Robin Bower's Blog, page 4

Winding down

As we approach the end of our calendar year, the mood brightens, and I don’t know about you, but my work winds down. I don’t have to get people on planes, or build their swimming pools in time for Christmas, or work long hours so others can enjoy dinners and happy hours and cocktail parties. Even if we are still busy at work getting things done before that magical date, holiday fever grips us even if we’re not going on holiday.  Personally I avoid school holidays when I can travel within dates that do not overcapitalise my brain and my budget. The popular times, like most things in demand, have the highest price tag; when resources are readily available, they are always at a lower price. A buyer’s market, they call it.

So how do we make something precious if it is always available, something like editing? It is not a finite resource; it’s not nickel or gold or diamonds. But of course, time is precious and not always available. Our time is valuable so it’s important to put a price on a service that justifies our talents, expertise and experience. It’s human nature to value more highly items with a higher price tag than those supposedly ‘cheap’ items. Don’t give in and lower your standards and your prices, just to get the job or you will always be settling for less. Above all else, value yourself, your achievements and your talents. If you don’t, no one else will.
For more about quoting, check out ‘Understanding quotes and rates’ on our website at http://editorswa.com/?page_id=82.

Tell me about Bali...

Many people ask me about where to go and what to do in Bali. So here's my fact sheet on some of the things I love about the place. I recommend you get the current Lonely Planet guide too. Dollar amounts are US dollars as it's easier to divide 10,000 Rp by 10 to get US$1!Taxis around South Bali
We always use Nyoman Murka to drive us around (Mob 081 2397 7369, office 0361 771 661, 773030). We pay him about 70,000 Rp per hour (8-hour day is about 450-500,000 Rp). He will take you anywhere for the whole day and wait so you can keep your parcels in the car while you're shopping, swimming, drinking, eating etc. He is very honest and nice. If you need to get a taxi randomly sometime, always get the metered taxis and pay what’s on the meter (the Bluebird taxis are best). If you get the other taxis which are mostly big four-wheel drives, you will have to negotiate every time which can be a pain. If you have Nyoman for the whole day, it is customary to give him about 30,000 for his lunch on top of the cost of the driving. Try to avoid transport from about 3-5 pm ish in the afternoons as the traffic jams are horrific!
Money
Best honest money changer in Bali is at the Bintang Supermarket in Seminyak. But there are ATMs everywhere. Some only dispense 50,000 Rp notes so check as you will need to get too many – 100,000 Rp notes are best to get from the ATM. Any Circle K has one. There are high bank fees for withdrawals so it is good to withdraw quite a lot and just keep the cash in your deposit box in your hotel/villa. You need to have a good amount of small bills on hand as a lot of the taxis pretend they don’t have change so you have to pay more than you expected. Bargaining
Look at bargaining as a game that is entertaining and keep your sense of humour. It can get a bit frustrating after a while, so try to keep your cool! There are some shops which just say they are fixed price so you have to get an idea where it is appropriate to bargain. Mostly prices are negotiable. A lot of shops take only cash so be prepared; the ones that take Visa are much more expensive and are often fixed price shops. The markets and shops along the road all bargain. Get the seller to give you their price first. Generally offer one-third to half the asking price. So if the seller asks for 60,000, offer 30,000 and work towards a mutually acceptable amount. If they won’t come down to the amount you want, just walk away. Often they will come back with a yes or a better offer. Once you have agreed on the amount, you are committed to the purchase and you must buy the goods.Phones
You can get a cheap mobile phone for about $40-50. Then you can just use phone cards. You can get them for 100,000 ($10) which lasts about a week depending on how much you use it, of course. It is a good idea to have a phone so that you can call your driver and get him to pick you up when you are out and about. Just go into a local shop with the phone sign out the front (Telkomsel or Wartel). The shopkeeper will set it all up for you and show you how to use it. You might have to go into Denpasar to get a cheap phone. There is a big electronics store in Denpasar about four levels high (Rimo) where you can buy anything electronic including phones and computers. Your driver will know where it is. InternetThere are loads of very cheap Internet cafes everywhere and free wifi is available at most restaurants if you are having a coffee/snack. Most hotels also have wifi but they may charge you for it so it’s best to go to an Internet café or other restaurant. The service can be slow so stay patient.
TippingIt’s quite nice to tip when you have received good service. About 20-30,000 (US$2-3) is sufficient.
ShoppingKuta is the place for cheap shopping.
Discovery Shopping Mall – a huge mallMatahari – good place for cheap stuff of all kinds – near Kuta Square. There are two but don’t go to the one that isn’t at Kuta SquareBali Galleria – ok but a bit expensiveSeminyak - great shopping but more expensive designer type stuffRestaurants, drinking, food and nightlifeSunset cocktails
Food is always reasonable but when you add anything alcoholic (other than beer), it gets much more expensive. Arak is the local wine which can be OK. Any other wine is imported and very expensive. Cocktails range from 40,000 up to 100,000 in some places – average is about 45,000 ($4.50). Some hotels and bars have two-for one-cocktails (Mandira in Legian is nice for sunset cocktails). You should get to a place for sunset cocktails around 5-5.30pm to see the sun go down. Other good places are Pantai (on Double Six in Seminyak). Upstairs overlooking the beach watching the crowd’s activities is great. Other good places for sunset drinks are:
