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Date: September, 2007
After
traveling the world for years, I can't seem to stay put in one place
for very long. I've got a giant case of Island Fever, in fact at
the rate I'm going, I'll have Planet Fever in no time.
I
just can't get use to the "real world" of 8-12 hours in
an air conditioned room in front of a computer, my new window to
the world, and the only thing getting a workout is my butt. It's
not really a workout, it's more like a feat of endurance sitting
in one spot for so long. Ironically, it reminds me of riding a bicycle
all day. Gosh, I miss my customized leather saddle.
My
new affirmation is: "You should be grateful, you could be mowing
grass with a machete for a living." But like any affirmation,
it doesn't work, because deep down what you are really saying is,
"I feel guilty and shameful and I shouldn't feel this way."
Which is a guilt on top of a guilt.
So
after hopping from state to state and a thrilling one-day adventure
in Mexico which ended when the policia had me spread eagle against
a wall and searched me for drugs (Ah! It reminded me of the good
old days traveling the world), I decided to go on a big trek across
the Pacific (without the bike this time) and turn that spark of
adventure once again into the flame of new experiences and inspiration.
"Welcome to my paradise."
Is the opening line in Bali. And it is a paradise, a bit overrun
by motorscooters and tourists, but still a paradise.
So, since people are little
impatient with words these days, here's a small photo-pictorial.
If you want an adventure, try walking through a monkey park with
a handful of bananas. When a monkey runs up your leg to the top
of your head, you'll quickly learn how to mime a banana tree.
A daily offering and blessing
outside my hotel room.
My friend Nyoman posing
with a statue of Shiva. In Bali there are traditionally only 4 first
names. In order of birth: Wayan, Nyoman, Made and Ketut. Nyoman
has a second child named Nyoman and if he has a sixth child, he
or she will be called Nyoman also. So, to avoid confusion I have
to refer to my friend as The Funny Cab Driver Nyoman, and believe
it or not, when you tell people this, they know who you are talking
about. It is a small island.
One of many Hindu
Temples overrun by the jungle
One of the more "tasteful"
erotic statues.
Another example of
one of those jobs like climbing three stories with a pile of bricks
on your head that I'm glad not to have.
Cock
fight anyone? A custom recently made illegal, but since when has
that ever stopped anyone.
My
only complaint about Bali is the fumes and exhaust, it was hard
to breathe at the end of the day when the locals burned their garbage
in the backyard, plastic bottles and all.
Bali
has the densest population of talented artists and craftsmen anywhere
I've ever been. Here a man carves a statue of Ganeesh. It takes
him about a week and he sells it for about ten dollars. Like a true
business man, I thought I could get a deal buying direct; but like
a true artist, he refused to sell me one because he wasn't finished.
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