Our Brave Travel Guides @ Bali, Indonesia

Some time ago, I travelled to Bali, Indonesia, with my lovely girlfriend and my family. We had some idea of where we wanted to go, after purchasing the Lonely Planet guide. But, getting around would be a problem if we weren't careful. There was every chance of getting ripped off by some unscrupulous taxi driver.

We were fortunate because my mother had gone to Bali before with some friends. She knew the localities with the sights and sounds that we wanted to go to. So, we walked around and asked around if there were any reliable travel guides with their own transportation to bring us around. At the local convenience store, we walked in to buy some canned drinks and also a SIM card, to call back folks at home.

That's when we met Dewa. He looked like a surfing dude, with his lean frame and dyed hair. I would say that he would be about 32 years old, and has a "cool guy" attitude. He was introduced by the one of the staff at the convenience store. The member of staff just walked outside and brought in Dewa, who was quite surprised to be getting business at that hour of the night (it was eight o'clock in the evening). We asked him how much for a van, and his price was quite reasonable (after some haggling, of course).

The next morning, he arrived at our hotel a little late. He said that he had been there since the early morning, about 7.00am, but did not know who we were. We were in a forgiving mood and were quite OK about it, having had our complimentary breakfast. That day, he brought us to Ubud, Sanur, Ulu Watu, Sindhu beach, and other places which I have forgotten the name of. When evening fell, we had a special request, that he take us to Jimbaram to have a look at the famous beach with the beautiful view. He rushed and tried to take us there before nightfall, but we guessed that he would not make it as we had travelled everywhere. So we told him, there was no need to rush. We had a leisurely dinner, for a princely sum, and tucked in heartily into the large lobster that we had ordered. But from that experience, I can say that it'd be better for you (if you should go to Bali) to order two smaller lobsters, rather than one big lobster. Chances are, the smaller lobsters would be fresher and the meat more tender. (On the other hand, a huge lobster looks impressive!)

The next day, Dewa did not come by but sent his cousin instead. His cousin, Agung, is about 22 or 23 years of age. He was less chatty than his cousin, but nevertheless seemed a good sport too. We went to a local wet market at Sukawati where the locals hunt for bargains. He patiently sat around with my father at the local drink stall while the rest of us walked around observing the local handicrafts galore: bags, paintings, hats, carvings, batik, etc. After that we moved on to other locations around town. In the afternoon, we decided that we wanted to visit Ulu Watu, with its famous Kecak dance, which we had missed the day before. It was great because the Kecak dance is a reenactment of a legend, from the Ramayana. At its core, shorn of all fancy names and fancy outfits, is the story of a man who goes in search of his wife, who was taken away from him.

One of the things that you must watch out for when you go to Ulu Watu is monkeys! There are many monkeys inhabiting the "pura" (temple), happily fed and left alone for prosperity, posterity, or other benefits, real or imagined. When I was posing for a photo, one monkey made up his mind that I look better without glasses! So, he took my glasses and ran away. I chased after it and wanted to pummel it. But the pura being a holy place, I refrained from any damaging actions. At the pura, there are men who "specialize" in getting things back from the monkeys. One such man plied the monkey with fruits and made it give back my pair of spectacles. Filled with gratitude, I gave him something equal to RM5 (in Indonesian currency). He did not want to accept it, saying that it was not commensurate with his good deed and the value of the spectacles. (He said it in Indonesian, and slightly scornfully -- in case you're wondering) Immediately, I gave him something about RM15 in Indonesian money. He accepted it without any further comment. I was left vaguely wondering if I had given him too much.

I could write more, but I think I have digressed quite a bit. Now, the main thing is, if you plan to go to Bali @ Indonesia, then try to contact the following two (2) excellent gentlemen. They should be able to provide you with some excellent service. Here are their numbers:

• Dewa ... +6281337842817
  (or just 081337842817 if you're in Indonesia)


• Agung ... +623618544402