And both were epic in their own way! A long while ago now before we set off to travel the world, Ali and I made a promise.
“Let’s each make time to do a few things on our own.”
Little solo missions. Personal challenges. Adventures just for us.
In reality?
We’ve been terrible at it. Full-time travel with kids is amazing… but nonstop. There’s always something to plan, somewhere to go, someone needing a snack.
But this week? Ali got a solo break!
Ali disappeared into the darkness of a volcano in Java… and the girls and I dove headfirst into the colourful chaos of Mookie Land in Bali.
Two completely different adventures.
Same 48 hours.
Same family.
Both unforgettable.
🌋 ALI’S MISSION: CHASING BLUE FIRE IN JAVA
Ali had her eye on one thing: Mount Ijen.
The only place on Earth where sulphur gas burns BRIGHT BLUE FLAMES in the middle of the night.
Not a casual stroll. This was commitment.
1pm – Seminyak: goodbye
8 hours of minibus + ferry across to Java
2 hours of sleep in a homestay
1am – The darkness: headlamps on, climb begins
The hike wasn’t long an hour and a half, but it was steep. Hundreds of hikers zig-zagging uphill in the dark.
Some people gave up and hired porters to push them in carts.
(Yes, actual human carts. Ali admitted she was jealous.)
At the top? No rest.
They scrambled down into the crater.
Respirators on.
Sulphur clouds burning lungs and throats.
Guides yelling, “Close your eyes!” whenever the wind changed.
Miners walking past carrying 70kg of rock on bamboo poles like it was nothing.
And then…
The blue flames.
Not a photo.
Not a postcard.
The real thing.
Sulphur igniting at 600°C, glowing electric blue in the darkness.
Otherworldly. Dangerous. Mesmerising.
And in the middle of the crater?
A massive sulphuric acid lake glowing under the almost-full moon.
Beautiful.
Lethal.
They warned everyone not to get too close… shoes have been known to melt.
This wasn’t sightseeing.
This was raw Earth.
Alive and breathing.
After sunrise, they climbed back up, legs shaking, and started the long journey home.
29 hours after leaving with only two hours’ sleep, she walked back into our villa in Seminyak…
Exhausted.
Filthy.
Buzzing.
“Worth every step.”
🌞 OUR MISSION: SURVIVING (AND LOVING) MOOKIE LAND
While Ali was battling sulphur demons at 1am, we were in bed.
While she was hiking up crater walls… we were by the pool we just kept things chill the day she left. Pool. Snacks. Early night.
Because the next day… it was kid adventure time.
Mookie. Land.
If Bali built a theme park out of bouncy castles, giant foam Lego, fans, and chaos… this is it.
Open-air but shaded.
Massive industrial fans blasting cool air.
Inflatables everywhere.
Climbing nets.
Giant slides.
Soft play.
Connect 4.
Building blocks the size of car batteries.
Cheap food. Cold drinks.
Kid heaven.
Dotty at first: “Nope.” Didn’t want the inflatables. Didn’t want noise anywhere else will do.
Dotty an hour later:
Climbing nets. Sliding down like a rocket.
Building a HOUSE out of blocks with a beanbag for the roof.
Total transformation.
Georgia?
Instantly made new friends.
Led a small army of kids up the climbing wall.
Only stopped to sip a bright red Mookie drink like she owned the place.
We stayed for HOURS.
Didn’t even realise the time.
The kind of day where the kids are sweating, smiling, and covered in tiny bruises from “fun injuries”.
We left late.
Quick dinner.
Straight to bed.
All three of us wiped out… in the best way.
🔄 TWO VERY DIFFERENT DAYS. SAME RESULT.
Ali: Faced darkness, fire, and the edge of the Earth. Pushed herself physically and mentally. Travelled 29 hours to see something most people never will.
Us: Laughed, played, made friends. Watched confidence grow. Built pillow-roof architecture worthy of Grand Designs.
Both days were adventure.
Just… different flavours.
💭 WHAT THIS TAUGHT US
Adventure isn’t always mountains.
Sometimes it’s inflatables.
Courage isn’t just climbing craters.
Sometimes it’s letting yourself play again.
Travel isn’t just ticking off landmarks.
Sometimes it’s giving each person what they need.
Ali needed wild We needed joy. We made space for both.
And when we sat together the next morning swapping stories fire vs foam blocks.
🔥 One walked into a volcano.
🎈 One bounced through a play park.
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