My last days in Bali were fairly quiet. Gayle returned from her pastors conference to a table spread with my cooking. Unfortunately she’d eaten something for lunch that didn’t really agree with her and wasn’t able to eat much. To finish off the day we chatted and watched a movie before I excused myself going to bed well after my usual bed time.
Thursday Joshua and I measured the upstairs balcony planter trough where Gayle had planned to grow something. I’d suggested trying tomatoes and a few other things she could grow from seed which gave her edible produce. I had suggested making a raised platform at the bottom of the planter trough. This could be done by placing bricks at the bottom of the trough to hold two supporting wooden beams onto which the plant pots would sit. This would elevate the pots enabling them to drain during the wet season and would make removing the pots to renewing the soil and replenishing the plants much easier. There were bricks at the church which Gayle brought back that evening which were perfect. Wooden planks were found at the back of the house were perfect for what I needed. Once all was set up all we needed was to purchase the pots and soil.
Gayle and Joshua were out from midday leaving me to potter around the house. I made a curry for lunch/dinner and did a bit of work on my computer. Joshua came home around 4pm to take me out to the market, there was a bit to much for me to carry on the bus. I restocked bananas, papaya, pineapple and jackfruit. Coming home we stopped off at the Gosha café to pick up some more coffee grinds. The compost bin is smelling much better now. That evening some of the youth came around and I excused myself to have an early night.
Friday was a lazy day as both Joshua and Gayle were busy. Saturday Gayle had invited me to a church meeting where they were completing their legal documents for the child protection laws. This was an event held where lunch and a swim in the pool was included. Costing me only $10 AUD was a lovely way to spend with the team from the church that I’d come to know. Many of whom spoke English well.
Sunday I said farewell to the church family before having lunch with Gayle and her Indonesian friend Esther who now lives in QLD and a visiting Korean girl working with Samaritans Purse. It was fun talking about her vision to eventually come on the field, possibly here in Bali and who knows maybe even to help Gayle out. She too loved durian so after lunch and a stop off at our favourite ice cream place we pulled over at the side of the road to buy and eat durian. A fitting send off for my last day in Bali.
That evening I caught up with Jen for a chat. She had just come back from a dip in the ocean, a weekend break away from her Work Away position. She had fully paid hotel accommodation in the Spanish mountains in exchange for helping a group of business people practice their English.
I then took something to help me sleep before going to bed and slept well waking just after 4am. After cramming almost every thing into my suitcase, I had breakfast and woke Gayle and Joshua who were dropping me at the airport before going on to their busy schedule. Oops! I’d forgotten to pack my power board. I stuffed it into my computer bag and loaded everything into the car. We were out the gate in record time just after 7am. I was sad to leave but knew if it was the Lord’s will I’d be back again next year.
Hugs all round as I was dropped at the international departures. Lugging my bags through baggage check before realising my flight wasn’t checking in till 9am and it was only 8am! I had miss read the departure time and was also told the flight would be half an hour late. I sat in the check in area till 9am then had to wait at the end of the queue which had already formed. As I had acquired a baggage trolley I sat on that to rest my back. I found I could manoeuvre along the queue as it moved. This was better for my back which is still playing up. After checking in my luggage I went through customs having made sure I had drunk my 500mls of ice coffee while I’d been waiting as passengers are only permitted to take 100mls of liquid through at this point.
I found our departure gate and waited. Praise the Lord I realised well in advance as it wasn’t the right gate. I was sitting at gate 6 but we were leaving from 6B which was downstairs. There was still plenty of time as our time had had been put back due to other flights running late. The unfortunate thing was that the toilets directly opposite us were out of order. They were still being used but were extremely filthy and smelly and I suspect most had no running water.
At last we were able to board our flight. One young woman pushed past me as I was standing in the doorway of the airline! I couldn’t believe how rude she was. She then couldn’t go any further due to everyone in front of her in the isle, I then squeezed past her as she was standing right beside my seat and I needed to sit.
I had brought a few snacks with me and some cut pineapple to eat on the plane although I hadn’t realised water was not provided so I had to go against my principals and buy a small bottle of water as I hadn’t drank anything since my 8am coffee.
