Day 70: Ogoh Ogoh Bali Festival

“Extra-sensory-overload” -> I learned this term the first time I jumped out of an airplane over 30 years ago. Your mind just can’t handle all the input you are taking in at once, That is what happened today on our excursion in Bali.

I learned to drive on the South East Expressway in Boston Massachusetts - I have driven tour buses when I was in college — there is NO WAY IN HELL I would have driven a bus through Indonesia today during the Bali New Years celebration. The traffic was totally crazy. The bus drivers deserve a medal.

Millions of scooters like locust were every where. I saw 4 people on one scooter more than once. Driving in flip flops, with small children. Totally crazy, So you park your scooter, then later you went looking for your scooter - where the heck did we park it? Yeah, mine’s the black one.

The people were very friendly - they smiled and waved when I took their picture from the bus window. The young girls all dressed up for the parade. The excitement was Mardi Gras and New Year’s Eve In Time Square rolled up into one. I would love to have time to walk the streets and experience and take in everything. This is a photographer’s heaven.

The architecture was lovely and sacred, the plants were amazing. My senses were over-loaded at times - I wanted to hide - but the energy of the day was thrilling,

I did get to a point where too many vendors were in my face - How many times do I have to say NO? I did buy 2 hand fans, and two shirts. Donna got a pair of lovely pants that look tres chic on her.

Tomorrow we have a private all day tour for the two of us for only $75. I am looking forward to a more controlled experience.

While my senses were overloaded with the energy of the festival and over one million people all jammed in one place - We could not have picked any better day in the year to experience Bali.Read more