I love Bali
indo-dreaming wrote:donweather wrote:mickseq wrote:There is alot of foreign money flowing into Indo not just Bali but for the whole economies. It is happening in India as well as international funds seek new returns, both India and Indo have high GDP outlooks as stocks are climbing. Look at their indices, it’s their time to shine for the foreseeable future
Russians keep throwing money into Bali like there’s no tomorrow.
It's scary because they have started moving all around Indo too, one very expensive upmarket surf resort in Sumatra has been bought up by Russians, although strangely enough its said they aren't interested in the surfing market and going to run focussing on non surfing health/spa type guest.
And they already canceled all surfing bookings for the year, and surf guides, photographer's etc lost their jobs.
Welcome to the future. :(
Which resort Indo?
Just thinking out loud here but do you think that the Russians are buying up big because of your careful analysis of all contract of sales in business and commercial property markets? if so It would be curious to know how this data was obtained, of course I am not being facetious but really what history shows is that whenever any economy transitions from an emerging market into a developed economy status is that you need a very fine tipped pen to pin point all the ins and outs of all monies and handshakes involved in facilitating this process.
I would add that its quite likely that much eastern European investment capital used to purchase land or business interest in Indo would be tied to some form of leverage and at the mercy of the originating country`s monetary policy, hence, the length of time one has to hold one International investment can be largely attributed to borrowing and servicing costs in the country of origin which are always subject to change...so just because the Russians have it today, doesn't mean they are going to have it tomorrow
I wonder if anyone here would argue against the successful transition of Indonesia into developed economy status, and on what grounds they might determine that such a move would be unfavorable for all Indonesian citizens involved. Why would anyone from a developed nation care to exempt anyone from any nation on Earth from the right to developed healthcare, education, wealth, and so on? Of course, there are likely to be environmental and cultural impacts, but the benefits to individual citizens' well-being should clearly be identified as the first and foremost priority.
mickseq wrote:I wonder if anyone here would argue against the successful transition of Indonesia into developed economy status, and on what grounds they might determine that such a move would be unfavorable for all Indonesian citizens involved. Why would anyone from a developed nation care to exempt anyone from any nation on Earth from the right to developed healthcare, education, wealth, and so on? Of course, there are likely to be environmental and cultural impacts, but the benefits to individual citizens' well-being should clearly be identified as the first and foremost priority.
I feel very sorry for Bali , Balinese people and their culture.
It’s been totally destroyed by us. (people from so called ‘developed’ countries)
I wonder what some of the very old people think about what has happened.
They survived well before the mass invasion of a marauding ‘take over’ culture. AW
AlfredWallace wrote:mickseq wrote:I wonder if anyone here would argue against the successful transition of Indonesia into developed economy status, and on what grounds they might determine that such a move would be unfavorable for all Indonesian citizens involved. Why would anyone from a developed nation care to exempt anyone from any nation on Earth from the right to developed healthcare, education, wealth, and so on? Of course, there are likely to be environmental and cultural impacts, but the benefits to individual citizens' well-being should clearly be identified as the first and foremost priority.
I feel very sorry for Bali , Balinese people and their culture.
It’s been totally destroyed by us. (people from so called ‘developed’ countries)
I wonder what some of the very old people think about what has happened.
They survived well before the mass invasion of a marauding ‘take over’ culture. AW
Hi AW,
Even though Bali is being over developed, I can assure you that their culture is staying strong.
It is always just under the surface, but still there.
Om swastiastu...
andy-mac wrote:AlfredWallace wrote:mickseq wrote:I wonder if anyone here would argue against the successful transition of Indonesia into developed economy status, and on what grounds they might determine that such a move would be unfavorable for all Indonesian citizens involved. Why would anyone from a developed nation care to exempt anyone from any nation on Earth from the right to developed healthcare, education, wealth, and so on? Of course, there are likely to be environmental and cultural impacts, but the benefits to individual citizens' well-being should clearly be identified as the first and foremost priority.
I feel very sorry for Bali , Balinese people and their culture.
It’s been totally destroyed by us. (people from so called ‘developed’ countries)
I wonder what some of the very old people think about what has happened.
They survived well before the mass invasion of a marauding ‘take over’ culture. AW
Hi AW,
Even though Bali is being over developed, I can assure you that their culture is staying strong.
It is always just under the surface, but still there.Om swastiastu...
Andy-Mac. Hi fella. Good to hear.
