Learning a new language in a new country is part of the fun and people say Indonesian, or Bahasa Indonesia as its known locally is one of the easier languages. Bahasa Indonesia is separate from Balinese or Bahasa Bali.
Most locals will speak Indonesian when in public.
Here are some common phrases that might come in handy for getting around when you’re here.
Where is the�? - Dimana�?
I want to go to the� - Saya mau pergi ke�
How far? � Berapa kilometer?
How long? � Berapa jam?
How much is the fare to�? � Berapa harga karcis ke�?
Where is this bemo going? - Kemana bemo pergi?
When will the bemo leave? � Bila bemo berangkut?
Where is this? � Demana ini?
Stop � Estop
Here � Desini
Right � Kanan
Left � Kiri
Straight � Terus
Near/Far � Dekat/jauh
Beach � Pantai
Bemo station � Terminal
Bus � Bis
Car � Mobil
Motorbike � Motor
Downtown � Kota
To come/go � Datang/pergi
Entrance/exit � Masuk/keluar
Hospital � Rumah sakit
Pharmacy � Apotek
Police station � Kantor polisi
Post office � Kantor pos
Ticket � Karcis
Village � Desa
These terms should help you get around and get your message across.
My new cleaner Putu showed up today and is hard at work as I type. She lives in Kerobokan which reasonbly close and has a motorbike. She can’t speak a work of English so I’m having to scrape the barrel for my Indonesian to get the message across. Fortunately cleaning a bathroom doesn’t require a huge amount of explaining and I’m sure she’s up to the task. I ran out to the shop on Jl. Legian that makes kunci’s (keys) and got her 3, 1 for each bedroom and 1 for the front door. I’m paying her 250,000rp per month to come on Monday, Thursday and Saturday.
I also gave 50,000rp for cleaning supplies, I have some left over but need a few more things.
During the wet season we get very strong winds which blow leaves and dust all over the place. I really need the place cleaned at least 3 times a week otherwise it can get out of shape quite quickly.
Here at Warung Gossip lunch was good although they ran out of all my favourite stuff including the beef rendang. I ended up with fish, tofu just doesn’t do it for me.
The weather today is lovely, a bit cloudy but quite sunny. The back of my hands took a toasting yesterday riding to Denpasar. I wore my rainjacket as it was starting to spit and left my gloves at home. Murphy’s Law came into play and by the time I got to the museum the sun was blazing. If you rent a motorbike over here don’t forget to protect your forearms and hands.
This afternoon I rode over to Arjuna immigration consultants in Kerobokan to deliver some paperwork and then delivered Mick Turnbull’s mobile phone that Sean had borrowed for his trip to Australia. These phones are so handy as you can buy new SIM card and you almost have a new phone. Now the phone is back all Mick has to do is plop his old SIM card in and he’s back in business� great system.
I contacted Angie from the blog who will be in Bali for a few weeks and we agreed to meet at 5pm at Double D bar on Jl. Legian. I arrived and chatted to the bartender, Ayu from Singaraja, before my phone received a message from Angie asking me to meet her at Poppies Inn where she’s staying.
I rode over and we shared a large Bintang. I tell you Angie is great vibes, another Tracey in fact and we’ll get together soon. She was heading down to Jimbaran with 4 lady friends and organized transport within 15 minutes, quite impressive.
Angie told me that even after getting to Bali she has been reading the site and knows I moved to my downstairs bedroom and that I have a new cleaner. I tell you its scary when I meet a person in real life, there’s nothing they don’t know!
I dropped Angie down on Jl. Legian and we promised to get together soon, I tried to get a photo but she wouldn’t let me snap her with wet hair!
I just added some photos to Charlie Sellers’s article on Padandbai, give it a look!
Subscribe
|
Print
|
Share             
|
Nick,
those phrases will come in handy, last time l was in bali l developed a skin allergy & didn`t know how to ask for a chemist and couldn`t get anyone to understand, it took me 2 days to find one so l will have to start practising before l get there in march.
See you soon!
