Day before Kuningan Day

The day after Sacred Baby Festival and nothing has changed.  I wake to the soft thrumming of motorbikes pootling past, some fast some slow.   The putt-putt of the boats leaving or returning. Mewling cats. People walking on the beach.

Deb's kettle is invaluable. I can get up and start the day without having to negotiate with anyone before I have had my hit.

Pretty close to peaceful I reeckon


Post breakfast Sandy has chosen to endure a massage at the cabin. I choose a walk along the beach and maybe a souvenir and to change a bit of money.

Just a short walk along the beach.  Past Warung BoBo and further.  On the way down the beach I find a 100,000 rp note. Not loose change.  I cut in through a salt panning area and a couple of young girls sell me a small packet of salt. Maybe I get ripped off, really cant be bothered to haggle and how am I going to lose out? Paid 30,000rp for their morning good luck sale and move on.

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And building continues. This will be another beachfront two storey hotel.  There are a couple more being built along the Jemeluk strip.

Its looking like rain, its 10.30. Time for a beer.

The coast road to the east.  Our cabin is just behind that building on the left.  All traffic for the east goes past this point.

Where old jukungs go to die, in a ditch next to the coast road.

Entrance to Kembali Beach Bungalows.

Sandy is still having her massage when I get back so I prop myself up in the breakfast room and have a beer. Warum nicht?

Post massage I propose a luncheon, choose then reject pizza as an option and head into the next section of Jemeluk. Avoiding Sama-Sama because of the lacklustre food, but now I recall the lack lustre service as well.  Last time we started to kick our thongs off but they said no need, ok we take our table. Before giving us our menu they are washing down the floor of our footprints.

No. Not again.

Choose Tradisi Hotel instead. A warren of two storey bungalows that on a hot day would be airlesss and monstered by aircon units. Nice beachfront pool and restaurant.  Choose Sate Lilit and Nasi Campur. Start playing cards - rummy. Sandy is whipping me today.  Her meal arrives, and we stop playing.  Mine will come soon enough. Ten minutes later Sandy has finished and here comes mine and wow, salty spicy ground chicken mince delicious with a beer or three.  I then request a change of card game and we mosey on into cribbage, scoring on the phone.

Sandy gets cocky. She is whipping me at this, I blame the cards and she struggles to make smug faces. Every time she tries her face gurns into a leering jubilant beaming "Im smashing you" visage. I love her so much.

Then the cards turn and despite being 20 points behind when she reaches 101 I start pegging well especially for "his knob" and take the win at 201!! We call it later with me on 225 and the boss on 205. YESSSS!!!!
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As we sit and play and drink and eat. A troup of child trinket-sellers comes to us and offers bracelets.  I smile and say no thankyou.  The girls ages guessing 7,6,5,4.  They leave, Sandy softly mutters some words and I call them back.  I ask do you share the money? Among all four?  Not sure if I'm getting through.

I hand the 100,000rp to them. They each say thankyou and we shake hands.  It wasn't my money I found on their beach.  Later a young lad of about ten who is flogging model jukungs does the same. I have been smiling and saying "No" or just ignoring him in my book. All week.  I give him 50,000rp. Happy Kuningan.  Hard working boy.

I want this for the front yard!!!

Back to the cabin for an episode of HoC and then where else but Warung BoBo.

Koman says - "Hello Wayan Steve Made Sandy - Two margarita On Rock?"  Ya Ya suk sema!!

I choose the tasty mee goreng, Sandy goes for a stir friedchicken and vegetable dish.  Beers for me and the band and more when we leave. 

Playing with the voice activation on the phone.

We have loved being in Amed. Bogan count zero and I include myself in that. Seven days is enough to really relax and get into a sense of true mental quietude.  I started my meditating by the shore and throwing pebbles and watching the ripples radiate. And watching and the focus of your attention narrows, still aware but less stressed. The waves wash the occasionally intrusive motorbike noise away.  The beeps of bikes and cars and trucks are gone in an instant. Waves are constant and this is serene.

As I wake I notice the jukung putt-putt noise is absent - it is Kuningan Day - day of celebration. Everyone is at ceremony.  Our day to leave Amed and head to Sanur.  Happy to leave because Amed has done its duty and put us both into extreme casual rest and focus.  Both for ourselves and each other, and perhaps even les autres (now don't go too far Stevo)

"Money doesn't buy you happiness but it can put you in a hotel in Amed Jemeluk and cruise right up beside it" Steven McKiernan 27 December 2014 adapted from David Lee Roth.