Ketut Gunartha - Vice Chairman

It is always difficult for me to write about myself especially to keep objectivity. However I should do it to share with all of us. I currently work in Amankila Resort as Executive Housekeeper. Love Pop music, tennis is my favorite sport at a moment.First of all I would like to say that I create this weblog myself as an expression of my love to our organization. As a person who involved when this organization was re-formed in 1997 I just simply want our organization exist forever. When Pak Nyoman Sugiarta, Our new Chairman contacted me to become secretary of IHKA Bali for period 2006 – 2009 I just simply can not refuse. Over night I was thinking on what I should do to give more color to the organization. I should make something that we have never had before, or do something that we have never done before. When I woke up in the morning suddenly I show an architecture magazine on my table with website address at the bottom. Yes, Web. That is the one that I should create for the organization.

At the end of Rakerda 2006 I raised this idea to several committees and the chairman supported this idea. As we are a social professional organization, not a profit oriented company then we decided to make a free hosting web and I choose Blog, the one that very popular at this decade.

Writing about my life, I should say that my life when I was child was not easy. I probably can say that I have lost my childhood and teenage time that for most people is the most enjoyable time. Was born in a farmer family which is not even own one square meter of land you can imagine how hard was our daily life. Luckily I was born in Sukawati, where so many things that we can do to earn money. When government started to develop tourism sector round 1980, wood carving, leather puppet, painting, mask, etc were all became home industry there. Making one of those things was what I have done to earn money to be able to buy cloth and to funding my education. You may don’t believe if I say that I started to earn money when I was 10 years old, when I was still in elementary school. I started to fund my school since then. My daily schedule was always the same all over the year. Went to school in the morning, went to work shop in the afternoon, study in the evening. No weekly day off. On Sunday I had to be in the work shop all day. I had to do this to get a proper education to make my dream come true “A better life”.However I had to forget my dream to continue my study in university because of financial problem. I had to leave Udayana as there was no way that I could fund myself in this faculty. Then I turned to Hotel Institute in Nusa Dua which has brought me to my profession as an hotelier.

In term of career, among all committees I might the one who have the shortest list of hotel to work with. I only have two hotels to mention. First Bali Hilton Nusa Dua, and secondly Amankila Resorts on east Bali. I started my career in Bali Hilton as Housekeeping Attendant in 1990 and resigned eleven month after commencement date to join Amankila Resort as Housekeeping Supervisor. Three years later I was promoted to Assistant Executive Housekeeper fully responsible for housekeeping department as the Executive Housekeeper has resigned. One year closely monitored by the manager then I was promoted to be an Executive Housekeeper. Loving the resort, its location, company philosophy, and style of service really make me enjoy working in this fabulous resort until now.

Don’t you get bored? This question was quite often raised by friends. To be honest some time yes. But given award to travel and stay in sister hotel and opportunity to be involve in opening new sister resort in other countries have helped me out from routine daily operation and enabled me to experience the beauty of other part of the world which is I have never dreamed.In many cases those experiences have changed my perception about the countries that I have visited, wherever it was, whether Singapore, Thailand, Morocco, Paris or India.

Desert is an example. Before, desert is not interesting place at all to me. Dry, hot, no water, windy, sandy etc. But when first time I show the desert from the air plane on my flight from Charles de Gaulle, Paris to Marrakech, Morocco on North Africa my perception has suddenly changed. I was interested to be in the desert. That was why on my day off during tiring opening “Amanjena” in Morocco, I went to see the desert even though it was two hours drive from the property. If Iwan Fals describe sun set in Kuta as “Mata Dewa” in his song, STING describe Marrakech as “desert of the roses” reflecting that the country has spectacular desert sun set combine with colorful roses all over the city.

Am I fallen in love with the desert? Maybe yes. Exited by my unforgettable memory in desert of Morocco, I and three of friends have chosen Thar Desert Sanctuary as a place to celebrate Indonesia Independence Day when we was in Rajasthan, India on 17 August 2003. We have stay over night in a tent style accommodation in the middle of the desert. Riding camel in late afternoon to watch sun set from the top hill of the desert was another lovely moment. Color on the sky was fabulous and I could not forget until now.

Rajasthan, India has not only amazed me with desert. Well known as the land of Maharajahs, this state have plenty of unbelievable Palaces such as Umaid Bhawan Palace, Balsamand Palace, and Sadarsamand Palace which are located in the blue city of Jodhpur, Lake Palace and Devi Garh in Udaipur, and Rambagh Palace in the pink city of Jaipur. All of those palaces now are converted into high rate accommodation managed by international chain hotel. Living in the palaces with the Maharajah, Maharani, the prince and princes has allowed me to learn and understand their culture, and the history of Rathore Rajputana, the Palace family in modernization of India before independance. Also I could witnessed their dance, music, song which is very attractive.

A totally different experience from the Palaces was when I explored the tiger sanctuary of Sawai Madopur Where Aman -I-Khas one of our sister resort is located. Driving an open jeep to spot tiger, summer deer, leopard, bear and eagle in the hilly forest of Rantambore National Park was a really unforgettable journey.

All Indian were saying “Visiting Taj Mahal is a must when traveling to India”. I had to wake up at 05; 00 early morning to take first train from New Delhi which took four hours to be able to see this remarkable love monument. This one of seven wonder of the world is located in Agra State and visited by thousands of people everyday to witness un-describable beautiful carved white marble palace as an expression of love of the King to the princes. Apart from Taj Mahal itself Agra is rich in art and culture such as handcraft, marble carving, stone, Moghul and Kashmir carpet, which all are amazing. All have given me another perspective of the world.

Thanks God, I was given opportunity to witness all of those things which are most peoples in the world may only read it in the book.This cultural and nature experience was big different from everything I have seen in Phuket when I traveled to Thailand. Beach, snorkeling, cruising, elephant riding, Budish temple are all that we can see and enjoy there. All are similar to Bali. And of course are totally different from the one that I have experienced when I traveled to Singapore which is super modern and tremendously clean.