1 day to go...

On the last day of my 49th year, I had a full program, making a tour of real estate around Ubud during daytime, and visiting a temple in the evening.

The tour was interesting. I explored six pieces of land that the real estate agent thought would interest me, out of the 200 plus in his portfolio. All sites we visited were in a radius of 20-30 min travel time from Ubud. Most were rice field plots for conversion to residential land. One plot stood out from the others, being an unused sloping patch of land overlooking a picturesque river valley at 20 minutes drive from Ubud.

Ramon, the agent, is a 60-year old Australian German who decided long ago that there is more to the world than Germany. After sojourns in the Caribbean, central America, and 20 years in Australia, he landed in Bali at age 56. Turning 50 is nothing, he emphasized, explaining that life has so much more to offer after that age, as he was experiencing every day.

I visited Samuan Tiga Pura this evening. The largest temple in this part of Bali is unique in its devotion to a single supreme being, a fusion of all gods. Yesterday, Kusia Gallery owner Marjaya had asked Agung, one of his friends, to accompany me and make the preparations (appointment with the priest, bringing flowers and incense). In Bali these things are done with a community spirit and Agung had taken his cousin along to help.

Gusti Mangku Ageng, the priest, chanted rites and gave blessings to the mini congregation. He explained that 50 is regarded in Bali as a golden age, and suggested that I could expect more luck and wealth in the years to come. He then humored me that he was my senior by only 7 years, yet that he looked much older.

The clock has now passed midnight, and my birthday has begun! I will take a good rest now and rise up early to enjoy a great day.

Photographs: Land overlooking a forested valley with rice terraces in the background (top); with Gusti Mangku Ageng the priest, center, and Agung, right, in Samuan Tiga Pura temple (bottom).