Moving! If anyone is interested, I've now moved on to wordpress. you can find me at balibaby.wordpress.com

Shopping Lists

I realise that I’m a little lax when it comes to updating my blog. So I’ve decided to simplify the process and put up random funiness that happens when you live somewhere like Bali. Communication issues are foremost. So today I present, what will hopefully be the first of many, a shopping list given to me by my maid/cook. Who, by the way, can neither read nor write so must ask the gardener to write these for her. They get better and better.

Most of it is quite ok in fact. But it took me a while to decipher numbers 7 and 8. Enjoy.

Taking politics seriously

I remember passing a particular candidates poster one day a few months ago and laughingly saying to a friend that it would be so Bali if this mad joker gets in. And guess what? Bali’s “top comedian” has actually secured a seat on Bali Regional Representative's Council (DPD)! I’m not sure if I should laugh or cry, either way it certainly says something bout this island’s inhabitants. Would you vote for this guy?:

I’m definitely digging the bleached mohawk tho.

via thejakartapost.com

Technorati Tags: bali,comedian,vote

Bali Hyatt Hypocrisy?

Here’s an email doing the rounds on the Bali grapevine.  It seems the Environmental Affairs department needs clean up their act (sorry, had to). Haven’t attached all the pics from the original email but you get the idea…

Attn Hyatt:
Brigitta Witt
Vice President, Environmental Affairs

Farley Kern
Director of Brand Public Relations

Dear Hyatt Corporate Management,

We are a group of concerned individuals (residents - Indonesian & expat, tourism workers, ngo workers, businesses, tourists, surfers, students and children) that are frustrated with the destruction of Bali's environment and the lack of environmental law enforcement and corporate social responsibility.

We want to inform you that the Hyatt is in gross violation of not just your own Hyatt environmental/sustainability policies and local Indonesian laws, but are also putting the health of your own guests at risk.  Hyatt management has over the years exploited the lack of local environmental law enforcement and knowingly illegally disposed of its wastes and other dangerous residue and subjugated the community to this pollution (photos attached).  This should be of grave concern to the Hyatt since it not only ultimately harms the future prospects of your business but also exposes Hyatt to legal liability and bad press back in the home countries of your concerned guests.   It is unbelievable in this day in age that Hyatt acts in this manner; it is 2009, not 1809!!  Wake up!!

We insist and will continue to insist through letters, emails and other means (iReports, Youtube, travel blogs and website reviews, and journalists) that Hyatt abide by your own internal environmental/sustainability policy as well as local laws.  We hope you take this matter very seriously, as we do.

Respectfully Yours,

Friends of Bali

 

Technorati Tags: bali,environment,hyatt

London

High Tea at Fortnum & Masons. Sooo posh and fabulous. A tray of goodies arrive on your table and keeps getting refilled magically each time a plate is finished. 2.5 hours faffing with the girls and you're guaranteed to be bursting with tea, sandwiches, scones and of course cakes!

Paris

Oysters at Cafe Nord, copious amounts of tea in a quirky cup to combat the freezing temperatures and one speedy excursion to snap pretty pics. Cut short by the rain but countered nicely by a hot, melty chocolate crepe from the street vendor.

My Amsterdam

Sipping mint tea on the side of a canal. Sun glints off the water. The rumble of a tram going by and "bringgg" of a bicycle riding past. Oh and you cant forget Febo! The wondrous wall food - coin into slot, open little window and hot crocquet in your eager little hands. Yum!

Updates in my head

I think I’m losing it a bit. I now find myself thinking in 140 character status updates. When swimming – “…is feeling much better after a quick 500m dash in the pool.” When having breakfast – “..is enjoying a nice bowl of papaya and yoghurt”. When coming home completely smashed after night out in Seminyak – “…New Rule: Mobile fone must be confiscated when alcohol consumption is inevitable.”

Technorati Tags: updates,mobile phone,consfiscate

A nite out in Ubud

Had a surprisingly decent Friday nite up here in the mountains. Jazz by Joseph Rosenberg and band, cocktails by Siam Sally - newest addition to the ever growing Ubud resto list. Decent thai fare, improving daily. Not such a big fan of free jazz though, find it a bit jarring. But as a friend pointed its nice to have for background as you enjoy good conversation and a healthy cocktail.