Chez Gado Gado on the beach in SeminyakKu De Ta but the drinks are phenomenally expensive Cocoon - SeminyakSOS (Anantara) - SeminyakRosso Vivo - KutaSeminyak
Self-cateringBali Deli for gourmet (not very cheap) but delicious delicacies and everything you could want (think Herdsman market). Has a great bookshop next door called Periplus
Bintang Supermarket – good prices
Restaurants
La Lucciola – on the beach, great for breakfast overlooking the ocean ($8-14)The Living Room – a favourite, beautiful, romantic, old world feel (think Somerset Maugham), as if you are in someone’s dining room ($8-15)Ku De Ta – very trendy, hip and sophisticated right on the beach ($14-22)Hu’u – beautifully romantic, outdoor, trendy ($5-10)Sarong – a new Indian one I haven’t tried yet – expensiveBlossom – expensiveKafe Warisan - expensiveChez Gado Gado – on the beach ($8-14) Waroeng Bonita – Balinese food, on Friday nights they have a drag show – you have to book, starts at 9 pmZappaz – great atmosphere, you can eat here, drink here or watch the very good band, friendly local place – highly recommend a visit! Owned by a Brit named Norman. Cheap but good
Sate Bali Trattoria – Italian, great food and cheap (entrée, bread, pasta and glass of wine for about $8)UltimoCoffee shops
Lazumba – great coffee (apparently), open air Italian feel Corner Store – healthy, good vibe  Nightlife for young people
DeJaVuDouble Six ClubKuta
Poppies Restaurant – oldest in Bali – in Poppies lane – there are two, both are good.Kori Restaurant and Bar – lovely setting, great food – in Poppies laneBalcony – on a balcony above the hubbub belowNightlife for young people (loud head-banging music and rave dancing)Apache Reggae BarBounty – DJs music and lively funPaddy’sSky Garden lounge (more for young men – girls dancing on the bar)Hard Rock CafeJust walk down the main street of Kuta and along Kuta Beach – there are loads
Canggu Hotel Tugu, beautiful setting with a gallery, just have coffee and have a look. Very expensive for dinner
Echo Beach – Beach House on the beachActivities/toursWaterbom park – Kuta – for frolicking in a pool
Hard Rock Café Kuta swimming pool – fabulous for a few hours. Either try to sneak in and not pay (but be prepared to say you didn’t know and pay up) or pay 100,000 Rp and you get a towel and key to the locker where you can store your stuff. Great pool, sandy beach in the pool, cabanas – right on Kuta Beach
Jimbaran Bay – restaurants on the beach for seafood – quite nice watching the sunset but pretty expensive ($20-30). The restaurant you choose can organise a car to come and get you and bring you back included with the restaurant meal. You have to book. Don’t do it if it’s raining or cloudy Uluwatu temple – monkey temple on a cliff over the ocean – spectacular view, beware of monkeys
Ubud
You should go to Ubud for a few days. See the Kecak dance – traditional Balinese dance Visit the Monkey Forest – I don’t find it so interesting but others do just for the monkeys. Be careful you don’t get too close as they steal things! Just walking up and down Monkey Forest Road is interesting.Museum of Fine Arts is interesting for art as Ubud is known mainly for its artists and artwork. There are loads of art galleries and museums. I visited this one and it was excellent. Go to the Blanco Renaissance Museum – Antonio Blanco was an artist and his former palatial home is now the gallery – very interesting Komaneka art gallery is nice too Visit the Ubud market at the top of Monkey Forest Rd, great ambience and the fruit/vegetable market is interestingFor a massage, I went to the Nur Salon which was good and pretty cheap but there are loads of good ones Loads of walking tracks around Ubud You could do a Balinese cooking course at Casa Luna Stay at Pertiwi Resort in Monkey Forest Rd which is quite reasonable and nice, or Adi Cottages is very cheap and OK with a pool.There are loads of fabulous villas to choose from tooRestaurants
Have lunch at Indus restaurant - owned by Janet de Neefe, an Australian woman and her Balinese husband (they also own Casa Luna). Great food and not bad prices. Other restaurants that are good are Casa Luna, Café Lotus, Ary’s Warung, Lamak, Coffee and Silver, Tutmak Café, Mozaic, Dragonfly, Bumbu Bali, Café des Artistes. There are loads.
Go to Jazz Café for dinner and jazz if you stay for a few days. There is a bird park which is supposed to be quite good. There are silver shops and wood carving places that drivers will want to take you to. Most are just for tourists and can be quite expensive but you do know that the silver is good with good craftsmanship. You can get these at the market but probably not as good quality.Bali Safari and Marine Park near Gianyar is very good value. Costs about US$25-30 to get in but you can spend the whole day there. You drive in a van that takes you up close and personal with loads of African and Indian animals in relatively authentic settings. Driver recommendation for Ubud (I haven’t used him but he was recommended by someone else) His name in Nyoman Suastika. 'We spent a whole day with him, and he went way beyond what a driver normally does. He acted as a tour guide everywhere we went, walked through with us, explained all the history and culture, etc. He speaks excellent English, and has a deep knowledge of the history and the sites in the area. If you're looking to really learn about the culture, he's your man.'Nyoman Suastikamobile: 081 338 701962email: nyomansuastika@yahoo.comGilisThese are very cute islands – very unspoilt, beautiful crystal clear warm water and nice beaches, should stay for a few days. Trawangan is mostly for young people interested in diving, Meno and Air are much quieter for older people who like an easier pace. There are lots of restaurants on Trawangan, and many backpackers. It has a carefree atmosphere, no cars but there are cidomos (donkey and carts) which you can catch if you'd prefer not to walk or ride a bike.



