Meeting Putu
Now we could go out of the airport. We had booked our service apartment in a small village called Mangvi on Bali island which is about 25 kms from Denpasar. The owner of this apartment, Putu himself provides vehicles to the tourists and also does the driving himself. We had hoped that Putu would come to pick us up but we were very late at the airport, so there was a apprehension in our mind that we may not have returned, but fortunately Putu was found standing outside the airport carrying a strip of paper in the name of Vijay Tayal. Gone.
It was a tall, broad, cheerful and fair-skinned young man of fairly stature, who had neatly combed his hair and wore neat pants-shirts. He welcomed us with folded hands and a long smile on his lips. He said hello to us and shook hands with us. It was clear from his face that he was more pleased to see his Indian guests than we were glad to see him.
Putu had brought a very big air conditioned car in which we six members could sit comfortably and our luggage could also come comfortably. Luckily, he could understand the English language very well. He not only put our luggage in the back of his car but also opened the car doors for us. Such polite and disciplined taxi drivers are rarely seen in India.
Putu asked as soon as he started the car - are you people Hindu? When we said yes we are Hindus, the smile on Putu's face widened even more. He politely said that I am also a Hindu and my wife is also a Hindu. The expression of pride and joy on his face while saying this is difficult to describe, it can only be imagined. With clasped hands, he told that his wife, whose name is Putu Eka, is a complete vegetarian. I'm trying to be a vegetarian right now and don't eat chicken or any other type of meat twice a week.
It was going to take about one and a half hours from Denpasar airport to Mangvi village. Most of the route passed through Denpasar town. We used this time to look at the city's markets, houses and street traffic.
Completely free from noise and mess
It was not to our surprise. There was traffic on the roads of the city but there was no rush, restlessness, competition among the drivers. Everyone was walking in their lane. The left side of the road was earmarked for two wheelers. No vehicles were trying to overtake each other. No one was blowing the horn. The roads were completely clean. Far from seeing a pile of garbage, not even paper or leaves of trees were visible. There were garbage bins on the side of the roads, people were used to throwing their own garbage in the garbage bins.
Grasshopper milk thirty thousand rupees per kg
We asked Putu whether milk would be arranged in the service apartment. So he clearly said that no, you will not get milk anywhere here. You can buy packed milk if you want. We were shocked but there was no other way. Putu stopped his car in front of a general store and asked us to buy milk. Going to the store, I got another big shock. I somehow could not explain to the shopkeeper what I wanted to buy. Nor could I, myself, find milk bags in the store.
Putu's car was far away from me. So I had to walk a long way to get his help. Finally another customer understood my point and showed me a paper box from a fridge. When I read the box, I got a shock and ate it. It was milk from New Zealand which was made up of plants, vegetable oils and a variety of proteins. I was forced to buy this milk. Another shock came when the shopkeeper demanded thirty thousand Indonesian rupees from me for one liter of milk. I immediately calculated in Indian rupees that it was 150 rupees a liter. I was beginning to understand that the happiness of getting rich was not going to last long.
Coconut worth twenty thousand rupees
Outside the milk shop was a bunch of coconuts containing water. Dad bought a coconut from there. When I asked how much money I should give, the woman sitting on the plate showed a note of twenty thousand rupees from her neck. I again calculated in Indian Rupees. It was Rs 100. In India where water coconut is available for Rs 25-30, in Bali it was Rs 100. The value of goods in Bali was much higher than in India. The enthusiasm of getting rich on the strength of Indonesian rupees had now diminished considerably.
That glass bungalow in Mengvi village
On seeing the service apartment of Mengvi village, about 25 kms from Denpasar, we became enchanted. It was a splendid little bungalow with comfortable rooms with large beds, white cotton rugs, modern bathrooms with showers and dressing rooms with life-size mirrors, with the verandah of the bungalow overlooking a large and open lawn. which was directly connected to the vast rice fields.
There were magnificent bougainvillea and a variety of flowering shrubs, with comfortable chairs and central tables to sit in between. All modern amenities like air conditioner, geyser, electric iron, Wi-Fi were provided in the bungalow. The outer verandah of the bungalow was made of glass walls. Sitting from here, the view of the rice fields was made. A small library was also arranged.
The biggest feature of this bungalow was its kitchen-house. This too was a modern style kitchen with all the facilities like fridge, cooking gas, roaster, RO cleaned water etc. If there was nothing in it, then they were chakla, belan and tawa, which we had brought from India itself. We were going to spend about five days in this bungalow.