Bali 2009

After much persuading the mother, finally she gave her blessing to bring Aiman along to Bali. Actually wanted to bring Imran along… maybe I am asking too much…
Left LCCT on Friday at 8.45pm and arrived in DPS around 11.45 pm. Reached the hotel around 1.30 am.
On Saturday morning, woke up at 6.00am and were surprised to see the sun shining like it was 9.00 in Malaysia. The Fajr prayers in Bali is at 4.30 am, zhur is at 12.00pm, asr 3.00, magrib is at 6.15 and isya is at 7.21pm. Need to readjust the clock.
Still groggy from the late arrival, when down to the coffee shop for breakfast, when I asked wether the food is Halal, the waiter answered “ hot dog nye halal tapi bacon nye tidak”… close case.. I walked with Aiman in search for food. From afar I could see the Colonel’s face… we decided to walk to KFC and have our breakfast there.. I already did my homework and found out all of the fast food joints in Bali including Pizza Hut, Mac D and KFC are certified halal. For the next 3 days, this KFC is my favourite place.. Every time I was there I ordered the spaghetti and Aiman would order twister…. Breakfast and dinner…….
We stayed Kuta, which is about 10 minutes to the beach. The trip to Canggu Club takes about 45 minutes. Its not due to the distance but due to the small and jammed road leading to the club.
On the way back from Canggu Beach, we passed by the place where the Bali bombing took place, a memorial was built on the bombing site.
After coming to the hotel, Aiman and I when out for a walk to Kuta Beach. Due to my ignorance I did not realise that Bali is an Island, I was always imagining it across the Malacca Straits. In the dark we could hear the sound of the waves crashing on the sandy beaches. The sound was very eerie and scary. I could just imagine the Tsunami that struck Acheh, when the waves where 40 or 50 feet high and it just ran over anything in its path…
The next day, started as the previous day as Aiman and I when to KFC for our breakfast… the games started early on Sunday. We won the finals beating Cobra 15 – 7, Cobra was leading 7 – 5 right down to the buzzer. Seni scored the winning try from the last play of the game. NSW was the crowd favourite and received much accolade after the game.
Frankly the moment of the tour was when the Kiwis from High School Old Boys Christchurch, wanted to perform the Haka for us. It was a great honour to received the haka. As we stood in a line, the chant Kamate were cried out… our Fijian brothers just could not bear it and they started to reply via Chimbi … it was spectacle and a moment which I would not forget. Aiman recorded it and will try to upload it on the blog

It was a learning experience for Aiman and I and it was a very special trip. It’s a father son bonding sessions. I learned to listen to him and he learned to listen to me. I rather think we are very much closer now. He would gives his opinion and I would listen. He chose the presents for his siblings and his mother. The trip also opened his eyes to the real world which is full of challenges and temptations. These things you could not find it in books. I try very much to explain to him the best I could. Hopefully he would be able to fend it when he grows up.
No matter how beautiful the beaches are in Bali… Home where the heart is….