10::On the road: Yogya to Pasir Putih
1.29.97 Wednesday

Back on the road: got lost around Surabaya. Long trip - lots of truck and bus traffic. Jim helped out with his map skills. A comedy: we spoke no common language, including the graphic language of maps.

At Pasir Putih, a minimal room with air conditioning -- all the luxury Pasir Putih has to offer. The guidebook says this village is East Java's most popular seaside resort. No one is here but us. I guess that's because of Ramadan.

The adjoining open-air restaurant is also a bustop. It was our first experience with a menu entirely in Indonesian. We had to translate using our little phrase book. We felt like real adventurers.

On the road: Pasir Putih to Bali
1.30.97 Thursday

Breakfast: waiting outside our door - tea and sandwiches. The sandwiches are white bread with butter and chocolate sprinkles: an unexpected taste treat.

Drove from Pasir Putih to Bali ferry, then on to Sanur Beach. The drive was a disappointment. We should have flown from Yogya to Bali, I think. East Java has been stripped of its traditional farming in favor of large commercial sugar plantations. The ancient sculpted feel is gone. But then I guess it's reality.

Bali was close - visible from the Java shore. On the ferry a boy wanted to shine my boots, but I said no.

We weren't exactly sure how far our drivers would accompany us but they seemed happy to hang in, even though they were clearly unfamiliar with the territory. Our Muslim non-driver non-guide had clearly been fascinated along the way by our visits to Buddhist and Hindu archeological sites. Today he was wide-eyed at Bali. He offered to continue the car service in Bali, but we were a little tired of communication by gesture. (We had not met another English-speaking person since arriving in Jakarta. Even our self-appointed guides spoke little more than a few pat phrases.)

We couldn't find the hotel. There was some vagueness about the address and there were a couple places called "Santrian." We were anxious and impatient and hot, ready to register just about anywhere to be out of the car and settled.

But finally it was there before us, a beachfront paradise.

 

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