It wasn’t a long flight, just over 2 hours. I’d had a bit off a snooze but still felt sleepy, but not for long! We had to walk about one kilometre then down stairs to a waiting bus which took us about 2 km to the main terminal. Here we walked even more to the immigration desk where there was along snaking queue. After standing a short while I told one of the official immigration coordinators that I had a bad back and couldn’t stand for long. She asked how old I was as those 70yrs and over could jump the queue. I told her I was 68yrs and she very kindly directed me towards an empty cubical. I was wondering why there were three cubicles not being used for the hundreds of people waiting in the queue! This certainly spread up the process for me. The bags of our flight hadn’t even arrived and then, after inquiring, I realised I was waiting in the wrong area. When I found the right conveyor belt I saw our bags being unloaded, mine being amongst them. Easy! I wasn’t stopped going through customs, checked out the SIM deals which were all for around 30GB for 30days. I didn’t need that much! I should have bought a SIM here as I had trouble finding what I needed elsewhere and needed data to order a Grab. Anyway, they were so expensive from the airport so I found my way to the lifts going down to the express train to KL Central Station. I was rather shocked at the price of a one way fair and forgot to ask for a seniors discount. Bundling myself on while struggling to get my suitcase onto the rack as I was also carrying my pillow and computer bag, I finally plonked myself down opposite a very refinly dressed lady. She pointed out I was facing the wrong direction. It didn’t worry me not looking forward. We started chatting, I asked if she knew about SIM cards and she trying to help. Disembarking at Central we found another SIM card seller who would only take cash. No that wasn’t right. Eventually I took her up on her offer to ask the concierge at Hilton Hotel, to help. She was meeting a friend there for dinner and had suggested the concierge staff could call the Grab and I pay the driver with cash. It was then I remembered that I could use the hotel wifi and my Grab app which takes payment form my bank account. The young guys were very helpful, making sure I put in the right destination address and waiting with me till my car to arrive. What a relief to finally be picked up. While on the hotel Wi-Fi I had contacted my hosts to let them know I was on my way plus Gayle and my prayer team to let her know I’d arrived safely.
My driver was very chatty and pleasant. She had difficulty finding the address so used her phone for me to call my hosts, Ps Siew and his wife Kim to ask directions. Praise the Lord we were just around the corner. No sooner had I been shown around the little outside room where I was to stay than I was invited to join them for dinner locally. It was similar to places that I’d been to in Bali which had many dishes laid out from which you chose what you wanted and paid for what you’d piled on your plate. Having not properly eaten all day I was hungry, choosing many of my favourite dishes. We also tried to find a SIM card but the shops here only did recharging not registration. We stopped at a supermarket for a few things including some bananas, a dragon fruit and milk for my breakfast. Then home by 10pm exhausted!
I slept till around 3:30am not being able to sleep longer I worked on a few things to prepare myself for all the things I needed to do that day. Then at dawn I was even able to go for a 2km jog! 6am the streets were so quiet, no traffic, no dogs or potholes! What a blessing.
I tried going back to bed but couldn’t sleep eventually getting up just before 8am for breakfast. The rest of the day was pretty hectic till 3pm. I was taken first to change some Aussie dollars then to buy a SIM, I forgot my passport so needed to collect from the house before returning. Then there was trouble taking a copy of my passport with their online application. It failed three times so we waited for another attendant. He tried and this time my card was rejected when I tapped it. Finally after starting the application from the beginning for the third time my card was accepted when it was inserted. I asked the attendant to please set it up, find the app and test it was working before I left the store. It was a relief to be able to go online while out and about again. I was then dropped at a big Mall complex where I looked at suitcases as mine is very heavy and one of the wheels has twisted the same as on my last travels from not being careful when loading it on and off the plane. I wanted something light and preferably expandable and waterproof. After some online comparisons I realised we had similar ones for less in Australia. That was rather surprising!
I walked back to the house getting lost along the way then rerouting to the correct way taking me just over half an hour. I was pooped! But hang on we were off out again this time dropping me off again while they bought fresh eggs. I wanted to buy some lunch so had accepted a ride one way. I saw a van selling fresh soy bean products including my favourite Tou Fu Far (soft bean curd) with ginger syrup. I also bought a bottle of ‘Michael Jackson’, soy milk with black herbal jelly (black and white like MJ). This fellow had been in Perth so we had a bit of a chat. Then a tiny plate of Fried Kuay teow (fried noodles) and from another noodles from stall closer to home. By the time I’d walked the 15mins back to the house I was exhausted and sleepy but was determined to stay away so I could hopefully sleep better. I also had to work out how I was getting to Ayer Tawer the following day. Kim was very helpful asking a friend of hers to book me a train ticket online as I was unable to, not having an account with Malaysian transport. My friend in Ipoh had already booked my return ticked to KL and had I thought about it earlier I’d have asked her to book both ways. Finally all was done and I could catch up with updating these notes before I forgot anything. I wanted to get them off to Elaine for proof reading before the next stage of my journey began.
Photos: 1. A typical Bali vine 2. Church meeting 3. Joshua and Damon in the pool 4. Out to lunch after church 5. Me freezing at Denpasar airport (sorry no Malaysian photo’s yet – to busy)
Prayer & Praise Points:
Praise the Lord for watching over us as we look to Him for or future.
Praise Him for the wonderful time I’ve had in both Lombok and Bali and for the new adventures He’s bringing my way in Malaysia.
I give Him thanks for His protection, provision and guidance in all He has called me to do.
Please keep me in your prayers for the remainder of my visit to Malaysia plus my flight home on the 29th/30th July. May I continue to trust the Lord for all my needs.
Continue to pray for opportunities for me to share His love to those around me.
Please continue to pray for Joshua’s Indonesian citizenship application.
Please uphold Jen in prayer as she continues her travels in Europe and the UK.
Continue to pray for world peace and for the refugees who are caught up in the suffering this war has caused, both in Ukraine and Russia.
Please continue to keep my sisters, Tricia, Jen and Kat, in your prayers. Pray that they will come to know the love of Jesus.