The Travel Mistake That Almost Ruined Our Bali Trip (And Changed Everything)
Location Unknown: Part 1
Whew. Finally seated.
I’ve never had a taste of first class before, but I imagine it feels a little like boarding Group A—right after kids and military.
I’m currently typing this from my seat, watching passengers board the plane.
Which is ironic—because a few hours ago, we were the plebeians… not even allowed to board our original flight.
Our original flight was with Cathay Pacific.
We decided to take JetBlue (which I like), but I’m actually pretty partial to Delta. Their service has always been enjoyable in my experience.
You know what’s crazy? I upgraded our seats this time. First time trying the “Even More” option. The selling points were more legroom and premium snacks—but let’s be real, the true reason was that I was stuck in a middle seat.
And if you know, you know.
The middle seat is elbow war. The second you move your arm? Gone. Claimed. It’s the Wild West. That alone made the extra $94 worth it.
Side note: I like to play a risky game sometimes—booking the window and aisle and hoping no one picks the middle. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. But when you win? Chef’s kiss.
Usually, I’m the “cheapest ticket, just get me there” type. But as I approach 30, comfort is becoming a priority. And of course, we live in a capitalistic society, so:
Your comfort + the illusion of luxury = more money.
Pain.
I may not be great at math (or in my partner’s words, “quite bad”), but I don’t like that equation.
Anyway—besides the point.
This is my first time blogging about my travels. I’ve done quite a bit in my 28 years, and whether anyone reads this or I’m just talking to myself… I hope you enjoy my experiences and maybe even find something useful for your own adventures.
And this is where everything went left.
So Here’s The Story.
It’s January. 2026 had just begun, and my partner brought up going on vacation. I was thrilled.
As I usually do, I made a whole slideshow of places I wanted to visit. We take turns choosing trips, but I like to give options—presentation included—so he can pick what speaks to him.
We landed on traveling at the end of March.
The list had places like:
Greece (because I love Greek mythology)
Italy (for my Lizzie McGuire Italian pasta fantasy)
But ultimately… we fell in love with the idea of Bali, Indonesia.
For the next three months, we planned everything.
Hotels? Booked.
Restaurants? Reserved.
Activities? Planned.
Spa time? Absolutely.
The itinerary was built brick by brick—and the anticipation? Real.
We were ready.
Departure day arrives.
Blue skies, partly cloudy. I felt good. No rush. Our flight wasn’t until later that evening.
Bathroom, water, supplements—check.
Walk my big puppo—check.
Wax appointment—because priorities.
Lunch with my best friend while she got her hair dyed.
With a packed day and a packed suitcase, I dropped Lemon off at grandpa’s. Final boops, hugs… and we were ready to go.
“Now boarding…”
Except—we didn’t.
Let’s Rewind 4 Hours.
My partner suggested we check in online. Easy enough.
A few minutes go by and I hear some… questionable noises coming from him.
I check in—and we’ve got a problem.
One of us checked in just fine.
The other?
Blocked. No explanation.
We brushed it off as a glitch. Decided we’d just check in at the airport since we had a bag to drop anyway.
No big deal, right?
We finish up at home—lights off, things unplugged, one last look around—and head to our Uber.
The night sky is calm. We finally exhale.
All the planning, all the anticipation… it’s finally happening.
Everything is good in Planet Izabella.
Until reality hit us like a Boeing 777.
We’re literally steps away from check-in when we’re told:
“You can’t board this flight.”
At first, it didn’t even register.
Travel Tip (Learn From Me the Hard Way)
If you’re traveling internationally, your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months beyond your travel date.
Not the expiration date you think matters.
The actual rule.
Save yourself the heartbreak.
After the shock, the disappointment, and the “this could’ve been avoided” spiral… we had a choice.
My dad always says:
You can either laugh or cry about it—how do you want to see it?
So instead of scrapping the entire trip, we pivoted.
Refunds. Reschedules. Quick thinking.
Bali will happen—but it wasn’t meant to be now.
Cue frantic Googling:
“Where can I travel with less than 6 months on my passport?”
We still wanted that tropical vibe we had mentally (and physically) packed for.
Our options narrowed down to:
Puerto Rico
Mexico
Hawaii
Same suitcases. No expectations. Completely different outcome.
And the place we ended up?
Not what we originally imagined—but exactly what we needed… even if we didn’t know it yet.
To be continued…
Comment below where you think we ended up?
Follow along for Part 2—because this trip took a turn we did not see coming: here