Nusa Lembongan
The boat drops you on the beach and you either walk or hire a guy with a motorbike to take you around. No cars. Go to Mushroom Bay and Dream Beach. Or you can go on a cruise from Benoa that will give you a day trip of snorkelling island tours and a buffet lunch. Would be better to stay on this island for a couple of days, it has a nice vibe. Stay at Nusa Lembongan Bungalows, Bungalow number 7 or Oka Bungalow Number 7 – all are cheap and good with nice restaurants. Get one with a pool. Gorgeous views. Have dinner at Nusa Lembongan Resort – gorgeous but not cheap! Run by an Australian man. Further afieldCandidasa – good to stay for a couple of days. Hotel Ida was quite nice.
Amed – very quiet little village, lots of good snorkelling. Try Café Amed and stay for a couple of days. Lots of cute places to stay.Lovina – right in the north, black sand beachSingaraja – the ancient capital cityMunduk – right in the centre where the mountains are, lots of beautiful walking tours through jungle, old Dutch feel about it. Stay a couple of days and soak up the vibe. Lots of nice places to stay. I stayed at Meme Surung which was great and cheap – nice view over the valley Medewi – famous for surfing beaches mainlySpas/massagesSeminyak
Bodyworks – about 140,000 Rp for one hour (~$16)Chill – starting 80,000 Rp ($9)Cool – starting 90,000 Rp ($10)SukuJari Menari (expensive but very good – US$30 for an hour)Nusa DuaHomespa, Tanjung BenoaJari Menari
LaundryI would advise against getting your laundry done at the hotel. If you ask your driver to take you to a ‘local’ laundry, you can get your washing done for about $1 instead of $20 and it is still a very good service. There are loads around Seminyak.
HealthTake lots of DEET-based mosquito repellent and wear it everyday both during the day and at night. The non-scented, non-slippery one is best.
Take a medical kit containing some basic items. There are many chemists in and around Seminyak but it’s best to stock what you can. If you need it, there is a doctor in the main street of Seminyak – Jalan Oberoi.AlcoholBuy your limit of spirits at the airport in Perth before you go. Spirits and wine are very expensive; the Bintang beer is nice and very cheap.
What to take
Shorts/cargo pants with pockets Light dressesSleeveless topsComfortable but rugged/sturdy walking shoes with open toes (for coolness) that you don’t care if they get wet etcSunglasses/hat/sunscreenBathers/sarongsDaypack for walking around during the dayExtra bag for carrying extra stuff homeLots of mosquito repellentWet ones (for wiping face during the day)What NOT to take
Jeans Too much stuffHeavy hot clothesHeavy long pantsTowel Enjoy!

