Backstreet in Kuta Bali

This slack season in Bali is affecting everyone. I visit many shops on my travels and talk to shop keepers and staff.

Many staff get a 2% commission on items they sell, this accounts for all the smiling people every time you enter a shop.

People tell me the same story ‘no customers, business tidak bagus’.

I can tell there has been a lull since September, the crowds have gone and places are emptier. Still the locals get on with life regardless and I took a detour down a street in Legian called Jalan Karang Semaja. I rode slowly down this street checking out all the stuff that was going on. The pisang goreng ( fried banana ) stand was a hive of activity with locals coming to get the fresh stuff, just like Krispy Kreams back home. This father was trying to entice his kid to eat more banana but it seemed to have had enough by the time mum took over.

I bought a bag of 4 pieces for 1,000rp, this seems to be the going rate in the Kuta area. The vendors don’t get a lot of ‘bule’ (foreignor ) traffic so haven’t figured out they can charge extra.

The pisang goreng was fresh and good, juicy bananas and streaming hot.

Riding down the street I wanted something else stopped into this Sedia Soto Babat ( prepared soup with things chucked in ) shop. The people who run this little shack are from Java ( Jawa ) and one lady was 6 months pregnant. We joked that she would pop in 3 more months. I got soto ayam ( chicken soup ) with a side of nasi puti ( white rice ) and a teh bottle ( bottled tea ) for 5,000rp. The soup had been going all day probably and was very good. It contained big chunks of chicken plus cabbage thrown in, hardboiled egg ( this is Indonesia after all ) and tomato. I’ll be hitting this place again.

One of the customers tried on my helmet while I was watching the lady make the soup, I should charge locals 1,000rp a pop.

Late in the day heading home I stopped at Tubes on Poppies II for beer. I was the only customer and watched some of their great surf video. The waitress told me last year there were many tourists at Tubes but there won’t be large numbers until December most probably. She tried on the helmet.

My friend who spent 4 million rupiah at BIMC clinic the other day is feeling better, I think it was just dehydration. Imagine how much Gatorade you could buy for 4 million rp! I tell new arrivals this all the time, if you are out and about drink plenty of water and chuck down a Pocari Sweat ( electrolite drink ) too. Sweating almost continously here in Bali is something visitors from cooler climates are not used to. I’m going to remind my buddies about this when they’re here.

Yesterday as I came back to the house Ketut, my cleaner was standing outside the front door pointing at the waist high plants that grow there. “What’s up Ketut?” I said. She was spraying the plants with Baygon, an insecticide and really going at it. Taking acloser look I saw there were about 40 inch long centipedes that had crawled up the leaves of the plants. These things cause severe itching if you touch them for a few days and locals won’t go near them. Ketut emptied over a can of Baygon on them killing them and their ecosystem most likely.

I watch for them when I enter the house as they can crawl above the doorframe, don’t want one of those little buggers down my neck. My friend Miguel got a burn from one of those white moths that live in paddy fields a while ago. I guess in the tropics organisms develop complex ways to defend themselves given the bio diversity out here.

Here at Internet Outpost longtime employee Endah is pregnant and will be taking off in December. Many travelers remember her as a fixture here.

Mellie from Yogya ( glasses) is still here along with 2 of the latest arrivals ( far left and right).