I probably framed my opinion incorrectly, it’s the physical landscape carve up that disturbs me the most, with that , there is a connection to culture.
Thats what I was probably trying to say but didn’t phrase it eloquently.
I know you love the place and have your finger on the pulse.
Thanks for righting my ship. All the best. AW
AlfredWallace wrote:andy-mac wrote:AlfredWallace wrote:mickseq wrote:I wonder if anyone here would argue against the successful transition of Indonesia into developed economy status, and on what grounds they might determine that such a move would be unfavorable for all Indonesian citizens involved. Why would anyone from a developed nation care to exempt anyone from any nation on Earth from the right to developed healthcare, education, wealth, and so on? Of course, there are likely to be environmental and cultural impacts, but the benefits to individual citizens' well-being should clearly be identified as the first and foremost priority.
I feel very sorry for Bali , Balinese people and their culture.
It’s been totally destroyed by us. (people from so called ‘developed’ countries)
I wonder what some of the very old people think about what has happened.
They survived well before the mass invasion of a marauding ‘take over’ culture. AW
Hi AW,
Even though Bali is being over developed, I can assure you that their culture is staying strong.
It is always just under the surface, but still there.Om swastiastu...
Andy-Mac. Hi fella. Good to hear.
I probably framed my opinion incorrectly, it’s the physical landscape carve up that disturbs me the most, with that , there is a connection to culture.
Thats what I was probably trying to say but didn’t phrase it eloquently.
I know you love the place and have your finger on the pulse.
Thanks for righting my ship. All the best. AW
Yeah it's heartbreaking seeing the development at times, places on Bukit which use to be little track now beach clubs.
I'm quite out of the loop Bali wise these days. There for a month soon, but apprehensive in a way. Preparing myself to be shocked. Spent 2 months in 2022 but it was still coming back after Covid.
All the best AW.
What did David Attenborough call Bali when he visited there in the 50's, ''the most magical place on earth''.
I went to Bali once, about 20 years ago, and was so uninspired by all the Westerners there, Aussies , Yanks, Europeans , that I never went back.
I had a much more authentic experience in another SE Asian country, where I was the only foreigner in town ,and I had all the waves to myself
It wasn’t as consistent as Indo , but when there was a swell I couldn’t decide which 1 of the 6 waves to surf
And the whole town was the same as it ever was.
And that other SE Asian Country Now is . . .
@udo
Ha ha I’m not even going to give you another hint with a profile sign like that!
That other SE Asian Country 20yrs on is now also Rooted is what i was getting at . . .
Ah Resuurch that Profile Pic Julian . . .
:-]
@ Udo
How do you know the whole country is rooted
if you don’t know where it is?
I never hear anything about most areas in this country, from a surfing point of view , or any other point of view.
There is one well known spot in the country which gets crowded, but there are also a lot of options there, and it’s a bit hard to get to.
I will research the profile
But I wouldn’t have mentioned where it was anyway,
As far as I know it could be the same as it was then !
I see you were only asking a question, but I can’t be bothered changing comment now .
@ Udo
Surfing in less developed countries, is not always that common by the locals
They can’t usually afford a board
And they have to spend a lot of time just
surviving , because there’s no social security
And if Westerners don’t hear about it on the net they usually don’t go there.
They prefer the security of other Westerners
@ udo
Yeah I should ask my exes relatives,
if they ever see any surfers there
@ udo
Maybe you should check my profile photo, , as unclear as it is
I took the photo with a disposable, waterproof
camera,
and I never saw anyone else out there, although it was sometimes surfed by other surfers,I heard
Far cry from our beloved Bali!
Juliang wrote:@udo
Ha ha I’m not even going to give you another hint with a profile sign like that!
Juliang. Udo ‘ s symbol is not what you think it is.
If you think it’s of German or Nazi origin, well you’re wrong.
You’re the new found Swellnet researcher , find out its real origins, you may be mildly surprised. AW
Speaking with a guy yesterday and NiHi is supposedly booked out entirely by 1 guy for a party this weekend . Not one of the guests surf and there’s a good swell running at the moment, what a farking disgrace that money buys a wave and nobody’s surfing it .
Juliang wrote:@udo
Ha ha I’m not even going to give you another hint with a profile sign like that!
What do you have against the wheel of life ?
