As promised, Ida's Homestay had kept my belongings and hire car safe. They were very excited about my return and wanted to hear my stories and adventures at Gili Meno but even more importantly, they had a surprise for me.
Unlike the bathroom in Gili Meno, Ida's Homestay had a shower. The bathroom consisted of the usual open air bathroom, a bamboo spout, sticking out of the wall, which acted as a shower head, a rock wall with a huge shell cemented into it, which acted as a soap holder. Planted amongst the floor tiles, lush, happy plants that were watered each time I had a shower. I loved this bathroom.
People spend thousands of dollars, hiring interior designers to come up with useable, unique and stylish surroundings. This gorgeous hut was something that was organic, made from materials from the land and sea but in a very basic, functional and at the same time stylish way.
When I left for Gili Meno, the vanity had all my toiletries and bits and pieces spread out where ever I could find space for them to rest. While I was away, the staff at Ida's Homestay decided I needed a shelf unit to put all my toiletries in and went to work to make one for my bathroom. Fashioned out of old timber and hung on the wall for my return.
The staff gathered around as I was lead into the bathroom. They were so excited to show me what they had done, with all my bits and pieces neatly lined up on my new shelf. This was such a sweet and thoughtful gesture and their genuine hospitality, excitement and enthusiasm was infectious.
A relaxing massage was in order after my travels across the sea and overland. I asked one of the ladies, if they could come to my room, after dinner, to give me a massage. Someone is always trying to sell you a massage or hair braid on the beach. However, having a massage in the comfort of your own room, less the sand, is much better value.
As I appeared down the path after dinner, she whipped up her towel and coca cola bottle full of oil, and followed me to my hut.
Spying my large, economy sized suncream bottle with a pump, she asked me where she could get such a thing, that this would make her massages so much easier with a pump bottle, rather than the beaten up coco cola bottle that had seen better days.
I had no idea where you would purchase such a thing, so the next day, I decanted my suncream into a coco cola bottle, washed it out and presented it to her, a small gift for her business. Something that would normally be discarded, probably not even recycled, gave such pleasure and value to her business. So many lessons we could learn from the Balinese.
A few days later, it was time to say goodbye to Candidasa and Ida's Homestay. Yet another emotional departure, as I packed my toiletries and coco cola bottle full of suncream from my newly made shelf and had one last swim in the sea. It was time to head north to Amed.
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| The Wonderful Balinese Fishing Boats |
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