A Few Different Schoolie Tips

Bali Taxi Warriors

It’s that time of year again and Bali Schoolies is once again upon us. When I lived on the island this time of year always worried me. Bali is the perfect place for groups of young people to blow off steam after a year of hard studying. But this also means that a lot of first time travellers will be hitting the bars and beaches of Kuta and Seminyak. It is estimated that over six thousand schoolies from Australia will be arriving in Bali over the next two weeks.  And it is no stretch to imagine that these teenagers will be partying hard and drinking way too much in their pursuit of fun on the island. I have covered this in the past but here are a few different tips that may help out.

Make Sure You Have Travel Insurance

A number of Australians have accidents during their holidays in Bali. Whether it is scooter related, nightclub related or just simply a surfing accident. No matter what happens, it is always wise to have some level of travel insurance when heading to Bali for holidays. Recently a Bali based Australian had to be medevac’d back to Australia from Bali. The Australian had no travel insurance and the price for his evacuation ranged in the forty to fifty thousand dollar range. This is a huge amount of money for anyone so please make sure you have the appropriate travel insurance.

Bring Condoms from Home

Condoms are available in Bali but they tend to be of a substandard quality and they have a propensity break easily. It is always wise to have a sufficient supply whether you think you will be involved in this type of activity or not. Remember this is schoolies and who knows what may happen or who you may meet.  Please also be aware that there are plenty of prostitutes trawling the Bali clubs and the beaches’ of Bali. Local men and women are involved in this activity. It has also been well documented that there is a very high H.I.V. infection rate on the island. If you do meet a local man or a local lady and things graduate to a sexual level. Then please always ensure that the correct protection is used.

Western Standard Motorbike Helmet

Firstly I wouldn’t recommend that anyone traveling to Bali for schoolies hires a scooter. Most things are within walking distance and transportation is inexpensive. For around town taxis are available and the driver will wait if his customer needs to stop. For longer travel it is wise to hire a car and driver for the day. The driver will help with translation and they will be more than willing to share their local knowledge. A good idea is to pool your resources and travel with friends. Think of it as a road trip, you will have a lot more laughs and you will see a lot more of the sights. Also remember to barter when organizing the price and stipulate where you want to go and how long you want to take.

If you intend hiring a scooter in Bali then please pack a western standard motorbike helmet with your luggage. The motorbike helmets sold and supplied in Bali are cheap copies.  They will not save a person’s life if they come off a bike at speed.  Also please don’t ride if you have been drinking.  More tourists are injured or killed on motorbikes in Bali than anything else. If you have been drinking, park and lock your scooter in a busy street. And then ask a local working in a shop close by to watch it for you. I have done this hundreds of times so I can promise that it will be quite safe.  It may also be advisable to leave a small tip and then promise a further tip when you return.  If you do leave your scooter it is also sensible to carry your helmet with you or to leave it behind the counter of the shop or bar. Quality helmets that are left locked on scooters for long periods are often stolen.

Little tip: Brand new helmets may attract an import tax at customs so bring something second hand. If you do bring a new helmet, cover the Australian standard sticker with another sticker and then scuff the helmet up a little. Australian standard motorcycle helmets are prized in Bali so they are prone to being stolen.

Avoid cheap drinks and cocktails

There have been tourists injuries and deaths attributed to drinking cheap alcohol in Bali. The reason for this is that a number of these drinks are methanol based.  This is a dangerous chemical that can cause blindness, coma and death if consumed in large amounts. Cheap alcohol, otherwise known as Arak, is often brewed in backyard distilleries around Bali and throughout Indonesia. Unfortunately there is no real way for the Indonesian authorities to completely stamp out this practice.

If you have any doubts about this please visit the following link: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=476423765790227&set=a.391798394252765.1073741827.389335401165731&type=1

 

Tattoo’s

Some schoolies may be attracted to the idea of getting a tattoo in Bali. I myself have had a number of them done on the island and I have never had a problem. But, when I did get my tattoos, I made sure that a packet of clean and sterilized needles was opened in front of me. And that the shop where I was having the work done was clean and sterilized looking. A good idea is to ask other tourists that have received tattoos where they received them and if they had any problems. It may also be wise to have the tattoo done on the closest day to your departure as possible. Most of Bali’s water is ground water and most of Bali’s sewage runs on a septic tank system. And with this in mind swimming or showering in Bali with a fresh tattoo is definitely not advised.

 

Check the depth of your pool before diving in.

This may sound obvious or stupid but you would be surprised at how many times I have heard about this happening. Bali pools are not built to the same building standards as western pools and a lot were built a long time ago.  For whatever reason, a number of people dive into their hotel pools without first checking the depth. And they end up with a nasty injury to begin their holiday or worse.  A very close friend of mine came very close to breaking his neck doing this. It is always wise to ask the pool guy or if you’re lucky enough the pool bar attendant. But if you happen to be too shy or no one is available, try jumping in feet first to begin with.

©Malcolm Scott

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