Travelling in Italy

I thought I'd share a few tips from our recent (May 2010) trip to Italy.

GeneralIf you're just going to Italy, don't get a Eurail passIf you have a Eurail pass, make sure you get it stamped at the train station, and dated the date you are leaving, before you get on the train (the inspector will nab you 80 euros if you haven't filled it in). If you can prebook your dates online, that will save you 100 euro for a travel agent to do itHave espresso standing at the bar - 1 euro compared to 4+ euros sitting at a tableAt 6-8 pm, most restaurants have a happy hour when you can order a drink and you get tapas and nibblies included - good value for 8 euros
VeniceGhost tour of Venice is good - get to see some out of the way places you can go back toVisit the Ghetto area and the synagoguesMurano glass factory is a waste of time unless you view it as a museum (but you can see everything they do in the shops anyway)Get a gondola ride at 12 noon when everyone else is at lunchDon't miss St Mark's Basilica even if the queue is longGo to Lido beach Get water taxis
Don't miss the Pisa cathedral (inside)
Florence
Don't miss the statue of David in his gallery (not the one in the piazza)Lots of Chinese ripoff handbags/jackets - look for doublestitching. Generally not at the markets unless you don't mind the lesser qualityDon't buy from the West Indian street vendors - you get the same stuff cheaper at the market stallsGo to mass at Il Duomo
RomeBook a Sistine Chapel tour in Rome - you get to see the brilliant museum next door with an art expert's commentary on the beautiful ceilingIf you want to see the Pope, go to St Peter's on a Wednesday morningIf you want to see inside St Peter's, don't go on a Wednesday morning, go another day and be prepared to wait a long timeDo a night tour on vespasGo to Trevi fountain at nightDo the open top bus tour around the cityDon't buy paintings in Piazza Navona (they are just painted over photographs) but if you like them, that's ok!Go to the Borghese gardens - it's a whole day, and ride on the cyclo thing - prebook if you want to see the Borghese gallery - always booked outColiseum - there's a new museum inside which is ok. A guide is very useful for 10 euros (you usually then don't have to wait in the queue as the guides get preferential treatment - a huge bonus!)
SorrentoLittle bus tour up the hill is quite fun (didn't go on the train but that's probably ok too)Caruso's for dinner is really nice (expensive but good)Try lemoncello
CapriIf you go to Capri, don't get the tour from the guy on the wharf. It's easy enough to get the public bus and you have more time to do what you wantDo go to the Alex Munthe museum at the top of Anacapri - buy his bookWalk around the back of the island to the cliffsSee the blue grottoTake the funicular railway (you have to if you're at the top of the hill anyway)Don't try to get money from a bank on Capri - never workStay overnight if you have time
Pompeii
Organise a tour for this as it is very expensive if you get someone to show you around at the gate. You can do it yourself with an audio headset too which is probably alright. Trouble is if you have a guide, they can only show you a tiny bit. You need at least two or three days to really see this
Amalfi CoastWe just did a bus tour around the coast but I think I'd stay a few days in Positano/Revello to get the best from it. Lovely little towns to while away a few hours inBuy some porcelain pots in Revello (just behind the church) - the biggest selection ever and not bad prices

