denpasar, bali, indonesia it’s spring, 2012. time for a new adventure. i get off the plane in denpasar, bali… looking for da wife at the island’s only international airport. she’s gonna pick me up and bring me to the hindu-bali…
Bali, 2012: chapter 2, stuck inside of bali, with the gouty blues again
padangbai, bali, indonesia we’re staying at the padangbai beach homestay. “padang“, glass. “bai“, bay. padangbai, glass bay, the still-undeveloped fishing village on the still-pristine east coast of bali, still far away from the tourist hordes of kuta beach, legian, seminyak…
Bali, 2012: chapter 3, enter my new “partners”
padangbai, bali, indonesia and that’s the way it goes down. first thing the next morning, the 3 princesses climb into the drivers’ car towards kuta, LA, & medan – without even a word to me. i’m stuck in the corner,…
Bali, 2012: chapter 4, the “bule” (boo-lay) squeeze
padangbai, bali, indonesia now we’re at made’s house in mimba village. where all the other bules are living, scattered here and there, amongst the local balinese. where all the other bules own property. or… more accurately… don’t “own” property legally,…
Bali 2012: chapter 5, magic?
padangbai, indonesia “next?” i have no idea. but it’s clear that i’m not in charge anymore. i get on the back of made’s motor bike for the 2nd day in a row, and we roll past padangbai’s white sand beach…
Bali, 2012: chapter 6, re-enter pak putu
may 24, 2012 padangbai, indonesia i spend another rough night, bolting upright every 2 hours or so, not knowing where i am when i awake, until i discover myself enmeshed inside of my gauzy mosquito net and notice the still-empty…
Bali, 2012: chapter 7, signs, messengers, and contracts
padangbai, indonesia i spend the afternoon lazing around the homestay. there doesn’t seem to be anything more to do. i’ve sort of painted myself into the corner. or been painted into the corner. my mind rubberbands back and forth between…
Bali, 2012: chapter 8, “to live outside the law you must be honest”, part 1
may 27, 2012 padangbai, bali damn bank of america. and damn my own cheap, new york inner jew. the two of them, combined, have me locked out of my own bank accounts in lala land. how am i gonna come…
Bali, 2012: chapter 9, heart to heart with pak putu
padangbai, bali pak putu’s dressed less formally today. he’s standing there at the small pool being repaired in casual tan trousers, sandals, and a brown t-shirt with a balinese scarf draped backwards over his neck. his ponytail is still tied…
Bali, 2012: chapter 10 “to live outside the law you must be honest”, part 2
padangbai, bali ok, the decision’s been made. time to get the 20 grand for the purchase of my new balinese banana and coconut field into the bank account of my new “partners”. still, the problem is goddam bank of america…