travelin' woman well all simple pleasures come to an end. here I am leaving by cidomo to take speedboat to the island of Lombok, then drive 2 hours on the hair -raising and dramatic coastline to the airport where i will take two different planes to arrive finally on the island of JAVA. Indonesian and Javanese are Synonymous. Everything emanated from Java and of course Jakarta is the center of Capital (+ corruption)
Gili has been a welcomed respite from Everything. I will always be swimming and riding my bike on the island of Gili Trawangan, Lombok Indonesia (with my senses)
Nick- enfant terrible from Australia- Sweetest writer/.......we shared lots of words and wine... watch for his second novel to appear (he finished it in Ubud) (www.nicholasangel.com
What would traveling be without meeting hearts alike?
Experientially.........it's all about the moment to share and remember the places that come alive
Putu and Wayan, the breakfast crew and so much more at Ina Inn. Terrific guys,always ready to laugh and joke and ask me where i am going and where i have just come back from! (the Balinese "Hi")
Edwina Blush and her husband Steph. she a furrocious (MEOW) theatrical poet /singer (www.edwinablush.com)
Met them at Janet's home at Christmas
this is Kadek and Putu, Jantuk's kids
yes, Putu made this on his own
AYU- the one and only grandchild of Nyoman and Ina...... her laughter and screeches punctuated Each Day
Wayan Jantuk driver and buddy and fellow schemer
Jantuk's wife, Ayu and youngest, Kadek
Leonard ,Olga and Tom in Gili. Olga is manager at Karma Kayak..... a beautiful and tranquil place to stay
Tom and Leonard are from Montreal, lovely to spend time with and do some yoga with
Grandma Nyoman took care of Ayu regularly,as her mom ,Jero worked for Janet at Honeymoon
I pondered these words......and then headed into the aquamarine water,dove; and took in some tiny electric blue fish,even tinier yellow fish and then some cerulean fish..... punctuated by some big black fish with feathery wings. What's" unreal" about that? That is what is going on ......in the Lombok Sea. Fish eating coral.
Some large sea turtles lolling about........
And when i turn on my computer and see images of the tragedy in Japan..... that is the reality there. We were told on Friday eve that the tsunami would come to Indonesia. I glanced around at this microscopic island, flat and less than a kilometer wide and maybe 20 kilometers around the perimeter.....and thought .....well............... there is no evacuation readied.......... this is the reality here.......... (and by then we were studying the geographical maps and noting that for the tsunami to hit Gili Trawangan it would need to first maneuver the large and extended island of Sulewesi ....... and that would need to be engineered by some egregious and talented technology.....) I guess what i'd like to say Dee is that reality is where "you"* are. Each vantage point has its own location. *the collective
We as humans* experience the same emotions....... just not at the same time. That's why compassion is perhaps the most important human emotion to always be in touch with. Do not hold back. Even when your (my) ego is insisting on being front and center; inserting its lowly primitive but o! so sophisticated self. Survival is interdependent. (duh!)
so my darling girl....... I hear you. I will try and be present in every way possible except standing next to you.....to listen to your reality.
I am off to Java on Wednesday to end this lustrous journey in the same way in which I began it..... spiritually. Only, instead of the small coconut frond box offerings outside my room in Ubud I will be seeing /climbing/ experiencing the wondrous Hindu temples of Prambanan and the vertical Buddhist wonder known as Borobodur. And if by small consequence of my need to fly to Japan (Narita) before arriving in San Diego to see Grandpa Teddybear, BY sparing the Japanese another horrific earthquake..............tsunami.......... I will arrive in that other earthquake zone known as California. This is their reality. But they do everything they can to block it out!-DUDE
the non-stop beach on the tiny island of Gili Trawangan
Alright i am going to tell you all a little secret........ then you must SSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH because after all it's a Secret.
