Descending below the grey clouds, the plane banks left, straightens up and makes its final approach to the airstrip that protrudes into the sea. We can see the surf and the fishing boats. On shore the red tile roofs of resorts and houses are framed by the green jungle foliage and look like Hibiscus flowers.
The plane screeches to a halt and then quietly taxis to the terminal; the cheers from the passengers indicate to the blind people that we have landed safely.
A statue in the kings palace Ubud
We are on a weekend break from Yogyakarta.
There is something about the feeling of Bali that has to be experienced to be understood. There is softness, gentleness and an exotic odor of frangipani that seems to drain the tension and conflicts from your mind. The softness is not only in the landscape but also in the people; smiling, softly spoken and ever ready to help you.
Would you like the red or the yellow board
Even after the Bali bombing that sent shockwaves through the local community and kept tourists away for almost a year; they are now back in droves.
As a holiday destination Bali has a lot to offer apart from the beaches, the people and the pleasant climate.
Bali, unlike most of Indonesia is well connected, wi-fi is everywhere along with internet cafes and international telephone booths. ATM’s are prolific and available 24 hours a day. English is spoken albeit softly broken and there are a wide range of tourist activities sold from small booths in the busy parts of Kuta beach.
Oh what a beautiful morning
Apart from Australians that make up the bulk of holiday makers there are increasing numbers of young Europeans, some on their backpacking world trip or others for some exotic adventure of white water rafting, bicycling, diving and volcano climbing.
In the pusuit of happiness
I met a couple of French nurses from Lyon. They were on a two month escape from the humdrum of the hospital ward and misery of the never ending grey drizzle of rain.
They were fully kitted out with all that bright clothing from adventure stores and an array of electronic gadgets with umbilical cords that allow them to stay connected to family and friends.
Boats of seaweed growers Lembongan Island near Bali
Apart from the backpackers there are a growing number of foreign university students who come to Bali for three to six months to undertake a number of courses that are accredited by their home university. These are the smart young ones who have figured out how to integrate professional education with carefree adventurous fun in a tropical climate.
A pleasant early morning walk
The new generation of tourists seem to travel alone or not quite alone if you include their mini laptops and mobile phones. At restaurants they can be seen plugged in to wi-fi sitting alone and giggling from time to time according to what they are viewing on the lap top screens. I do not know if these people choose to be alone or that they feel part of a group simply because they have the same equipment and the same clothing style as others sitting around doing the same thing.
The food arrives and they take it and eat it without talking whether it is to the waitress or the person sitting beside them. They don’t even look around at each other let alone flirt. I can understand the desire to be self contained, but I don’t understand their seemingly lack of desire for personal, face to face communication. Have all these survival gadgets crippled their ability to chit chat?
Let’s not forget the aged. There are those reliving their younger years, those retirees with money who can have extended holidays up to six months for next to nothing.
Each evening as I stroll down to Kuta beach just to sit and have a beer on the beach while the sun sets I pass several bars where groups of single men in their 60’s and seventies gather for a beer and a chat with their mates.
These guys seemed to have worked out an alternative to living in a caravan park in Australia or moving into a nursing home. There is nothing common linking these guys except their age and the fact they did not have a partner.
It appears that they either have bought a small apartment or rent one and can live quite comfortably on their Australian pension. Their wardrobe consists of a pair of shorts, singlet and thongs. They on a 6 month social visa that means they have to report to immigration every month and then fly out to Singapore for the day and get a new social visa for six months. Foreigners can also get a retirement visa which enables them to live full time in Indonesia. To get one of these visas one has to show that they have sufficient funds to support themselves and pay A$1400 for the visa.
Foreigners can own a property but they have to lease the land the property is built on.
For example foreigners can buy a unit for A$ 100,000 and lease the land for 25 years
The cost of renewing the lease is about A$2000, to $4,000. But realistically a 65 year old only has a life span of 25 additional years at the most. The property can be passed to the owners children.
If one looks at the cost of a nursing home in Australia then the cost of living in an apartment in Bali is quite cheap.
A typical apartment block in Kuta Beach
Strangely I don’t see many women 65 plus living permanently in Bali.
A typical new apartment block has a restaurant, room service, a gym and a swimming pool. There are many laundries close by that wash your clothes for less than A$3.00 and if you want your room cleaned it costs A$3.00. 3 meals a day either in the apartment block or in a warung across the road for a total of A$ 4.00. If you like a beer as most of these guys seem to then if they have 6 beers a day that will cost A$8.00
The weekly expenditure on food, washing, room cleaning and 56 beers a week is less than A$100.
The living room of a one bedroom apartment
There is no doubt that the low cost of living is an attraction but there is so much more the Bali offers from the simple pleasures to the more complex, art and cultural appreciation. In Bali there seems to be something for everyone.
My god! They have beome detached from their laptops
The thrill of whitewater rafting and lunch for $40 or you can have your own car and driver for $50 a day
If you like your hair platted with beads for A$8 or you want to buy an exotic silk scarf for your wife you can for $400.
Down stream after the white water bit
You just might care for a stroll along the beach in the cool of early morning
Or beautiful meal for two with French wine at Poppies restaurant for A$80
We won’t talk about the one dollar DVD’s. I talked to some girls who bought 300 of them.
I wonder what happened when she walked through customs in Australia.
