What can $10 get you in Singapore?

Red grapes (1/2 KG): 3.53SGD   $2.76USD
3 Fuji apples: 1.88SGD    $1.47USD

2-1.5L bottles of water: 1.15SGD    $0.90USD

Laughing Cow Cheese: 3.65SGD    $2.85USD

Chocolate Almonds (90g): 1.95SGD    $1.52USD

+GST (7%): 0.85SGD    $0.67

Total: $11.68SGD    $10.17

As you can see...it's not NEARLY as much as Indonesia!! I am curious how I make out in Malaysia...

An Update.

Hi shoestringers! 

Yes, there was some prolific posting after a month of absence. I am currently in Singapore and will be en route to Malaysia tonight.  I have some really colorful and delightful photos to post but I can't get the photos to load for some reason. I finally am really good at doing it...and now the site won't work. :(  I'll hopefully get it worked out but if not I'll upload them and insert a link for easy viewing.

Please keep your fingers crossed that this site just starts working for me again.  We all know technology is not my speciality...

Anyway, Singapore is amazing!  There are so many cultures condensed in a really small place.  It's clean, it's safe, it's expensive (it's a city that's not third world; of course it's expensive!), it's even...dare I say...friendly?  I met an amazing family yesterday and spent the afternoon hanging out with them.  My camera battery died so I wasn't able to capture any images, which was a bummer.  I've been busy here in my few days:  I've walked through at least half of the island, attended the big Chinese New Year celebration, went to a Flower Festival, saw Chinatown, Little India, and the Muslim quarter (where I am staying), as well as some FANTASTIC architecture all around the city.  Lots of green, lots of modernity, and more shopping malls than New Jersey.  I mean, maybe not, but it's got to be pretty darn close.  It's really hot and humid here and the malls are super air-conditioned.  Who knew I could love a mall?  Well, that's an overstatement. I love how cool (in temperature only) they are. 

I'd love to spend a couple of more days here exploring but it's brutal on the budget.  So off to spend three nights...on trains. Woot!  I believe I have a 30 hour train ride in front of me, though it's split into three stops.  Do you know what I am excited for in Bangkok already?  A shower. :)

Viva travels!!

A Letter.

Dear Bali,
Thanks for teaching this workaholic the valuable lesson of slowing down. As you remember, when I first arrived, my quick pace caused numerous injuries (the bruise on my right thigh muscle is almost gone-it's now the size of a marble as opposed to a grapefruit though I will always have the scar on my shin; the stripe bruise on my left thigh is nearly faded) so I learned to do everything at a slower pace. I walk slower, I eat slower, I get up...slower (that just means later), and I appreciate little things like spiders chasing ants and squirrels chasing each other. I'm sure you'll miss me, too, but we'll meet again someday.
Love,
Me

The Days Are Just Packed!

What, you wonder, have I been so busy with that I can't manage to update my blog? Well, as the title of this post would indicate my days are unbelievably full of activity. Let me recap my standard day for you: wake up groggy, to the sound of my neighbor calling my name around 10 am. Stumbling out of my bungalow, I have coffee and breakfast with delightful and charming Isa, which takes a couple of hours. We have things to talk about, coffee to drink, and views of the jungle to enjoy. The squirrels that live in our jungle are quite entertaining and it's fun to follow the 2.5 foot monitor lizard as he makes his way from one side to the other of the jungle floor. This is followed by a sad attempt at a nap (I've just had 2 cups of coffee, maybe 3, so epic fail is imminent), a shower, some relaxing...and suddenly it's 2:00. At this point Jonathan or Chris generally stop by, which means coffee, water, and potentially Bintang (beer) as well as conversation and potentially swimming. This occupies our day until approximately 5 or 6 pm. Then it's time for another shower and a gathering at either Chris or Jonathan's terrace for gin, wine, or Bintang at 7:30 (it's a standing date). Dinner happens around 9 or 9:30, followed by a nightcap at Deli Cat (more Bintang) and finally dancing at CP Lounge (more Bintang, good lord!). On occasion the evening ends at Circle K convenience store for Pop Mie noodles (ramen) with my “Pop Mie Hero” Agung. He has given himself this title, of course, but I think it suits him. The first time I brought my fellows along I think he was a little heartbroken, but we've managed to remain friendly. Jonathan is my neighbor, so he would then walk me home. If he has ditched us hours ago (which happens) Chris will walk me home and we'll guzzle water on my terrace until 5 am. Then it's off to bed...and it all starts again. If anyone inquires how I could POSSIBLY be tired and need sleep now that Jonathan and Chris have gone home, multiply that day by 5 weeks and it will all make sense. :)

The Greatest Thing EVER!

I broke my very inexpensive New Zealand mobile phone. Harumph! I have purchased at the very reasonable price of approximately $28USD a phone from my friend Angelika. It has free radio on it! Right now I am listening to the musical stylings of Bryan Adams. He is quite popular in Indonesia, as evidenced by the faux Rastafarians I met who were playing/singing “Everything I Do, I Do It For You.” Don't worry. I did a dramatic interpretation on the spot. :) At home, of course, I NEVER listen to the radio. This became evident in Auckland when I was singing karaoke and didn't know any current songs. But this foreign radio business is awesome! This station I am listening to is Indonesian but in English, and I have learned the following important fact: high-heeled wooden clogs are all the rage this year! You heard it here girls...

