- Saturday morning fatal motorbike accident in By Pass Jimbaran that caused 1 man died.
- Big busses from Java start to come and they are everywhere on the street bringing tourists to main tourism destinations and it’s not even a High Season yet! (oh how I miss Bali post-Nyepi Day).
- Traffic jam at 2 same spots all the time, every morning and afternoon during peak hours. That’s on Jalan By Pass, the intersection of Ngurah Rai Airport and at Kuta round about called Simpang Siur opposite Planet Hollywood/Duty Free Shop.
- Road construction along Sunset Road!

Road construction at Sunset Road – still going on as of 07/07/09!

And I can say these four facts are the MOST annoying things about living in Bali :

1. Lack of self discipline on the road
Having lived in 5 different big cities in Indonesia : Bandung, Jakarta, Solo, Batam, and at last Denpasar-Bali, I have to say that Bali is ‘numero uno‘, the winner, on how ‘barbarian’ the bike riders as well as car’s on the road. I’m talking about violating the red light (red might means go ahead! for some people ??), changing line without giving signs, overlap from left side (the correct one is from the right side), never ever think about giving others a go ahead-everyone wants to be the first one to lead, and this caused a traffic jam at some intersection because what supposed to a two lines street suddenly become 3 to 4 lines just because some selfish drivers can’t wait to stay on the line and queuing.

These last few days I could spend about 20-30 min at one traffic light and often felt hopeless that I’d make it through in time for an appointment. This is not Bali anymore! This city has turned out to be like Jakarta or Bandung! One thing I was proud living in Bali is the fact that there are no traffic jam at most of areas, only in Denpasar at some business streets or the road to Kuta Beach..starting from Kartika Plaza street to Kuta Square area and Kuta Beach street..

Tips for those of you who are in Bali right now enjoying holiday, avoid these areas (if possible) in Southern of Bali:
- Airport traffic light if you’re heading from Nusa Dua or Jimbaran (from Kuta direction towards airport is fine) between 07.30 – 09.00
- ‘Simpang Siur‘ / Kuta roundabout or also called Patung Dewa Ruci opposite Planet Hollywood,Bali Galeria Mall, from Nusa Dua/Jimbaran direction towards Kuta/Seminyak, between 08.00 – 09.00
- ‘Simpang Siur‘ / Kuta roundabout or also called Patung Dewa Ruci opposite Planet Hollywood,Bali Galeria Mall, from Seminyak/Sunset Road towards Sanur or Jimbaran/Nusa Dua, between 12.30-13.30 and the worst peak hour is between 17.00-18.30

Look at that!*sigh*I can't make a U turn now-Sunset Road towards Simpang Siur to Jimbaran/Nusa Dua are…gee….

pheww..I'm glad I'm not on that side of the road..

2. Honking anger management
Only in Bali, I found that you can make an enemy with someone blocking your way and to whom you’re honking. Something that made them angry if we do that. It’s like we’re asking for trouble. Contrary with Jakarta and Bandung, when someone honks to you, means you should move aside and give them way, no drama. The funniest and craziest thing I’ve experienced is often these people will give ‘a look’ to you from their bike like or their car like saying “WHATT?!!!! and swearing or screaming back to you, they really take it personal…Aie aie aie…they really should take a ‘honking anger management’ class I supposed…to learn that honking or being honked is OK!

I would personally prefer to honk people who does not know how to drive well rather than have to jeopardize my safety on the road. Those easily get angry people should not get offended when I honk like crazy, because they are really ignorant…

3. Throwing rubbish anywhere, anyhow,anytime
Look, dude…..this island is so beautiful, we do not need to ‘decorate ‘it with rubbish (organic or non-organic). Not sure what the history was, but throwing cigarette butts, mineral water bottles, plastic bags on my blue water beach! or on my Renon Jogging Park that has numerous bins every 10 m around the track! still it wasn’t enough to change this bad cultural habit. Don’t they know Bali lives from its beauty and nature???…No one could answer my question and come up with a great solution. Such a hard habit to break – as shouted by Peter Cetera from Chicago band

4. Smoking & spitting
If only Bali and Indonesia in general apply the penalty rules like Singapore for littering, smoking on public places  and…spitting. I would’ve enjoyed Bali much more than now. Can you imagine sitting alone on the beach and enjoy a ‘me time’ and the view, suddenly you got interrupted and cough & a bit choked from the smoke of cigarette someone standing beside you being totally ignorant, or even worse : someone coughing then spitting close to where you are…yukkkkk!!yeewwwwwww……They really should be fined for doing this non-elegant acts in the public. I would never ever do that and none of my family and friends would do such disgusting thing! Speechless..

