Day 38: If the gods knew that

06.08.2016

Today we are real tourists - which means there is hardly anything to write down as we are actually doing nothing. I don't really consider lying on the beach, surfing a bit, and going out for dinner as activities.

In short, we can say that we eat a lot today, although we have found some hotspots that are not actually hotspots and therefore offer almost moderate prices. Although we now have to cook on a low flame, we have to be content with noodles and rice, but after the past few weeks, this is no longer a change. We now eat rice in all variations and we eat so much that even my bowel movement is almost back to European standards.

Since there is hardly anything else to report, I will write a few thoughts at this point about the self-interpreted decline of the island of Bali. I am of the opinion that the rapid pace at which this metropolis has grown can hardly be reconciled with the culture offered on the side. Although it is still widely spread on every corner that Bali has an extensive Hindu past, alongside the still rising Western influences, this seems like an attempt to sell Las Vegas as an Indian village. I firmly believe that everything that is practiced here has almost nothing to do with religion.

In the year 2016, seven years after my first visit, Bali evokes mixed feelings in me. On the one hand, I am more than a little happy to share a familiar, far-off place with Gudi and I must honestly say that surfing and Western standards are a bit of balm on our wounds - in the truest sense of the word. On the other hand, we are used to different price categories and the fact that the Balinese clearly have dollar signs in their eyes, in addition to their smile, makes this short stop neither authentic nor worth repeating. In summary, I would be surprised if I were to see Bali again anytime soon.

Gudi's glorious laws:

Always order the cheapest drink on the menu, it is expensive enough here!

As a result, we always get a large bottle of water to share for the meal. Since we have a joint cash register, I unfortunately feel somewhat obliged to participate in this (in my opinion) excessive frugality. So I rarely get to have cola or similar treats. On the other hand, the consumption of beer is billed separately, which is why I treat myself to a beer (despite the wildly exaggerated prices - but Austria is probably the only country where alcohol is relatively cheap) after surfing.