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Published: September 26th 2015
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Thursday was a later start for the kids so Izzy and I managed to fit in a delicious bacon and eggs breakfast at Sardinia Café overlooking the beach. (Not that you can see much of the beach as there is a huge wall running all along the beachfront). After waving Izzy off on the bus to the Safari Park, I had a lovely stroll along the beach with Little Miss Mootang and her mum and had a chat with Lulu Big Bum Big Tits (yes that’s the name written on her hat!) She had an array of jingling bracelets and bangles for sale, all fastened around her arms. She was very persistent in her sales technique but I’ve been perfecting the word ‘NO’ of late – it’s been a long time coming but I am now able to say no to anyone and anything, politely, calmly and guilt free! Progress! I must say though, some of the Balinese people I have met have challenged me somewhat. They’re so endearing – always smiling and very friendly. They try to make you feel at home by speaking Aussie – everything is “bloody cheap”.
Jumping in a crazy cab, we headed back to
the hotel for a little R & R before a quick mimosa at the bar on the way to pick up the kids. Child in hand, we made a quick detour via the shoe shop to purchase our obligatory $10 leather sandals, stopping off for a quick bartering session on our way home - Fremantle Dockers stubby holders purchased for Bruce for a bargain price!
Izzy gave me a running commentary of her day at the Safari Park as we made our way back, weaving in and out of the narrow little streets. Feeding an elephant was the highlight of her day but she had great fun touring the park on a truck, splashing through water and photographing all the animals.
Time for a quick shower and change before we had to return to our meeting point to get picked up for our evening of entertainment. We had been invited by Nyoman, the principal of a local school and our Indonesian liaison, to his home for an evening of Balinese dancing and cuisine. As Izzy had been chosen to dance, we had to arrive early for makeup and hair. Waiting for our ride, expecting cars or a bus,
we were a little surprised when a pack of motorbikes appeared. Some people jumped on and off they roared – I on the other hand value my life and that of my child so proceeded to wait for a taxi! We probably chose the only taxi driver in Bali who didn’t have a clue where he was going and I had to direct him – hooray for Google Maps!
Arriving at Nyoman’s house, Izzy and her friend Paige were ushered into a bedroom where the brave (or stupid) souls who had rode motorbikes were already in the process of being made up. A number of large tables and chairs had been set up in a courtyard at the house, complete with a Hindu temple and a stage for the dancing. It was a long wait for the kids to be fitted in to their costumes ready for the performance and several people arrived with bottles of Bintang Radler (lemon beer) to relieve the thirst! Izzy’s little group of four were the first to perform their dance. It had changed slightly from the one they had learnt but there were two dancers to follow so it all went smoothly. The
dance they performed is known as Pendet and is typically performed by young girls. It is a traditional Balinese dance in which offerings are made to purify the temple or theatre as a prelude to ceremonies or other dances. Most Balinese girls learn Pendet from about the age of four, and it is pivotal in Balinese culture. The girls all looked beautiful in their traditional costumes (apart from Izzy’s eyebrows which had been drawn on half way up her forehead!) She was very excited to have been chosen and enjoyed the dancing but definitely wasn’t keen on wearing makeup (which was removed as soon as it was polite to do so!) The boys were next up, followed by the professionals. Nyoman explained the stories behind the dances so we could follow what was happening. The dances are very long but beautiful to watch and the way the dancers flick their eyes is fascinating.
We were all starving by the time the food was served and we helped ourselves to a delicious selection of traditional Balinese dishes, cooked for us by Nyoman’s wife and the teachers from his school. Izzy, being a lover of spicy food (well, any food really)
piled her plate and returned for seconds. After the requisite speeches, we made our way home to catch up on some sleep before our final day of camp.
Friday was a relaxing day; the kids were visiting Nyoman’s school and catching up with their new friends for a few games of various sports. Food was word of the day for me with a delicious breakfast of avocado bruschetta, followed by lunch of peppered steak sandwich at Kitchenette. (There was a break in between to chill by the pool and do a spot of packing) It was an early finish for the kids, so after a few hugs with the teachers and thank yous for the fantastic experience, we made our way back to the pool for a final splash with friends.
For our last night in Bali we had wanted to go to Frankenstein’s – a dinner and zombie show – but unfortunately it was booked up so we decided to return to Tony Roma’s where we had such a fun night previously. We made sure to order the Strawberry Romarita’s to qualify for the special dance and the staff once again got all of our
children up to sing and dance in front of a packed restaurant, followed by an even more rowdy rendition of Panjang Umurnya. It was the perfect end to a wonderful week, one that I had not been looking forward to in the slightest! I have been pleasantly surprised by Bali and I would definitely return to explore more of the island. The whole point of the trip - the Indonesian cultural tour - was a fantastic experience for a group of enthusiastic eleven and twelve year olds. Being immersed in a different culture, getting to see the real Indonesian way of life has been a truly wonderful experience for Izzy, one I'm sure she'll remember for the rest of her life. This was an inaugural trip for the school but one I'm sure will be around for many years to come.
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