Holiday In Bali: Bai Bai Bro 🤙🏼
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Bali 2019 |
Another Bluebird taxi to meet up with Sveta at the FUN SURF area. Dropped off at a random entrance to the beach. Mosey on over and sat for a while but finally figured out that the Kazakhstan folks already left and headed back to the Monte Carlo Resort. But the instructor was chill and didn’t mind the conversation and company. So, time to hoof it to them but first some comfort food at the Hard Rock close by. Nothing special there, folks. Just a burger and fries and a few exhausted sighs. Oh, and Merch is not always worth buying.
Loaded up on google maps the walking route from point A to B. A thirty-to-forty-minute walk through the footpaths and congested streets. Once again, trying to dodge the constant “Taxi? Taxi? Taxi?” styled cat calls from the locals with motorbikes. But there was one Balinese man that got creative… He called out to me, “Taxi? Taxi? … Marijuana? Coke?”. That escalated quickly. Yeah nah… Not for me thanks. Even if I was into using booger-sugar it would defiantly not be from a street guy in Bali. Besides, the recreational use of opiates is not exactly good for your health.
Vibing, lounging, and soaking in the last of the bits of Bali sun at the pool within the grounds of the Montigo Resort I found Sveta and her mates… Least till check out time arrives which they attended to. Time passed and my own anxiety got the best of me. I needed to catch my flight back to Brisbane. I got a taxi that looked like Bluebird. It wasn’t. One last adventure in Bali. Midway to the airport (thinking Sveta and her mates already left) the driver turned off the meter. Upon entering the Airport grounds this guy tried to shake me down for $50+ USD. Folks… Always negotiate the price with a taxi first. I saw the Balinese soldier guarding the airport, handed the last of what Rupiah I had (~$10 USD), and quickly got out of the car. Not today, Satan! Whether it was the right amount for the ride or not I was tired and in no mood to haggle with the driver 1/3 my size. Plus, the meter was off… How would he even argue about the fare?
I shuffled through the doors leaving the sights and smells of Bali outside. I got on WhatsApp and saw a few messages from Sveta. On their way to the airport and I was defiantly wrong about them already taking off without me. Once they arrived a simple sit down and coffee and snack later things got sorted. All good things must come to an end. It was time for customs, passport stamps, and airplanes. The last time I saw her was near her gate. She had quite a long journey back to Almaty, Kazakhstan.
We’ve retained a friendship since. One of the rare but fine qualities of social media is that any one of us can and should check up on the friends we make along our various journeys. Every now and again I catch (not just from her) the various reels posted. I couldn’t be happier for my friend that is living her best life. Looking back during our time in Bali over four years ago I cannot help but smile and feel grateful. What a wild romping about in a country I never planned on going to. But sometimes, folks, all you need to do is say yes and get on the bloody damn plane.
Time to get back to Brissy and finish my time there.
Dustin J. Casey 2023©
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