CHASING DOLPHINS AT SUNRISE

That morning of 12th April, Che Tar and I woke up early, had our breakfast at Greenfields (the breakfast at Tegal Sari is better) and soon after off we dashed to the Ubud market for more souvenirs. We had to come back by 11 am as our bus was to leave at 11.30. The ride to the market and back was "gratis" meaning, on the house. Lots of things are sold there, from prepared food to produce to souvenirs. The shopping started off very calm but ended very frantic when we realized that it's time to leave. We didn't wait for our ride to come fearing that we would be late for the bus, so we took a cab instead.

Luckily the distance from Greenfields to the Perama bus station is about 20 steps, so we managed to reach it, with bags in tow in no time. But the bus was late. Oh well, it's better than if we were late. We were going to Lovina (acronym for Love Indonesia)which is located in the nothern part of the island. The journey took 3 hours with a stop midway in the town of Candikuning.

We reached Lovina at about 3pm, checked into Bali Taman Hotel and was pleasantly surprised that we were upgraded to a better room because the hotel had to accommodate a big group of German tourists. We unpacked our packed rice which we bought from a Muslim vendor in Candikuning and ate in grateful silence, after missing rice for 2 days.

We made our way to the beach in the evening hoping to catch a sunset. The beach is dull; its sand is black, residue of a volcanic eruption 4 decades ago. We were soon greeted by vendors selling stuff; we bought some because they were so relentless. The sunset was not that spectacular. Nearby, there was a ceremony going on; a group of villagers in their smart attire giving some kind of offering to the sea. The wailing of the priest and priestess went on until night time.

We woke up very, very early the next morning to catch a boat to sea to see dolphins! That's the main reason of our trip to this place. After several miles offshore, we (and like 20 other boats) met a few schools of dolphins. We didn't linger long, we had to return ashore to catch a bus that would take us to Kuta. Two other memorable things happened in Lovina; one, we saw one guest who could be George Bush's twin, and the other, which is so unjust - one of the vendors on the beach thought I am Tar's mother! Brengsek.

The unforgettable Fritos

Many, many years ago, I was lucky enough to study in the US of A. Those were very impressionable years, and until today I still wear the threadbare sleeveless "Minneapple" t-shirt when it's hot and sometimes the many-holed "Hamline University" sweatshirt to bed. A nostalgic person I am one! And every now and then I would have this craving for a certain salty snack called Fritos Corn Chips.

I have, for the longest time scoured the aisles in supermarkets for this particular snack; I even went to that one shop in Jalan Ampang that caters to the ex-pats community for this chips, but no one sells this chips in KL.

The last time I snacked on this chips was in 1998 or 1999, when my doctorate friend came back for a holiday. Since then, I had to be satisfied with a memory. Of course, I have friends who visit the States but I was too shy to ask them to get if for me. So when I learned that my sis-in-law was going to Santa Fe for work early this month, I jumped at the chance. Thanks to her, I am now munching the corn chips as I type these words.

What's so special about this snack? After all it's made of only corn, corn oil and salt. It is actually quite SALTY and when you eat on an empty stomach, it gives you a very satisfying and fulfilling experience. On that note, I shall stop munching and save the balance of the chips for later when I am really famished.

My Bali Experience Continues...

After checking into our new accommodation at Greenfields, Che Tar and I went to Perama Bus Station which is located just 3 metres away(Perama is Bali's biggest tour bus company) to buy tickets to Lovina. They cost Rp70,000 one way per person.

By 7 pm, we were ready to go to Pura Desa Kutuh (pura=temple). There are many cultural troupes in Ubud, as Ubud is known as the centre of Arts. There are many programs to choose from, so I consulted Pak Nengah for the best show tonight. The ride to the temple is complimentary. The driver dropped us off and promised to come back when the show is over.

We were early, so Che Tar and I sat in the front row. The stage is set outside the temple, kalau dalam kuil, tak naklah Embak masuk. By the time the show started at 7.30pm the theatre was filled with tourists.

