Kakapo - Kulture Shock - Bali - 15 June

Kakapo Kulture Shock 15 June - Maverick scribed by Toni

Having arrived late last night, i found my way into the garden beneath a rather strange looking tree covered in ants.  At the base of the tree was a statue swathed in cloth and adorned with flowers.  How strange.  Perhaps it is a Balinese Garden gnome.  After my second flight, very little sleep, very bad food and 6 hours in a very big plane on an airline called Jetstar  I couldn’t help but sleep despite my strange surroundings.

I woke this morning to lots of loud noises.  Are they cicadas?  No! I’m told the sound is lots of motorbikes.  What an insult to my ancient ears.  

After breakfast - lots of yummy fruit for me - Pawpaw, watermelon, star fruit etc. John said we were to go shopping!

We need food for breakfasts, veges and sandals for John and Sam as well as sunhats for James, Lucy, Sam and Dad.  OK, I thought!

Looking out the car window, there was traffic everywhere.  Thousands and thousands of motorbikes that insulted my ears as early as 5:00 a.m. lots of cars all communicating by beeping.  How does this work?  this seemed like total Khaos.  No-one shouts here, everything is peaceful, everyone lets everyone in.  So much traffic though no stresss.

Our first stop was the fish market.  Apparently Toni wanted to go here.  How can we even stop here I thought.  People everywhere! cars everywhere!  We were whistled into a parking spot by a man with a  referee’s whistle.  He was paid 2000 rupiah and then we got out.  Sammy complained loudly about the heat and this did not stop until he made it back to the swimming pool.  The children climbed out of the car and looked at their mother with disdain - what do you mean by bringing us here they were thinking.  The first stop was a vege stall, Everything was packed into plastic bags - I was truly horrified.  Where can all this plastic go?  Why not use a basket or paper bags?  I found out a few days later when Uncle Tutnik pointed out the rubbish dump.  Too many plastic bottles, too many bags all piled high on a giant heap as tall as the buildings that surround us.  What to happens to the sea when all the plastic flows in?  My worries for Bali are endless, though not for the heart of the people.

Balinese children were playing, whilst mothers shopped. They all looked happy and healthy and as Toni pointed out to Sam, they weren’t whining about the heat.  Lucy stared in shock and James wondered where he could find a RC hobby shop.  Toni told James that in Singapore they would probably find one at the Science Museum.  They certainly would not find one in the fish market.

Uncle Tutnik took the family to a big shopping centre where all their needs were attended to.  Luckilly I was able to stay in the air conditioning and sleep quietly as is my habit.  It was great to have an hour of peace from the children constantly bantering.  Uncle Tutnik met friends and talked with the other drivers.  My feathers are fizzy in the heat, my old Kakapo feet are sore from the concrete and my ears….

The family returned with their needs and Sam’s cries were finally met with a return to Jimbaran, our first Indonesian meal in the little Warung around the corner.  I munched on leaves next to the Koi pond whilst the kids sampled the delights of coconut juice and stir fried excitement of various kinds.  It is good to see them eating their vegetables.  The children returned to their favourite past time of swimming and Toni enjoyed a massage from Sumi.  The best part of my day was when a cockroach jumped from the massage table - Sumi stamped on it and I was able to crunch through the rest of the juicy fat tasty morsel.  Sammy wanted a massage so Sumi also set to work on Sammy.  This is the sort of life I think this young man would like to become accustomed.

John cooked dinner and the children begged for sleep….. Ahhh peace at last and a glorious though warm garden to relax and ponder in.