Btw - Mission to find Bali’s best lychee martini continues. Hu’u Bar still the best contender.

Retail Stalkers

You walk into any shop here and as soon as you’re through the door you feel a little uneasy. There’s something there, a presence…You can feel it hovering and you see flickers of movement in the corner of your eye. It begins to stalk you, slowly shadowing your steps as you peruse the wares. It comes closer, and closer, following your every move until…”Silakannnn!” (go aheaddddd pleaseee!) (which in itself confuses me…Go ahead? really? do I need permission to look? I thought I already was?) and there she is, smiling maniacally, hopeful – the retail stalker aka shop assistant. It’s at this point I, who am completely over this, look at her flatly and politely ask her to stop following me, and that I will let her know if I need her. Usually results in a rather miffed shop girl, stalking off and mumbling to her friends at the back. Doesn’t help when the store is full, and I mean full, of assistants. Check photo above from recent trip to Discovery. Minefield.

Nasi Campur Kedewatan

Met up with a few of my fellow Bali tweetizens recently, and as is apt to happen around me, the conversation quickly turned to food and favourite restos. Not sure what it is, perhaps being part Indo (it’s quite fair to say that a huge number of us have a healthy obsession with food) or whether it was getting close to dinner time, but we spent most of our meeting comparing notes.  And I cannot talk about Ubud food without mentioning my all time, hands down, favourite nasi campur (pronounced nahsi champurrr). Behold, nasi campur Kedewatan:

I used to dream about this when I was away at boarding school! It’s unexplainable, the crunch of coconut in the lawar (chopped vege fry), the soft chewy sate sticks and mind blowingly spicy sambal. My mouth waters as I type. Any foodie has got to try this one, if you’re ever in my neighbourhood look it up.

Technorati Tags: ubud food,nasi campur,rice dishes

Social Networking loon

I’m not sure when my life shrunk to 1280 x 800? Last night I sat there with at least 6 windows open – more if you count the tabs in Chrome – madly typing updates, answering Facebook nudges, Tweeting, blogging and every so often replying an sms without once thinking this was probably not the healthiest way to spend an evening. When did it come to this? I can’t even go 2 hours without checking my tweets. I think I’ve got carpal tunnel in my little finger. Damned laptop.

Technorati Tags: social networking,twitter,updates

Twitter/Twilight mashup

“About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Twitter was a vampire. Second, there was part of it— and I didn’t know how potent that part might be — that thirsted for my updates. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with it.”

Thanks Stephenie Meyer for the original :)

Technorati Tags: twilight,twitter,mashup

Coconuts Man

I woke up this morning to the sound of constant “thud…thud..thud” … curiousity got the better of me so I wandered out of the villa to check out the racket and found this outside my door:

So here’s the thing. Apparently the coconut tree hovering above our swimming pool needs a trim. This is so that no coconutty missiles come flying down while we enjoy a dip in the glorious emerald coolness that is our lap pool. Those things can kill! It was truly entertaining tho to watch this little man scramble around up there - with absoloutely no safety harness – picking at the nuts and hacking away at dead branches. I love Bali.

And so with a very responsible attitude of waste not, want not, I kindly asked my gardener to break open one of the coconuts so that I could reap the benefits of all the racket. Mmm, fresh coconut juice. Num num.

Things her boyfriend say

Love random bits you find online. In this fab blog a girl shares the words of wisdom that come out of her boyfriends mouth. For example (boyfriend is referred to as 'e'):

Megalove.
While snuggling:
me: Who loves you?
e: Megatron.

Garage Sale

So, here we are again. Packing, sorting, selling. Why do I do this to myself? If it was an olympic sport, I swear I'd be 3 times world champ by now. Anyway, best not whinge, have a lot to pack and sell off. When did I get so attached to kitchen appliances? Almost had a cry over a spatula this morning. Bah, memories stop plagueing me!

