New Toy

My camera is proving to be better than chocolate, on a par with dolphins in joy delivering terms. I took loads of photos of the kids I am fast becoming firm friends with who sell bracelets on the street. There are 4 of them, Comen, 11, Wyang, 5, Yogi, 3 and Putu, six. They are beautiful and work up to ten hours a day dealing with tourists who sometimes seem to let the hassle fatigue of Bali overshadow the fact they are dealing with kids. The first photo session was wearing, the kids were pretty uncomfortable and getting decent pictures was hard work. Once I delivered the results however it was whole new story. I got begged to do another shoot and suddenly they were posing and coming up with props and ideas faster than you could say, you liked the photos then. The pictures cost around ten pence, 25 cents to print, and the reward from the faces of the people I give them to is as Mastercard would say, priceless.

Dad came, set the town on fire, metaphorically. He met a guy who was a former liverpool FC pro footballer who is trying to set up an academy here to coach the Balinese kids but due to funding problems was on the verge of giving up. Needless to say Dads now organsing a charity football match to save the day. Once they got chatting all plans of seeing Bali fell by the wayside, as the two Kens (the footballer goes by the same name) whipped each other into a lather of mutual excitement. Bali Ken is flying to see England Ken next week so they can get the ball rolling. watch this space, I am sure they will pull it off with bells on and I plan to do everything I can to help.

Life is slightly calmer although a little duller now Dad has left Bali.

I went to a fabulous club last night with the boys and my new Spanish designer friend who is a real bonus find. Papuan dancers and drummers rocked the place as did a fantastic Balinese reggae band. I danced, on steps, on podiums, on the stage with Max, aforementioned designer, even the boys who had to be up at 6 to collect a car made it through to the bitter 3am finish. It was one of those nights where you feel, not just because of the cocktails, but because of the company and the atmosphere and the vibe, like you are flying, like you are on a cloud from which no-one can pull you down, like you are the dancing queen. I loved it, felt fabulously sexy, and despite the searing heat and lack of air con, you couldnt have got me out of there before closing if you had been Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt waiting with a private champers filled jet to whisk me to Paris.

The apostrophes you may notice are playing up again, my favourite internet cafe has terrible keyboards but a half decent connection that overcomes the grammatical defects. I am aware myt spelling and editing needs work but as I said its only half decent so it takes hours to get every entry on the screen. I will edit more thouroughly when I get back to the land of high speed connections.
I am off to a Hindu ceremony with one of the boys from the tour office tommorrow, then back in time to see Bali Kens kids play soccer on Sunday. I am taking photos at both.

life is like dancing, sonmetimes you just cant stop. other times the beat is harder to find.

Joo x
P.S the novel is going great guns, and Mum, yes you are right, the dress due to religion is more conservative than in the West for the most part, but it is a predominantly Hindu island.