People of Bali

Every vacation trip is full of new impressions, new smells, nature, foreign culture, different food and, above all, the people you meet on your trips around the world. There are many opportunities to start a conversation and exchange ideas. It is interesting to walk through the streets with your eyes open and observe how life goes in faraway places. Either way, it is exciting to get a small impression of how people in different regions of the world go about their everyday lives.

My experiences in Asia are particularly memorable. People almost always smile, are warm, open and friendly. During our time in Bali we didn't meet a single unpleasant islander (apart from two negligible exceptions).

Over the last two and a half weeks we have had lots of great encounters with the locals. We were invited to the private home of a Balinese man in Ubud, we were kindly asked to take photos together, while shopping at the local market we were very kindly asked to haggle by a souvenir seller. Our boys were invited to a football game without any reservations. We were also allowed to take a look into the kitchen of a warung. Even the street vendors who are of course selling their wares here are remarkably reserved. At the port of Padang Bai we were approached by a jewelry seller, even though we didn't buy anything, she told us half her family history and then gave us three necklaces.

In general, it is noticeable that almost without exception everyone has a smile for the person opposite them.

Our driver Komang told us a lot about his everyday life and his family during the journey...not because we asked, he obviously had the justified impression that we were genuinely interested. After my second visit to a small street food stall, I was registered as a regular and greeted with great joy every morning when I bought my street food breakfast. Manu and Dirk were asked by locals during a stop on their mopeds if everything was OK or if they needed help. It is the many small moments and encounters that make Southeast Asia in general, but Bali in particular, unique.

Today’s entry goes to the People of Bali.

Thank you for the hospitality!