#17: The Wallet Hunt and the Calm of Sanur

This Chapter Begins with an Adventure I Won’t Forget Anytime Soon…

I lost my wallet in Canggu. Here’s how it happened…

After a great meal, the kids were exhausted, I was in swim shorts with a not-so-secure pocket, and just as we were about to order a Grab (which, I remind you, arrives in less than two minutes here), a taxi pulled up at the perfect moment. Given the state of the kids, it was a stroke of luck.

My wallet slipped inside the car once. I even thought to myself, "Oula, be careful, Julien." And yet, ten minutes later, as the rain started falling and a storm loomed in the distance, I jumped out of the car in a hurry to get the kids to safety.

A few hours later, as we were ordering pizza, disaster struck—my wallet was gone.

The Search Begins

With no app reservation, there was no way to trace the driver. But thanks to hotel surveillance cameras and the help of the staff, we managed to get the license plate number. A small glimmer of hope.

The next day, we headed to the Canggu police station…

At the Police Station: A Memorable Experience

To get there, I hopped onto the back of a scooter driven by a young Balinese guy, zigzagging between trucks and narrowly dodging potholes. At that moment, I seriously wondered if I’d make it back in one piece—or just with one knee less. Let’s just say, you need a taste for adventure…

Arriving at the police station, I met “Marcel Patoulacci”, aka the chief brigadier.

A policeman with a little belly, a cigarette hanging from his lips, pants slightly unbuttoned, and the look of someone who had celebrated a bit too much the night before. Next to him, his wife was handing him a McDonald's meal while he slowly typed on what looked like an ancient computer. It was 9:30 in the morning.

The result? "With just a license plate, I can’t do anything, sir. It’s probably a stolen plate. No investigation, just a declaration."

In short, I quickly realized that I had just wasted my time and officially lost my wallet.

Goodbye to our TDM card and a few other non-essential ones. Luckily, Beobank Tournai was incredibly responsive and sent me a new card immediately. (Side note: if someone from Beobank reads this—please add a WhatsApp service, that would be amazing!)

And thankfully, Anaïs had a backup card!

Last Days in Canggu

The following days, we enjoyed the sand, waves, and building sandcastles with the kids. Still no surfing for me—maybe next time.

That said, we’re happy to leave Canggu. It’s just not our style of travel—too crowded, too much traffic, not enough authenticity.

On to the next stop!

Heading to Sanur: Serenity Restored

We’ve arrived in Sanur, on Bali’s east coast, and what a contrast! Everything here is calmer, more family-friendly, and laid-back. The town has a peaceful charm, with bike paths and a beachfront walkway perfect for strolling. The offshore reef protects the coastline, creating gentle waves, ideal for the kids. After the chaos of Canggu, this place feels like a breath of fresh air.

Sanur is the perfect spot to end our last days in Indonesia on a relaxed note. We even took some time to visit ICON Bali, a beautiful new shopping mall, because Anaïs needed a swimsuit. And since we were there, we treated ourselves to the new Disney movie at the cinema—one of those simple joys of long-term travel, where we can take a break and do something fun for the kids.

Meanwhile, we still haven’t planned anything for Thailand yet, so we really need to get on that!

In the next episode, I’ll let you know if my new bank card arrived and do a little recap of our first two months in Indonesia.

See you soon for the next adventure!!