bali: part I
He may have been high as a kite when he booked
our transport to Bangkok. This smiling small man stood behind a makeshift desk
in Ton Sai testing our 80’s pop song knowledge while filling out our boat/bus
combo tickets to Bangkok. Being good sports and playing along with his game, he
gave us a pretty discount on our ticket. Although, I believe he forgot to tell
us the detail of our modes of transportation due to his dazed and confused
state. So the following evening while I was
being tossed around a dilapidated coach bus on the way to Bangkok from Surat
Thani, unable to sleep or read, my thoughts traveled back to him.
Of course we had to endure one more typically
ridiculous Thai transport before we left the Land of Smiles. After hours of
waiting around, three different shuttle buses, street side bodegas, and a seedy
bus, we arrived at Koh San Road at 4am - but our departing flight to Bali was
not until 7pm. We found refuge from the
hawkers and drunks in a 24-hour McDonalds. The strange array of characters that
stumbled into the McDonalds in the wee hours of the morning helped pass the
time. Restless and unrested, we were itching to leave this grimy street and get
to the airport. Once a decent hour rolled around, we caught the public bus to Thailand’s
regional airport, all for a whopping 23 cents.
We sat in that airport for twelve hours,
alternating between reading and writing – oh what we will do to save money.
Eventually our gate opened and we were able to check in. My life fits in a
backpack. My teaching paperwork, collegiate degrees, wardrobe for work, travel,
and pleasure, and mementos gathered along the way are rolled and tucked into a
polyester casing. I have lived quite some life while abroad so my heart races
in fear of being overweight whenever I check my bag. Luckily, the scales were
in my favor and I was under 20kg – surprised that that is all the weight the
life I live bears.
A three hour flight brought us to Jakarta at
11:30pm where we added another stamp and visa to our passport. With a five hour
layover keeping us from Bali, we set up shop in oversized faux-leather chairs
in the departures lounge, keeping deadlock grips on our bags as we failingly
fought off the calls for sleep. Eventually, a two hour puddle hopper flight
carried us to the final destination: Bali. First stop: Legian.
The towns of Seminyak, Legian, and Kuta claim a
strip of Bali’s southwestern coast. While Seminyak attracts upscale Russian
tourists and Kuta Aussie partiers, Legian falls somewhere in between the two.
We planned to stay for 3 days to relax on the beach and do a day tour to
Uluwatu and Nusa Dua.
A friendly taxi driver questioned us about
fascinating America before he dropped us off in front of our resort, Padma
Balisani. White stone walls, dark wood, and exotic flowers decorated this
resort that showcases a pool and swim up bar in its center. After 48 hours of
traveling and less than 6 hours of sleep, we crashed in the white cotton sheets
with the shutters closed and curtains drawn. A few hours later we woke from
rumbles of hunger, our bodies angry and confused.
We forced ourselves to walk down the road to do
some exploring and grab lunch. Our first task was to exchange money where we
became instant millionaires thanks to the Indonesian Rupiah. As we passed
countless clothing stands all selling the same printed shorts and restaurants
designed to attract Western appetites, one sad reality became noticed. The
children. Dozens of local children, with scrappy clothes and lanky limbs, rule
the streets begging a foreigner for an “Australian dollar” or selling
friendship bracelets. They work in packs and use their big, empty eyes to guilt
their token foreigner to hand over the money. I have come across children beggars
in my own night market back in Thailand; however, never this many or this determined.
Who knows where the money goes or who their “bosses” are, but I do know that
this is not a chosen lifestyle, but rather one they are born or forced into.
Legian is another victim of aggressive tourism
and greed. Locals trying to capitalize in the influx of tourists grab your
shirt to pull you into their store or hound you for transport services. They
call out taxi! taxi! transport!
transport! so often it echoes in your sleep. There is no beach bungalow
charm like Thailand, just built up boardwalks and roads cluttered with shops
selling cheap merchandise. That being said, we did not spend time on the
streets of Legian besides walking over to our favorite local warung restaurant that served good cheap
Balinese food.
The following morning, feeling somewhat caught
up on sleep, we booked a driver to take us to Uluwatu Temple and the Nusa Dua
beaches. We met grinning Wayan, who grew up in Western Bali but moved to
Denpasar for work, and hopped in the back of his clean sedan. He first brought
us to Nusa Dua which is in the southernmost region of Bali. Gorgeous beaches
and pricey resorts make up this area. Driving through gated communities and
walking through resort’s private umbrella dotted beaches, we realized we were
in a different world than we’re used to – one with the glitz and glam of money.
