Nyepi Day in Bali: What’s your plan?
Ana our pembantu brought up something this morning, Nyepi Day. Nyepi is the day of silence, where Bali undergoes a spiritual cleansing, with literally everything shut. Shops, beaches, roads, seaports, airports. The pecalang (Hindu traffic cops) are out on patrol and will arrest you if you attempt to go out. What does that leave for a western tourist to do?
Well for a single guy / girl here are your 4 best options:
1) Leave Bali for the Gili Islands
2) Check into a resort and party for 2 days, since resorts are allowed to have restaurants / pools / nightclubs open.
3) Find a friend who owns a big chunk of land and throw a bbq party.
4) Lock yourself in your house with an attractive partner.
My previous attempts at the above met with mixed success. In 2003 I was too dumb to organize any of the above and ended up in my house alone. 2004 I went riding around Lombok for 4 days and 2005 I was in my house with Ika, Awang and Ningrum, which was okay since we bbq’d.
If I was still a single guy I’d prefer options 1 & 4, but this year will try for option 2. The good thing about that is I will have internet access, Ika and Jevon can go to the swimming pool and maybe I can workout. A large bottle of rum will make the whole thing complete and I will get inside info on what a resort type atmosphere is like.