It is always tempting to consider oneself the centre of the universe, or at least in charge of one’s own life and decisions. However, it may be a bit delusional when living in Bali. At regular intervals, for example, the powers that be make a major decision for me; that I’ve got the time, money and enthusiasm to make an overseas trip, before a non-negotiable date. It’s affectionately called a “visa run”.
Invariably, I have to leave when I’m busy with something interesting, or too broke or jaded to relish the thought of a shopping spree or holiday.
But then there’s re-framing, a concept from the personal development industry, the self-esteem maker crowd. The idea is that you take an idea you don’t like, and re-jig it so it sounds more appealing and keeps you feeling in control. For example, a truck could lose its brakes and head straight into through the wall into your living room. “Ah”, you’d say, “that will save me a lot of my renovation costs!” That’s re-framing.
So in this spirit I’ve decided to look at the whole Bali visa exodus caper as a perfect excuse for going to an international festival. There are so many in this region, so as long as an Indonesian embassy or consulate is nearby, why not make the most of it? With a bit of planning, I could wander the region indefinitely, trying out new festivals and visiting favourites, and coincidentally getting my new visa plonked into the old passport, as if were a relatively unimportant part of the trip. Each sojourn something to look forward to, and much less expensive because I’ll get clever and book cheap advance tickets.
Since this is a fairly flippant look at the subject, please don’t expect either precision or completeness, as there will be many festivals I miss. So, if you decide to follow my lead, double-check dates and locations. Also, don’t be a dill and time your exit badly, missing out on the fabulous festivals here in Bali. If you like reading or music, you’d have to be a drop kick to miss the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival (October) or the Bali Spirit Festival of Yoga Dance and Music (April/ May), even if you don’t make it to Java Jazz.
Start by looking around the region, using your own hobbies and passions as a guide. Get creative. If you don’t know how to work the internet – shame on you – pay a 15 year old kid with reasonable English to come to the internet café with you. You could take the map of Asia, with Bali at the centre, then draw concentric circles with 3, 4 or 6 hours flying time. It is up to you.
For example, there are festivals celebrating kites, writers, world music (including two Womads), country music, jazz, Shakespeare, ice sculpture, indigenous music, huge multi-genre arts events, culinary feasts, comedy, water sports, choirs, magic, interdenominational religious events, wine vintages and gay mardi gras, many of them only one direct flight away … are you getting it yet? If you are interested in puppets, there’ll be a festival. Or medieval music. Yep, you guessed it, there’s a festival. Some ask why to bother with a festival, instead of just picking up bits and pieces as they come one’s way. Those who ask usually haven’t taken the opportunity to go to many. And a great festival is always more than the sum of its parts.
Internationally renowned festival director Jun-Lin Yeoh, who directed the first ten years of Malaysia’s famous Rainforest World Music Festival (Kuching, July) says festivals “stand as a beckoning beacon”. Jun-Lin is now responsible for two Malaysian festivals - Penang Music and Genting Highlands - and consults on festivals around the world. She says the Australasian region is particularly blessed with its range of festivals, and the strength and talent in those on offer.
A graduate of London’s Royal College of Music, it’s not surprising that music festivals are her favourite. “Musical festivals come across stronger than individual events because of the variety of bands they offer. And it just creates such a community feel because of the mingling and movement and blurred boundaries between stage and ground.
“I love it because as a participant you get swept up in a big movement and are able to take part at a more intimate level. “Each festival evolves with a different character. The Penang festival has the laid back charm and genuine love and hunger in the audience for exotic but good music, whereas Java Jazz is so encompassing and it understands the spirit of the music that it is promoting,” she said.
In Australia there are great music and Arts festivals close to Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Darwin, with direct flights to all cities and either an embassy, a consulate or a really good fast return postal service to sort out the new visa. Then there’s Singapore and Thailand, with a wealth of brilliant events. Even Japan (ice sculpture festivals) and China, but that’s a few more hours flight.Check out Tiger, Air Asia, Garuda, Jet Star, Qantas, Virgin Blue; have I forgotten anyone?
The point is to fly directly to a city in a nearby country, quickly take action to get your visa happening as soon as you arrive, go to some kind of festival and have three to five days of glorious fun, with entertainment, new friends and probably some totally delicious new food to try. You’ll see culture, art and entertainment from parts of the world you’d never heard of before, and be witness to the very best in several different fields.
