Monday, January 17, 2005

What I got from Bali

  • Everybody honks at everybody here but no one is mad at no one ???
  • The government has made a regulation that no building can be taller than 20 metres from the ground. Nice touch.
  • A traditional Bali house consists of a few buildings for specific purposes. There's a small building for the kitchen, a building to sleep in, a building to hold ceremonies etc.
  • Majority of the island's population practice Hindu-Dharma. Both their residential and business premises must have a shrine. The shrine could be as small as the ones we usually see at any Chinese-owned premises here to as big as a 5' x 5' walled area.
  • Katur (or something like that) means breasts.
  • Met the youngest trader that I know of. He's about 8 and he can bargain 500 rp from you.
    and last but not least
  • A big bottle of Kecap Manis ABC Smile

The most memorable experience would be the time we went to Kintamani. We were hounded by peddlers as soon as we stepped out of the car. And we were outnumbered 4 to 1. Later, after we left, I realized that we didn’t spend that much time at a place with a great view of the first active volcano that I’ve ever seen.

After the 4th day there, I find myself having conversations in my head in Indonesian. I still do even after I reached home yesterday evening right up to the moment before I fell asleep. Not that I don’t like the language but it’s very annoying.

ST's original plan were to party every night but ended up with no party at all. I thought so when I first saw the daily plan that she made up for us. I warned her earlier on when we first decided to go to Bali. She can party all she wants but make sure that she can still get up in the morning. Turns out we would be so tired once we get back to the hotel that there's no strength to go out again. And we bought a lot of stuff that there's no cash left to go party anymore. Brows I kind of see it coming.

R and ST expressed their reluctance to go back after a week of vacation but I somehow didn't feel the same. I don't know why. Is it because I didn't really enjoy Bali? Is it because there's nothing really special about Bali except for the cheap stuff we got there? Or is it because I will have another one week off from work in 3 weeks time, that I don't really care that I have to go back to work? Maybe I'm just so tired with all the road trips. I mean everyday we would spend 12 to 13 hours outside. I think I need the really-relaxed vacation type. A few days of doing absolutely nothing but lie down with no interruption. No need to wake up early, no need to listen to my mum yakking because I didn't wash one freakin' glass, no need to think of chores and just relax with all your basic necessities like food taken care of. Oh yeah, that would be nice...
Hammock

"The time is 20 minutes after 4 and the temperature is 33 degrees. To all visitors, welcome to Kuala Lumpur and to all Malaysians on board, welcome home"

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