Bali holiday tips - part 2

It's hard to enjoy your Bali holiday from a hospital bed, so here's my second tip:

IN A FIGHT WITH THE LOCALS, YOU WILL ALWAYS COME OFF SECOND BEST!

There are a couple of things to keep in mind here:

Some of the altercations between locals and tourists are setups.

An Indonesian may provoke a tourist until they retaliate. If the tourist strikes the Indonesian they may be arrested and taken to the local police station. He or she may then find that they have to pay a fine or face court and jail.

Damages may also be expected to be paid to the victim and this is the scam. The payment the perpetrator makes to the victim will be divided up by all involved.

If the perpetrator refuses to pay and the case is slated to be heard in the Indonesian court system. The foreigner will await their court case in jail. And they will be considered guilty until they prove themselves innocent.

Indonesians do not fight alone and they do not fight fair. 

Even if the altercation is nothing more than two people losing their tempers, a tourist who strikes an Indonesian will quickly find themselves heavily outnumbered. They will risk being severely injured, and they will still face jail if they are arrested. Indonesians do not fight alone and they do not fight fair.

If you are confronted by an Indonesian for any reason, smile and apologise then politely walk away. An Indonesian will rarely launch a physical attack unless they attacked first (except in the case of Indonesian nightclub security).

Remember that assault is a major crime in Indonesia. Whether it is perpetrated on an Indonesian or another tourist, assault carries a hefty fine and a jail sentence for anyone convicted.

Bali holiday tips - part 1

You want to have a great time during your Bali holiday, right? Here is the first of my tips for making sure you do.

DON'T BUY DRUGS IN BALI 

Drugs are now flooding into Bali and it seems that someone gets busted at least once a week trying to bring them through Denpasar airport. Some of these drugs will find their way onto the Kuta strip.

If you are tempted to do drugs in Bali do the math first. Swapping ten years of hell for one night’s fun is just not worth it!

It is worth remembering that a large percentage people who sell drugs in Bali are employed by the police. They will sell you the drugs and then inform on you. They will do this to make money. The fact that you will spend a good deal of your life in an Indonesian jail when you are caught is of no concern to these people.

If you break the law in Indonesia you effectively become an Indonesian citizen. But you will not be prosecuted like one. It will be worse. Prosecution lawyers and judges will have little sympathy. They will take it as an affront that a foreigner has broken the laws of their country and they will prosecute and sentence you to the highest level of their power.

You will also get little support from you own government. You will be tried under their legal system and their laws. The penalties for drug offences in Indonesia are more severe than most western countries. There is little your own government will be able to do to reduce your penalty.

Bali Raw for FREE!!!

I'm giving away 50 FREE copies of the Bali Raw ebook at my facebook page at the moment. Click through now to Bali Raw on Facebook and score one for yourself...

(You can read the ebook on your iPad, iPhone, ebook reader or computer - I'll contact the first 50 people to ask what format they want.)

An Australian Dies Every 9 Days in Bali

I had just finished posting my thoughts on nightclub violence in Bali when I came across this article published in the Bali Times: An Australian Dies Every 9 Days

The Bali Times is a weekly English newspaper that I have always found to be relatively unbiased as far as it's reporting is concerned. 

I would have to admit that when I saw this piece, I was struck by more than one emotion. 

I was impressed that one of Bali's most important and popular papers had taken the time to report on these issues. I honestly believe that the more sincere people are when reflecting on Bali's problems, the more chance there is for this wonderful island to be healed and returned to its former glory. 

I was also shocked. I take no credit for having anything to do with the writing of this piece. But I do cover all of these issues in Bali Raw. They could easily have been researched from Bali Raw's pages.

Lastly and perhaps most importantly I was deeply troubled. What really disturbs me about this article is that it is only concerned with Australians. During my years spent living in Bali I met people from all countries in the world. I for one can't help but question what the death and injury figures are for all tourists that visit Bali.

Bali holidays ruined by club security bashing

A while back I posted about an incident I had with security at a Bali nightclub, and the attitude they usually take when foreigners are in trouble...They don't help, most of the time they're more likely to beat the crap out of you.

I just read a story about another guy who experienced the same thing. If you think my encounter was a one-off, read what happened to former North Melbourne coach Dead Laidley, who was bashed by security at one of Bali's most popular nightclubs.

You might also want to read my post Avoiding Trouble in Bali's Nightclubs.