The show started off by a procession of musicians,dancers and a priest. According to the program booklet the priest had just blessed the performers in the temple. Maybe not tonight because the priest proceeded to sprinkle holy water on the stage, the music instruments and the performers. Luckily he didn't spatter us the audience. The audience silently whispered to each other about the seated odd-looking musician; a mat salleh who played a flute-like instrument.

After a loud and lonnngg instrumental, the dancers came out; graceful dances alternated with scary mask dances. About 6 dances in all, if I'm not mistaken. I was sooo glad when the show finally came to an end. The young dancers came down to the floor to tuck a flower behind our ears but seeing I was wearing tudung, the girl just handed it to me.

Overall, I felt the show was HEAVY. I didn't mind the delightful head and eye movements of the petite young dancers, but the horrible looking masks and distorted movements of the male dancers disgusted me. Nonetheless, an interesting experience.The last time I was in Bali, I saw the Barong dance. For my next trip, I want to catch the all-male chest-baring Kecak dance. Yay!

JOGGING errr, WALKING, rather

At the beginning of the year, as usual, I made a list of things that I pledge to do, one of which, is exercise. You see, the newspaper, the internet, the radio, the tv have all been telling me, in order to have good health, one must not only eat well, sleep well, have positive thoughts, one must also EXERCISE! My manager has long advised me to join Clark Hatch, nah I said. I don't want to pay money to exercise. So I opted for the cheapest form of exercise, jogging! And I'd need a partner for that.

So I asked my buddy, Che Ani to jog with me. So every Friday evening, we would try, the key word here is "try" to jog together. To make it more interesting, we would change venues.

So the first two sessions, we jogged, oklah, we brisk walked, oklah, we breeze walked at the infamous Kelana Jaya park. Then we switched to Taman Tun park. Then to that park beside Amcorp Mall, then we walked at the housing estate where Che Ani lives. All in all, I think we jogged like 5 times. In between, I managed to jog with Che Tar twice at KLCC and Taman Tun. We started in March, and ended in May. The last time Che Ani and I attempted to exercise was to the furniture shop near her house, after which we immediately adjourned to IKEA in her car.

We blame the afternoon showers lah. So many times, rain-rain only. So, I switch to morning exercise. Since Che Ani could not join me, I brave myself to jog/walk at the park near my house. I promised myself to do it at least 3 times a week. But so far, I have not been consistent.

This morning I had a bonus! I caught sight of one jogger who is so "my type". I remember my Ustaz said the first sight is halal, the second one is also ok, the third yang tak boleh. So, after I first saw him, I jogged in the opposite direction knowing very well I'd bump into him again as we were both circling the lake. Senyum meleret gue. Best! Best!

Current Book: My CFP Text Book, final exam only 3 days away!
Current Distraction: www.joeperantau.blogspot.com

MASUK JAWI

Hakeem and little sister, Mai



Yesterday, my nephew Hakeem confidently went to do the obligatory. He is a brave, little man, not only didn’t he cry; he chuckled when the doctor performed the procedure. “Geli”, he said. His mother who went with him to the clinic said, there were many boys who were circumcised at the clinic yesterday; only one rather big size boy wailed. There was one boy, about 12 who went unaccompanied.

Being only 6, he is a champion because he beat two older cousins aged 8 and 9, who when asked, "Bila nak sunat nih?", they would shake their heads, “tak maulah!” . Hakeem was not in any way forced; he volunteered himself.

To my little soldier, "Bravo!"

REAL STORIES OF THE PENCOPETS

Two weeks ago, I met up with a childhood friend who told me how her car parked in front of her house was stolen; a neighbour-witness told her someone in a tow truck towed the car away. And how her husband's car was broken into because he left a big envelope in the front seat.

I got my "share" last Tuesday morning when coming back from a jog, I found my car windows smashed, and my glove compartment askew. I was about to tell my friend yesterday of that unfortunate incident when he told me, that very morning, his friend's purse was snatched while she was in her own car! Her error; she was oblivious to her surroundings as she was busy talking away on the mobile phone.

Another friend whom I saw yesterday afternoon told a similar story; her student, also driving a car, had her purse snatched by a motorcyclist at a traffic lights. So be wary, you are a target of the snatch thieves whether you are standing by the roadside or sitting in "the safety" of your car. Why, o why are there so many bad people nowadays?Geram betul!

