That's the best part of the job right there. Seeing that kind of genuine shock and relief. Makes you realize how much we take simple, safe things for granted. Good on you for putting in the extra work for him.

Guess my ears were just being snobs too.

Hard disagree on the "instagram nomad spot is a trap" thing. You just did Bali wrong. The whole point is to embrace the chaos and find a rhythm in it. I got a local SIM with great data, worked from co-working spaces built for that, and the energy kept me from burning out. If you want a silent apartment, why even leave home? The buzz is the feature, not the bug.