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| 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
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS
Ambulance: 118 Police: 110 Fire: 113 Search
& Rescue: (0361) 111 115 151 Bali
Tourist Police: (0361)
754 599 (0361) 224 111 Red Cross: (0361) 227 224 Air Ambulance (0361) 207 7788
Electricity: 123 Taxi: (0361) 701
111
CLINICS DOCTORS HOSPITALS
Sanglah Public Hospital: (0361) 227 911 – 15 Kasih Ibu Hospital: (0361) 223 036, (0361)
237 016 Bali International Medical Center (BIMC): (0361) 761263 International
SOS: (0361) 710505
AUSTRALIAN CONSULAR OFFICE (Includes Canada and New Zealand)
Phone: 235 092/3 Fax: 231 990 Email: ausconbali@denpasar.wasantara.net.id