At last, I could only hope parents will educate their children not to do those 4 bad habits abovementionned taking a good example from our neighbour, Singapore, or our western friends who have adapted these good habits from early age. Cheers to Bali! I really feel the need to leave this island for a while…

Update on 7/7/09 : I did go to Bandung, the capital of West Java for a week, check out my story on this related post link below.

Related post :

- Bali Riders
- One week in Bandung – Parijs van Java

Danny took the innocence of a child in dealing with bitterness, anger, resentment, and disappointment. No matter how hard a trouble is, a child has an ability to let go, and move on quickly and act like there’s nothing happen before. “Their hearts have not yet accepted or entertained the idea of depositing the seeds of bitterness or anger“, quoting from Danny’s voice on Sophia Heart’s Foundation (SHF) blog.

I know Danny would never be able to do this without God’s hand covering his heart, and I agree with him that asking God “why me”, “why her/him” would only lead to a big depression and would cost you much at the end of the day, if you refuse to : Let go, forgive, forget, and move forward.And holding on to the past would make your future will only be revisiting that past over and over again – quoted again from Danny’s voice, and definitely I don’t want this happen to me, it’s too risky for my happiness and my future.

Lots of positive responses from the readers who felt the post has touched their heart tremendeously that some of them realized and got a whole new perspective on how to look things that they’ve gone through, and commit to start to forgive, let go, and move on.

Danny Gokey, thank you for the inspiring post and your powerful testimony that has blessed and touched many. I believe God will continue in shaping you more and more everyday into a joy bringer as you are now..

For more detail on Sophia Heart’s Foundation and see how you can help children in need go to www.sophiasheart.org
Thanks to Amy Bennet for the link to Danny’s blog, follow Amy on Twitter www.twitter.com/ihrtdannygokey
Tell Danny Gokey Happy Birthday !

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life

Related post : What was Simon Cowell thinking?! – Only for American Idol addict

THE LAKE HOUSE…a movie starred by Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves that I just watched this afternoon. Keanu is my too perfect,too good to be true type of guy as well as my fantasy man…And somehow I keep believe that when he’s acting on this movie, that’s the real Alex Wyler, the role he played there.

A lonely doctor,Kate Forster, (Sandra Bullock) who once occupied an unusual lakeside home begins exchanging love letters with its newest resident, a frustrated architect, Alex Wyler,(Keanu Reeves). When they discover that they’re actually living two years apart, they must try to unravel the mystery behind their extraordinary romance before it’s too late.I was so frustrated when Kate didn’t realise that she was talking, kissing, and dancing (accompanied by the backsound of ‘This has never happen before by Paul Mc Cartney) with her future guy, and Alex tried so hard to say this to her, but the time zone mystery between them too that was unraveled kept them somehow, apart…

They even had one same dog together, in two different period of time, named Jack (female!), that could see the invisible Alex or Kate who were opening the mailbox at The Lake House every time they exchanged the letter. An accident that took Alex’s life away, the house sale purchase signing at Visionary Vanguard Property office where Kate saw The Lake House sketch picture on the wall, and it’s a Valentine Day, 14 February 2006 Alex just realized that this is the right moment to meet Kate, that’s the point where the time zone mystery was opened.

The key is : Alex did not have to find Kate so there should’ve been that accident. He just have to WAIT for her….for two years time. And they did meet each other, finally, at The Lake House…And they swear, this has never happened before..

The question now is : How do you hold on to someone you’ve never met? I guess timing is everything…

Another Thought of The Day post :
- Do Anything

It’s ironic that being wise, controlled, responsible, think 1000 times before you do something bad that would effect your whole life,and even worse – ruin someone else’s life, mostly come after going through some rough times as a result of your stupidity in your past.

Specially when you sacrifice something precious, priceless, invaluable, and holy. It’s so irreplaceable, so unworthy with all the pains, sorrows, troubles you have to face, years and years afterward.

BUT, it is so worthwhile when you give up and surrender things that you love – you think it’s your whole life, for something or someone that is eternal, everlasting, wonderful, glorious, marvelous, magnificent, for the holiest and faithful one.

Will you do ANYTHING not to loose The Joy, The Truth, and The Life?