Supafreak. Hi mate. How’s things with you and your family? I hear you’ve been getting shacked. Good stuff. AW
AlfredWallace wrote:Supafreak. Hi mate. How’s things with you and your family? I hear you’ve been getting shacked. Good stuff. AW
Having a 2 month surf trip in Nusa Tenngara with couple of mates , so far has been great but party is probably over when we hit rote on 14th , might be a fishing/sailing trip until forecast improves if it does at all . Hope you’re keeping well AW and do call in when you do your excursion next year . Have fun at LR next month .
@ supafreak
Yes I did say I would research the wheel of life
if you’d kept reading
I’m not that closed minded
Juliang wrote:@ supafreak
Yes I did say I would research the wheel of life
if you’d kept reading
I’m not that closed minded
Yeah no worries mate , I replied without reading further down the page.
Read a great Vice magazine article in the 90s (when it was free, but you had to know which shops had it, and ask for it specifically from under the counter.. superb tree-saving model), Vice had run a spoof article about the origins of Naziism being traced to Tibetan culture, and that there is now a diaspora of militant Nazis working in Himalayan communities..
they got a tidal-wave of letters, what today would be keyboard warriors, shouting them down as ignorant, non-researchers who have no idea about different global cultures. I guess from the bogan-man-bun-global-citizen-trust-fund-travel set maybe..?
Blew Vice's mind, and mine too, they couldn't believe people had become so dharma-dumb, that they didn't get, what Vice clearly thought was a simple, pedestrian and possibly little undergrad attempt at juxtaposition humour. Must've made them a little sad about their readership.
udo wrote:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-12/inside-the-building-boom-swallowi...
Over 50 years old but more relevant than ever . .
https://m.
&pp=ygUdYmlnIHllbGxvdyB0YXhpIGpvbmkgbWl0Y2hlbGw%3D So glad I got to go there heaps from early eighties and through the nineties.
Last trip I did to Bali was 2007 and haven't been back as it was overcooked then I thought
I just hope the Balinese culture doesn't get squashed amongst all this....
I preferred it when they were still shitting on the beach at Canguu......
andy-mac wrote:udo wrote:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-12/inside-the-building-boom-swallowi...
Over 50 years old but more relevant than ever . .
https://m.
&pp=ygUdYmlnIHllbGxvdyB0YXhpIGpvbmkgbWl0Y2hlbGw%3D
Andy- Mac, Hi mate I hope you’re doing well.
Sad reality, don’t think I’ll be going to Bali to surf ever again. It’s cooked.
I will be in transit at the airport in a half a year, but that’ll be the full extent.
When I read that Widodo has 20 Bali like island projects planned, my jaw dropped.
Even the island of Sipora which I love for two reasons has its airport underway.
It’ll change that very quiet southern quarter for good.
And yes, JM’ s song is always relevant, no matter what year it is or was. It’s very pertinent that’s for sure. Terima kasih. AW
We'll be stopping through overnight in 3 weeks and the Mrs hasn't been for well over 6 years. I keep warning her it isn't the Bali like we used to visit in the 90's. Very fond memories of that era. Still holds a special place in our hearts. Unfortunately, it has been loved to death. Paradise lost?
New found adventures now to quieter places.
udo wrote:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-12/inside-the-building-boom-swallowi...
That French guy couldn’t come across as any more of a slime ball.
More, more, more.
fitzroy-21 wrote:We'll be stopping through overnight in 3 weeks and the Mrs hasn't been for well over 6 years. I keep warning her it isn't the Bali like we used to visit in the 90's. Very fond memories of that era. Still holds a special place in our hearts. Unfortunately, it has been loved to death. Paradise
New found adventures now to quieter places.
Fitzroy-21. Hi mate, hope you and your lovely are well.
‘ The times they are a changing’. Sad, but it’s the reality of our economic greed and growth, ultimately it’s driven by global population increase.
I find I’m taking myself even further out or away in the entire Indonesian Archipelago.
Finding peace and quiet, well, it’s there, just takes a little more effort to get it sorted.
I’ve got a birding expedition for 18 days in Sulawesi, Halmahera and other islands of the Moluccas next June.
At its completion, one night stopover in Bali then off to the Ments for 3 weeks.
I like destinations where basically the only noise I hear is birds or surf running along the arc of a reef.
Simply couldn’t see myself immersed in daily Bali humdrum. AW
Hey AW, likewise, finding quiet little places to relax and enjoy away from the humdrum. Reward often comes from a little extra effort.
Enjoy the Ments and hopefully get your fill without the mayhem.
Good to see the likes of GF enjoying Gland, Supa in East Indo and Zen in Maldives all enjoying their efforts at the moment.
fitzroy-21 wrote:Hey AW, likewise, finding quiet little places to relax and enjoy away from the humdrum. Reward often comes from a little extra effort.
