Bali Expat Forum - Bali Travel Forum

Thanks for the invite Richard. As it was, we had our pembantu, driver and all three boys with us, so it was tough to do much of anything else except the ceremony for Helen.

If you are headed to Ubud in the future, drop me a line and let's get together!

Ok will do but don't get down that way often

I have read Roy's post about the Helen Flavel Foundation's big day to celebrate our 1st anniversary. Roy wrote that he hoped I would write a report. This was taken from the "online diary" of our Website.

February trip to Bali

Monday, March 07, 2005

February trip to Bali
Home again after 17 days in Bali, this was indeed a trip to remember. The team decided we should have a party to celebrate the 1st year of the Helen Flavel Foundation. We arranged for all the children on our books to be invited. Also 1 parent/guardian, the Principals from 30 schools, 1 Hospitality College and 1 Higher Learning College. On paper this seemed like a normal party to organize, I wasn't at all prepared for the emotional roller coaster ride I was about to take.

I was totally overwhelmed by the sight of 154 children with big smiles, lined up to meet us, as we walked into the school grounds. I must have looked a sight, smiling like I had just won the lottery, yet not being able to stop the tears from rolling down my face at the same time.

Thank you to all the sponsors for making this dream a reality. It's only through your kindness that these children have been given a chance to get an education and hopefully a better life.

The party went for 4 hours and consisted of a few welcoming speeches, Balinese dancing from the young girls, loads of games and much fun. Finishing off by sharing lunch together and then the children went home with lollies, balloons and an exercise book each. All the principals spoke to me with glowing reports about how well the children are doing at school. The children are told they have been given a "scholarship"which fills the student confidence and much pride.
They all throw themselves into getting the best grades they can.

The house that we pulled down before it collapsed, has been rebuilt. This is home to a 84 year old woman, her 40 year old widowed daughter and her 10 year old grandson. The home looks so good, for the first time in their lives, they actually have a toilet, bathroom and a kitchen area. They have planted many Marigold shrubs which are in full bloom, these flowers are picked and then made into little offerings and sold to the people from the village. This family can make enough money to buy a little more food.

I visited the Rehabilitation Centre for the Bali Society for the Protection of Animals and I was amazed at all the new kennels and the improvements made to the place. Congratulations to Luca and Meita for all their hard work and funds they have invested in the place. Over the years I have seen a great improvement in the health of the Bali dogs, but I wasn't prepared for the sight of 8 Doberman's though. These dogs all around 18 months old, were breed by an expat who found that his dogs were all sick with parasites. On finding this out he decided to have them all killed. Luckily he took them to the vet that cares for the Rehab Centre and their lives were saved. They are so affectionate and now in great condition, 2 have already been placed with new loving families. All the dogs have beautiful natures and really good with children. Their new families and the homes offered are checked out before the dogs are allowed to leave the shelter.I hope to be able to add some photos to this site later. When I find out how to do it:-)


We visited Wana Sraya, the aged care home we care for. We found everyone in high spirits and full of news. It seems that some kind hearted tourists are now making a special visit during their stay in Bali, to help with money and goods. It's wonderful to see the difference this kindness is making to these elderly people. One group even bought the home a new washing machine. I took donations to the home from "The Indians Volleyball Club" in Victoria and the Lions Club of Balnarring Hastings Victoria. This money was used to buy drying racks, bedside tables, chairs and much need hand rails for the bathrooms.

If you have any questions you would like answered please email me helen@flavel.com.au

A CHRISTMAS DAY I WILL NEVER FORGET 2004
I hadnt been asleep that night , after a long walk back from Double Six along the beach I stopped and chatted with a guy from Jakarta , he was on Holiday with a group of young friends and only too happy to chat about life.......Well back to the Hotel in Poppies 1, it must have been about 8:30am... to bed or breakfast.....was leaning towards bed but for some reason decided breakfast was the go..If was a great morning as usual, sitting at the breakfast tables were a couple with there small child, another guy, and myself......What was that?, there were some muffled noises from the pool area which was out of sight, everyone glanced across in that direction at the same time. There was a old Balineese lady sitting weaving some baskets smiling, just kids playing the other guy said......I stood up....then..

Don't you just hate that when at the part when your on the edge of your seat & the story stop's ???

