After i finally said goodbye to all the students and teachers i set off in search of a place to sleep for the night. A common phenomenon i have found is to arrive at an accomodation that is listed in Lonely Planet as cheap and simple and find it extensively renovated and at least twice the price. I imagine that after being published, these previously quiet, charming hostels and bungalows get so much business that they can afford to fancify. I fear i would feel far too much responsibility writing for such an ubiquitous travel guide knowing the potential economic impact it would have. For many travelers, Indonesia is a great escape to be explored with vim and vigor, for others it is daunting and it is far more comforting to adopt LP tunnel vision. When writing for a city like Ubud how would you go about picking the one budget homestay with simple rooms and cold water, over the many others? One family flourishes while others struggle or merely get by due to a travel writer’s wandering left turn instead of right?
Spent all afternoon in a cafe reading Ordinary Wolves by Seth Kantner, pouring words rain and coffee. Evening came and i played with kittens who were for sale outside a mall. Immediate, long-lasting fluff ball drugs. Realized i actually knew where i was and wandered towards Novotel and my favorite warung where i ordered the usual, tempe bakar – grilled tempe with some special sauce, and was happily pleased i could handle more sambal than the last time i’d been there. Was indebted with kitten karma so also ordered a fried fish to share with the stray cat under the table. Made my way towards the familiar Circle K across from Novotel and taught some indo emo kids hanging around out front how to shotgun a beer. Snuck into Novotel to use the lux bathrooms and felt thoroughly confused by sense of space and time.
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