#87 Here in Bali

I arrived in Bali around 4 p.m. exhausted.  I left my girlfriend's house at 9 p.m. yesterday.  The ride from the airport to the hotel was annoying that I got a taxi from the Prepaid taxi desk and they told me it would be 70,000 Indonesian Rupiah. The money is inflated. I got 2 Million Rupiah out of the ATM and only 100,000 bills came out of the machine. They are as bad here as in India, no one has small bills! So the prepaid taxi people told me to pay the driver and he starts that he doesn't have change. He also comes out with he doesn't know where my hotel is when that was the first thing I asked him and he said he did. So I said to stop at a bank and I was about to get out of the cab. I told him get me to the hotel. When I got there, they didn't have change for me. They suggested a mini-store and I was able to break the big bill. By this time the taxi driver is saying I want a tip & I was so ticked at him I decided I was not giving him one. If looks could kill I'd be dead when I give him the 70,000. I even said to him, don't look at me like that. So he left in a huff and I registered at the hotel where the key they gave me didn't work. Maintenance fixed that but then the room safe didn't work. I definitely wanted my valuables locked. So they came with a new safe and put it in my room. I laughed because that meant someone could just pick up the whole safe and walk away with it.

So now I am having a beer and eating at a very nice place called The Deck. I will definitely be coming back. First I had a plate of veggies perfectly cooked. Then I had a lovely fresh salad. Now I am eating potato wedgies. It started raining and I forgot to bring my umbrella and I have to walk back. So I just ordered a small beer to buy time. I feel like I'm in paradise.

Oh and they have WiFi. I think Bali is like Australia's FL or maybe Mexico. They are all over the place. I could tell this one woman knew her way around and I asked her where I could get a good cup of coffee tomorrow morning. It's the restaurant right next door. So I am going to close for tonight and I will keep you posted, I can't wait to see what this place looks like in the day time. And get a massage!

I am so blessed.
Love,
Marje

#86 Three Days to Go

Where am?  Still at my friend’s home

How am I?  Mixed emotions. Happy, and sad.

First I have to apologize for not posting for two weeks but my computer went off again. The power cord didn’t work, the third time since I arrived in India. Even the Toshiba people gave me a new power cord for free because it was less than 3 months since I bought the last one. It was still under warranty. 

And I was delayed in getting to the Toshiba Service office because there was an Auto Rickshaw strike for a few days. I couldn’t get there without one. So that finally ended and all is well.  I don’t think anything was resolved by the strike. But that’s India. 

The nurses at my hospital went on strike, too, and it finally ended after around 35 days. Was anything resolved?  I have no idea. They have no concept of collective bargaining and thinking what it is they want and will be happy with as a result. They just STRIKE!

If I had to use one word to describe India it would be Noisy. I’m sitting here at 4:45 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon and it’s so noisy I have earplugs in. I have no idea if it is a band practicing or what but it’s loud drumming.  And when it’s not loud drumming, it’s the Slap-Slap of washing laundry by hand, or the power saw of cutting down trees. It’s as if they can’t live without making noise. I suppose that if there were this many people living in America, we would be addicted to noise too. But, I’m happy to say I really appreciate ….q u i e t. 

So only three days left. Tomorrow I have to go to the post office with three different boxes I found and see what the clerk thinks would be the best box to send my computer back to the US.  I have already spoken to her and she explained that the boxes go into a bag. I saw how they do it. She typed the address of where the package is going into the computer and an address label comes out. Then a lower clerk takes the box, puts it into a cloth bag, she attaches the label and it is then ready to be picked up by the truck that comes later. So the trick is to make sure the box will fit into the bag they will be using.  I also want to see how much it is going to cost. If it is too expensive, I may rethink sending it back.   

I spoke to the head of the IT Dept at the hospital and he thought it was smarter to send it back that for the cost of shipping it, I will have a computer when I get back. Otherwise I would have to buy a new computer and they’re just a hunk of metal until you get it all programmed etc. I really don’t like starting with a new computer.

I did buy a external hard drive and backed up my computer so if it gets lost, stolen or broken, I have all the data on this little black thing. I’ll carry that back in my suitcase.

I have been enjoying myself for these last few weeks. I went to see the movie Saving Mr. Banks and it was excellent. I highly recommend it. My personal things that I don’t need while I am traveling have made it to the US already. My girlfriend took my stuff with her when she flew back on 1/31 and sent them to my people in AZ by FEDEX.  The box was already received and is waiting for me.

I have my auto rickshaw driver lined up to take me to the airport Wednesday evening. I fly out Thursday morning, like 1:10 a.m. 

It is so difficult to explain what all has to be done but I will be busy cleaning, packing, giving stuff away…

I still haven’t been able to blog from my Tablet so if that doesn’t work, PLEASE email me if you want me to answer you. My Tablet does do email fine and I've Skyped with people. 

I’m going to end now and post this. SO to recap:

WED Feb 19^th my last day here, I go to Airport to fly out

THUR Feb 20^th I leave Kochi India at 1:10 a.m. heading to Bali (Denpasar, Indonesia)

THUR Feb 27^th I leave Bali and go to Perth, Australia

 

After that, stay tuned and I’ll let you know when I know.

Love you all. Be happy.  I am.

Marie