All That I Call Bali

I'm not covering our Australian holiday chronologically or punctually - the trip ended yesterday and I've not gotten to week 3 - but I'm covering it all gradually, in the order and at the pace I'm inspired to. After all, this blog revolves around inspiration.

In week 4 of the trip we spent 5 days in Bali. I was advised to stay in Legian but to be more specific I would personally advise the north side of Legian, further from Kuta. It is quieter, more quaint and quite a bit cheaper.

I'm not going to say a great deal about Bali but rather let the photos and the poem do the talking. I will just say, to preface the poem, that there are lot of streets that look the same in Bali. You need to be careful how you pick your landmarks as there are the same stores on every street, the same things being sold, the same invitational lines being said, the same signs and sounds. It's quite the labyrinth. But an enjoyable one.

As often is the case in South-East Asia I also got a kick out of their slightly phonetic English spelling. The sign and menu below are a couple of my favourites from this trip.

My favourite on this one is "pried".

I will also add that I did surf for the first time and according to Sam I did pretty well. So I'm feeling like I'm more Australian than ever. I should probably take it up on a regular basis, even just to clear my sinuses.

Click on the mp3 player below and listen to me reading my poem while you look at the rest of the photos.

All That I Call Bali

What are you lookin' at you dirty monkey?!

The tongue on this one cracks me up!

I think the toddler on the ground in the distance is an interesting comparison...

Nice wave!

The "ute" of Bali (for US people a "ute" is like an El Camino)

Another shop with pretty much exactly the same thing in it.

Our favourite little restaurant - Warung Bamboo. Bamboo was the street name I think but the place was also largely made of bamboo it seemed like!

Me next to our hotel pool.

Yes - this is a petrol station!!

Arrival at the beach should always be made an auspicious moment with the presence of ornate columns at the entrance

All That I Call Bali

We've seen this shop before
And that guy - no, that's a different guy I'm sure
But not totally sure at all
'Cause I know that ornate wall
With that old carved wooden door
And I know we've passed this store
But wait, this sign I saw
Just yesterday behind this sagging stall's front awning
Hung from a concrete coloured wall
Not a wooden post with wires crawling all
Around it like it might just fall straight to the floor
If not for its wiry life support
What was I looking for?
That restaurant with woven wicker walls
And soup with wontons and fish balls
It was small and hot but why pay more
If we can find our way back to it before it shuts
'Cause though we'll walk a whole lot more and make our feet real sore
We'll be just around the corner
From that cheap massage spa with whole body rubs for
Little more than fourteen dollars for us both and that's what I call value!
Push ahead and just ignore
That young guy at the glasses stall
But oh yeah, he also changes money and at his rate we'll get 4000 more
Than that rip off joint around the corner
On second thoughts let's change more than that
What for?
Well, you know we'll spend it all
Sure, we're spending more than planned
But I'm sick of talking about what we can afford
We didn't ride four planes, two boats, a train and more
To holiday as if we're poor
My lord - This is not the street I thought
Yes, it is. Wait - I'm just not sure
We must be close by now after all this time that we've been walking for
I thought we'd turn left then right then forward
Round the next corner then turn once more before
That hotel walled with palms galore
Watch out - a wayward tennis ball
We should probably give in and call our hotel or
Ask that slightly balding man how to get to where we're looking for
I'm not so sure he speaks good English or at least not for
The purpose of directing all the idiotic Aussies
Who couldn't keep their kids quiet in a candy store
Oh, here's that place with wood carvings on the walls
And the one with night lamps shaped like balls covered with shells all over
We must be where I thought
I'm sure we're close at least
In the ball park - maybe - sure
But if we're more then what's most important
Is we enjoy each moment - ordinary or awesome
And not make an ordeal, torture, or worse, boredom of it then brawl
And curse and call each other all the worst words we can recall
when if we just be here and now we'll see past the crowd
And wow at all the sights we've found
And we'll always know our way home somehow
For this is why I love all you are and will fall in love each day once more
With a romantic repetition some would call ad nauseum
You're the most awesome girl I've met in all my life and when you're my wife
I'll still long for what the next day has in store
No matter what wars must be fought, what duties call or
Where the next open door leads us towards
I'll always love you more - of that I'm sure
Now lets keep walking
This corner?
You sure?
I thought it was one street more...