Enjoy Bali - Video

Check this video out, guys, made by Nick Pescetto, a crazy dreadlock guy I met in Canggu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRIV-XjQjbs

my first friend's visit in Bali

Although I have a big family here around me, having a visit from friends back home is something very very special. It didn't took Andrea long time to think about when I asked her, if she would like to celebrate her birthday here with me. She booked the flight and weeks later she was here. We are friends for nearly twenty years now and seeing the small powerful bunch of fun at the airport in Denpasar filled my heart with love. Finally she was here! I was so happy, and not just because she brought me german pretzels and loads os german essentials, which I can't get in Bali :-)
Luckily she is not a typical tourist who wants to tick the to do list of every lonely planet, as I wanted her to see and to feel the real Bali life here. I wanted her to meet all my friends, to eat a lot of real indonesian food and most of all to be filled in with local smiles and happiness.
We enjoyed the beach in Canggu, even if the waves nearly killed us. Went to my favourite Club Pretty Poison to party (and nearly crashed one night into the rice patties with the scooter :-), Andrea even took a private yoga class with me, it was her first one and I never ever thought she would ever try yoga.
Of course we went to Ubud as well. And this time I really enjoyed this place once again. Walking thru the green rice fields calms everybodys mind down and we just sat there, watching the sunset and enjoyed the stillness. And what a visit to Ubud would be without listening to the music of my friends Band Jack 'n ROLL.
And in her last week we of course went to Gili Air for some days, the place I once spent the best time of my life. Swimming in the turquoise ocean, hanging around at the Beach Club, meeting all my local friends there and of course eating loads of food...again! Even Gili Air is not the same anymore (too many new buildings and even some demolished by the government) it still has the special island spirit, which I love with all my heart. And leaving Gili Air again filled my heart with sadness.
Saying goodbye again to my lovely friend was hard for both of us. What great 4 weeks we spent. We laughed, we cried, we danced, we talked, we have been silent... It is not a goodbye, it's just see you later, as she will come back again and I am so happy that she loves Bali as much as I do. Thank you so much for being here with me

15 things about knowing that you are living long time in Bali when...

1. you ride your motobike to the next supermarket 20 meter away
2. you don't walk anymore....always use your motobike
3. you ride the motobike with 3 people, surfboards, food and bags
4. the beach vendors don't ask you to buy something anymore, they just sit next to you for a smalltalk (and they know your name)
5. you just eat in warung (indonesian small food places), rather than in a fancy western cafe
6. every meal which is more than 30.000 INR (2 Euros) is too expensive
7. you want to punch all westerns who try to change the Bali culture
8. you call all foreigners "bule" (of course, only with the nice meaning)
9. you exactly know where you can buy the cheapest Bintang (indonesian beer)
10. you spend the most time with your local friends and it feels like you always belonged to this group
11. the market ladies just charge you the local prices for watermelon
12. you wear the same shirt several times and you, and nobody else just don't give a shit about it
13. everybody smile to you and you smile back....the whole day
14. your skin has the same colour as the local people
15. you can't imagine ever leaving this country again