the exciting drive to the airport when leaving to go TO Bali, and the funerial durge procession when travelling to the airport when LEAVING Bali......it is for me anyway.
I guess that as we are back in a few weeks it should not be so bad.
For those who know it, Basil Leaves, the small warung alongside Secret Garden Restaurant and Bar has extended upstairs to the old Sports Bar, which apparently went broke. (Not surprised as there were only ever a very small number of people there at any time)
Wayans thai cooking will stand him in good stead, and I expect him to improve somewhat on the previous product.
The small traders along the Kuta Steakhouse side of Jalan Pasar Agung have started to move out to avoid the wreckers ball (Or whatever the method of destruction will be) Some have somewhere to go, but others don't.
They are incredibly resilient, and take all this sort of thing in their stride on the surface, but one wonders what is going on inside.
On development, it has always been a sign of investor confidence when arriving into any town, when any number of high rise cranes are seen along the skyline.
I counted 7 over Kuta/Legian last week, which is as many as I have ever seen, and of course does not reflect the number of other significant, although smaller developments that are going on.
Now all I need to do is try to squeeze the $100 out of Jetstar that they have bribed us with to take an alternate, yet unachievable flight when leaving Perth.
That will be a small return for the parking fees, taxi fares and lost days in Bali......but that's life.
Bali is changing, but the unsure looks at you as you walk along the street, a smile and a nod from you and the returning beam replacing uncertainty stays the same.
The kittens that I have been feeding with store bought Whiskers will no doubt miss me a lot, and I like to think that there may be a couple of others there who will miss us as well.
And to the policeman who stopped the two oldies chugging on the Honda along Sunset road for no good reason.....I apologise for having fully compliant Aussie helmets on and even more so for having a fully up to date Aussie issued bike/car driving permit.
The smile was back on his face two minutes down the road though, as he had a likely customer with no helmet on and I suspect "on the spot justice" of sorts to prevail.
Happy new year to all my friends (OK....both of you) and to others.....OK, HNY too.
Lifes just too short.