Vanuatu: Getting High in Bali Hai

Lush vegetation, pristine beaches and sense of belonging

The name evokes images of lush vegetation, pristine beaches, smiling people wrapped in exquisite sarongs, and the sweet scent of frangipani wafting on a soft breeze. Did I want to drag my work-weary, middle-aged self to such a place? Absolutely.

My husband and I met our guide, Wayan, at the airport in Denpasar. Dressed in a sarong and head scarf, standing in front of a cascade of bougainvillea, grinning with an impossibly white smile, Wayan immediately embodied all that I hoped Bali would offer. He was unsure how to address us: the Balinese have no last names, so he had to guess which of our names to use.

When I asked if it was hard to keep people straight with only one name, Wayan replied, “No. Names very simple in Bali. First boy children called Wayan. Second called Made. Third called Nyoman. Fourth called Ketut. Easy.” “What about a fifth child?” I asked. “Back to Wayan.” replied Wayan. “Only four names, easy to remember. Always know where in family you belong.”

And there is no doubt that in Bali, everyone belongs. To a family, to a village, to a temple, then to God.

Religious ceremony is the most overwhelming feature of Balinese life. We saw ceremonies and processions daily in homes, temples and in the streets, some personal but most involving entire villages.

There are many kinds of offerings: tooth filing ceremonies, marriages, cremations, offerings to ancestors and appeasements to foul spirits. Once a month there is even a tumpek ceremony, an offering made to useful objects. In the past this may have honoured books, trees and shadow puppets; nowadays the tumpek can include motorcycles, computers and refrigerators.

The offerings are made by sewing palm leaves into little boxes, which are then decoratively filled with all manner of objects: fruit, flowers, incense, cigarettes, betel, toys, candy and even plastic bags of coffee. Offerings litter the streets, the beaches, the sidewalks, and just about every doorway.

One day I stepped on one that had been placed in a doorway. I was appalled, certain that my offence was grave. A shopkeeper hurriedly approached me, took my arm, and said gently, “No matter for that. Almost time for new offering. That one all used up by God.”

Our package deal included a series of bus tours. The timing was flexible; we could choose when to book according to our own schedule. I was skeptical but can now only advise, “Take the tours.” For one thing, driving in Bali is something no foreigner should even attempt.

Hundreds of motor scooters, many carrying whole families, race in all directions with what appears to be complete disregard for direction of travel or lanes. Secondly, the guides are delightful; happy and proud to show their temples, their beaches, their volcanoes and their monkey forests, and curious to learn more about faraway places. The tours became more a sharing of information than a money trap. Even though they did, upon occasion, end up in shopping areas.…

The marketplaces in Bali are very social places. The women truly want to talk; they are intrigued by our strangeness. “Your name, your name?” then, “Where from?” “Travel much, Canadians.” Australians, Canadians and Europeans are the most frequent visitors to the island. “You got husband, kids?”

The marketplace goods are mostly cheap versions of the real crafts sold in workshops or stores, but their novelty value makes them more interesting than most souvenirs. I learned to ask for the morning price. The first sale of the day is thought to be good luck, bringing many customers. Since the Bali bombing, tourism is down anywhere from 65 to 90 percent, depending upon whom you ask, so the ‘morning price’ might occur at any time. You might just get lucky.

For art lovers, Bali is a treasure. Villages specialize in silver work, woodcarving, batik, weaving or pottery. Virtually everyone is involved in some way with music, dance or crafts, with skills being handed down through the generations.

My single, most important goal in Bali was to see a shadow puppet performance. The wayang kulit uses flat, brightly painted leather puppets that cast shadows on a screen, usually made of the stretched and dried inner membrane of a cow’s stomach.

Traditionally these shows last all night; so I was looking for something tourist-sized, no more than two hours, I hoped. Several people directed me to Oka Kartini’s in Ubud. We walked and walked until we finally came to the equivalent of an old garage filled with white plastic lawn chairs - Oka Kartini’s.

A wizened old man explained in English the part of the Mahabharata that would be performed that night. I peeked around back; the dalang, or master puppeteer, was sitting cross-legged in prayer. The story began with an explosive bang as the dalang shrieked and beat upon a wooden box with a metal hammer held between his toes. As the play unfolded, I left my seat (in Balinese, not Western fashion) and sat behind the screen to watch the dalang at work. It was magic.

On our last night in Indonesia, we watched the sun set behind Mount Agung, Bali’s sacred volcano, and raised a bowl of arak to the images that we would take away: lush terraced rice paddies rising up the sides of volcanoes, temple gates splitting the world between good and evil, prayer poles dangling in the breeze, and butterflies, butterflies everywhere.

I wondered how long I could hold on to the feeling of contentment that the Balinese had shared with us. Months later, even the memories soothe my day.

Getting there: Japan Air, Cathay Pacific, China Air and Singapore Air all offer packages to Bali. The trip will be broken in Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo or Taiwan, and it is possible to arrange time in these destinations before arriving in Denpasar, the capital of Bali. The packages include hotel transfers to and from the airport.

Choosing Lodging: Kuta is the most popular destination for those looking for great surfing and lots of nightlife. Sanur, the original resort location on the east coast, is quieter and has a sunbathing, rather than a swimming, beach. Ubud, in the middle of the island, is the center for crafts and dance. Lovina, to the north, has a wonderful black sand beach. Accommodations range from simple losmen (home stays) to luxurious hotels. The number of hotels is dramatically increasing as tourism builds, so it is worthwhile to shop around. Hotels are best booked before arrival; look for a suitable losmen after you get there.

Food: The two main dishes are nasi goreng (fried rice) and satay (shish kebob). Eggs and chicken are used in many dishes, and there are some curries. Bintang, the local beer, is very inexpensive, as is bottled water.

Currency: The local currency is the rupiah. There are thousands of rupiah to the dollar, so be prepared to work in high numbers. There are moneychangers in all tourist areas and they generally give a better exchange rate than the hotels. But shop around and make sure that you ask about a service charge – if the rate seems to be substantially better than the competition, it is probably too good to be true. The ATM machines in large centers give excellent exchange rates.

Shopping: Look for woodcarvings, batik, silver work and weaving. There are three types of shopping areas: artisan workshops, shops and markets. Prices will vary accordingly; remember that an artisan may spend a full month on a single piece. Cheap knock offs can be found in the markets, and the hawkers can be persistent, particularly in Kuta. Be firm but polite, and you will find them friendlier than in other tourist destinations.

Information: For background information on everything from hotels to dance performances check www.baliforyou.com.

Author : Penny and Dale Draper