We have been out in the world for three weeks now. Most things have been easier to adjust to than I had thought. Such as, not drinking water from the tap. I have always been a tap/water-from-the-hose type of gal. I thought not being able to drink the tap water was going to mean I’d mess up a few times at the expense of my stomach. However, to my surprise, I only messed up once and without the need to stay close to the bathroom. Thank goodness. Also, driving on the opposite side of the road. I believed I’d be a nervous wreck every time I’d order a car or hop on the scooter…oh, the scooter. We’ll get to that part.
The driving here is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Everyone drives aggressively but without anger. There are hundreds of scooters on any given road at a time. Weaving in and out of the cars, who are driving back and forth between, or on, the lines. They drive so close together, if a person were to flick their foot out on a scooter it would surely get smacked by a passing vehicle. On top of that, these skilled traffic weavers carry entire families, table sets, ladders and just about anything that you would carry in a work truck back in the states. All on the backs of scooters. Somehow, everyone gets where they need to be, honking as a way of saying “right beside you” or “coming through”. Honking back home would beg for aggressive response or a mean middle finger. This is a different place.
We have rented a scooter for the month. The very first day I jumped on, full of my naïve confidence, and away I went. Away faster than I had expected and around a corner. While quickly recovering from the surprise acceleration, I remembered putting on my yoga pants earlier that morning. I was going to wear a shorter pair of bike shorts but deciding on the half-calf yoga pant instead. Whilst grabbing the longer pair I had the unintentional but loud thought of “I’m going to ruin these today.” Even seeing the hole torn in the left knee of the blue legging. I decided still, to go on with my choice of riding the wild two-wheel and here I was zipping around on it. I’m still not sure if that thought manifested what happened next or if it were a heads up from the big man upstairs. Though, I distinctly remember the thought coming to me. I rounded another corner still adjusting to the handles and was going faster than I liked for the narrow road. Suddenly, I forgot all together where the breaks were and gripped the accelerator tighter instead, throwing my head backward. To my left, a thin concrete ditch up against a wall. To my right, narrow ally that continued down to the busier street. For better or worse, I looked at the ditch. I looked at that ditch and it sucked me into it like a blackhole. Really, I drove right into it. At full speed. Idiot. “What an American-tourist thing to do!” I thought. Luckily, the ditch was only wide enough that the scooters wheels and foot deck could fit. Between the narrow ditch and the left side of my body scrapping against the wall it was an immediate halt, almost flinging me over the handlebars. Whatever ego I had left was completely gone, smeared on the textured cement wall. A group of men had been working at a shop on that very corner and ran over to help. One of them helped me off the scooter, two or three others plucked the upright bike from the ditch. I think they were as shocked as I was. I couldn’t understand them, but did understand the body language of concern and one of them showing me where the breaks were. I looked down at the parts of my body that were beginning to sting. I was scrapped up but nothing broken. Thank God.
As the men helped turn the scooter back the way I had come, I took a deep breath, tried to laugh, and focused on being steady enough to drive home. I was shaking inside but mostly mad at myself. Why did I look at the ditch? Everyone knows you go where you look. In retrospect, I think that my angels were making sure something worse didn’t happen. After seeing how the busy roads are, the ditch may have been my saving grace. Hmm, a metaphor for life perhaps. Riding on the other side of the road all together hasn’t taken much getting use to though.
The food here is delicious. I have done most of the cooking. However, when we go out, there are plenty of pasta, rice, meat, and vegetable options available. We found a vegan spot right down the road with the best sourdough bread. Fresh and cheap. It is 25,000IDR which currently calculates to $1.62. Great price for such amazing bread! The language barrier is only hard because I am fighting the urge to speak slower and louder. Why do we do that anyway? Google translate has been a huge help. Maddox was able to speak a few Indonesian words to our driver friend the other day. All our drivers have been able to speak English very well.
I’d say our favorite thing to do here so far has been to visit the beach. Some of them have little to no waves because of a man-made barrier reef out in the distance. Apparently, it keeps the waves crashing further out so that people can swim and fish at the shoreline. I imagine it helps break up bigger waves brought on by incoming storms as well. We have gotten the chance to see a black sand beach. Bali has banned plastic on the island; unfortunately, however, high tide brings in all the plastic and trash from the ocean. One thing that has taken some getting use to is the trash in the ditches, alleyways and on the beach. Most areas do a great job of cleaning up rubbish on the beach. Though, sadly they are littered with it all over. As far as I know clean up efforts are constantly increasing here. There is no doubt that Bali has natural beauty that should be fiercely protected. We have only just begun to experience the amazing sights this island has to offer.
I would say, after being out of the country for the first time, halfway around the world. Adjusting hasn’t been as difficult or foreign as I believed it would be. My other suspicions of the world have also been confirmed; People are kind, curious, and genuinely excited to share their stories. I am grateful to be a willing and able participant in this world. I will gladly continue to show up, all over the world, to better understand this place we all call home. Hopefully gaining a deeper understanding of the small part my spirit is to play here. The almighty quest of purpose. I have a hunch it is actually quite simple. Though my human instinct persists in complicating the understanding. Which, I also assume was created by perfect divine design.
Note to self: Remember where the breaks are. Use them.
Comments