Desperate Hotel Wife

As soon as the rumors that the mob had left, J came home, soaked in sweat, and told me to go into the hotel. As he related to me how close the mob was to come into our hotel, I thought we would be rowing a boat and be on our way to Singapore, the nearest civilized country. I grabbed our passports, and whatever money we had, and my toothbrush. It was like jumping off Titanic.

All security guards were stationed at the hotel entrance with crates of beer, ready to deter any disturbances and to appease any intruders already high on alcohol. No staff could go home since the roads were blocked. I was checked into a hotel room with the wife of our new chef, who only arrived in Bali 10 days ago, while our husbands were running around trying to provide uninterrupted service to the guests and calm the suspicion.

But the damage was done.

Guests who just landed were stuck in the airport because the main road was blocked. Some guests on shopping trips had to walk 5 hours from the other side of the island just to come back. Other guests didn’t return to the hotel at all, either they checked in another hotel near where they were at the time or slept on the streets.

The military or the police didn’t show up to help the general public. Why would they? Their commander in chief, a contender for the Presidential seat, dropped out of the presidential race only days before.

Up to 100 staff had to work double shift because the staff who were supposed to come for evening duty couldn’t come. At the end of the evening, these staff slept on cots in the ballroom and got up the next morning to continue another day in paradise.

Judging from the organization of the riot, the mob was definitely directed by someone in the background. All the destroyed properties were either owned by the government, or by the ousted president Suharto and his family, or sadly, the Australians because of East Timor problem.

Luckily our hotel was owned by a private investor. But whatever happened, life went on. The day after the riot was a beautiful sunny day. Tourists continued to enjoy paradise. It was impossible to think that the night before Bali came to the brink of anarchy. And no one would or could have helped.

I experienced a piece of history and I was truly disappointed by the apparent peace-loving Balinese people. No one could imagine what would have happened if Megawati lost the election. Then I guess I would be writing about how we were rowing a boat, heading towards Singapore.

Soon after this infamous chapter in the modern Balinese history, J and I left Bali, much to the surprise of many friends and family.  They thought it was unthinkable for us to want to leave paradise.  If they only knew how close we came to evacuation in the supposed idyllic heaven on earth.

End

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