851. Badung Strait, Sanur, Bali

Jan 30, 2012 Monday.
3.02 am, Sanur, Bali, Pushpapuri Villa

I went out to view the sea as I had waken up at 2.30 am as my iPhone rang. I usually wake up around this time.

Two security guards were patrolling. Young men in their 30s were flashing their torchlights towards the sea. There is a retaining wall but it is easy to climb up. However, this village area appears to be peaceful and safe and more beachfront houses nearby are being constructed for sale.

Pitch black night. No stars. Relentless pounding white waves towards the beach remind me of the intense competition in the real world of Singapore. Lightning flashes in the distance. Mount Agung cannot be seen now, being so dark. Yesterday dawn, after a heavy thunderstorm the night before, I could see Mount Agung and took some beautiful pictures. Then during the dog, a fog started appearing on the mountain top and in the afternoon and evening, Mount Agung was invisible. It is an active volcano, the last eruption being in 1963. The whole area was blanketed with volcanic dust for a month, according to the young manager in charge of this place. He was not born yet but his father had told him.

I was invited by Daniel to stay with his friends at this luxurious 4-bedroom real beachfront villa which rents from US$850 per night.

Its website is at:
http://www.pushpapuri.com/ in Bali. Built in 2007 by an Englishman and managed by Bali Hotel Management. Solid construction and well designed in an elevated ground so that the guests can see the waves directly from the dining room which is further away from the pool and manicured carpet grass garden.

This is my first visit to Bali which I knew was a famous tourist place for young people in the past. Two Bali bombings in the past had discouraged me from visiting this world famous place but all countries would have terrorist bombings now and then. Singapore had one in the 1960s.

Service and facilities are very good in this class of luxurious villas based on my reading of other similar properties. Black sand from the volcanic ashes instead of white sand. Can do surfing here as I saw some young men doing it. Good for families. Peak season in Christmas and New Year and around June/July.

There are 13 staff including 2 cooks. A driver with 6-seater SUV is on call. The Villa is well located and gives an excellent view of the Badung Strait, the Hindu temple, a river and Mount Agung and some islands in the distance. Good views for photography and painting. The surrounding areas have plots of farmland. I saw rice and corn fields with crops growing. Durian seller on the roadside. Wood and statues are seen everywhere in this area. Motorcycles and cars seem to be in large numbers on the main road outside.

Yesterday, I did not go to the bars unlike the young people as I know the party will end past 4 am. Young adults seem to love this type of entertainment with loud music and alcoholic drinks. Probably some drugs.

I had my discos in the 1960s and now they are called bars and pubs and are not for the senior citizens. I also did not go out at night to the busy night market to do shopping for T-shirts and bargains.

For young people, my advice is that life is unpredictable and they must stay healthy as the pounding waves of changes in the real world to earn a living are relentless. If the young people cannot stay healthy (being sleepy at work due to late nights), they become ineffective employees and unless they have certain skills in great demand, they will be replaced and sacked. The commercial world demands performance as not every business, including veterinary practice will succeed in the long term if they have sleepy not interested veterinarians. The bad word of mouth will spread and soon the practice is not well patronised.