Last Updated on January 23, 2024 by Tia
Short Travel Stories, is basically a series of my epic travel fails.
A series of unfortunate/hilarious events, that make my travels so much more memorable!
In this article, I will be sharing the story about the massive spider in Bali…and the awkward silence around the table when I said I managed to kill it. Oops.
And we all need a bit of a laugh in our lives so I am so glad you are loving this series!
Contrary to popular belief, I am not always well put together, and I am often clumsy and unladylike!
So keep reading about my experience with a mammoth spider in Bali, and let’s all laugh at my expense!
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Table of Contents
Side Note
The title was going to be ”The one when we killed someone’s pet in Bali” until I realized how WRONG that sounded.
I also had a mental image of police barging in my house and arresting me for murdering someone’s pet!
That’s not to say that I only consider cats and dogs to be pets, or that huge furry spiders can’t be pets. To each their own, right?
But in my defense, I didn’t have a clue and thank the Lord the spider wasn’t anyone’s actual pet.
Short travel stories – The Arrival
So we arrived in Bali on a hot, and humid, afternoon. After traveling by myself for 19 hours, my brain was fuzzy and jet-lagged!
A little while later we entered the best villa I have stayed in all my travels – the majestic, utterly gorgeous Villa Josie.
Now, for this story let me just say the place was to die for!
So much so- that if Bali hadn’t completely stolen my heart, I could have happily stayed indoors for the entire trip.
Short Travel Stories – Day 1- The first encounter
We soon settled into our huge rooms and my friend Chloe and I decided to share a room so we can pajama party our way through the whole trip. #goals.
The bathroom, tub, and shower were all outdoors surrounded by the garden, etc.
I walked into the space to wash my face and THERE IT WAS.
Casually chilling in the bathroom, a huge, black, furry long-legged spider.
I’ve never seen a spider this big, it had a body the size of my palm!!
Although I have a phobia of most things that crawl (thanks Mum) traveling has made me a lot more tolerant to the creepy crawlies.
I thought- ”It’s an outdoor bathroom it’ll go away if I make noise”.
Cue me stomping my feet like a crazed goat to get it to run off.
And It did! Hurrah!!
Went to bed feeling like a fearless boss lady and didn’t think of it again.
Short Travel Stories – Day 2. Well hello spider, back again?
After a full day of Bali exploring, I was desperate for a shower.
The humidity in Bali doesn’t play around!
So I Leisurely walk in the outdoor shower, lather my hair, and theeeeere it was again.
In the shower, next to my goddamn foot. Bloody hell.
The screams were real guys.
There’s me naked, shampoo in my eyes and screaming at the top of my lungs.
On top of my screams, the dog Is barking, and the gardener on the other side of the fence is inquiring ”Is it a snake Miss?”. Jesus Christ, there are SNAKES TOO?
With all the commotion, you would think the spider would panic and run away.
But…Nop!!
It sat there, soaked wet from the shower and unapologetically unphased by my hysterics.
We both stood there, frozen waiting for the other to make a power move.
Suddenly it decides to wander off into the garden.
Informing Chloe (who has arachnophobia) of the invader, we ask our other friend Megan if she had any visitors in her room.
No, she says, all clear on my end. We laugh and agree that the things you are scared of, follow you the most.
Off to bed, we go, Bali awaits in the am!
Short Travel Stories – Day 3. Hello Darkness, my old friend.
We had spent the day beaching.
We ended the day by watching the most beautiful Balinese sacred ceremony of chanting and offerings to the Gods as the sun was setting on the beach.
Magical!
We arrived home feeling spiritual, content, and VERY Zen.
As a result, we decided to dine at home and relax.
Chloe and I enter our room and THEEEERE IT IS AGAIN.
Only this time, it’s inside the room.
It somehow sneaked past the slide doors and is now Chilling.
On the wall. In our frigging room.
We both stand there, in utter silence and fear.
”Chloe, how the heck are we getting this out?”
She screeches ”Tia I haven’t a clue, but I am not sleeping with that in the room!!”
There was no man in sight, ( why are they always absent when you need them though?) and Chloe was in deep arachnophobia panic mode.
So I decided to reluctantly be the brave woman of the evening.
I take a couple of steps closer to open the slide doors so it can get out.
The furry monster panics, JUMPS ON the bed and runs like crazy underneath the bed.
I didn’t know they could jump! And let’s be honest, WHY can they jump?
Chloe witnesses the infamous jump and promptly loses her mind.
By this point, I make the sudden realization that I might be forced to kill this thing before she passes out on me.
”Tia if this thing crawls on my face while I’m sleeping I will DIE! Please kill it!!”
Bear in mind I have never killed anything before. Sure, I’ve swatted away the occasional annoying fly.
But they are called creepy crawlers for a reason, and I respectfully stay away!
Short Travel Stories – The Attack
Sweating profusely, I grab a flip flop and steady myself.
”I’m a big girl now, I can do this”– I thought. I couldn’t.
It took the better part of half an hour and every time I got closer I freaked out by the size of it and backed down again.
Whyyyy couldn’t it just go away!
The dog comes in, and we are screaming like we are in a medieval battle.
Megan is taking photos, Chloe is screaming ”Kill it, Tia, Kill it!” and all I can think of is ”How the heck did I get into this again?!”
In a final dramatic climax, the furry beast jumps again and I make my move.
POW! goes the flip flop and bye-bye Furry Beast.
I am telling you, I was sweating as if I had just run a half marathon. I have no idea how other people can deal with pests in such a calm and collected manner.
My throat was hoarse, my hands were shaking and I was never wearing that damn flip flop again.
I’ll tell you one thing – I was NOT feeling spiritual or Zen anymore.
The Awkward moment
An hour later, clean and definitely calmer, we sit down to dinner with our host, the fabulous Loretta.
So how was your day girls? she asks.
Well, we had an invader, I say! We were forced to kill this huge spider that was on our bed it was so awful!”
Ooohhh Henry!” she says
Dear God….. Who. Is. Henry …… – all 3 of us ask. I am practically choking at my food.
”Our resident spider! It’s been here since I first built this Villa and it’s taken a liking to your bedroom Tia, it’s always in there!!”
Silence at the table.
Red-faced and in shock, I clear my throat and take responsibility.
”Loretta .. we killed him, we killed Henry! We didn’t know, we panicked!”
She laughs, sips her champagne, and says ” Don’t be ridiculous darling, this is Bali! Another one will soon find its way in!”
And that folks, is how I killed the resident spider of the Villa Josie In Bali.
Let me know of your encounters with furry beasts in the comments!
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Thailand – The one when I ended up head-first in the Jungle
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