Reading singlehanded

Even if Spring is only two weeks away, I still think of August as the dead of winter, hibernation time, time to contemplate, meditate and cogitate. The death of the fiscal year is a time when we are forced to look back on what we’ve done with our year, how much money we made, but particularly how much we spent (and what we can grab back from the government which so cruelly takes it from us). I’ve spent a bit of money on books this year, I’ll admit. However, I’ve also spent a very little money on other books, ie eBooks. I’ve cautiously paddled into the shallow end by getting books I can read on Kindle for iPhone (one of the books was The Sun Also Rises, which I found sexist, racist, kind of outdated – but very well written! Anyway, that’s another story…apologies to fans of Hemingway). It’s so easy. I can read in bed, it’s not heavy like a book and you only need one hand with an energetic thumb. It’s always with me (or I should say they are always with me – I can get about 28,000 free ones). If I have a few minutes to spare waiting for a friend or a meeting (but not at traffic lights), I can click in and read a few pages. Entertainment and knowledge is always at hand. This is strangely comforting. I like the fact that I can take 28,000 books away with me on holiday. I probably won’t even finish one, but it’s pleasing to know they are there, in the background, supporting me.


The Australian Society of Authors is currently working on the complexities of contracts for authors to include provision for eBooks. The ramifications also spread to editors whose work will only increase due to the dismissal of a large chunk of the production process, and the continuance of rigid content standards by respectable publishers. eBooks are our friends. Embrace them, give them a try. You just might like them!

Cleaning out the files

It’s the last day of the Easter weekend and I still haven’t got to the overflowing paper on my desk – you know, that space where everything gets put until we can think of a better place for it. So now is the time. As I’m going through the paperwork that defines my life, ideas erupt. There’s that article I want to write on Lombok from our last holiday (so keep that Lombok Guide I picked up in the Beach House restaurant in Gili Trawangan), the last edition of ASA journal’s great article on writing book reviews (I might write a book review on Parrot and Olivier in America) (NB must update my Goodreads entry), the Walkley magazine (keep - need to know what’s happening in the journalism world), don’t chuck out that Bali villa brochure (always looking for new places to stay), there’s my date schedule for this semester’s writing unit, my notes on branding my image from that seminar I went to last week (NB update my website with profile ideas), writing courses brochure (those writing courses I might consider doing… again), look into that cupcake stand and flowers and bomboniere (8 May is fast approaching), those clippings on Italy I need for the trip (NB think about new perspectives for travel articles), the contact list for that editing job I need to start, and don’t throw out the travel and review sections of the West and the Weekend Australian I haven’t read yet.


And there’s still the bougainvillea that’s been attacking the postman for the last week, plus the ever present danger of shorting the electrical cable. There’s a job for today. Or I could just continue reading about creating characters in Children’s Literature, or update my website, or write up my notes for my next story, or … enjoy a day off with fresh air and family...