So I hope we all learn from these stories. 1)Do not buy expensive cars. 2)Do not leave anything of interest in the car. 3)Be alert and wary of people around you. 4)Lock your cars, and 5) Pray for Allah's protection at all times.

As for me, despite my loss, I gain from my experience. I now do not drive to the park I jog in anymore. Instead, I walk to it.

HOW NICE...

.... Tash Aw uses this term "a maiden aunt" in his book The Harmony Silk Factory. Softer and dignified, don't you agree than "a spinster aunt"?:)If you have not read the book, do it. It's first class. Last year, the book won Whitbread First Novel Award.

THE CHILDREN OF KELIKI

Pak Pande (lucukan namanya!) asked us where we would like to go. We asked him to take us to the craft villages. We spent some time at the wood and painting villages, but bought nothing. We stopped barely 5 minutes at the silversmith as Tar and I weren’t keen on the pieces. We were actually discouraged by Pande from buying at these places because according to him things are cheaper in Tegalalang. Since, we were charged by the hour, we asked Pande to skip the other villages, and take us to Tegalang. He recommended that we go to Keliki first to visit a traditional Bali house, as it is just outside Tegalalang. We agreed.

You know, when Pande said “traditional Bali home”, what conjured in my mind was a beautiful home resplendent in everything Bali, from the garden to the furniture; similar to the ones I have seen in lifestyle magazines. But to that Balinese man, it means the home where the regular Balinese live. It was indeed a simple house with several quarters shared by 2 or 3 households with a common prayer area and kitchen. These are poor people. They do not have a garden or a fountain which I thought were standard features in a Bali home. Instinctively, I took out the Apollo cakes (that I wanted to give to Giri, then Pande) and gave to the hostess, “For the children”, I said. She thanked me and placed the box on the table. She quickly returned with 3 cups of strong coffee (homegrown and home-brewed, memang kao!). Sampai saya balik, bebudak tu langsung tak gaduh nak sentuh kotak tupun. Admirable!

There were indeed many shops in Tegalalang. They lined the 2 or 3 km road offering all kinds of stuff; a shopper’s heaven. But since time was the essence, we only stopped at shops that sell items on our shopping list i.e. frames and bowls. Pande clocked 4 hours and 45 minutes, so we paid Rp 285,000 to the hotel. Tar went straight to her massage and I to a next door hotel to arrange for our accommodation for the night. I have tried to extend our stay at Tegal Sari, but TS was fully booked. Have I known Tegal Sari was soooo nice, I would have reserved for two nights. According to Pande, throughout his 4 months tenure at TS, the hotel has always been fully occupied.

THE MEN AND WOMEN OF TEGAL SARI

l to r: Pak Nengah & Pak Sudharta

In the semi darkness, we read a signage that pointed inwards “Tegal Sari Accommodation 20M --->”. “Sudoh!” For some reason, I was expecting the hotel to be by the roadside. We pulled our suitcases on a narrow, cobbled path towards the pointed direction. We came to a sign that said “Greenfields”. Where is Tegal Sari? In the dark and in fatigue, 20 metres seemed to be very far. We came to a bend, and suddenly, a surprised but pleasant voice greeted us. It’s the reception clerk of Tegal Sari Accomodations. He asked for my name and confirmed our reservation, and quickly briefed us our room number, the breakfast hours and menu, and other facilities; all of which can also be found in a folder in our room. He sent for a porter to carry our bags, and he walked with us to the room, which is on the first floor of a bungalow, that houses 4 rooms.

I was very, very happy with the room. It was beautiful and clean and honestly true to the pictures posted on their website www.tegalsari-ubud.com. Before I flew in, I didn’t know of this website. I chanced upon the hotel when I surfed one of the middle-men sites, so I was relying on second-hand information. The “hotel” has not been rated, not even a one-star, so I was not expecting much. I now recommend it to everyone, especially for the excellent service of the staff. Their staff, are very courteous and like many people in Bali, speak at least one foreign language. Throughout my 4-day stay on the Island, I heard the Balinese speak fluent English (of course!), Japanese and French and some German.

