2023 WAS A GOOD YEAR FOR US. It began in chilly Madrid and ended here in steamy Indonesia where we spent our final day in Ubud taking care of business—haircuts, a mini-market run and a trip to the ATM. Our last Indonesian haircuts in Boroburdur cost only a dollar—today’s cuts set us back over $2.50! Highway robbery or inflation, your call. Mine is a bit "higher and tighter" than I usually wear it but it will grow back. Connie, as usual, came out looking just fine.
Just like shearing sheep
Connie getting the $2.50 Special
Batu Agung Villa was having a New Year’s Eve party complete with dinner, Balinese bidadari dancers and music so we signed up. The DJs spent the afternoon setting up and testing their sound system. The speakers were just outside our room and they were blasting Indonesian hip-hop. It took a while to convince them that 1) the system worked fine; 2) we were the only ones around and 3) we didn’t want to hear it.
Performing for an audience of 3
Dinner was running late as if they were waiting for late arrivals but it turns that the only other guest was Josh, a heavily inked Aussie originally from Ireland. He was a good sport and even gave us his version of bidadari with the Balinese dancer when she lured him on stage—I wasn’t so gracious. After dinner he regaled us with his views on the world from his conspiracy-theory/homophobic point of view until Connie pleaded an upset stomach and we exited stage-left.
Enough to upset anyone's stomach
I don’t remember fireworks as part of New Year’s Eve celebrations but it has become a tradition around the world, even in places like Bali, where the new year doesn’t begin until March. Our trusty earplugs saved the day, er, the night.
