An Accidental Trip

I took a bit of an accidental trip this in Sanur. I had noticed some time ago that there is a particular road that leads from the Bypass--that being the highway that skirts the town of Sanur itself--to the main street through the little town of Sanur. This particular road mentioned leads directly to the area of a few of my favorite cafes, and so I set out this morning to find that little road from the Bypass side. 

I did not find that particular road, but I did find one that led me on a merry journey through twisting and turning backstreets that I did not even know existed. All along these streets I found villas and apartments and little houses and warungs and shops--a little village of its own clinging to the outer edge of main Sanur.

My girlfriend was excited to learn of this because she is convincved that I must eventually (sooner than later, I suspect) find a place closer into the central town area than where I now live. I am not far away, mind you, but it is rather inconveniently necessary to traverse two very busy roads on the way to little Sanur. No way around it, really. 

For a moment on those twisting streets, it seemed that I might be twisting about forever in an endless maze, for I had made so many turns and backtracked so many times after coming upon dead ends, that I had no idea which way was which. Finally, a small car pulled out of someone's driveway and I raced forth to closely tail the car, certain that the driver would know where he was going. 

As it happened, we entered the main street through Sanur from from where I guessed I might be. 

So yeah, it was interesting. But I'm still wondering where that particular street is that goes to the cafes. 

As I headed home later, after a coffee and a walk on the beach, I stopped into an Alfamart to buy cigarettes. I bought two packs, sat at a little table outside to check something on my phone, then left without the cigarettes. I realized this upon reaching home, perhaps ten minutes later, and stood hesitating in my driveway. Should I go back? It was hot, I was tired, I was sweaty, and what was the chance anyway that the cigarettes would still be on the table. Zero to none, right? Well, that's the way an American thinks, and in America he would probably be right. But this is not America, I reminded myself, and so back I went. 

Yes, the cigarettes were there. A young man at that table where I had been sitting, looked at me, looked at the cigarettes, and promptly jumped up and brought them to me. 

For a just a little effort, I had saved myself 54.000 Rupiah. 

All is well in the world. 

And the sun was shining, too. We have been four straight days here without sunshine--which is certainly nothing back home in Oregon, but it's tragic here. Just plain tragic. 

Lest I paint too sunny a picture, I will note that by this evening, when I went again briefly to Sanur, the air had turned so hot and humid that it was nearly unbearable. Can you imagine being hotter in the evening than you were at midday? Well, I guess it depends on where you live. I myself could never have imaged such a thing, raised as I was on the rain, sleet, and snow of Oregon. Well okay, there were sunny days too, hot days--but still nothing like this accursed furnace I found myself cooking in this evening. 

But this, unfortunately, is normal here at this time of year. Just have to sweat it out and wait for better days.