Bali revisited

I remember the feel of sea foam touching my naked toes at 6 o' clock in the morning, the fresh breeze that comes from the east, and the sound of waves rushing towards me.

I am torn among three places to go to for my long-awaited vacation this year - Puerto Princesa, Bali, Bangkok. I am particularly biased towards Bali for a lot of reasons, particularly maybe because it has grown on me.

While friends advised me to go see Ubud where Balinese culture can be more experienced (and where the presence of biutiful Javier Bardem can be felt and smelt), I have to admit that I have already fallen in love with Kuta.

I could walk for hours and be continually, unfailingly smitten by the sheer melding of its motorcycle smoke, those porcelain white teeth and full lips that flash big beautiful smiles, the scent of incense lit every morning as one bows and prays, the towering yet very humble penjor hanging at every corner, the rotundas filled with statues of Hindu gods, the Indonesian struggling people and what not.

Stopping by a small shop once, I asked the owner where I could go for a pee and he offered his home toilet which was just at the back of the shop. Humbled and thankful, I walked towards the end of the shop and opened the door. What I saw astounded me - rows of small nipa hut-like resting kiosks guiding me to a very beautifully-architectured house built on varnished molave wood with a Javanese roof form as its wig. With it are the owner's family preparing food, stopping to glance back and smile at me, like I was a long-time friend passing through.

A girl friend revealed to me once what she said to her husband should they be estranged at some point in their lives - We will always have Bali.

I do not intend to fall in-love with anyone there. Let my friend and Julia Roberts have it.

I just want to experience everything all over again - a place so humble yet rich, where life seemed so simple yet overwhelming.

I have fallen in love with Bali and I do not mind getting scorched again.