Introduction to a hopeful Ubudian

[Norm]

Hi all,

I have been reading your forum for a few weeks now and really enjoy some of the "debates" and the interesting and varied content. So if you don't mind I wouldn't mind joining in; Bert said it would be OK :wink:

I am a soon to be retired English born Australian with a close attachment to Indonesia, well parts of it anyway. One of my daughters did Honours at Gajah Mada Uni in Yogya; married a guy from NTT, and I now have two half Indo grandsons and dozens of son-in-law relatives. I have visited Bali a few times as well as Java and West Timor.

Having had a rewarding and enjoyable life I decided I would like to do something for nothing, well almost nothing, so I registered with a volunteer organisation. You would not believe it but I have been recommended for an assignment based in Ubud. It has to be approved yet, but if it is I will regard myself as winning the lottery.

So with a bit of luck I might be living in Ubud from December; keep your fingers crossed for me.

I hope I will be able to pick your collective brains about a number of things over the coming days; no doubt Bert will tell me to check the archives and then delete me with his usual relish (That's it!); whilst Roy and Sanurian will take pot shots at each other from opposite ends of the spectrum with me in the middle. Just remember boys to take pity on me when you flame me - I am old enough to be at least your father; I may even be older than Jimbo :shock:

Before starting real posts let me confess to one of my multitude of failings - I am a balanced open-minded mediator of long standing - I never fail to annoy people because I am so reasonable all the time. At work people say they approach me with problems and leave with opportunities. Will that be a problem on the forum? :roll:

Can I ask my first question? I read somewhere that there are lots of people who will act as agents and rent out houses. Where do I find them? I have forum searched and Googled for ever with no result.

Thanks all

Norm

PS That's the name I was given at birth; I may not have chosen it but I see no point in hiding it.

 

[Bert Vierstra]

At work people say they approach me with problems and leave with opportunities. Will that be a problem on the forum?

No, thats an opportunity

Unfortunately (well, no but) I live in the North, and I don't know Ubud.

You can allways place an ad here: [brl:38vuqnk3]http://www.baliadvertising.net[/brl:38vuqnk3] or here: http://www.baliadvertiser.biz/

 

[drbruce]

Norm,

I just returned from taking a group of my students to Bali for a field trip. While we were down in ubud we saw plenty of places for rent. In my opinion, you'd do best by getting down there and having a look for yourself. Some of the places looked fairly basic, while a few we saw were quite plush. Good look with the hunting.

 

[Roy]

Hey Norm! Welcome to the forum! As the doc pointed out it will not be hard for you to find a place in the Ubud area.

I also agree with the doc’s advice to wait until you are in Ubud and have a look around. Certain areas around Ubud are more desirable than others and the range of properties available are varied. Ubud is a great place in Bali to be located. It is very central to most all the rest of Bali, and we enjoy an excellent climate year round. Good luck with your move here and I’m sure we’ll eventually meet at Naughty Nuri’s Warung.

 

[Norm]

Thanks Bert, Doc and Roy for your reassuring early advice.

So the plan may well be that my host organisation lines up temporary "digs" for me; I then find a house and 'She Who Must be Obeyed' joins me in January.

Roy thanks for message and being a local could you advise about the availability of something like a furnished 2 bedroom house within walking distance of Jl Bisma/ Jl Raya; hot and cold water; western toilet; shower; A/cond pref; small garden pref. Indication of reasonable location and cost would be appreciated if possible.

BTW Roy I have been to Naughty Nuri's once and there were a handful of 'highly motivated and highly amusing' ex-pat males there; you were missing, must have been your recovery night! Also, as a memory tester, our paths have crossed before in hyperspace on some other forum - and we did not come to blows; no-one ever does with me, I must be such a boring old fart!

Second question: whilst expat males are getting 'highly motivated' at Nuri's what do the ex-pat wives do?

Thank you all.

 

[Roy]

Norm, I’m an art and antiques dealer. I find real estate rather boring, unless it is a gem, like my friend’s house illustrated on the cover of the book, BALI STYLE. That’s not real estate. That is art. If the owner ever asked me to help him sell it, I’d be all over it like flies on a fresh steaming turd.

To be honest, I don’t go out to Nuri’s or anywhere else all that much these days. I am happy being home with my Balinese wife and our three boys. I see most of my closest mates either at their home or at our home. Nuri’s however, still maintains itself as a bastion of expats, and a great place to meet many expats with hearts of gold, and a willingness to share their lessons, often learned the hard way.

Sorry, but I don’t recall our previous “cyber introduction.” I hope at that time I was polite, but the chances are better that I wasn’t. Sorry, but my nature is to be more like the scorpion who hitched a ride on the back of a frog across the river.

I doubt you are a “boring old fart.” Your posts have already made that clear to me anyway.

As for what our wives do when we “get down and nasty” at Nuri’s...well some stay at home, and others sit in the sidelines, having their own fun with the other wives. Bali is a matriarchal society. Us guys think we are calling the shots, but in reality, we are only led to believe that. If you ask me, I love it!

 

[Norm]

Sadly I have to advise that my hoped for move to Ubud did not eventuate; not yet anyway. Ah well there are still a couple of years ahead of me, I hope.

Thanks to those of you who responded to my questions.

I have enjoyed participating in this forum and may well continue to do so, albeit with somewhat diminuished personal involvement.

 

[Adele]

Sorry to hear your hopes fell through, you sound so dissapointed. How bout making the move anyway?

 

[Norm]

Thanks Adele for your comment and sympathy. Truth of the matter is that I was offered the assignment but felt unable to accept for two reasons. Since so advising the agency they have now come back with a counter proposal; so we will see what we will see.