Enjoy the Ments and hopefully get your fill without the mayhem.
Good to see the likes of GF enjoying Gland, Supa in East Indo and Zen in Maldives all enjoying their efforts at the moment.
True.
So good to hear that varied motley crue are having fun, that’s for sure.
Supafreak has offered me the opportunity to leave my board bag at his place on N/Lembongan whilst I chase Wallace Endemics in the Northern Archipelago, may have to reward him with an offer to join me in the Ments mid July 2025.
AW
seeds wrote:Say it ain’t so!
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-12/inside-the-building-boom-swallowi...
So it is , yes. Sad in more ways than one. AW
AlfredWallace wrote:andy-mac wrote:udo wrote:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-12/inside-the-building-boom-swallowi...
Over 50 years old but more relevant than ever . .
https://m.
&pp=ygUdYmlnIHllbGxvdyB0YXhpIGpvbmkgbWl0Y2hlbGw%3DAndy- Mac, Hi mate I hope you’re doing well.
Sad reality, don’t think I’ll be going to Bali to surf ever again. It’s cooked.
I will be in transit at the airport in a half a year, but that’ll be the full extent.
When I read that Widodo has 20 Bali like island projects planned, my jaw dropped.
Even the island of Sipora which I love for two reasons has its airport underway.
It’ll change that very quiet southern quarter for good.And yes, JM’ s song is always relevant, no matter what year it is or was. It’s very pertinent that’s for sure. Terima kasih. AW
Yep AW...
I will see, have a month coming up.
No matter how busy it gets, I cannot imagine not going back, too many friends/ connections.
Still quiet places up north and inland that still has original Bali spirit/ feel.
Just no surf. :/
Talking to a mate who lives there yesterday, and he said the crowds in water are up, but a lot of floaters who can hardly surf.
Some days not so bad ..
Anyway will be there Sat arvo having a binny on beach watching sunset....
All the best!
andy-mac wrote:AlfredWallace wrote:andy-mac wrote:udo wrote:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-12/inside-the-building-boom-swallowi...
Over 50 years old but more relevant than ever . .
https://m.
&pp=ygUdYmlnIHllbGxvdyB0YXhpIGpvbmkgbWl0Y2hlbGw%3DAndy- Mac, Hi mate I hope you’re doing well.
Sad reality, don’t think I’ll be going to Bali to surf ever again. It’s cooked.
I will be in transit at the airport in a half a year, but that’ll be the full extent.
When I read that Widodo has 20 Bali like island projects planned, my jaw dropped.
Even the island of Sipora which I love for two reasons has its airport underway.
It’ll change that very quiet southern quarter for good.And yes, JM’ s song is always relevant, no matter what year it is or was. It’s very pertinent that’s for sure. Terima kasih. AW
Yep AW...
I will see, have a month coming up.
No matter how busy it gets, I cannot imagine not going back, too many friends/ connections.
Still quiet places up north and inland that still has original Bali spirit/ feel.
Just no surf. :/
Talking to a mate who lives there yesterday, and he said the crowds in water are up, but a lot of floaters who can hardly surf.
Some days not so bad ..
Anyway will be there Sat arvo having a binny on beach watching sunset....
All the best!
Andy-Mac. Hi mate. Enjoy.
I know you’ve spent a decade or more living there, hard to dismiss your intimate connections.
You’re right, when you see footage of known breaks , there are a lot of strugglers or learners ( which is ok, gotta start somewhere), but Uluwatu as your first up, not so sure about that.
Didn’t David Attenborough once say it was Heaven or Paradise on Earth.
It probably still is to the locals and their culture.
It’s foreign wealth, especially European and a lot from the East.
Root of all evils in whatever context you like, MONEY.
Worked for a woman recently who was in Bali in 1970, she was 15yrs at the time, she saw one surfer and noticed even then that girls from other countries were perving on him, including her.
Can’t blame them, us surfers are easy on the eye that’s for sure, aren’t we ?
Safe travels A-M, have a sip for me. AW
Juliang wrote:I went to Bali once, about 20 years ago, and was so uninspired by all the Westerners there, Aussies , Yanks, Europeans , that I never went back.
I had a much more authentic experience in another SE Asian country, where I was the only foreigner in town ,and I had all the waves to myself
It wasn’t as consistent as Indo , but when there was a swell I couldn’t decide which 1 of the 6 waves to surf
And the whole town was the same as it ever was.
