- After their rent was set to increase by more than $500 a week, Gold Coast couple Annette and Earl Densham decided to leave Australia and start a new life in Bali
- The pair sold most of their belongings, packed their lives into nine suitcases and relocated with their eldest son, finding a two-bedroom villa with a pool for just $440 a week
- Eighteen months later, Annette says she enjoys better work-life balance, lower living costs and more time for the things she loves
‘I can’t do this anymore,’ I sobbed.
Curled up on a couch in Bali, tears ran down my face.
‘What’s wrong?’ asked my husband, Earl, then 53, putting his arm around me.
For years, I’d poured everything into my business partnership as a writer, but working long days, I’d reached breaking point.
Living on the Gold Coast, Qld, we’d rented a three-bedroom home where we’d raised our two sons, Zayde and Qwyn.
But life had become harder. The cost of living kept rising, and work was increasingly stressful.
I felt like I wasn’t building a future – just covering rent and taxes.
Earl worked in business development and sales, but even with two incomes we struggled to keep our heads above water.
Then came another blow. The house we lived in was sold, and suddenly we were back in the rental market, facing paying over $1200 a week – more than $500 extra just to keep a roof over our heads.
Having returned to full-time work aged 43 in 2013, when the kids were 13 and nine, I’d barely accumulated any super.
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I realised I’d have to work into my 80s just to stay afloat. And I was already exhausted.
Then in May 2024, Earl and I travelled to Bali for our joint 54th birthdays. It was our first ever visit, and we fell in love with the people and the place.
But sitting on that couch, overwhelmed at the thought of returning to our life, I broke down.
Then Earl said something that changed everything. ‘What if we moved here?’
It sounded crazy. But the more we talked, the more it made sense.
Why were we working ourselves into the ground when life could be simpler somewhere else?
So we decided to do it.
Back in Australia, I ended my business partnership and launched my own company AwardWritingServices.com, writing business award submissions, blogs, speeches, and articles.
Earl was between jobs, and over six months, we sold furniture, donated belongings to charity, and gave things to friends.
In the end, our entire life fitted into nine suitcases.
Zayde, then 24, joined our adventure, but Qwin, 20, stayed, as he enjoyed his job in security.
Letting him go was hard, but we knew it was right for him.
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Some people thought we were crazy. Others envied us.
But having lost both my parents – Dad, Peter, aged 60, in 1998, and Mum, Judy in 2004, also 60, passing of cancer after a lifetime of hard work – I knew the importance of seizing the future.
Luckily Earl’s mum, Maureen, 80, was all for it.
‘Go have an adventure!’ she encouraged.
In December 2024, we boarded a plane to Bali.
Our first Airbnb was listed as ‘open-plan’, which turned out to mean missing walls. When it rained, water poured in, forcing us to live in the bedrooms, while karaoke blasted nightly nearby, keeping us awake.
‘We’ve got to move!’ I said to Earl.
Eventually, we found a peaceful two-bedroom villa in Kerobokan, with a pool, for just $440 a week.
Power for the entire year was under $500.
The difference was life-changing. Back home, I’d worked 10 to 13 hour days, starting at 6am. In Bali, I started at 9am and finished by 5:30pm. Some days, I didn’t work at all.
For the first time in years, I had balance.
Meanwhile Earl and Zayde were working on starting their own sunscreen business.
Earl, an ex chef, usually cooked for us, but we ate out often enjoying delicious dishes such as ayam betutu – spiced chicken – and beef rendang curry.
Meals from warungs – street stalls – cost as little as two dollars, or $12 for a feast for three. We never even got Bali belly!
We also loved evenings at the beach relaxing over cocktails.
‘Isn’t this beautiful?’ I sighed, as we watched the sun set over the ocean.
‘It’s perfect,’ Earl agreed.
We embraced the culture, from temple ceremonies to Nyepi, Bali’s Day of Silence.
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We bought scooters and adopted two stray dogs, Mimi and Tilly, who rode on them with us. I became so confident I even rode home with a chair I bought balanced on my head!
Today, 18 months on, we live in T-shirts and shorts all year, and have settled into a slower, richer way of life.
Qwyn recently visited us for his 21st birthday and had a ball.
For me, the biggest change has been time.
I’ve always loved reading, but never had enough room in my day for it. Last year, I read 126 books.
Financially, we’re in a better position than ever.
But moving to Bali isn’t as simple as packing a bag. You need to research visas, understand the rules, and plan carefully. It’s hard to get a work visa but you can, like me, be classified as a remote worker or a digital nomad, meaning you renew your visa every year.
I’ve heard a few horror stories, so you need to check properties in person and scope out the area – it might be peaceful during the day but a riot of noisy tourists at night.
And you must meet your landlord to ensure they’re going to look after the place properly, because you’ll pay rent a year in advance. That’s thousands of dollars in one hit before you move in. You can’t buy your own place here, because foreigners can’t own land, only lease it.
Everything takes time and patience as you don’t want to end up broke.
After five years, we can apply to become permanent residents.
Living here takes a shift in mindset. The Balinese are lovely people but they live at a much slower pace.
Being in Bali has taught me to appreciate the little things, and to truly enjoy life. And I’m so glad we took the leap.
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