Sam and I have returned from our two night stay in Bali. I think I should write a book on what to do and what not to do when traveling to and through that place, because I'm getting enough positive and negative experiences to share with others, that's for sure. It was a great trip overall but we didn't come home very rested. Our driver, Haris, who is constantly concerned for our well-being, says that two white women in Bali is an excuse for Balinese people to raise their prices and their expectations. He didn't say that in so much words, but between he and I using pidgin English-Indonesian that's the gist. On our trip we ran into a variety of taxis drivers, like the one who was great during the time that we had him but failed to appear for the next agreed upon jaunt, and another who said he'd wait for us while we had breakfast at a rather isolated McDonalds but who took off once we paid him (we didn't really enjoy his company anyways). Our final driver was a turkey who tried to lie about the price and got very loud and angry when I paid him what the meter said...I gave him a little extra just to get him to be quiet, which I think in the long run was his intent in the first place. Those were the rotten ones, who, when coupled with the Air Asia guy who wouldn't let us catch our plane because he though we wouldn't make it, made our trip less restful.
HOWEVER, regardless of these men, we met some other really neat people who made the trip worthwhile. One was a taxi driver who spoke English really well and had only a primary school education. Over the years he has taught himself through English travel dictionaries and by talking to tourists on the beach. When he gave us the final meter total it didn't matter that it came to $10 (expensive for the distance we'd traveled), because he was just a nice, polite guy who made pleasant conversation and who welcomed us to Bali. Another was a sweet little lady (stood no taller than my armpit!) who has owned a tailor shop for 29 years and who makes the clothes within in, alongside her husband...at least I think that's what she told me. My language skills are still needing a lot of work. Aunt Sam bought me a dress from there and as we gathered our stuff to leave, this little lady warned us of all the potential dangers in the area. She was concerned that we may not lock our hotel door properly at night, or that someone might try to steal our back pack purses while we were wearing them.
One man I am really thankful for, and I know Sam is too, is Pak Yaya. Pak Yaya is an Indonesian principal of an international school in East Kalimantan (Borneo) who saw us wandering around after we were denied entrance to our flight. He helped us find the ticket agent office that the Air Asia man so vaguely pointed out to me and he kindly shared his chocolate-banana bun with us for breakfast after I paid an exhorbitant price for the next flight out (we were offered a chocolate cheese bun but neither of us were daring enough to try it...we faked being stuffed). In return we bought him a cup of tea and some donuts. One cultural thing we noticed that was interesting is that Pak Yaya had a young man with him who was an employee of his. At one point our 'host' wanted to get something out of his suitcase so he just pointed and said something to his employee, who lifted it off the cart and unlocked it for his boss. I laughed later because when our driver came to get us from Jakarta airport, I hauled the bags into the back of our car before he had time to do it. I guess I need to ask him if I'm embarrasing him by being what Tris' sister Laura calls a "Strong, Northern Woman." Saving face here is important and I need to remember that.
Sam heads out next Monday and we're wrapping up her holiday with some family fun. Tonight she's going with the kids to the bookstore so they can pick out books for their birthdays (hooray for books!). Tomorrow we head to Jakarta early to attend the ceremony where Abby will receive her gold medal for english and then we'll head to the Marriott for lunch. I imagine Sunday will be a day of packing and relaxing and then we'll head to the airport in the wee hours of Monday morning.
Photos to follow...we haven't taken many this trip!
Thanks for reading.
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