Hmmmmmm...may be the same country I live now, but it has 3 crowded well known spots, so maybe not. As for the rest of it, mind boggling number of unexplored reefs on the west coast which apparently fully pump in typhoon swells. Have only heard whispers of these secret spots, and absolutely zero coverage online, very rarely surfed, if ever. Need a boat to fully explore them, google earth shows some insane setups. Couple of east coast set ups as well, reminiscent of some famed Indo breaks, most of it relatively uninhabited, again boat needed. Locals don't have the cash or time to explore, some expats apparently have some of the spots wired, but again..whispers only. Have seen 1 reef in a typhoon swell throwing out a mesmerizing very hollow spitting barrelling left each set, breaking off a small rock just offshore into deeper water for an easy exit...but how to get in AND out thru a 6' shore dump breaking directly onto a boulder beach....hmmmm
Drouyn had a Camp on that Side.
where's uplift when you need him
AlfredWallace wrote:andy-mac wrote:AlfredWallace wrote:andy-mac wrote:udo wrote:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-09-12/inside-the-building-boom-swallowi...
Over 50 years old but more relevant than ever . .
https://m.
&pp=ygUdYmlnIHllbGxvdyB0YXhpIGpvbmkgbWl0Y2hlbGw%3DAndy- Mac, Hi mate I hope you’re doing well.
Sad reality, don’t think I’ll be going to Bali to surf ever again. It’s cooked.
I will be in transit at the airport in a half a year, but that’ll be the full extent.
When I read that Widodo has 20 Bali like island projects planned, my jaw dropped.
Even the island of Sipora which I love for two reasons has its airport underway.
It’ll change that very quiet southern quarter for good.And yes, JM’ s song is always relevant, no matter what year it is or was. It’s very pertinent that’s for sure. Terima kasih. AW
Yep AW...
I will see, have a month coming up.
No matter how busy it gets, I cannot imagine not going back, too many friends/ connections.
Still quiet places up north and inland that still has original Bali spirit/ feel.
Just no surf. :/
Talking to a mate who lives there yesterday, and he said the crowds in water are up, but a lot of floaters who can hardly surf.
Some days not so bad ..
Anyway will be there Sat arvo having a binny on beach watching sunset....
All the best!Andy-Mac. Hi mate. Enjoy.
I know you’ve spent a decade or more living there, hard to dismiss your intimate connections.
You’re right, when you see footage of known breaks , there are a lot of strugglers or learners ( which is ok, gotta start somewhere), but Uluwatu as your first up, not so sure about that.Didn’t David Attenborough once say it was Heaven or Paradise on Earth.
It probably still is to the locals and their culture.
It’s foreign wealth, especially European and a lot from the East.
Root of all evils in whatever context you like, MONEY.
Worked for a woman recently who was in Bali in 1970, she was 15yrs at the time, she saw one surfer and noticed even then that girls from other countries were perving on him, including her.
Can’t blame them, us surfers are easy on the eye that’s for sure, aren’t we ?
Safe travels A-M, have a sip for me. AW
Cheers AW.
andy-mac said “ Talking to a mate who lives there yesterday, and he said the crowds in water are up, but a lot of floaters who can hardly surf. “ ……………….. There are t-bags in large numbers from aceh to timor , have witnessed more than once , beginners that can hardly paddle jump of a surf taxi , sit there looking , set comes and it’s a mad scramble back to their water taxi . Also many solo travellers doing the motorbike surfing and camping on the beach adventure .
(that bali foreign correspondent ep just starting on SA abc free to air, anyone who's forgotten)
basesix wrote:(that bali foreign correspondent ep just starting on SA abc free to air, anyone who's forgotten)
Watched it last night.
Remember when Pastika was Governor of Bali, he was calling for pausing of all new hotels/ development in southern Bali.
Didn't happen ey.
Guess it will just keep going until something breaks.
Over 10 years ago they were talking about the water table being deleted and becoming polluted. Guessing most new developments are just sinking wells for water and using septic tanks which contribute to further contamination.
Ukraine/ Russian money pouring in, what happens when Indian/ Chinese money starts flowing??
Geez days of the Sari Club, 66 and Tubes seem like ancient history with the nice cruisy bike ride out to ulu with no thought of traffic.
Don't cry that it's over, smile because it happened.
Dr Seuss.....