Pak Sudharta took the time to explain to us how to use the secured safe. This is a first, I tell you. No hotel staff has ever done that before in all my travels. But it was actually rather unnecessary as we do not have valuables to make use of the secured safe. We were actually praying that he would finish so that we can take a bath and hit the bed.

Tuesday, 11th April 2006.

We woke up the next morning to the soft sounds of the traffic. Lucky for us that Tegal Sari is not by the main road. I went to the balcony, and before me was a vista of green. Beauuutifuuul! The hotel is right smack in the middle of a sawah padi.

We went down to the café for the complimentary breakfast. Tar and I both chose avocado ("adpokat" in Bahasa Indonesia) juice. I also ordered banana lempeng and she chose the banana jaffle, which is two pieces of toast with slices of banana in between. The avocado juice was simply delicious.

After breakfast, Tar enquired whether the masseuse has arrived as she had booked one for 9am. The masseuse was not able to come, so the urut session was postponed to 4 pm. We talked to Pak Nengah on hiring the hotel’s car with driver to take us sightseeing to the villages surrounding Ubud. Each village has their own unique specialty, the very concept what Malaysia is trying to emulate. The car charter rate was Rp60,000 per hour. Pak Nengah said he himself will drive us.

One thing I noticed at Tegal Sari is that they seem to have this policy that the male staff attend to female visitors, and; vice versa. I noticed this one American gentleman, who arrived that morning asking for a certain female staff, and when she appeared; embraced her. Apparently, he is a returning guest. I was sure there’s no hanky-panky going on, but to me that is evidence my alleged policy works. Guests keep returning! In my case, I was hardly speaking to the female staff during my time there. All my questions and requests were attended by the male staff. I still remember the attention and the smiles of Pak Nengah, Pak Sudharta and Pak Pande.

Later, Pak Nengah told us that he was needed to man the reception counter, and his colleague, Pak Pande (who looked twenty but is actually 32) will drive us instead.

BALI REVISITED

By a stroke of good luck, I manage to create this blog. True to Che Tar's words, it's so easy.... So here's my new attempt to publish a blog after 1 year's hiatus.

Hmm. The subject that had been on my mind these past two weeks is my recent trip to Bali. But the memories are fading slowly by the day, so I feel it is right that I record my impressions of the trip here.

Che Tar and I flew into the island on 10th April from the new LCCT , and by the time we landed at Ngurah Rai International Airport it was a little after 8 pm. I was counting on Pak Giri, the guide from my last trip to wait for us there. But he was not there!I rang him up, and he apologised saying that he did wait for me, but thought I could not make the trip. True or not, who's to know? The plane was actually an hour late.

It was dark, and raining, and the town that we wanted to go to is about 45 minutes away. According to Rough Guide (last printing Dec 2005), the airport taxis are reliable and safe, and they charge Rp115,000 for a ride to Ubud. I enquired, but the fare is now Rp175,000. Must be the reaction to the various oil price hikes this year.

At the same time, a Mat Salleh guy was also asking for a Ubud-bound taxi. Light bulb!! "Do you want to share a taxi?", I asked. Despite the taxi supervisor's refusal to let us share a taxi, we went ahead and crammed the guy's and his girlfriend's giant backpacks and our two bags into the bonnet. Ngam-ngam muat.Wah! I felt like we were in some reality show. Applause, people. We overcame our first crisis and extra points please, for saving some money.

The couple, Bob and Kath are from England. They are on a round the world tour since September 2005. They quit their jobs, and do not have a clue what they will do when they return home in August. They told us about 1-world ticket for which they paid 3,000 pound to British Airways for the air tickets for their entire journey. Good value scheme, I'd say. And the couple, bold and reckless, I feel. But they are young, in late twenties, so I figure they can afford the risks.

We reached Ubud at around 9 pm, the journey was made slow by the wet roads. The area on Jalan Hanoman was quite, I guess most people, including the tourists were already indoors. We dropped the couple first so they can look for a room. A few steps away, the taxi driver dropped us at a spot where, he said, our pre-booked hotel is.