My nice warm fuzzy is last year I decided to go to sponser a child in need so of to the Salvo's .Well there are so many children in need of love & ect ... you no what they need .
It was hard but I decided to only sponcer 1 at a time so I can spoil them like I do my own .
I choise Dewi she is 8 last may so for her big day I sent a percel to my other girl ( she 23 now ) gave her present's .
Made ( the 23 yr old ) took the parcel to her it wasn't much books pencels & a dress from us & a cake from made ,well Dewi cryed , you see she has never had a birthday befor .
It took so little to give so much

Christmas Day 2004 ...cont....
I ran towards the pool area, as I rounded the corner I could see there were 2 girls in the pool, the closest girl was holding her breath ,fully under water and struggling to reach the top for air, I ran past her to reach the other girl at the far end, i could see she was fully underwater motionless, I reached over ,dragging her in over the side, as she hit the side wall she vomited all the water she has swallowed she started to cry and the tears flowed , as I looked back for the other girl I could she had been pulled from the water by the other two guys from the breakfast area, luckily they had followed.
Both girls were in there 20s from Jakarta and were there with there mum and auntie. they couldnt swim and didnt relise the pool was to deep.
They were both ok and wanted to go out to the disco that night.
I couldnt hold my cup of tea back at the breakfast table my hand was till shaking..
Well Id had enough of Kuta so I booked out an hour later and went to Ubud to relax for a few days.
On returning a few day later to the same Hotel the Girls had left me a postcard with a thankyou note.
They even rang from jakarta to thank me again.
It was the Best Christmas day Ive ever had.

Well, today couldn't get much worse starting from leaving late to Denpasar, to finishing dinner with friends/guests and then the car not starting....All the while in the middle things happening like: nefarious boatmen in the next tourist town holding divers "hostage" for more money that they are trying to extort, trying to get a lawyer to sign a receipt for the return of MY papers, and his losing his temper atme in the notary's, and finally, with everything going on, and alternate boats being arranged for these diveguests, people in the shop show me a surat panggilan saying to me oh the olice want to interrogate you!

well, I ask: what is the charge? There are no charges on this paper, and I am busy on the day they want me! But: in reality I know it is my former "loving" family who have not filed official charges against me, because they know I could easily file countercharges of harrassment, yet they are jealous there are diveguests, that they didnt get millions of rupiah from me, and essentially: they are using the police as their horses (no disrespect to horses), but I suppose at a price.

So, what to do? Interrogation they say? This to a former interrogator...and for what? Lawyer? Why? I havent done anything wrong. And my current opinion of lawyers really isnt so great, anyway.

The police have already stated they would like to enter my email, hack it, if you will, if they were smart enough. But it doesnt work like that. And a Friendly said do not do ANYTHING unless you get a Surat TUGAS and this is only a Panggilan...

And all because my former lover has a dutch daughter in law who has a mosquito ridden losmen that seems to nab unsuspecting tourists off the web-3 rooms in all, which she thinks is the Marriott of this dorf. And she thinks that paying the police will solve her problems and of course my former man who seems to be aching ovr the fact that I now witness all his chasing of women and his drinking, when honestly I don't care, nor do I pay much attention....Yeah what else is new.

So, being a former interrogator I shall do what is done: keep them off balance by going in ahead of time, and taking the bull by the horns so to speak.

These good Kapolsek guys have already established I am legal, and all is well, but the good family of M--- just feel that harrassment is the only weapon in business, and thus I am to be interrogated. WOOOOO.

This vignette should really be under the topic News Getting more and more disturbing....Or perhaps I need to start a blog in order to reassure my international friends that I am still alive, and they havent gotten me.

I lost my virginity in Bali. That's all I can say.

25 days more í´ll be there, i´m home. And of course i´ll be meet you Oom Roy and Bu Eri in Ubud... and maybe the others? So i´ll have my real stories: "Real people from Balipod"

Milan wrote:

I lost my virginity in Bali. That's all I can say.

Then it must be a special place for you!

I lost mine in Victoria Park, Canning Hwy (Western Australia); where I was living while attending Canning College.

I think this is a milestone most men in their lives cherrish forever (and most women would rather forget )..

Ct

That goes without saying, Balilife.