So for the first time in Bali I sensed a bit of tension. I had heard a few of the locals talking about gangland They called it ganulan or something, and I thought that they had opened a theme park. Coming from NZ I decides I definately wouldnt pay money to see any more of gangs. However after a while I realised it was bigger than that and almost every Hindu was going to participate. Apon questioning them further I gathered that there must have been big trouble as they were saying something along the lines of all somebodies Christmases coming at once.They shut their shops one day and shot through to their villages for some sort of stoush. Cant have sorted it properly either cause the next Saturday they all shut up and had a second crack at it.
Even Sammy and Susie were involved, so it must have been a beauty, I for one wouldnt want to be on the end of one of Susies fists. Speaking of Sammy, I have noticed over the years the squirrels in the tree above the chilly bins getting peanuts when put on the branches. Used to be real hard to get a picture of them as they were so quick and flighty. Anyway the new generation are far less scared and Sammy hand feeds them now. Got a beauty picture of Sammy feeding a squirrel side profile with the sun setting behind them. Makes for a nice family photo.
The day S & S shot through with the gangland involvement we wandered down for a drink, not knowing they had tooled up and disapeared. Anyway quite a few forrimites had wandered over to the bloke next door just south of S & S (Abdoul I think). We pulled up a chair and had a few neck oils there. He was a decent attentive guy. Man he coined it with S & S closed and I wondered if he had caused the gangland bizo so he could cash in on their bar being shut. Next day was business as usual for S & S, and Abdoul was looking forlornly at all of us guzzling Binnies only 20 metres form him.
We actually did feel sorry for him and to be honest we should have chucked some business his way as by default via the forum S & S do very well indeed compared to some.
Next morning, ignoring the answerphone messages to ring the local police and fire investigators, we wandered down to book Gusti for a cultural trip to Ubud for a coupla days time. I couldnt find him for a bit, but one of the boy/girls at the salon pointed him out, crouching behind a scooter outside the Loji, (he must have dropped something and bent down to pick it up). seeing me spot him, he played the old "I will pretend i didnt see you" game, however a quick shout from me and a well aimed empty binny bottle to his head and I was able to get his attention. So with the details sorted we wandered back to our digs. On the way back I had to take off my glasses as every one was whispering and glancing at me, saying things like isnt that Brad Pitts grandfather?
Emms decided that she might do a spot of reading, and seeing me standing there counting my fingers and toes for something to do, she asked if I wanted to do something. I said I might have a crack at these massages and so wandered off to check the scene. Man they think of everything these massage sheilas. I wandered out the gate and had one latch onto me saying "massage, you wan massage"?
I stopped and said I wouldnt mind, so it seems with a broken english conversation that for 60,000Rp I would get a traditional Balinese massage. But wait theres more! Cause glancing around a bit like the squirrels at S & S she started making an up down motion with her closed fist and talking about bananas. I guess she was going to finish the massage by shaking salt on a banana and having me eat it because still glancing around she opened her mouth and moved her closed fist backwards and forwards in a eating motion.That was for 200,000Rp, now I may be a mug but thats a hell of an expensive banana, even for a salted one.
Declining her generous offer I wandered back to the room. Emms glanced up and said why dont I go down to the pool and have a few drinks with the aussies we had been talking to. I said, would you want to talk to some idiot who constantly bullsh%ts, skites and is a bore. She said no, and I said well neither do they.
Ianz