Not since landing on Manihi.....Rangaroa........... or even Bora Bora (that other huge archipelago) in 1984 have i been able to really find a kind of paradise that we all dream about (right?). Quietude .and ridiculous natural beauty......extravagance in nature! Well the world over has changed since 1984. We have degraded this planet on so many levels. So, you might want to think about coming to the Gili Islands before we've spoiled them.
the view from Karma Kayak and where I eat my breakfast
Cidomo- the only mode of transportation other than your own steam
really tiny horse...... really powerful
walking on a beach like this brings tranquility to your mind
i am lying under this taking each moment in
So, I ride a bicycle around this tear-drop shaped island, stopping to visit with goats, take a dip in the sea foam water, visit with some local kids, snorkel incessantly, listen to the call from the mosque, go into the wild town filled with young partying things, swim some more in the warm warm tropical waters, take my first walk on the beach after breakfast and my first swim on a completely secluded stretch of white soft sand, read great books, greet and honor Bali on my walk, cycle, drink welcomed and refreshing Sangria at Karma Kayak (owner won silver in 1991 Olympics), practice yoga ...... oh ...... you know....... relaxed and physically stimulated at the same time. Another safe place for women, so i feel so fortunate.
Lumbung cottages (rice bungalows)
art on the beach (actually it's in the cafe where i sit at this moment)
come swim in the gentle sea
Yes, there is garbage on the beaches....... probably washed up from South Africa, or North Carolina........... always the water bottles, a deflated shark balloon, a lone flip-flop. This is our legacy at this time. And there are a lot of shells and coral and underwater is teeming with fish.
so, whereas sacred Bali is not the place you go for great beaches....... a ninety minute ride by boat delivers you to paradise........ without any cars, motorbikes etc...... and it's a welcomed antidote. The big island of Lombok ,shrouded in mist is on the south eastern side of the Gili's, Bali is on the north western.
p.s. i 'll try and get someone to take a picture of me on the bike (because i know dee will like this.....for giggles)
p.p.s I wasn't kidding about getting here soon.......... there is already evidence that they plan on creating "another Bali" here on Lombok and the Gili's. At this time there are no large hotels etc...... but they are building......... plus now it is
Another Sangria with the uber-wonderful sunset over Gunung Agung (Bali)! Please
Getting to meet new people, interesting people; devoted to what they doing.....and becoming a small part of that.
Dedik , the ethnomusicologist that I have mentioned previously lives in Bunutan (a small village 5k outside of Ubud). I met him through Jantuk , the driver who initially picked me up from the airport the very first day in Bali. He kept telling me that I could come to his village and help the kids there. I was reasonably interested, but I wanted to explore other connections; especially with Threads of Life to reestablish my love of textiles. I volunteered with TOL until January, then Diandra arrived. Months later, after dropping Diandra off at the airport (which was frankly, quite emotional and worrisome) Jantuk phoned Dedik and we met him in another village, Batublah (yep that's the name.... don't you love it?) where Dedik was meeting with a master drum maker. We immediately had a fine rapport and that is when i found out that he had taught gamelan at BARD! Having had/made the opportunity to come and study in the US, he is at this time still completing his PHD. 9 years of study..... and the money runs out.... so he moves back to his village with his wife, Ketut (an amazing classical dancer/teacher) and their little boy Gede. Meanwhile his list of credentials is long..... but what does he want to do??????????? He wants to give back to the students in his own village and enable them to have opportunities that he feels are slipping away. The insidious gambling in the village (cock fighting) , rampant tourism, globalization and general lack of parental support for guidance with educational opportunities all contribute to an unhealthy environment for kids. He and his wife begin an after school enrichment program for kids 7-17 to learn ,really learn and study traditional dance + gamelan and a whole lot more by providing resources at their center. He has a wonderful big vision and no capital. This is where I come in: We put our heads together.I lead him through a set of "capacity building" conversations. We identify his strengths, his contacts, possible partnerships, ..... all leading to funding possibilities. Dedik has such passion and experience with teaching that we will expand this by garnering students worldwide. He will create a "world music" immersion course with a master teacher; cultural immersion in Bunutan for music students in the US (and other countries). He has done this before but we are attempting a formal partnership with another school in San Diego for student credit. Part of this income will be a dedicated income stream for the Bunutan after school center. We crafted letters, mission statements, and budgets. But, enough about this.......... because the best part is that i get to watch the kids practice dance, gamelan and give performances. WOWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE The absolute Best (Jerry). (these are rehearsal photos: the photos from the performance given last month in their banjar in front of the entire village will be posted later: that evening was one of the most electrifying and exciting experiences... ..... the village of Bunutan is something special!) *if you know of anyone who could benefit from this musical experience, or if you would like to contribute financially to this program please let me know.
Ketut, dancer extraordinaire (Dedik's wife) instructing the oldest members
After this rehearsal I spent a monsoon soaked evening listening to the men's gamelan practice: Dedik is the musical leader. (drummer){although he plays all instruments}
