For the children

I have always loved children and been amazed at how well behaved and happy, yet very cheeky, kids are in Bali and Thailand; especially given how poor they often are. I do not know why I get on so well with children but I do, maybe it is the big kid in me. Now I have two beautiful children of my own, I can appreciate even more the fact kiddies in Bali and Thailand are so lovely, understanding and knowing more about the problems of their everyday lives as I believe I now do.


My wife Suci with our two children Andrew (climbing) and Francheska (rocking); this is a park just 7 minutes drive from our house.

Years ago when I first travelled to Bali to do walkabout, I went out of the main tourist areas and got to know a few Balinese; going to ceremonies and even their houses. Travelling to places in Bali which then had absolutely no information in either the guide books or forums of that day (there is still scant information now), I got to see another side of Bali that most tourists never see. I think that tourists generally see the better off and too often sterilized, manicured version of Bali, Thailand too.

In later years I did the same thing in Thailand, I would go to remote areas and go look for the sake of seeing what was fast disappearing, and to experience something real and unique. In Thailand for example I went to a small town called Tha Ton and hired a guide to go to a hill tribe village on the Burmese border. We had to walk a lot of the way; this was not a hill tribe village "served" by mini-buses. I found out that electricity had only been brought in a few days before and that there were only two houses then each with a light bulb; although another man proudly boasted his light bulb would be working soon.

In both remote Bali (yes it does exist; I suggest you take a look along the north coast road between Seminyak and Tulamben, the coastal road between Amed and Amlapura, and the mountain road from Medewi Beach to Seririt going through a tiny village called Papuan) and Thailand, I can tell you the kids have nothing. I remember with great fondness and retrospect watching the local kids whoop with excitement and play with nothing but an empty water bottle on the beach in Pemuteran while foreign children at the hotels watched on with blank expressions eating ice creams.

Once I went to a remote school in Bali and was amazed at how little they had; they had to share what pencils they had. I thereafter made a point of always taking tons of pencils with me on my trips, plus a few candies and items with images or messages of other countries; believe me, a pencil with “Australia” and a kangaroo on it is worth so much more. I would then take the time to visit a local school or village and handing them out.

I hope others will take the time and trouble, which it is not once you reap the benefit of watching these little kiddies’ faces, of doing the same thing. Of leaving the sterile tourist areas and comfort zone environment, of going out and seeing the realities of the real people of their chosen holiday destination. Be cautioned though, the merciless as would be expected are there to rob you of these things as well. Trusting your driver or a hotel worker to take them to the needy kids of a poor area is generally not going to see your wishes fulfilled or reward you with the experience of doing it yourself. I hate to say this, but there are even terrible teachers, too many, who will take the pencils from you and then sell them to the kids. I only found this part out from my wife, who is Balinese, as she recounted her school life to me; it would bloody scare and shock you. No, you have to give the items to the children themselves to make sure they get to where you intended, and you will, I promise, as a result enjoy the best day you have ever had on holiday, ever.



The people of Tha Ton village in the village leader's house with one of the two light bulbs that worked. BTW I defaced my own picture because the Balinese police are after a more recent / colour photo of me to give to Jack Daniels of Bali Discovery Tours, who I understand wants me murdered still to this day (Nasty Bali); tough luck Jack!