Breaths of Bali

Eyes on the Road Rhonda

Who remembers the advertising masterpiece that was the series created for AAMI Insurance featuring Rhonda and Ketut that debuted in 2011? If you don’t copy and paste this in to YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL0T_zFaHwU&t=74s

Rhonda, an average everyday Aussie woman leaves work one day to a huge round of applause from her co-workers. She leaves the carpark confused, and drives out to be greeted by hoards and hoards of onlookers, cheering and waving banners with her name on it. The scene is wild – like a rock star has arrived in town. She is being celebrated for her safe driving and earning her “Safe Driver Reward Credit” – which means big savings on her insurance. Rhonda is now an icon, and she’s here for it.

Using the money saved from her Safe Driver Rewards, she makes her Bali dream holiday a reality. (This is sounding like an endorsement for AAMI but it’s really not btw).

What ensued was a pop culture explosion.

Next ad - Rhonda, relaxing on a sunlounge beachside in Bali, treating herself to a strong foot massage by one of the local beach vendors, who recognises her as Rhonda, the safe driver. Her fame obviously precedes her. The round faced smiling lady massages her “beautiful brake foot” with admiration. A crowd of other vendors descend, all trying to get a piece of Rhonda… (all who have somehow recognised her from her safe driving history). The original curvy mama masseuse shoos them away and says “No, no…. Rhonda is mine! Rhonda is mine!”

The next ad - Rhonda, again relaxing on a sunlounge, is served a drink in a coconut shell whipped up by a handsome Balinese bartender/waiter as he quips “I make special drink for you today Rhonda. You look so hot today… like a sunrise.” Smooth Ketut, smooth. Rhonda giggles, of course and thanks him. I loved it when she lifted her sunnies from her lobster red face to reveal the sunny tan of all sunny tans!

There were a few more ads where Rhonda reminisces with her friend as she gets picked up from the airport on her return home, ironically causing a car accident. Another at Rhonda’s high school reunion where mean girls say “where’s Mr Sunrise? Maybe Ketut’s kaput”. She retains the upper hand by dancing with a handsome gentleman “Trent”. The ad closes with the party ended, the cleaners tidying up and Ketut running in with a bunch of flowers in his hand which he dramatically allows to drop to the floor. *Sigh*.

There are several more elements to the campaign but nothing beats the first three ads in my opinion.

Phrases from the campaign became part of the Aussie lingo with “eyes on the road Rhonda,” “hot like a sunrise” and “kiss me Ketut” and even featured on singlets – made and sold in Bali of course! Drivers would greet passengers, when discovering they are Aussies, with “you look hot today… like a sunrise” and instantly gain a huge laugh and quite often even some new friends.

Who knows if AAMI knew the impact their ads would have.

It repackaged Bali not as a chaotic party hub, but as a place of genuine relaxation, warmth, and innocent romance for everyday, hardworking Australians.

The ads humanised and highlighted the wonderful local Balinese staff. Ketut wasn't just a faceless service worker; he was the hero of the story.

What I loved about these ads is they really embody Bali for me. It’s not just the excitement of the trip or being somewhere so different to home you feel like you are escaping reality. Yes, it’s the tropical weather. Yes, it’s the beachside/poolside “special drinks”. Above all these things, to me, it’s the local people. Ketut, along with the masseuse on the beach really embody what the Balinese are like. Warm, cheeky, thoughtful and fun.

That’s why for me, going back to Bali feels just like coming home.

Be blessed!

Bali’s more than just a booze up for bogans

It both pains and intrigues me how Bali can still have the reputation of being the go-to place to over indulge in cheap booze and engage in obnoxiously bad behaviour. I’d be lying to you if I said this was a completely false stereotype, you just have to go out after dark in certain popular tourist areas and you’ll see a few visitors acting atrociously. I’ve talked to several people about our amazing experiences in Bali but even that can’t dissuade them from holding their stance of never wanting to go there because of how it is portrayed and the stories they have heard. When they think of Bali images of they often think predominantly of Kuta.

As I wrote in my very first post “A story that needs sharing”, I mentioned how close Bali is for those of us in Perth Western Australia – by the way if you haven’t read it yet go and have a read, it explains what this book writing venture is all about. Bali is so much more than Kuta. It’s an island destination where you can experience a broad variety of holiday atmospheres – something to suit most tastes. From the stereotypical party scene on the southern west coast to the more relaxed influencer heavy surfer scene of Canggu. Ironically places like Canggu known originally for the relaxed surfer scene is now so heavy with traffic (mostly tourists) it is quite a stressful area to drive through with it’s bottlenecks and gridlocks. What should take 15 minutes often takes over an hour. We only travelled through it going from Tabanan where Nyoman and Eka live, to the airport.

Ubud, a dense tropical oasis ladened with jungles, coconut trees and rice paddies, seems to attract nature loving, vegan, yoga enthusiasts. That’s a bit of a stereotype but it’s also a pretty fair representation.

I haven’t travelled north, but I hear there are some isolated and breath-taking seaside destinations if you really want to get away from it all. Lovina features beaches covered with dramatic dark volcanic sand and pods of playful dolphins that cruise along the coast regularly.

Nusa Dua is more of an exclusive destination with a distinct upmarket feel – streets dotted with 5 star restaurants and boutique hotels.

One destination we keep returning to is Sanur on the east coast. It’s for the people who are not interested in the party life, they just want nice accommodation, good food, no hassles. It’s for the “anti-influencer” types. It’s got more of a “I’m done with trying to keep up with the Joneses and impress people” feel. A retiree vibe. Just our style! In fact, the last time we stayed at a beachside hotel in Sanur, we couldn’t help but giggle to ourselves as several guests sauntered to the pool with their 4 wheel walkers, seat sporting several décor containers (you know the ones with the blue snaps on the lid) filled with “snacks from home”. HOW FABULOUS!

There are a lot more destinations to mention, but I haven’t been to those. Perhaps you can mention your favourite if I haven’t covered it. Bali is what you make it. It’s an island filled with one of the most beautiful races of people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. Many of the issues in Bali are not birthed from within. Tourism is both a blessing and a curse. The positives definitely outweigh the negatives in my opinion and I pray to return to what feels like my second home soon!