“Be careful of the monkeys.  Do not look them in the eye.  If they steal from you, do not resist. If they jump on you, do not flinch.  Never fight back.”

Seems a little dramatic.  This was the warning from the driver who dropped us off at the Ubud Monkey Forest on the island of Bali.  This popular tourist attraction is a Hindu sacred site, as well as a monkey sanctuary.  It’s also the perfect place to photograph yourself in yoga pose.

The monkeys were adorable.  Like tiny fuzzy old men.  Every move they made was photographed by a paparazzi of tourists like myself.  Seeing a monkey was not enough, I needed proof!  I took photos of them eating and walking around, and just doing their general monkey business.  I even got my kids to sit near them for a photo.

The more time we spent there though, the more signs you saw that all was not harmonious in the Hindu forest.  We saw a monkey climb onto a lady’s shoulder and attempt to yank out her earing.  Another stole items from a purse while the owner was distracted.  A third approached a lady on a bench and maybe shivv’d her?  She jumped up with a shriek of pain clutching her side.  A solemn monk lead her off to a first aid hut, never to be seen again.

I guess the driver was right, but they’re so darn cute!

Our next stop after Bali would be the island of Bawean, nicknamed The Island of Women, as most of the male population find employment off island.

Having learned my lesson I did a few internet searches before setting foot on shore.  I could find no reports of the Bawean women robbing, biting or leaping onto tourists.  It seemed safe.

What I didn’t realize was, apparently, no tourist had ever set foot on Bawean in the history of tourism.  We were an absolute sensation with the locals.  We were asked to pose for dozens of photographs, and many more people didn’t ask. Wherever we went there were cameras pointed at us.  People photographed us eating and walking around, and just doing our general tourist business.  They often sent their kids over to be photographed with us. 

Did any of these parents Google “white people attacks” before trusting us with their kids?  Do your homework parents, there have been incidents!

All the attention was amusing, especially as we could retreat to the boat after a few hours, but it got me thinking about those monkeys.  Under the lens day after day, no real connections, just click click click.  It’s no wonder they lash out.

We had a fun couple days on Bawean, without once baring our teeth or even throwing poop at anyone.  Yet, the experience left us with a sense of unfinished business.

It was time to go and talk to some monkeys about their feelings.

Steer a course for the jungles of Borneo!