Human Gridlock & The Death Trap
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Ubud,
Indonesia
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Part A: Human Gridlock
Dammm... I don't think I've ever seen such a crush of people. I'm not even sure If I'll be able to get even a glimpse of the ceremony. I was caught in the mob going up Ubud Main Street. I realized I needed a sarong, and bought one from the first tout that approached me. She wrapped it around me elaborately. I asked, "how much?". She said "100, 000 Rupiah". I say no, 50,000. She says no so I start to unwrap the sarong. She says "no no no, Lady, how much, 80,000, okay?", I say no and continue taking it off. She asks again, how much. I say 50,000, and she agrees. (I should've said 30,000). I don't think anyone in that mob was actually going anywhere, just hoping that there'd me more space somewhere up ahead. Not possible. I ducked into an alley and satiated my tea addiction. Even on this tiny road there is an unending stream of motorbikes and people going by, to where I don't know, there is NO space up there.
My Toronto life is gradually starting to come together. It looks like I'll be coaching at both Toronto Synchro and the U of T Varsity team. Hurrah! I get an AC membership out of the varsity coaching :). I sincerely hope that I can find a job that can accomodate coaching 2 teams AND teacher's college. Doesn't that sound busy already? Sweeet. I'm very nervous about choreographing again, it has never been my strength, and I've been overseas for two years! I'm especially nervous about the Varsity team. However I am seriously excited to see the synchro crew again, aswell as some of my former coachlings! There are rumors about going back to work at Superior. It'd be nice to be there, however I don't know who's working there anymore, and some of my friends have left there... John now works for the LCBO. John get me a job!
Aaron is currently sorting out his VISA's for Vietnam and China... not the most user-friendly countries. Let's pray that all goes well!
Part 2: The Death Trap
After drinking tea and jotting down the above in my notebook, I took off back into the chaos again. Except it quickly escalated to a level of madness that I was totally unprepared for. Everywhere along the road was packed... I'm talking crowds on top of roofs. I finally found a place to stand on a sidewalk that was about 2 or 3 feet deep, with a high wall behind it. After waiting in the sun for an hour the bull finally came... and yes there were easily 200+ people underneath it (it's set on a huge bamboo lattice work). There are musicians in front and behind who are very joyfully playing, increasing the tempo of the music to a frenzy everytime before they picked it up. Remember this thing is bigger than a house. I was standing on a small downward slope, so when they came with the bull they all started running because they couldn't control it on the slope. Imagine having that thing RACING towards you! There was only about a half a foot between me and them, and nowhere to go (remember, wall). Anyways right behind the bull comes the first tower... MUCH taller with a much wider lattice work. This thing was taking out trees left and right. So here it comes barelling down the hill at us, and everyone starts running... I mean like thousands of people running, and screaming. Everyone had realized at once that the thing was too wide for the street, and since there was that wall behind us, there was nowhere to run but forwards. So, I ran. The thing got faster as it came down the hill, but they managed to stop it and put it down for a rest. Thousands of people scream and cheer. I realize that I am now between the Bull and the Tower. The road has become a sort of human guantlet. There is no way out. The people are packed in along the road and no one can move in any direction. So I have no choice but to continue on in the midst of this chaotic deadly parade. The Bull and the Tower never move at the same time or the same pace, it's a crazy guessing game trying to stay in a safe place between the two. Everytime the Tower starts to move everyone caught in the middle - tourists, Balinese, police, musicians- starts to run, but stops as we come up against the Bull. Finally the Bull turns a corner and goes up the street towards the cemetary. Turning the corner was so dangerous I don't even remember it happening. I remember people screaming and pushing. I sense a break in the action so I tried to go back up the road the way I'd came. However, here comes the Tower. Things get busy fast. There are loads of police around pushing people to safety. By this I mean they are literally screaming and pushing hundreds of people against each other as fast as they can. Here comes the Tower. I discover I am standing against a fire truck. The firefighters use their fire hoses to unleash a huge stream of water on the people carrying the tower and anyone near by. I cover Fancy Snaps (the expensive camera) with my body and throw myself against a policeman. Keep in mind this all happens in less than one demented minute. The Tower safely turns the corner, taking out several pedestrians, and enters the nearby cemetary. I think that this means that if I get past the cemetary I will be able to get out. Because that's really what I want now. So on I go. Just past the entrance to the cemetary was the worst mob I have ever seen in my life. Thousands of people crushing against each other trying to get out. But there is no way out. Children are freaking out and parents are trying to save them, cause if they get underfoot, they're done. I learn that I no longer have any control over my own being, I am simply carried right off my feet by the mob wherever it goes. It goes nowhere. I am tossed around like a beanbag. I tell myself "Tara, relax, this is what Rick always meant by mob mentality, keep a cool head". I felt my medically inexplicable low pulse, which always calms me down. And I let the mob carry me. Rows of motorcycles were toppled over and people were carried right over them, or with them. A few tourists (probably Americans!) did NOT keep their cool, and freaked out and started screaming and yelling at people, really like they were possessed. I felt the worst for the children and babies. The mob carried me, and deposited me, on some strange street. Even that was packed, with motorcycles parked four abreast and cars simply abandoned. People had to walk single file, but at least we were walking now. It takes me nearly an hour to get back to the hotel and this nearby internet cafe. The second portion of this entry was the most deadly hour of my life. I can't even count the number of times I was nearly crushed to death. I am NOT exaggerating... but I got some really good pictures :)