The Snake That (Almost) Stole My Shoe

My friend Sophia came by my bungalow one day and I hear “uh...Kirsten...there is a snake in your shoe. Oh my god! He's-he's...he's stealing your shoe!” I came out of my bungalow (only partially clothed, sorry Sophia) and here is this crazy snake who has slithered into my shoe (it has breathable sides, i.e., it is holey) and is attempting to slither UP the wall with it. First of all, who knew that snakes could slither up rocks, brick, and stucco, and second of all, what kind of a nutter snake wants my shoe on that journey? Lucky for me snakey got (a) spooked or (2) tired and he slithered right out of my shoe and up the wall. Later in the week Chris brought a rescued snake from his bungalow to live in the jungle with my snakey friend. The little fella he brought over looked just like my foiled shoe thief so I reckon they are cousins. Clearly I put my shoes inside my bungalow instead of leaving them on the terrace. I'm smarter than I look! :)

My Eye!

Cornea scratches: THREE
Infections as a result: ONE
Medications: THREE
Hours spent waiting in Denpasar for the doctor: EIGHT
Number of Battleship games played with Chris, my hero, who stayed with me the whole time: THREE

OK, I was the winner of the “best of three series” we played, but we'll keep that mum. Around here I told people Chris was the winner. To assuage concern from family, my eye is on the mend. I cannot wear contacts for at least two weeks (I may go longer as my poor eye was swollen and I looked like Rocky after a bout with Mr. T, plus it was really painful) and I have finished two of the three medications. I still have to use my eye drops that are antibiotic/anti-inflammatory combined into one and I have been diligent about it. Nothing is more scary than suddenly NOT being able to see out of one's eye. Luckily I am out of saline and I refuse to buy any so I am not tempted to wear my trusty contact lenses. Once I feel confident again I will buy some saline. I reckon it will be closer to March, honestly. Better to be safe than sorry, right?  :)

I suppose I COULD have said yes...

My friends Isa and Angelika have a friend named Putu. He seems American in his motivation. Most Balinese are very easy-going, live on very little, and don't aspire to much more. It's not a bad thing. In fact, it's one of the charms of the people here. It will be said “Bali time” can be frustrating. The sense of urgency is...non-existent. Putu is not like that. He has several businesses both here and in Lombok and he is generally not a creeper at all. He is in real estate, buying property, building villas, selling for lots of money, as well as glass blowing and silver smithery (is that the worst English ever? Sorry.). We've been to several social events due to our mutual friendships but have never spent time alone together. I don't know him well, but I would say I know him. That's the buildup. :)

One night I am in CP Lounge and most of our group had gone home. Putu stops by, we say hello, and he asks if I would FINALLY like to see his villa. We had several failed attempts to see it, so I thought, sure! Why not? He's a nice fellow (this doesn't end bad, no worries). Off we go to his AMAZING villa with a giant swimming pool, gorgeous open living area, huge kitchen, blah, blah, blah. I take a dip in the pool (I had my bather top on anyway so not scandalous. And underoos, of course!!) and he gave me his shirt as a towel. Very gentlemanly! We take a look at the bedrooms (hesitation is setting in) and I am standing about 15 feet away from him when the following transpires:

Putu: Do you want to marry me?
Kirstenonashoestring: Ummm...what, sorry? I didn't hear you, I don't think.
P: Do you want to marry me?
KOAS: Putu, you barely know me!
P: I know. I like your skin.
KOAS: You like my skin.
P: Yes. It's nice.
KOAS: Oh.
P: You seem like a sweet girl, too.
KOAS: Oh. Well, as compelling as this sounds, I must decline. Can we go back to Ubud?
P: You can have the villa.
KOAS: …
P: Would you like to live here? I live just up the road.
KOAS: I can live here without you?
P: Of course. I have to live with my wife.
KOAS: Wait a sec...didn't you just ask me to marry you?
P: Yes, but it's normal. My wife is like my sister. You can be my other wife. And live in the villa. But don't get too brown. I like your skin the way it is.
KOAS: Putu, thanks for asking, I think. But I think we should just go back to Ubud. It's a lovely offer and I'm sure some other girl will think it's a great plan.
P: Do you know anyone who might be interested?
KOAS: Not currently but I'll be sure to let you know if I find anyone.

And that, shoestringers, is how I could have lived in a $1 million villa (which in Bali is like living in a $10 million house) and become kirstenonaleatherloafer. Alas, I will departing Bali shortly for other odd adventures. Just to close out the story for the desperately curious, Putu has found a Canadian mistress but sold the villa. She actually left her husband for him! I wonder if he promised her the villa? ;)

Tales from the Crypt

Just to clarify-when it rains here my downstairs location and jungle view makes me FEEL like I'm in a crypt. I'm not really living in the crypt (phew).

There are some things you never expect. As a partially-reformed workaholic, one of the great pleasures of life is discovering the enjoyment of sitting quietly. I have been laying rather low here, spending my days on my first “real” holiday. No schedule, no list of things to see and/or do, no hurry. I sat on my terrace for hours, drinking languid cups of coffee, reading books, looking at my view, listening to the occasional bit of music. Mostly I enjoyed the silence (I thought a musical reference was apropos). It was an odd experience for me, the first 3 weeks here. I mostly tried to avoid meeting new people. Isn't that strange? Those who say I can't be quiet, consider this a lesson learned!! When I finally came out of my shell, I met really awesome people (upon whose fabulous qualities I will extoll later). They, of course, weren't local. I met some locals, some great, but most of them tried to kiss me or claim me as a notch in their “western belt.” (If you need clarity, let me know, but I reckon you'll get my drift.) Initially I was annoyed. But then I decided not to worry about it. I just said “not interested, here's a hug!” and it worked. It WORKED! Now I am friendly with almost everyone and no one (except for the local drug dealer, who for some reason hasn't given up yet) attempts such ungentlemanly behavior. Hooray for hugs! Laugh if you will people, a little hug goes a long way. Of course, it could be that I am taller than most of those I hug and I do have boobs...oh well. Let me believe it's the former, not the latter, with thanks. :)