Toby & Maya in East Bali
Travelling with a young kid scares a lot of people. Just the thought of a trans-oceanic flight, long layover and dealing with baggage, Customs, taxis and hotels, is enough to put a lot of people off. Certainly there are moments of frustration, but as with everything, we create our own reality. If you travel thinking its going to be a stuggle, it will be. If you tell yourself things will work out, they always will. Travelling / living in Asia, is a lesson for westerners. After living in Hong Kong, I learned how to line-up, as in Hong Kong, there are lines for everything, all day long. Travelling in India taught me the importance of letting go of control. One time I especially remember, on the platform of a train station. My train was 30 minutes late, the sun was beating down, temperature about 35C. Pacing up and down, I asked the station master when the train was arriving. “Don’t worry Sir, train is coming.” he said. Another 30 minutes, and the train had not arrived. I asked him the same question, and got the same answer, finally realizing what he meant, that at some future time, a train would arrive, and there was nothing anyone could do to affect that. All the while, Indian families spread lunghi’s (sheet) on the platform, in shady spots, and waited patiently, playing with their kids and smiling.
Toby and Maya are currently enjoying the tranquility of East Bali. He made the decision to bring her out to Bali, which is great. That decision also means an entirely different type of trip for him, having to look after Maya 24/7 and being limited by the transportation situation. They were staying at the Sarinande hotel in Seminyak, off of Jl. Dhyana Pura. It’s a 5 minute walk to the beach, but even that can be tiring. The other night Toby SMS’d me and asked if I could bring him food, which of course set Ika off (”ÿou care about your friend’s more than me” etc.). We worked it out and actually went to Santa Fe for a pizza.
At the Sarinande, Toby met a couple (Canadian / Indonesian) who took him and Maya to the Bali Zoo (on the way to Ubud). This kind of scenario is perfect, teaming up with other couples, when you are a solo parent. In my opinion, when you travel with kids in Bali, you have to adopt the ‘Indian train station’ mentality, which is not getting stressed when things do go to plan, and not trying to force things through, ‘bule‘ style. Toby is doing a pretty good job, but like Toby, I realize the biggest room in the world, is the ‘room for improvement’.
By Nick | Permalink
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- Toby & Maya: Single parents in Bali
- Kids in Bali
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- Dealing with groups in Bali
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Comments
I love travelling with kids, coz there is no other way than to just let it all happen at it’s own pace, I let the kids tell me they want lunch & even though it’s only 9:30 or 10am, I dont worry, after all on holidays we usually get up at 6am ish to enjoy our days in full, so we may eat earlier or whatever, as long sa the kids are happy & entertained then it all goes much more smoothly!!!
I reckon Toby is doing a Terrific job, rolling with the punches & as a solo Dad I have true respect for him!!!
Maya sure isw a cutie too…
Woah, good for Toby. I wouldn’t even begin to think about travelling trans atlantic with a kid as young as Maya. Florida was hard enough,with two parents, let alone Bali. Guess I’m too much of a wimp dad. We just survived 3 days of hell through Christmas with both of them getting sick and tossing their cookies, and also having the family over for Christmas dinner.
Maybe things have changed in Bali, but my observation in years past has been that there are few things the Balinese staff of hotels and restaurants love more than being asked to keep an eye on kids while their parents have some relaxed time. I recall vividly a group of people at a neighbouring table at an idyllic mountainside Bali restaurant, insisting on keeping a fractious and very demanding and noisy child at the lunch table when the Balinese women standing by were offering enthusiastically to look after him. I suppose the mother thought she was being responsible, but the Balinese were a sight to behold, trying to suppress their bemusement at the parent’s rejection of their offer and insistence that the child needed to learn how to sit at an adult’s boring lunch table, never mind the misery he was inflicting on every one else in the place. I always tell people taking kids to Bali, the Balinese love children and they will be happy to entertain them while you relax. But as I say, maybe things have changed.
Talking about Indian train time…. you may have known about Indian Standard Time that has change to….IST = Indian Stretchable time
I had doctor appointment for my baby that can stretch to 1,5 hours later….IST attitude is good for traveling and living in India.
Nice post Nick. Thanks for reminding me about all the different things that travel teaches. As for traveling with a kid, I imagine that keeping a super relaxed attitude, will make it a more enjoyable experience. Things will happen when they happen. On that note, I was in Eugene the other day, and man, the whole pace there is so much slower and more relaxed than Portland. Amazing to see such different cultures right in the same state/country.
Happy new year buddy.