Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Balifornia

“I was so upset over how things were going here, it was disturbing to my psyche.”

FaceTime photo of Jeannette Miller, poolside in Bali. Official CDC Covid figures for Indonesia are high, but actual tourist numbers on the island of Bali are low, so the Millers figure the risk is worth it to see their new grandson.
FaceTime photo of Jeannette Miller, poolside in Bali. Official CDC Covid figures for Indonesia are high, but actual tourist numbers on the island of Bali are low, so the Millers figure the risk is worth it to see their new grandson.

What does Gene Miller love most about life in Bali? “No one here gives a shit about what’s going on in America.”

The San Diegan’s speaking over FaceTime from Bali, Indonesia. On the little screen, you can see the dark woods of his son Mark’s leased house there, tropical leaves, intricate ceramics in the background, and Gene’s wife Jeannette in an orange swimsuit in the blue waters of the house pool.

Gene and Jeannette got the chance when their son, Mark, who made his fortune importing surfboards to the U.S., arrived in Bali on his cruising catamaran, which he had sailed from Australia. “He said come over any time,” says Gene. “And I was so upset over how things were going here, it was disturbing to my psyche. I stopped reading anything political. Now after two-three months over here, the continued divisiveness back home is tempting me to stay.”

Sponsored
Sponsored

Besides, he says, life in Bali is good for people like him and Jeannette. “No Americans to argue the last election with,” says Gene. “Only some Europeans, Australians, and a colony of Russians. But it is so civilized and cheap, people don’t want to leave.”

Are we having fun? Jeannette and Gene accept Covid risk in high-incidence Bali to see grandson.

But can he leave? It has become more complicated, thanks to covid restrictions. “We arrived on JAL on January 1st, and as soon as we got here, they shut the airport,” says Gene.

He says Bali is semi-deserted, but in a way, perfect. “Everything is open. No long lines. We play golf and tennis nearly every day. Shopping is so cheap. The Grand Hyatt hotel, where all the expats meet, has everything: pools, massages, great food, and is relatively cheap.”

But why fly to Bali at the height of covid-19? It was the birth of their grandson in Bali to Mark and his wife Masha. But they are risking much.

Recently, CDC put out a “Very High Level of Covid-19” notice for Indonesia. Gene says people are wearing masks. Well, most. “The other day, I was wearing mine. This expat lady who wasn’t, said, ‘Isn’t that uncomfortable?’ And I knew immediately where this discussion was going to go. Soon we got to her saying, ‘You don’t need that mask. It’s all a hoax.’ I couldn’t take any more, especially in this beautiful, spiritual, green, harmonious place, with its rice terraces and temples. I walked away. We came here to welcome our new grandson, not to re-fight the election.”

He’s not worried about getting back to San Diego, even though family members here are fretting about them. They intend to leave in a couple of weeks.“We’ll have to be tested. But [son] Mark knows the ins and outs of navigating the system. I mean, we love it here. My shirts are perfectly laundered and ironed, every day except Sunday. But honestly, I don’t like having servants. Besides, I’m just basically looking forward to California weather. Here, starting January, we’ve had the monsoons, raining every night. I tell you man, there is no weather like California weather. It’s the best in the world. By far. Covid or no covid.”

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

At 4pm, this Farmer's Table restaurant in Chula Vista becomes Acqua e Farina

Brunch restaurant by day, Roman style trattoria by night
FaceTime photo of Jeannette Miller, poolside in Bali. Official CDC Covid figures for Indonesia are high, but actual tourist numbers on the island of Bali are low, so the Millers figure the risk is worth it to see their new grandson.
FaceTime photo of Jeannette Miller, poolside in Bali. Official CDC Covid figures for Indonesia are high, but actual tourist numbers on the island of Bali are low, so the Millers figure the risk is worth it to see their new grandson.

What does Gene Miller love most about life in Bali? “No one here gives a shit about what’s going on in America.”

The San Diegan’s speaking over FaceTime from Bali, Indonesia. On the little screen, you can see the dark woods of his son Mark’s leased house there, tropical leaves, intricate ceramics in the background, and Gene’s wife Jeannette in an orange swimsuit in the blue waters of the house pool.

Gene and Jeannette got the chance when their son, Mark, who made his fortune importing surfboards to the U.S., arrived in Bali on his cruising catamaran, which he had sailed from Australia. “He said come over any time,” says Gene. “And I was so upset over how things were going here, it was disturbing to my psyche. I stopped reading anything political. Now after two-three months over here, the continued divisiveness back home is tempting me to stay.”

Sponsored
Sponsored

Besides, he says, life in Bali is good for people like him and Jeannette. “No Americans to argue the last election with,” says Gene. “Only some Europeans, Australians, and a colony of Russians. But it is so civilized and cheap, people don’t want to leave.”

Are we having fun? Jeannette and Gene accept Covid risk in high-incidence Bali to see grandson.

But can he leave? It has become more complicated, thanks to covid restrictions. “We arrived on JAL on January 1st, and as soon as we got here, they shut the airport,” says Gene.

He says Bali is semi-deserted, but in a way, perfect. “Everything is open. No long lines. We play golf and tennis nearly every day. Shopping is so cheap. The Grand Hyatt hotel, where all the expats meet, has everything: pools, massages, great food, and is relatively cheap.”

But why fly to Bali at the height of covid-19? It was the birth of their grandson in Bali to Mark and his wife Masha. But they are risking much.

Recently, CDC put out a “Very High Level of Covid-19” notice for Indonesia. Gene says people are wearing masks. Well, most. “The other day, I was wearing mine. This expat lady who wasn’t, said, ‘Isn’t that uncomfortable?’ And I knew immediately where this discussion was going to go. Soon we got to her saying, ‘You don’t need that mask. It’s all a hoax.’ I couldn’t take any more, especially in this beautiful, spiritual, green, harmonious place, with its rice terraces and temples. I walked away. We came here to welcome our new grandson, not to re-fight the election.”

He’s not worried about getting back to San Diego, even though family members here are fretting about them. They intend to leave in a couple of weeks.“We’ll have to be tested. But [son] Mark knows the ins and outs of navigating the system. I mean, we love it here. My shirts are perfectly laundered and ironed, every day except Sunday. But honestly, I don’t like having servants. Besides, I’m just basically looking forward to California weather. Here, starting January, we’ve had the monsoons, raining every night. I tell you man, there is no weather like California weather. It’s the best in the world. By far. Covid or no covid.”

Comments
Sponsored

The latest copy of the Reader

Please enjoy this clickable Reader flipbook. Linked text and ads are flash-highlighted in blue for your convenience. To enhance your viewing, please open full screen mode by clicking the icon on the far right of the black flipbook toolbar.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Dia de los Muertos Celebration, Love Thy Neighbor(Hood): Food & Art Exploration

Events November 2-November 6, 2024
Next Article

Big swordfish, big marlin, and big money

Trout opener at Santee Lakes
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader