So as a little bonus for winning the Championship, Bank Jatim took us all to Bali for a night. This worked out well as BNI Jakarta's men's and women's team would also be there, this included Barb, Jake and Saxony. Although we were all itching to be released by our Indonesian companions, it was very nice having free hotel rooms for a few days prior to getting tossed out into the real world on our own.
It was sad leaving my teammates and management. After all these years of crossing paths with people, I never will get used to looking someone in the eye and saying goodbye knowing that I'll probably never see them again. But so it goes...passing ships in the night.
After having spent 4 days in Kuta Beach, Bali, which is infested with drunk, obnoxious, pink sun-stained foreigners we wanted to get out as fast as possible. Let me also mention that someone stole yet another cel phone out of my pocket as we were leaving the infamous Paddy's Night Club. At this point I don't even try to put up a fight this many phones into my mobile career. I've just accepted it. I think I'm now at cel phone number 9 or 10!
Our next destination was the NW coast of neighbouring Lombok Island to the Island of Gili Tra La La (Trawangan). This place was a bit remote to say the least (we took a plane, a car, and a boat to get there), but upon arrival we quickly found cheap accomodation ($5/nt) and pony-drawn carriages. These are made, FYI, for 2 small people as these ponies aren't in the greatest of condition (neither was our one-eyed driver) not for 24feet of volleygirl! Within 20 minutes of arriving we found ourselves settled into a beach front tiki-hut with a guitar and 4 large Bintangs and our minds wandering no further than tomorrow. I had at last found paradise.
We spent 3 days on Gili Tra lala and then continued on to Ubud, Bali, infamous now for its portrayal in Eat, Pray, Love. We thought we'd pass on the air travel as it would be nice to take a boat there from Gili. Well we left at 8am and after a couple boat rides (one of which was 5 hours) and several minivans (aka. buses) we arrived in Ubud at 6pm! This little town is also much worth the trip. The shopping is extraordinary and the people very hospitable to its foreigners. We spent 2 nights in Ubud eating great food and recharging our batteries for our trip to Thailand.
The girls left a day before I did, so I was forced to spend a night back near Kuta. This time I chose to stay a little further north in Legian Beach where things are a bit quieter. I spent most of the day logging some good sun time and then enjoyed my last Indonesian meal as I fired off some badly written postcards. On our first trip to Kuta, I had met a local fellow who was a surf instructor named "Bobby". He was 54 years of age and had long sun-bleached hair. We had chatted for a while and he had insisted that I come back the next day. Well I didn't come the next day, but I did find my way back to him about 8 days later. He was glad that I returned, but also wasn't afraid to voice his disappointment that I hadn't come back when I said I would. I told him I never make promises I can't keep!
He invited me to his place to have a couple drinks and play some music. I know to most of you this would sound like a crazy thing to consider, but we had chatted for a total of about 3 hours and (other than the fact that I outweigh him by about 25lbs) I felt that I was a pretty good judge of character and decided to go with it.
We walked for a while, greeted by every second person that we passed, stopped to buy beer (which I, of course, gladly paid for), spiraled through some alleys and up the backstairs of a building until I found myself on a very modest rooftop garden beside which was his room. It literally was a room, with a single mattress on the floor, a closet, a window and an Indo toilet. There was no door, only curtains. On the wall he had some of his own paintings which were very well done. He told me he paid 400,000rph/mo. That's about $45CAN.
This was it. This is how this guy lived. He wakes up in the morning, heads to the beach around 7, hangs out there all day "working" (chatting people up, looking to give private tours to people or snagging them for a surf lesson....basically anything he could offer and make comission from). In the evenings he comes home relaxes for a bit (this may include smoking a "Bob Marley cigarette" for inspiration and painting) and then goes out again to hang out with his friends.
His real name was BamBang and he was a good soul. We played guitar and sang songs all night together. I was really glad I went back to find him. Maybe I'll find him again someday at his post on the beach. I hope he will remember me.
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