Did I mention that I could never – under no circumstances – live without traffic jams? NEVER!!!
But let’s start from the beginning: I went surfing in Greenbowl today, that’s a beach at the very southern tip of Bali. A beautiful one with white sand and green-blue, crystal-clear water.
Because you have to walk down 350 steps or so to get there, you get a three-in-one package: Beautiful beach, good surf and plenty of leg-exercise. Who needs to work out in a boring fitness-center when you can have all that for free in plain nature?
To avoid traffic, I left early morning and made it down there in 50 minutes. It was a beautiful drive, very serene, very enjoyable. And the best was that they built new food stalls there. So first thing I did was to eat a delicious mie goreng (fried noodles) for breakfast. And, the second best was that they built a quiet spacious building with clean toilets and showers. Perfect for me and my slight bali-belly.
Anyway, I enjoyed an uncrowded surf and managed (for the very first time) to do a proper cutback. Not just one, but two in a row on the very same wave. Ha!!!! Big success!!!
Went to Rapture Surfcamp after that to say hello to everybody. Entertained Enda a bit who is currently sick (he managed to have a deep and philosophical conversation with me for two hours and didn’t fall back asleep, hahahaahah, well done for keeping up that long) and bought my surfleggins (why I need them? I don’t, but I like them ;)) Maybe I gonna post a picture soon as to get some comments about my taste of fashion 😉
Anyway, and THEN, it was time to go home to Berawa. What should I say. I needed almost two hours for the same distance as in the morning. First, all went well. Not too much traffic, just an almost-crash at the very beginning. So I sped along the roads, occasionally overtaking all kinds of slow vehicles, sometimes on the left, sometimes on the right, always very aware of all the stupid people who don’t know how to properly drive (I’m a perfect driver of course). Then, suddenly, I had to duck under a chicken, which chose to cross the road at exactly the same time I was passing the very spot it wanted to cross. It didn’t run as chickens usually do, but it FLEW (not very graciously) right towards my head. I ducked in time and the chicken, my head and my motorbike are still all whole and healthy. And then, from Mac Donalds until the Airport (that’s a stretch on the main road which usually takes 10 minutes to pass) I was moving with snail-speed. Literally. A snail would even crawl faster than we drove. But I am half Asian. So, at least 50% patience is in my blood. Running through my veins. Patience is a virtue. I repeated that as my mantra during the whole time. As I moved forward in tiny bits, I wasn’t just choking on all the exhaust, but also almost choking with rage.
Indonesians in traffic are the worst. They bully, they swarm in the street, they fight for the best position, they speed, they just do everything you shouldn’t do on the street. However, to move forward as fast as possible, I had to adapt my driving style and become as bad as them. So I was driving sometimes on the walkway, sometimes on the street, overtook on the left and right, I pushed to the front, darted malignant glances at everybody and was just (a bit) ruthless.
I made it home. Just. With my last energy.
Not going anywhere far in the next two weeks that’s for sure.
My home is my castle!
Kim Faraway 