JBR PART 2 Amlapura,Virgin beach,robbery and tattoo!
I had been waiting since June to go back and see Kadek and the kids and felt ashamed I was so sick (self inflicted) that day but that was the way of it! After finally getting my head surgically removed from the pillow we met our driver and headed to carrafour to shop. I had rung Kadek the day before with the help of my friend Ketut at KTH and found out what she needed. Carrafour is an experience on its own but did nothing for me that day and I had to leave my trolley very quickly at one time to be sick! Enough I know!! Finally got on the way and just love the drive to amlapura up through candi dasi and around agung. Just before Amlapura we picked up one of the staff from KTH who calls me 'mom' I never realised the signifance of this compliment till now. Her family live up that way and we met them later on. Amlapura is close to the water and the orphanage is on a little hill as you head thru town, Kadek was in the shop at the front serving all the kids from school. She does this to make some money for her kids. She was so happy to see us and I wasn't going to be able to prize her out of my arms any time quickly! We took all the shopping from the car and the others who came with me had a good look around. It was great to see the visitors book had so many visits recently and that they were doing well. Kadek asked if anyone going over could bring her a few clothes. She is not tall but prob around a size 10-12.Just tshirts and pants I think. We spent a couple of hours there and as usual cried when leaving. Kadek said they had attracted new sponsors and that the Hard Rock in Kuta were going to paint the place and put up new doors. That's fantastic news for them. Got some lovely pics of them this time as a group. After leaving amlapura we were taken to a very secluded beach called 'Virgin Beach'between amlapura and candi dasi. It was amazing! Beautiful white sand, clear water and only a few warongs there, no acomm! They were mostly European there and I wondered why we aussies haven't discovered it yet? maybe we have?? The current was really strong there and I got badly dumped when I turned to speak to my friend. I had sand coming out of nearly every orifice for days! We had some great food on the beach just absorbing the day and all its gifts! After leaving beach we went to my friend's parents home. We just stopped at the roadside and walked up a track a few 100mtrs till we came upon a little complex of homes. They were Spartan but spotless and we were made so welcome by her family and by the family pig! Chickens everywhere, dogs and a cultural gap that was bridged by real friendship! God I love it all!! Back to Kuta and a quiet night. Friday we went to the Bali Beach Shack for the drag show and I must say it was fun! Still wondering how one of the customers explained to her hubby her reason for lifting her dress and showing her boobs to the entire audience, I suggested it may have been videoed and possibly put on youtube the next day and she disappeared along with her P/Off brother! Have to laugh at it all. That night a friend got himself pretty drunk and while coming home alone was robbed of his camera and some very precious jewellery that had belonged to his wife who had died 4 mths earlier. (Thank god he had taken all her rings from the chain in a big move a few days before that.)He was devastated as the taxi driver refused to go up poppies 1 and he regretfully decided to walk. He has no recollection of how they got it from him, even though he remembers all before and after the incident. Not good time at police station 5am! The Saturday was my last full day in Bali and the day I said I would get my tattoo. Ha! Your too old say my family at home, what about when you get old? what will it look like? But my sweet 18yr old son said 'you are ugly when you get old anyway'!! Hummph!! So off I go with a phone a friend in place to spend an hour of the worst pain I could ever imagine. I laughed, cried, swore, swore some more and cried again but survived it and now have the geelong cats logo with the gf years around coccyx region!. I swear will only ever go back for future gf yrs to be added. It's a first and last experience! Home on day 10 and as sick as a dog with flu like symptoms, glad the heat sensors are gone from the airport as I would have glowed, spent the flight propped up on 3 seats sneezing and coughing into my clothes.Sorry to al passsengers on same flight but probably have shared the love so to speak. Spent 3 days in bed at home before going back to work :( Loved it all and back there next march for 2 weeks, Cheers Carmel