*Written by Agnes on 04/04/2005, this is one of many newsletters we sent to friends and family during our travels. Below is the original text, capturing our time in Bali.*
Dear friends, Selamat Siang,
It’s been a while, but here’s news from us, now from Bali. Since we could only stay 9 months in 18 months in New Zealand, we had extra time, too much for Thailand (visa). So, Indonesia was on our list. We applied for a visa in Wellington, NZ, and booked a flight with Air Asia (cheap).
We spent a month in Whangarei on our sailboat “Renaissance,” now for sale. Bas built a bathroom in a friend’s garage, and I painted at The Quarry Trust, an artist village in an old quarry. I created a totem pole from shells, stones, copper, glass, and driftwood (all from South Island beaches), placed in the Quarry’s garden—a “footprint in paradise.” Sadly, we had to say goodbye.
We flew via Taipei with Eva Air to Bangkok for two nights to bridge our flight to Bali via Kuala Lumpur. Good thing, as I had a bad cold, painful for my ears during landings. Rested, we arrived in Bali and took a taxi to Guci Guesthouses in Ubud, where Ulli (German) and Nyoman (Balinese artist) gave us a warm welcome. They’ve created an oasis in Ubud’s center. Booked for a small cottage with shower and toilet, we got a surprising upgrade to a two-story house, built to feel both indoors and outdoors. We stayed a week, painting happily.
After exploring Ubud by scooter, we rented a car to tour Bali. Since the 2002 Kuta bombing, tourists are scarce, with constant “you need taxi” or “rent a scooter” offers. Shops are quiet, with lots of sweeping and hanging around. The climate is warm, with occasional massive vertical rain. The gardens and rice terraces are stunning, with clever structures, temples, and offerings everywhere. It’s colorful, especially the Balinese women, dressed in sarongs, scarves, and kabayas, carrying up to 10kg of fruit and offerings on their heads, sometimes in high heels or chatting on phones hands-free.
Temples are filled with beautiful people and families for ceremonies. We bought Balinese clothing to join a ritual—otherwise, you’re not allowed in. Some Western tourists act like “pigs” on vacation, while local vendors can be pushy, especially at beaches. We avoid beaches (done enough in NZ). We choose our spots carefully and learned some Balinese words. The food is familiar to us Dutchies and delicious, even in tiny eateries. A Bintang beer (originally Heineken, keeping the red star) in large bottles is perfect for Bas. Now, we’re off to swim in the pool at Warsa’s Bungalows, where we’re staying. More adventures to come in a month or via email.
From your correspondents in Bali,
Bas and Agnes