So, it’s been a whole year since I moved to Bali. Looking back, I can still (barely) remember my reasoning for doing so:
At the time, I was basing myself out of Bangkok, but throughout the extensive (Northern Hemisphere) summer, I was only staying there 2-3 weeks every other month and spending most of my other time jockeying around the Indonesian archipelago, looking for surf.
It was costing my heaps of money in terms of running back and forth to Bangkok for visa runs, to pick up clothes, pay bills, and other random crap. Plus, at the time, there were no inexpensive direct flights from Bangkok to Bali (which Air Asia now has), and I was spending additional moneys heading through Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and elsewhere — most of the time heading to, or through, Bali for surf supplies before heading to another destination.
So, although I had never been a fan of Southern Bali (the over-commercialized center of the Indonesian tourist/surf scene), I decided to give it a go in the hopes the island would grow on me — I’d practice my Indonesian, be able to surf on a more regular basis, and save some much needed money.
One year later and, despite all I’ve learned in terms of Indonesian culture, the international surf scene, and my own surfing abilities … I am, quite possibly, less of a fan of Bali than I was before I moved here last year.
The main reason for that is (apparently) indicated in the Taylor Steele movie I referenced in my last post — now that I’ve been here and I’ve been able to get a feel for some areas still untouched by tourism, it puts into sharp contrast the tourist nightmare that exists everywhere else on the island. And the greed, crowds, and incongruous stress that has become indicative of life here.
It used to be a lovely island, a tropical paradise. But no longer. That era is long gone.
It’s getting far too tiring to live here. The positives no longer outweigh the negatives. And it’s time for me to go.
I’ve been back and forth for months as to whether I wanted to say anything to this online journal. I have been admiring your adventures for awhile and your life is a vicarious parallel to the dreams I have… The constant state of being away, looking for something, not knowing exactly what it is but the feeling that you need to look some more. And as a lost soul I guess my question to you is; Is it worth it to live the life you want vs the life layed out before you? Or can you have a happy medium of both the adventure that quenches an aching passion and a life of the mass idea of ‘normalcy’?
I apologize if this is inappropriate or I am intruding, but I couldn’t resist.
Respectfully Yours,
A Ms. Jayne Berkley
J,
If you read this blog, you should know that formalities aren’t something I care much about (unless absolutely necessary) and there’s pretty much nothing I consider inappropriate, so no need for the caveats — just relax.
As for your question, that’s really difficult to answer.
First off, I personally don’t think of myself as a lost soul. In fact, I’m not sure there’s such a thing (in the right state of mind, you can never be lost, just looking in an unplanned area) — just as I know there’s no such thing as ‘normalcy’.
I know saying that sounds like some new age bullshit, but one of the first things I realized when I left the States is the sheer number of people who ARE out there for years and years leading what most would consider to be ‘non-traditional’ lifestyles — happily living on the fringes of society, in different countries from their own, doing whatever seems to make them happy at that moment. As such, my opinion is that normalcy is an illusion, a concept furthered by those too afraid to face their own discontent.
As for the question of living the life laid out vs. what you want. Again, I can’t really answer that, but it goes back to the idea of normalcy — NOTHING is laid out for us, nothing set in stone. It may appear to be from your current perspective, but it’s not. There are only choices to be made. Go straight or take the next exit? No right or wrong answer, just a choice. It’s your life, do watcha want.
Thanks for reading my shitty little blog, and good luck to you. If you wanna chat more, feel free to shoot me an email.
“It used to be a lovely island, a tropical paradise. But no longer. That era is long gone.”
That explains everything about the forthcoming times, there are such too young and naive countries in the tropical belt whom cannot withstand any more growth rates unless at a costly expansion wich will eventually slow down and deteriorate as when it comes to the peak term of growth, will begin to the ageing. That’s why i hate all this crap tourism. Bali isn’t just Bali anymore, maybe now it’s a wrecked village for tourists. A true paradise ought to be almost inhabited, wtf 3million of ppl it’s worst than Rome, wich is really full and far from peaceful.
And what is the balinese suppose to be before all this tourism?
Peasants under control of the brahmin and royal caste? Doing back breaking labours on the field where you won’t be sure if your harvest will be good this year or not? Have you ever wonder why they flock to this so called “tourist” traps?
One thing for sure is, most Balinese do not really want to go back to the old “lovely island, a tropical paradise”. Those dirty tourist money give them education for their children, food for their family, clothes to wear and medicine for when they are sick.
Not that i’m saying that over tourism is good, but naively expecting the island people to be poor and innocent while we’re enjoying our own version of “paradise”, which is not their version of “paradise”, is not really good too. (the Balinese used to think that the beaches are places full of evil spirits, not exactly an eden)
sometimes, please take off your expensive sunglasses (expensive for balinese) and really see how the Balinese people live, not in what you expect them to live. Do they look like they hates all these things entirely? or do they look at these as more opportunities for them to enhance their life?
Saying Bali is just not Bali anymore because of your expectation is a little bit selfish..although i might agree with you in the case of Dreamland beach.
D,
With all due respect, I disagree. There are places throughout the world — Belize, Costa Rica, Laos, Malaysia, Kenya, etc. — which have (quite effectively) learned to practice ’sustainable tourism’ (which trys is to ensure that development is a positive experience for local people; tourism companies; and tourists themselves).
Even in Indonesia, there are other places, like Nusa Tenggara, where they have (to date) managed to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while STILL helping to generate significant income, employment and educational opportunities for the local people.
This is one thing that Bali does not, and I seriously doubt ever will, quite understand — the concept that “you can shear a sheep many times, but you can skin it only once.”
In my personal view, the Balinese have a shortsighted view towards tourism that they have ruined their island, and in so doing, effectively removed Bali as a destination vacation spot. Indeed, most everyone I know that had been to Bali — both inside and outside the tourism industry — has said they will never return, because of how poorly they were treated there.
With such a reputation, how much longer do you suppose there will BE “dirty tourist money” for the Balinese to get “food for their family, clothes to wear and medicine for when they are sick”?
Sorry, i don’t want to appear selfish, but imo Bali reposed with its charm in millenarian balance, and the big spoil, arrived only recently; either i agreed with that sort of balinese “shortsighted view”. I understand that money is necessary to withstand our lives. But on the other side they must be really besieged by a giant mass of invaders who settled all over just for a caprice of their mind, maybe even more selling their lots and occupying their lands just for the purpose of selling vacation homes instead of satisfying their agricoltural-dwelling needs, even the japanese have their word for the outsider inhabitants, the tourists they hate. You should have visited Sardinia, the island is mostly untouched and wild, beautiful, and very friendly, the environment strictly protected by rules, the best Healthcare and food to give away. Despite we have five more times land (24.090 km²) we host only 1.671.001 inhabitants. Bali has 5.561 km²and loudly has 3.151.000 twice inhabitants. Neither the most crowded city in Italy has so many inhabitants. (Rome just about 2 millions)