This was not really written for the Forum but some friends who have seen it have persuaded me to try it. There is no shopping and at some points where I have to talk about charity activities there will be a gap because I have agreed that I will not put such posts on the Forum.
I will be interested in readers' reactions but will not respond.
BALI 2008 - The Year of the Family.
BEFOREHAND.
It was a different holiday in Bali this year.
There were the usual highs and lows, but this year they were packed into just two weeks and were to be more extreme than usual.
For the first time our two daughters, two grand-daughters and one grandson came with us; Wayan Emma with Wayan Eloise and Made Maeve as well as Made Marion with Wayan Declan. (*)
Those who have gone down this road will understand the added complications arising not just from travelling with others but with even more complications added by those others being newcomers to Bali. In our case was also important that their encounter with Bali would be one to draw them back again in the future.
This tale is written for them, well the ‘grandies' mainly. I'll spring it on them some time when they're old enough to read it and they've forgotten most of the detail and can't say, ‘I don't remember that. Did you make it up for us Grandpa?'
(*) For those of you not familiar with the Balinese naming system it is really quite simple and reflects the importance that the Balinese place on the family and the individual's place within it.
The first born is named Wayan, the second born is named Made (pron Marday), the third is Nyoman and the fourth is Ketut - literally the cat's tail implying ‘last'. If there are others then the cycle starts again with Wayan.
There are very occasionally variations to this system. For example a first born son might be Gede (As in the Aussie greeting, G'day.) and a first born daughter Putu.
In the example above Wayan Emma is first born and Wayan Eloise is her first born and Made Maeve her second born.
We always introduce ourselves in Bali with the Balinese title before our given names. For example I am Made Bill. It is obvious that the Balinese appreciate not only this recognition of their culture but also knowing where we fit into our families.
Bali travellers - 2008.
Establishing a time to go, with work and school affected in two cases, was the first jolt that made me realize that my long-held wish to introduce them to Bali was not just a matter of buying tickets. The to-ing and fro-ing on the timing as well as the duration of the trip, before even looking at a draft program, was an unusual and unexpected stress.
Settling on a program that fitted in all that I wanted to show them and also included what they wanted to do as well as the time that they wanted to do nothing to give the grandies a rest, seemed impossible to resolve. Eventually though it seemed done and bookings made, but just when I thought I was going to have a rest Adi Cottages in Ubud found that ‘they had made a mistake' and that our reserved days and rooms were really not available.
Such a simple thing as one day out of sync suddenly put everything that followed out of whack also.
Eventually, of course, it was all resolved and shredded nerves settled a little and with a bit of time left to prepare the newbies with printed shopping cheat sheets, pocket language phrases and coaching of all in what to say and when to say it, with cultural briefs, family relationships, naming conformity (we would all be ‘Wayan This' and ‘Made That' for the trip), tap water warnings and a dozen other things that I had not thought too much about for many trips past.
This is when I began to realize that the stress I was experiencing really had little to do with organising the details of the trip. The real thing behind it all was a concern that the family should be comfortable with our Bali friends and our Bali friends should in turn feel comfortable with the family.
If things did not go well in this department the havoc of a displaced day would be of little consequence and the purpose of the trip, to pass on a love of this Paradise, would just not be realised.
It did not take long in Bali to realise that this concern was not a concern at all.