Wayan parked the car and we soaked in the sun, swam in the Indian Ocean, and
strolled through the small holy parks in the area. A narrow path led us to a
‘water blow’ as Wayan called it. The swell of the ocean’s waves gathered in
this geyser’s crevice, building up its power slowly until the force was too
great and a massive burst of water rose above the rocks, suspended mid-air for
a fleeting moment before the salty wave rained down.
After being forcefully soaked by the “water blow”,
we returned to the air conditioned refuge of the sedan to head to Padang Padang
beach. This cove is where Julia Robert’s famously filmed her Bali beach scenes
in Eat, Pray, Love. Wayan parked on a steep hill as we walked down a slanted
path that weasels its way through two boulders. The tunnel path opens up to a
brilliantly blue lagoon with walls of lush greenery casting a shadow. Tanning
tourists were sprawled out on the small stretch of sand, some taking a break
from their sunny slumber to watch the surfers ride the waves. We stood and
reveled in Bali’s hypnotic atmosphere – so seductively relaxing. With shoulders
red as poppy flowers, Mikaela and I decided it was time to part ways with the
sun and find shade in the grounds of a temple.
After a half hour drive up and down one way
streets, passing yoga studios, bungalows, and resorts, the sedan climbed a hill
to reach Uluwatu – a temple on the cliff. Wearing a royal purple sarong in respect
of tradition and religion, we entered the temple’s sprawling grounds. The holy
building is perched atop a jutting cliff, with its terraces walls and gardens
tracing the incline. Surrounding the
temple are acres of forested jungle where monkeys play and vast grasslands
where cows graze.
We entered on the eastern cliff walk, startled
by the impressive view. Grand flat-faced cliffs dropped down to the cool blue
ocean below. Tropical ferns and ivy spilled over the tops of the cliffs, slowly
growing closer to the bottom. Rhythmic waves beat the rocks like a drum, a base
so low and subtle your breathing begins to match it. Spots of vibrant purples,
pinks, and yellows catch the sun and the flowers open their petals wider.
As the sun fell closer to the horizon we decided
to pack in the day tour and return to Legian. It was not a welcomed homecoming
as Legian is a far cry from the paradise of Padang Padang and Uluwatu.
Nevertheless, we decided to try a new local restaurant to spice up our routine.
Before we could enjoy some gado-gado
I needed to exchange more money. I found an exchange place that takes Thai Baht
and attempted to make the transaction. I realized the man was doing a card
trick with the money and not counting out enough rupiah. Smelling the scam, I
demanded my money back. So after a battle with two sets of hands gripping
opposite ends of the money, I left with my Thai Baht in full. Corruption and
tourist scams are everywhere in the world and I have been lucky enough to
avoid many of them. However, this close encounter left a bad taste in my mouth
and made leaving Legian look even better.
The following day we decided to lounge by the
resort’s pool to read and relax. Bali is a lot like Florida with their
afternoon rain and thunderstorms. At around four o’clock bulging, ominous
thunderheads rolled in and covered the sun within minutes. The grey dense
clouds appeared so close that I could reach up to the sky and graze them.
Instantly, fat rain drops barreled down and multiplied. We ran for our room to
wait out the storm. The rain beat down on the roof, shutters, and trees,
overpowering the thunder and deafening any thoughts. As the storm eased and
released its grip on Legian, I noticed the time neared sunset. The best sunsets come after storms.
We headed to the beach, cutting through resort
driveways and restaurant alleys. As we turned the corner I saw the ground mirror
the sky. The tide was so low and the sand so saturated that the vibrant colors
painted in the sky were reflected on the land, creating a 360 degree spectacle.
We ran out on shore and marveled at the most glorious sight. As the minutes
passed and sky changed, the sunset just grew brighter. Soft golden yellows and
pale blues cooled into fiery pinks and radiant purples. This magnificent sunset has topped any other
I have seen. We danced in the shallow water and watched the surfers chase waves
for over an hour and the sky did not stop performing its own miraculous show.
When streaks of indigo smothered the final ashes
of the glowing fire, we headed back to town. We were both at a loss for words
from what we just experienced. However, we both knew that we needed to stay
three nights in this unimpressive city to witness that sunset. The good always
outweighs the bad. You can encounter people and places that are running on an
entirely different wavelength. There may be no connection or appeal; however,
as I have learned, there is always a reason for the encounter. We needed the
reality check of a greedy city to appreciate the full rare beauty of that
sunset.
We packed our belongings before bed since the
next stop of our Bali adventure was taking us to Ubud the following
morning. Even though Legian was riddled
with tourists and aggressive vendors, I am grateful we spent time in Legian because
we were able to experience the gem locations of this area. I fell asleep with the colors of that night’s
sky dancing in my head, looking forward to tranquil Ubud.
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