2022
The unreal world of Sanur Beach
24 October 2022
How can I tear myself away from this beachside idyll? This is what tourists come to Bali for. Sun, sea and serenity, and the chance to ignore the bustle and chaos of the real world beyond the hotel gates! I usually only ever have a day or so down here at the end of my Ubud stays before heading for the airport and home. But we had three nights here at Peneeda View at the beginning of the trip this time because of the Garuda once-weekly flight getting us here several days before the writers festival starts.
In the life of a tourist the days just slip by with the slow routine of meals, walks along the coast path, swims in the sea or the pool, and afternoon naps. Mind you, one can clock up 5-6 km walking just getting from the back of the hotel where our rice barn-shaped rooms are, to the sea front and then along the path to the seaside cafes. Last night coming back from dinner I was ready to drop - the distance seemed twice as far due to the high humidity.
Gunung Agung peeking out to say hello before pulling the cloud blankets over again
In the life of a tourist the days just slip by with the slow routine of meals, walks along the coast path, swims in the sea or the pool, and afternoon naps. Mind you, one can clock up 5-6 km walking just getting from the back of the hotel where our rice barn-shaped rooms are, to the sea front and then along the path to the seaside cafes. Last night coming back from dinner I was ready to drop - the distance seemed twice as far due to the high humidity.
Gunung Agung peeking out to say hello before pulling the cloud blankets over again
Breakfast view second day
Both afternoons we have had visitors. Saturday afternoon Bu Agung came and we had a long talk catching up on the years, even though we’ve been in regular touch by Messenger. Remember she was Josh’s pembantu over all the years he lived in Bali, first at Petra’s house, then in all the houses Josh lived in later. She looked after him so well and became my dear friend over the years of all my visits. She is a grandmother now and it was actually little Dayu’s first birthday that day (though the Balinese celebrate different “birthdays” - otonan- according to the Balinese calendar). I had brought a gift for Dayu - some clothes - without realising it was her birthday. Agung had a video of her dancing in a new white dress that day. Very confident on her feet at just one year old! Agung helped me run all those birthday parties for Jasmin that I came to Bali for every August for nine years.
It poured with a spectacular monsoonal deluge while Agung was here, so we had plenty of time to talk on my sheltered verandah over tea and the delicious lemon cake she brought. It was so good to see her again. She now has work as a housekeeper once more after the long Covid downturn in the economy here. She is pretty well the sole provider for her entire family just now, including her son, his wife and baby who live with them. The son only gets occasional casual graphics jobs and his wife is still an intern trainee nurse, poorly paid until she finishes. And Agung’s daughter, although now finished her degree in pharmacy in June, cannot yet apply for work until the diploma is issued at the official ceremony in November!
Tiny Bu Agung.
It poured with a spectacular monsoonal deluge while Agung was here, so we had plenty of time to talk on my sheltered verandah over tea and the delicious lemon cake she brought. It was so good to see her again. She now has work as a housekeeper once more after the long Covid downturn in the economy here. She is pretty well the sole provider for her entire family just now, including her son, his wife and baby who live with them. The son only gets occasional casual graphics jobs and his wife is still an intern trainee nurse, poorly paid until she finishes. And Agung’s daughter, although now finished her degree in pharmacy in June, cannot yet apply for work until the diploma is issued at the official ceremony in November!
Tiny Bu Agung.
Then yesterday late pm Liz had a visit from the Balinese parents of a girl, Ari, studying in Sydney whom Liz has befriended and taken under her wing. Ari and her Australian partner have a new baby, and Liz (who happens to be a lawyer) is helping them get the paperwork moving on Ari’s visa status. All very complicated as you can imagine. The parents are thrilled to be grandparents but are anxious about Ari’s visa situation. We are picking up documents from them today which might help. We took them down the beach to dinner with us in one of the rowdy cafes (band playing) and had a lovely evening. Must have been a bit weird for them to be in such a tourist environment!
Friends Melinda and Vivienne have arrived last night and are in a hotel in Seminyak. Meeting them mid-morning at the Biku Tea House - Jane from Indolitclub too - for their famous high tea. Then Liz and I are off to Ubud directly from there - a much more “real” version of Bali awaits us out there on the roads and once the festival begins on Wednesday night. Lots of old friends to see.
Later:
Wonderful high (morning) tea at the magnificent Biku with the others. Asri the Australian owner came over to say hello - sends her love, Cathy! (Cathy and Asri were school mates together in Sydney in another life, decades ago.)
Friends Melinda and Vivienne have arrived last night and are in a hotel in Seminyak. Meeting them mid-morning at the Biku Tea House - Jane from Indolitclub too - for their famous high tea. Then Liz and I are off to Ubud directly from there - a much more “real” version of Bali awaits us out there on the roads and once the festival begins on Wednesday night. Lots of old friends to see.
Later:
Wonderful high (morning) tea at the magnificent Biku with the others. Asri the Australian owner came over to say hello - sends her love, Cathy! (Cathy and Asri were school mates together in Sydney in another life, decades ago.)
Healthy juice while waiting for the plates of goodies to arrive. You’d never know that Mel and Viv had just flown in late last night!
Now in Ubud - but that is the start of a whole new story! Made it just as the heavens let loose, but there are worse places to shelter from the storm than my scenic verandah at Puri Saraswati. Gardens much trimmed by the new management.