Master Whinger

Been a terrible Blog Mama. Yes yes. Left you all neglected and hungry. Terribly sorry.


...It will happen again.

Why, yes I did have a fabulous summer adventure in various international paradises. Thank you for asking! Incredibly lucky. Feeling totally spoilt, mostly due to people's reactions to my complaining about heading back to work. Well. I don't care what any of you say - I will complain as much as I wish. If whinging were a sport, I'd ... be bloody good. (I wouldn't win anything, as I'd be too lazy to enter. Thus, would sit on couch complaining about said laziness).

So, apart from making everyone hate me and my slutty passport, I've found myself a nice backup career - giving workaholics crash courses in being a lazy sod. It's like I was born to do it. (Mum would absolutely cack herself if she read this).



Wish you I were here



(Yes this is a very real life photo of the gorgeous Hanauma Bay, where I later that day, snorkelled was set upon by the most thuggish coral).

Anyway - currently back at work. Colossal struggle to get back into work mode (which I am so very rarely in, and forever fighting to get back into... assuming I've ever been in it).

So a few snippets on life updates:
- Have declared 2012 year of Change and Dream-Following. Watch. This. Space.
- Have read Bridget Jones' Diary. Am now speaking fluent Diary.

- Want to travel at all times.

- Dislike all things about being home.

- Do enjoy unlimited supply of undies though.

Hoping you had a very Merry Christmas and (will have) a Happy New Year.

For now, I'm off to continue my storm of complaining and being generally horrible.


Business as usual.



:)

Bali - Barter yer heart out

Dudes, Bali shouldn't be expensive - food is cheap, transport is cheap, and clothes are cheeeeeeeeeap. The issue is not knowing how much stuff is worth & getting ripped off. I was lucky to have a friend who had been to Bali before. So, perhaps I could be that friend to you...

Here's a rough coupla tips:

TRANSPORT: Most of my taxi fares were around the $2 mark. You need to either get in a Blue Bird taxi (light blue ones - be careful, the others will try to trick you by looking the same), or you need to negotiate your fare/demand that your driver put their meter on. My friends (a few of them big burly boys) got locked in their cab by a driver wanting 50,000 IDR for the ride. Scary stuff. They're fine, but it's something to gulp about, eh.

If you're game to try a 'scootscoot', 20,000 was the average rate for a 5 minute scoot. (Note - I did scoot a  few times. Thrilling. Terrifying. Noone tell Mum).

SHOPPING: Bartering is an art-form here.

Don't look too interested in what you want to buy.

Ask off-handedly how much they want for it. When they give you the price, shake your head, and laugh.

Because their quote will be outrageous.

If you have no idea what the item should be worth, I say that your counter offer should be a little more than half of their offer. This rule doesn't always work though. I got a few people asking for 150,000 Rupiah for a pair of sunglasses. That's about $15 Australian. That's bull. And if you buy sunnies in Bali for any more than 20,000, laughter will be had. At your expense. Literally.

Here's a rough guide:

Sunglasses - 20,000

Singlets - 25,000 (Bintangs) to 35,000 (nicer)

Thongs - 50,000

Dresses - 40,000 to 60,000

Shoes (sneakers) - 80,000 to 100,000

Watches - 45,000

Peace out buuuuuudddies.