Getting close to flying out and the usual thoughts crop up. Hence the poem which the newbies on here may not have seen.
WAITING.
ARE MY FRIENDS ALL STILL WAITING IN BALI?
DO THEY STILL WANDER ‘ROUND ON THE BEACH?
SELLING THIS, SELLING THAT, BE IT STATUE OR HAT
WHICH PROVIDES JUST A LITTLE FOR EACH.
FOR THEIR FAMILY, FRIENDS OR THEIR NEIGHBOURS.
WHO KNOWS JUST HOW MANY THERE ARE?
THEY MAY BE RETURNING PAST FAVOURS,
WITH FOOD WHILE THERE'S COINS IN THE JAR.
THE WIZENED OLD LAD WITH POLES ON HIS BACK
BRINGING QUAILS' EGGS FROM DISTANT KAMPUNG.
A SMILE ON HIS FACE, EACH DAY ON THE TRACK,
‘TIS OF HIM THAT THE SONGS SHOULD BE SUNG.
IS NENEK STILL THERE, DECKED IN SILVERY HAIR,
AS SHE SELLS SWEETS AND SNACKS TO THE CREW ?
TIME-SHARE SELLERS TOO USING TACTICS UNFAIR
BUT THEY'RE STARVING, WHAT ELSE CAN THEY DO?
WE WORRY HOW OUR FRIENDS ARE LIVING
THROUGH TIMES WITH ECONOMY DOWN.
BUT WE KNOW THEY HAVE SMILES FOR THE GIVING.
THEY NEVER GREET US WITH A FROWN.
PLEASE WAYAN, MADE, NYOMAN AND KETUT,
THOUGH TIMES ARE EXCEEDINGLY BAD :
DO KEEP YOUR HOPES UP, NO 'IF. WHEN OR BUT'
WE'RE COMING SOON, THEN YOU'LL BE GLAD!
Peter.