hello darling! where you go? need transport?

yep thats what everyone says to me as i walk down the street from my resort, around the corner to the internet cafe - every morning. soemtime between 9:30 and 11 am. These indonesians often recognize me and if ive been walking around the area a bit that day they say 'hey ive seen you 3 times today already!? where you going?are you lost?'. This morning, they noticed my shorts that say 'CSI: Las Vegas' on them and started calling me 'las vegas'. I came back this afternoon to create this post and 'hello las vegas! you need transport?' - i swear im asked about 10 times a day if i need transport.

but they are all extremely friendly people. i wandered into an alley yesterday looking for a 2nd hand bookstore and one guy asked me 'hey! where you go?' he didnt have a motorbike with him so i told him 'just looking around' coming to a dead end i turned around and walked back the other way, past him again. he approached me and asked me my name and told me his (i forget his, they're names are so hard to pronounce) and he told me where a bookstore was but it was too far. so i told him i was going to go back to the resort. he was going the same way so we walked together. he told me a bunch of stuff - i couldnt really understand much of it but he talked and talked. i think he told me that he built a statue! i thought that was cool. when we came to where he was going a differnt way he said 'it was so nice to meet you aleesha from canada - have great travels!' and he took off. not trying to sell me anything, just wanted to walk and talk his heart out. kind of a relief when most of what i am getting from indonesians is that they want you to buy whatever it is they are selling

bali for shopping is INCREDIBLE! i think i may come back here someday just to do a huge shopping trip. i want a HUGE buddha painting but it wont fit in my backpack, and i want a gorgeous ceramic tea set (the tea pot is in the shape of a fish, and the handle is made of bamboo!) but it'll break. beautiful bedding, lamps, jewlery, its all so beautiful and CHEAP!!! next time i come im bringing empty bags.

otherwise - its my last night at the resort - i may not order room service (liek i have been every night ive been here) and make my way down to the restaurant or pool bar for dinner, have a few of the tasty looking drinks they have on the menu.

and tomorrow -- off to kuta...supposed to be beautiful sunsets on kuta beach, big surfing area and i want to do some day tours of the island. i need some more culture.

much loving for you all!
alia