Woke at 5:30am to get this show on the road. Was accosted with a crowd a 6am once I'd opened my garage door. How do they get up so freaking early? Its now 8:12 am and already the interest has fizzled. Should I be excited by my measly $100 taking?

New Year, New Me?

Well well, Happy 2009 everyone. I cant believe its here, where did last year go? In a blink of an eye I tells ya. Maybe its got to do with moving here and there, or getting older or...But does it seem like the years are going by faster and faster.

On a completely different note, still stuck in Bali. Home has this effect one me, very difficult to leave especially when theres not much to go back to in Oz and the island is so lovely! Spent so much more time exploring the island this time. Its really and truly gorgeous, and I cant wait to see more of it. Im heading out to Padang Bai next week. Blue Lagoon, apparently quite a little gem but another one of those places I'm hesitant to write about in case it gets completely overrun by tourists. Would it be fair to just write, take photos and not divulge the location? Methinks yes...

Loss of a good friend

Found out today one of my Gcru babies, one of the originals, passed away. I just got a phone call this afternoon as I was at a Christmas lunch with friends. Im so completely in shock and saddened by it all. I dont know what else to say but that he will be missed and hope he moves on to a better realm. May he pass peacefully and quietly through these next steps.

Miss you Talik...

Jam Karet Karim Style

Jam karet (rubber time). This is how we do in Bali. Its very very rare to find anyone who will remotely be on time on this island and no one else exemplifies this with more spectacular flare than my oldest and dearest pal.

Set the scene: Friday evening, sms discussion with Karim to try and plan a trip up to Batur in the morning. After much toing and froing, decide to meet at mine at 6:15 am so we can dash up, swim and come back in time for my 10 am appointment in Ubud.

Saturday -
6:00 - wake up to annoying alarm but somehow struggle to get ready on time
6:35 - no Karim. Call. Listen to his mumbling (obviously I'd woken him) to finally discern that there's no way in hell he'll be out of bed in the next couple of hours. Decide to meet at 11 after my meeting instead.
10:55 - phone chirps, call from Karim - he's just woken up. Will call me back in 45 minutes when he should be ready to take off.
11:45 - arrive at Karims, find him casually strumming guitar in one of the living rooms. Invites me to say hi to his dad, long chats follow.
12:35 - leave Karims to get nasi campur Kedewatan (essential... is the most delicious rice dish around and only costs $1 for massive parcel of vegs/meats etc) to take up to the lake
1:00 - head back into town as Karim remembers he has to pick up some mail for Jennifer (fabulously mad actress who lives by the lake) at a friends house
1:15 - stop by at my house to pick up my bikini (oopsies on my part for this one)
1:30 - Karim needs to change money, stop on road in Ubud main road
1:45 - Karim needs papayas? Stop 500m down to road to buy a couple
2:25 - Karim wants to buy a sign?? Stops on road to check out a small shop and decides on a couple of humorous pieces. Bargains like a pro, gets two for $4.
3:15 - arrive in Batur. Initial ETA - 7:15 am. Actual ETA 3:15 pm. Not bad for Karim really.

Losing it

Almost a week now and I’m starting to get a bit frustrated with this. I’ve visited god knows how many hotels/motels/losmens/homestays and have so far found 1 place that I would ever recommend. More on that one to come…

Up side, free stays in hotels, massage by Bali’s best therapists and endless free meals. Actually have gained too much weight, exercise just seems to be too much work right now. I worked out in a gym for the first time in weeks yesterday, can hardly walk this morning...

But this distinct lack of facilities for my target market is annoying. Most of what I’ve seen is more hostel than boutique, grubby little digs with scary bathrooms and strange smells. You would think the island would have cottoned on to the flashpacker trend by now but I guess there is such a huge amount of effort and energy aimed at villas, the “real” travellers are kinda getting forgotten.

Don’t get me started on the Villas! Mushrooming wildly around the island, most are eyesores badly built and of questionable design. Really, who would pay $400 to stay in a box with a plunge pool when you have the choice of spoiling yourself in a 5 star hotel for less around half the price? I’m so tempted to open my own place just to show em how it’s done! Hahaha, welcome to Chez Soma.