Cool Chair from Waste - - - But $1400 AuD ...Yikes
^^^ what a great idea , expensive chairs but really great idea , its a pity nev house disappeared , old nev is putting a few instagram vids on shaping lately .
Posted similar before , seems nobody has died yet .
Supafreak wrote:Posted similar before , seems nobody has died yet . https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_rbOBPyrPc/?igsh=NjFoOGEycW5nb3h1
ahhhhhhh, fuck that
I love Bali.
You wouldn't think that such a thought could be controversial . But it is.
Many people don't love Bali, in fact they proclaim to hate it. Bemoan what it has become, it's lack of purity, it's lost innocence.
Sure, I can see their point. I can't imagine anywhere on Earth that has been transformed as radically as Bali over the last thirty years. From rice paddies and coconut groves to six story discotheques . It's totally unrecognisable in the most built up areas.
But that's not what this post is about. It's about why I LOVE Bali.
I love Bali because ...
- it's still the home of an intense cluster of world class waves. Roping lefts : Uluwatu, freight train right barrels : Sanur, backlit mega tubes : Padang Padang. Rip able reefs, fun beachies. Short , slabby pits and long mellow points. River mouths and bombies. It's got the lot.
- it's still possible to get uncrowded quality waves in 2015 when it seems as though the entire planet has discovered surfing. I was trading crystal clear , rolling right walls with only two other surfers just this morning.
- it's still freaking beautiful. Watching the mist reveal Mt Agung in that unique Bali morning light from a black sand beach as the sun comes up is still special.
- the food is amazing. Walking around town building up a hunger and knowing that at any given time you are within shouting distance of fresh, exotic and delicious meals with enough variety to make your head spin is priceless.
- the Balinese are legends. Friendly, happy and always keen for a joke. Unfailingly polite and welcoming. Healthy, spiritual and decent.
- the Balinese surfers rip their waves and they still own them. A visiting Brazilian would not think twice to drop in on an Aussie local at Kirra. But you won't see the same in Bali. The Balinese surfers are treated with the respect they deserve. Because as everyone knows, if they are not treated with respect there is consequences.
- the water is so warm it's like swimming in silken angels tears.
- telling people that you are going to Bali will often elicit a response along the lines of ......"why would you go to that traffic ridden, noisy shithole ?" And then as you're kicking back with a Bintang watching the sunset over Uluwatu you can imagine them sitting at lights in their car on their way home from work in Perth. Which , for those that have never been , is a noisy , traffic ridden shithole. And this makes me laugh. Which is something I enjoy doing.
- The fruit is incredible.
- despite the millions of tourists, the fast food franchises and the Aussie over familiarity with the joint it's still exotic. The smell of clove cigarettes, the ogo ogos of Nyepi, the Buddhist offerings , monkeys , food and language are all enticingly foreign.
- there is no overreaching nanny state. You want to ride your motorbike with all four of your children and the missus on the back...whilst texting. Go for it.
- you can live like a king on a regular Aussie income. Maybe not such a great benefit for the Balinese themselves though.
- it's close to Oz. Twenty hour plane ride and a shot at developing deep vein thrombosis.....ummm no thanks. It's actually faster to fly to Bali from Perth than it is to drive to Albany. You can fly from Port Hedland in less than two hours.
- you get an opportunity to regularly witness some of the most foolhardy behaviour imaginable on a daily basis. You ever seen a man being doubled on a motorbike through traffic whilst holding a large pane of glass ? What about seeing someone hold a nail between his bare fingers while his mate tries to grind the tip off it ? It's all there folks.
- you can see people making do with not much and making it work. An exhaust system held on with a T Shirt ? An outboard motor attached to a boat with no anchoring system, just held on with a man's brute force ? Why not ? It might not work forever but it'll usually get em over the line.
- the winds can blow offshore for months at a time and when they blow onshore, well , that just makes it offshore somewhere else. It's an island !
- you haven't seen glassy oceanic conditions till you've seen Indonesian sheet glass. It's like an oil slick. And if you're ever near Benoa Harbour that could well be what it is.
- old people are accorded the respect they deserve.
- it's exciting. It's a melting pot of the world. Wide eyed villages from remote Asia, jaded techno princesses from Russia, sleek surfy chicks from Canada , your next door neighbour from Ipswich....it's a party and everyone is invited.
Including YOU. I'll see you there. You can't miss me.
I'll be the sun burnt drunk in a head to toe Bintang ensemble with hair braids and a fresh tattoo of a unicorn across my back . Don't be shy. Come and say hello.