6 Tips for Schoolies Holidays in Bali

For any schoolies going to holiday in Bali this year, please remember to be careful and have fun. Here are six tips to help you on your way:

1. Respect the local population and culture

The majority of Balinese people are Hindu and their religion and beliefs are very significant to them. It is important that anyone traveling to Bali respects this and acts accordingly. 
Please remember that you are a guest on the island, follow all requests and give full respect especially when visiting Balinese temples. This will also go a long way in forming a good impression of your own home country.

Tip: Make sure you visit at least one temple or one ceremony while visiting Bali. A little culture never did anyone any harm and you may just enjoy the experience.

2. Balinese A.T.M. machines are not the same as at home

Remember to take your card out of the machine after finishing a transaction. This may sound obvious but it would surprise how many people don't remember to retrieve their card.
The A.T.M. machines in Bali operate on a different system to the machines in Australia. They do not automatically return your card. You must remember to push cancel when you have finished your transaction.

Tip: Use A.T.M. machines attached to a bank or the ones located in convenience stores. A lot of credit card fraud takes place in Bali and these places have better security. Also there is a better chance of retrieving a card from these machines if something untoward happens. Another good idea is to only use machines during daylight hours.

3. Know what you're drinking

The local drink is known as arak. It is an alcoholic beverage made of fermented rice or molasses and it is lethal! A total of 23 people are thought to have died from drinking arak which had been spiked with methanol to increase its potency.

Arak can be found in some of the cheap mixed drinks served in pubs or nightclubs, usually under the name "Jungle Juice". Please be aware and try to avoid this drink. If you find you cannot avoid drinking arak then do your best to drink it in moderation.

Tip: Cheap alcoholic drinks can be brought from convenience stores. They are properly distilled and a lot safer.

4. Lock up your valuables and don't leave cash lying around

Hotel staff are generally well screened and very honest in Bali, but there is always the exception. Please lock up all valuables, including your passport, in the hotel safe. And never ever leave cash lying around your hotel room. 

Remember Indonesian hotel staff receive a very small wage and sometimes the temptation can be too great.

Tip: Expensive phones are highly prized and prone to being stolen. Cheap phones and sim cards are available around Bali. Lock up your expensive phone and just transfer your important numbers. Also speak to the locals - there is a code available that will give you very
cheap calls when calling internationally. 

5. Do not accept any drugs if offered

Indonesia has some of the toughest drug penalties in the world. There are also unscrupulous people selling drugs around Bali who have the sole intention of setting up westerners to be busted.  You do not want to extend your holiday by ten years, so just don't do it.

Tip: If you are offered drugs do not engage the person and just walk away. It is important that you show no interest or the person involved may see you as having future potential for a set-up.

Get around Bali in a group at night and make a commitment to keep an eye on each other

6. Be aware of your surroundings

Remember that you are in a foreign country and the same laws, rules or regulations do not apply to situations or to people in authority. This includes police officers and security staff. Be aware of your surroundings, avoid trouble at all costs and take the personal responsibility of keeping yourself safe.

Tip: Make a commitment with friends or traveling companions to keep an eye on each other and always get around Bali at night in a group. Dangerous situations are less likely to occur if you are walking with a crowd of friends.



You might also be interested in 5 Tips for Riding Scooters in Bali

The Beat on Bali Raw: 'a Boys Own kind of action novel'

The Beat  is an incredibly up to date and cool magazine that contains well-researched and valid information on what is trending in Bali and Jakarta. The Beat magazine was my favourite reading material while I lived in Bali. I would pick up a copy of The Beat every month and then scrutinise its pages to find out what was happening in and around Bali's nightlife scene. 

I was very excited and a little nervous when I learned The Beat wanted to review Bali Raw and interview me. I needn't have been concerned. The Bali Raw review was well written and the interview turned out great. 

Here's a little bit from the Bali Raw book review:

"There are some humorous episodes but generally the undertone is built on raw machismo in a Les Norton way more than raw fact, which is perfect for a young lad like my [17 year old] son ready to lap up the heroics of a cool minded and a little arrogant central figure, but lacking on details of the real underbelly of this town. It's a fun book though and easy to read from cover to cover. It's a Boys Own kind of action novel with many insights to the Kuta backstreet world of bars, expats and the ladies and men of the night."

If you're interested in reading the full book review and my interview, you can visit http://beatmag.com/bali/features/bali-raw.html