends. I don’t have anything planned right now but if I do, you’ll get to read all about it here at LiveFromALounge.