Word of warning: don’t be complacent, just because you could get a flight in a certain direction last year. The whole idea for this article came after five wonderful days at the 2008 Kuching festival. Air Asia had just started the route, with little advertising and ridiculously cheap fares. Kuching has a great consulate with some of the friendliest and most helpful officials I’ve ever met, Indonesian or otherwise. I even wrote an email to the boss of Air Asia – recently named the most Innovative CEO in the world – to congratulate him and say I’d like to help by writing articles about Kuching in Bali, and Bali in Kuching. Never got a reply, but the same afternoon I heard they were cancelling the route. Go figure. Not so innovative, after all. Anyway, check first. A direct 2 hour flight is much more appealing than Bali to Jakarta to KL to Kuching, and it may start up again. I hope so. Sigh. I loved that festival.
Wherever you go, a city it at its friendliest best when a festival is on. It’s party time and you are the guest. I grew up in South Australia, known as ‘the Festival State’ for many reasons, including the Adelaide Festival of Arts (held every second year), the Barossa Valley Vintage Festival, Womad, the McLaren Vale Bushing Festival, and a magical Jazz Under the Stars in the remote north of the state.
As a teacher I took students to as many festival events as possible, with a free teacher pass! When I moved into my own business, I made a pledge to myself to blank out the calendar every second March for the Festival of Arts and Adelaide Fringe. Took two weeks off and tried to go to everything, but to be truthful I didn’t even scratch the surface. It is very, very hard in your hometown, too many distractions; by the third festival, my business was doing too well and I got stuck with client meetings. Big mistake. When do you sleep, with early morning meetings, events all day and evening, and late night comedy shows? By the fourth festival I had a family; I still went to things, but not enough, not everything.
As I write this, I’m salivating at the thought of opening the program booklet for the next Adelaide festival. Each Festival brings world class acts of all descriptions, while its “Fringe” finds great local and international newcomers. There’s all the comedy, and the new interpretations of old theatre masters, and I’m a Shakespeare nut, and I love indigenous music from anywhere, and the Writers’ tent, and ahhhh. The Adelaide Fringe has the Speigeltent, one of the very last of a series of amazing pre-first world war cabaret venues; an art deco, wood and stain-glass panelled circular, enormous tent, in which absolutely anything, and I mean anything can happen. Where did that naked lady hide the bright red silk scarf? How can a bathtub full of ice and a man on a circus rope from the ceiling create one of the most exotic, erotic performances ever? And the busking on the lawn out the front is free and magical from 6 till after midnight every night. And the street parades. Go. Go. Go! Adelaide has no embassy; express post your passport and visa application the day you arrive; it will be back in five working days).
Or try Darwin’s Music Festival, or Melbourne’s Comedy Festival. Darwin’s festival is pretty good. No actually, it’s sensational. I love Darwin, though I only met her four years ago. For Bali residents, she’s a well-kept secret, less than two and a half hours away, with friendly people, similar climate. And a really efficient Indonesian consulate with a 48-hour turn around (last year, double check please). No queues, everywhere is 20 minutes away with no rush hour, glorious beaches and spectacular sunsets.
The festival has a character uniquely Australian and Darwinian. The opening night is a huge free indigenous concert on the main promenade. Well policed and alcohol-free, it sets the relaxed and friendly tone and the standard for outstanding acts from the Top End and other parts of Australia.
If you haven’t been to “outback” Australia, this is the perfect way to start. There will be no rain – it is August – so the weather is perfect, with warm evenings for many outdoor events, the balmy, exotic atmosphere of the festival sound shell and open air restaurant, and indigenous painting exhibitions simply tacked onto trees in the botanic gardens. It’s wild.
Once you’ve chosen your destination, just take off and enjoy yourself. A good festival will take you to a whole new zone; you’ll relax, feel 15 years younger and want to stay with your new friends forever. Then back to reality. Don’t forget. You have to go back to the Indonesian embassy - or pick up your passport in whatever way you’ve organised - before you can hop back on your plane for Bali.
Yes, I know, I’m not completely deluded. Of course the whole thing is just as complex as a normal visa run, but it’s got to be far more FUN!
2009 FESTIVAL NEAREST CITY COUNTRY
Feb-March International Arts Festival Perth Australia
Feb-March Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Sydney Australia
March Womadelaide Adelaide Australia
April Genting Highlands Outdoor Music Festival Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
April Byron Bay Blues Festival Sydney Australia
May Genting Highlands Jazz Festival Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
May-June Arts Festival and Fringe Singapore Singapore
July Rainforest World Music Festival Kuching Malaysia
August Comedy Festival Melbourne Australia
August Byron Bay Writers Festival Sydney Australia
August Darwin Festival Australia
October Penang World Music Festival Penang Malaysia
November Genting Highlands Magic Festival Kuala Lumpur Malaysia
December Bangkok Jazz Festival Bangkok Thailand
2010 FESTIVAL NEAREST CITY COUNTRY
Feb-March Sapporo Ice Sculpture Festival Hokkaido Japan
March Adelaide Festival of Arts Adelaide Australia
