They say life moves in seven year cycles, well I must be at six and a half. When I first arrived in Mendira Village, just minutes from Candi Dasa, there were two villas, and dozens of cows.  Directly on the water, with a number of small white sand beaches, the water was azure blue, untainted by the effluent that flows down all of Bali’s rivers.  Protected by a series of sea walls, I have watched the beaches regenerate, the coral grow, and the aquatic life multiply.

For me, I was happily married, with a teenager daughter, a business in Australia, and a desire to have a home in this beautiful un-spoilt part of Bali. One thing led to another, one house, grew to three, and now we run as a small resort for travellers looking for peace, quiet, a haven in “old Bali.”

It has been enormously fulfilling. The resort, if you believe Trip Advisor, is a success. My wonderful staff, most of who have been with me for this entire journey, now have things like bank accounts, life insurance, superannuation plans. They have skills, but they also have planning for a secure future – a rare thing indeed in this third world country. They are confident, and justly proud of what we have built.

This little area where Villa Gils, the first of three, was built - has now grown to become a private commune of just ten privately owned villas. Surrounded by coconut, and banana plantations, the potential for further development is severely limited. Strict zoning laws in both our regency, and island wide, combined with our local government’s desire to keep land for the people, has resulted in an almost total lack of land, or villas, for sale. Situated just five minutes from Candi Dasa, our small enclave is now referred to “Millionaires Row.” And justly so.

But for me, I want to move on. My tenure with Habitat for Humanity awakened such a desire to do more on a humanitarian side, I need to sell up to ensure financial stability to pursue this dream. My husband is long gone. My wonderful daughter has graduated University after studying Fashion Design and Technology, and is on her way to do post graduate study at Parsons in New York. Simply, it is now my time to do what I want to do - for humanity on a larger scale than just one village in East Bali.

So the villas are for sale. If you are interested, or need more information, contact me direct at info[at]eastbalivilla.com

Finally why East Bali, and not one of the other “trendy” places down south - such as Seminyak, Legian, or Jimbaran.  To answer that I encourage you to read an article written for the Asian Financial Times a couple of years ago “Unspoilt On The Beach (So Far)” by John Aglionby. If you still need convincing, have a look at me and some of my guests, the fun you can have, and the things you can experience only in this small area in East Bali.