Bali follow up

Ashes in cocktails, island romances, and strained stomach muscles from surfing after a 40 year hiatus. It was one of the best weeks of my life. I left you last time Dear Friend with my task to my take my Father’s ashes to Bali so my siblings and I could have a little ceremony after he left this world during Covid times. Well. I completed my mission, but not without mishaps. My brother and sister and I had a wonderful day surfing for the first time in decades all together on Nusa Lembongan. With my daughter, niece and sister-in-law we then had $15 dollar massages and went to a fancy restaurant on the water to have an Aperol spritz and throw some of Dad’s ashes into the turquoise water below. It was all going to plan until of course the wind picked up some of Dad and tiny sprinkles of him landed in the German tourist’s cocktail at the table right next to us. We were stunned but then laughed (probably in shock) and promptly told the aghast couple it was just lucky sand in their drinks and shouted a new round. The thing is my larrikin father would have LOVED every bit of this diabolical situation.

The week in Bali very much felt a pilgrimage and it was a reminder to go back to the basics. We read, we snorkelled with manta rays, we drank $3 Bintangs on the beach (there is a new fancy one called Bintang Crystal for us upper classs bogans) and we had time together. Time. That thing that I have not made allowance for in decades. My niece had an island romance with a local who could swim like a true merman and hold his breath forever underwater while he pointed out the coral, turtles and exotic fish to us. I watched in awe one night as the same young man was gifted a whole fish by his friend to cook for their dinner that night. The fish was in a plastic bag and they both got on their motorbike and rode off happily to cook it on an outdoor grill and turn it into a stew fit for any food snob. I watched the locals offer their flowers and rice to the Gods daily and saw how religion is entwined in their every day. I saw how simple pleasures made them so seemingly happy. Thank you Bali. You were a reminder to me that material things and ego are things to try to avoid at times. Mind youmy credit card was handy to buy that German tourist a fresh cocktail. Bravo, Dad!