Hey Nick 
It’s great to find a site that has so much helpful information! We were very excited to see that it is possible to access the surf report from your site. We have not been able to get to Bali yet, but we plan to get there! Many of our friends have already been on surf/ kite surfing/ wind surfing trips and had a blast. We will definitely pass on this site to all of them as it is so helpful.
Aloha from Kailua, Hawaii!!!
Hey Nick It’s great to find a site that has so much helpful information! We were very excited to see that it is possible to access the surf report from your site. We have not been able to get to Bali yet, but we plan to get there! Many of our friends have already been on surf/ kite surfing/ wind surfing trips and had a blast. We will definitely pass on this site to all of them as it is so helpful.
Aloha from Kailua, Hawaii!!!
Hi Nick,
I bet meeting Angie was an experience. Being her best friend, thats what I have to put up with all the time.Ha ha.
I have seen her with wet hair many a time, so I think she made a wise decision.(I know she will read this so I had better say only joking)
Tracey,
Hoe is Gede’s job going?Well I hope!!!!
Allie, I will let you know when I get home tonight & find him exhausted on the couch, or wanting to talk my ears off from being excited… I am hoping the latter!!! He was in a good mood about starting a job this morning, so I think he will be fine. Probably making Nasi goreng, mie goreng & Krupuk for his co workers within a month!!!!!
I am desperate to hear, see pic’s of her with wet hair… If your not able Nick, give us the goss! How bad did she look, comparative to a drown rat??? hee hee (Angie as we have been compared to each other, I think you will understand my humour?!) I hope so…. maybe I should delete it….OOOOPS I pressed POST!
Robyn,
How did you go looking for somewhere? Any decisions made yet? Did you get in touch with my friend?
Nick, thinking of a place for Mum to stay, what do you think of Sri Ratu? Any suggestions I thought something small & homely & heard good reports about this one???
Angie/Nick,
Can you get a few shots of Poppies inn etc, as I looked it up on internet. Looks swishy! Angie how is it to stay at? Any thoughts etc….CHEERS!
Does anyone know if Moody’s is still open on Jl Dyana Pura? Have emailed them but did not get an answer. I am looking for Wira who worked there.
Tracy, with everything thats happened we have had to delay our trip until april 30. Sharon is fantastic, doing all she can to get us a great deal. (Its only 4 weeks longer to wait!!!!!)
Robyn,
Let me know whewre you end up deciding to stay, am looking for something for my Mum & Aunt too, but as I am not usually in Hotels I am a bit unsure of a nice smallish place for them, they love Kuta for the shopping & if want to go somewhere else my family there are more than happy to take them. I suggest if you want to shop & buy some gorgeous craved wooden statues that are so expensive here, head to Ubud but then go to Teggallalang! AWESOME shopping! Keep us posted & glad I have helped a little 
Tracy,
all your help has been wonderful, I stayed at Dewi Sri Cottages in Kuta they are really lovely so were the staff. I think it would be suitable as it is more suited to a muture age group. But l have heard that there is now a brothel just out in the back lane. We had to use the back entrance when I was there as it was just after oct 12. Good luck with finding a place.
Tracey,
I don’t know what Angie was worried about, she looked like Julia Roberts with her wet hair.
Jessica and Amber, you’ll have a good time kite surfing here. I know a guy who does windsurfing and has an awesome place up the coast in Balian, I’ll introduce you and maybe he can show you some great places.
Rob, don’t know about Moody’s mate, I’ll check it out next time I go down D. Pura. Hey I live around the corner but haven’t been there for ages!
Getting precious about wet hair now are we I think you owe Mary an apology we want the photo Nick this is your mission, I’ll give you a bargaining point Nick ,Bali photo or Aust photo which thanks to my new found computer skills I can provide ,pass my love to Angie sparkle.!!!!!
Angie,
That’s not fair!!! We wanted to see a photo of you with WET hair!
Who’d have thought, never met, yet we are being compared to each other!!!!
Very good article Nick & I believe it would be very helpful to person to have just these few phrases. You may need to add a few drink order tip’s & food oredering tip’s!?